Piezoelectric element drive circuit and robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016226404-A1
Application number	US-201615011942-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Feb 2, 2015
Publication date	Aug 4, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A piezoelectric element drive circuit includes a piezoelectric element array in which the N number (N is an integer of two or more) of piezoelectric elements respectively having a piezoelectric substance whose thickness is 0.05 μm to 20 μm and two electrodes interposing the piezoelectric substance therebetween are connected in series, a first generation circuit that supplies a voltage including an AC component and a DC component to the piezoelectric element array, and a second generation circuit that supplies a voltage including the DC component to the M number (M is an integer of one or more) of connection points within the (N−1) number of connection points between two adjacent piezoelectric elements in the piezoelectric element array.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A piezoelectric element drive circuit comprising:
a piezoelectric element array in which the N number (N is an integer of two or more) of piezoelectric elements respectively having a piezoelectric substance whose thickness is 0.05 μm to 20 μm and two electrodes interposing the piezoelectric substance therebetween are connected in series; a first generation circuit that supplies a voltage including an AC component and a DC component to the piezoelectric element array; and a second generation circuit that supplies a voltage including the DC component to the M number (M is an integer of one or more) of connection points within the (N−1) number of connection points between two adjacent piezoelectric elements in the piezoelectric element array.

2 . The piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the M is equal to the (N−1), and wherein the second generation circuit supplies voltages having respectively different voltage values to the (N−1) number of connection points.

3 . The piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the voltage supplied by the second generation circuit is a DC voltage.

4 . The piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an inductor that is connected between the second generation circuit and the M number of connection points.

5 . The piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second generation circuit includes a voltage divider circuit which generates a voltage supplied to the M number of connection points by dividing the voltage supplied from the first generation circuit.

6 . The piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 5 ,
wherein the voltage divider circuit includes a resistance element array in which multiple resistance elements are connected in series.

7 . The piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 6 ,
wherein the voltage divider circuit includes an inductor which is connected to the resistance element array in series.

8 . A robot comprising:
multiple link portions; a joint portion that connects the multiple link portions to each other; and the piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 1 , which pivotally moves the multiple link portions in the joint portion by using the piezoelectric element.

9 . A robot comprising:
multiple link portions; a joint portion that connects the multiple link portions to each other; and the piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 2 , which pivotally moves the multiple link portions in the joint portion by using the piezoelectric element.

10 . A robot comprising:
multiple link portions; a joint portion that connects the multiple link portions to each other; and the piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 3 , which pivotally moves the multiple link portions in the joint portion by using the piezoelectric element.

11 . A robot comprising:
multiple link portions; a joint portion that connects the multiple link portions to each other; and the piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 4 , which pivotally moves the multiple link portions in the joint portion by using the piezoelectric element.

12 . A robot comprising:
multiple link portions; a joint portion that connects the multiple link portions to each other; and the piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 5 , which pivotally moves the multiple link portions in the joint portion by using the piezoelectric element.

13 . A robot comprising:
multiple link portions; a joint portion that connects the multiple link portions to each other; and the piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 6 , which pivotally moves the multiple link portions in the joint portion by using the piezoelectric element.

14 . A robot comprising:
multiple link portions; a joint portion that connects the multiple link portions to each other; and the piezoelectric element drive circuit according to claim 7 , which pivotally moves the multiple link portions in the joint portion by using the piezoelectric element.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Kajino Kiichi

Classifications

• H02N2/142 Primary

  Small signal circuits; Means for controlling position or derived quantities, e.g. speed, torque, starting, stopping, reversing · CPC title

• H02N2/004

  Rectangular vibrators · CPC title

• H02N2/0075

  Electrical details, e.g. drive or control circuits or methods · CPC title

• B25J9/126

  Rotary actuators · CPC title

• H02N2/103

  by pressing one or more vibrators against the rotor · CPC title