Piezoceramic vibrotactile transducer based on pre-compressed arch

US5973441A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• American Research Corporation of Virginia · US

Inventors

• K. Peter Lo · Blacksburg, US
• Nicholas V. Nechitailo · Conover, US
• Howard J. Moses · Blacksburg, US
• Lawrence H. Decker · Christiansburg, US
• Howard P. Groger · Radford, US
• Russell J. Churchill · Radford, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 15, 1997
• Grant date: Oct 26, 1999
• Expiry date: May 15, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N30/2048

Abstract

The vibration and electrical characterization of a piezoelectric tactor actuator is described. The actuator is a rectangular laminated flat plate with two opposite sides simply supported and two others free. Under an axial compression from the supports, the plate deforms into a stressed shallow shell. Electrical high frequency harmonic signals within relatively low-frequency bursts are applied to the piezoelectric layers. Depending on the axial compression and pre-deflection, frequency and magnitude of electrical input, the tunable actuator exhibits frequency/mode-controlled high-force over large area vibrations with intense displacement jumps. A single-degree-of-freedom model and simplified 1-D models are provided. The tactor provides efficient conversion of electrical energy into mechanical.