The piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element; a power supply applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element; a drive circuit that applies a voltage from the power supply to the piezoelectric element by a pulse charge signal and a discharge signal to charge, and discharges the charge charged in the piezoelectric element to drive the piezoelectric element; an abnormality detection circuit that detects an abnormality due to insulation failure of the piezoelectric element, and a control unit that determines whether or not the piezoelectric element is normal based on an abnormality detection signal. The abnormality detection circuit outputs the abnormality detection signal that detects a time corresponding to a period from when a current starts to flow to the piezoelectric element during charging to when a current stops to flow, and it is determined that the piezoelectric element is abnormal when the time is equal to or more than a set time.

A pre-loaded piezoelectric stack actuator comprising a stack of piezoelectric material. Caps are coupled at opposed ends of the stack. Each of the caps includes projecting fingers. Insulating plates are stacked between the ends of the stack and the caps. A pair of pre-loaded spring plates are coupled to the stack. The spring plates define slots. The fingers on the caps extend through respective ones of the slots at respective ends of the spring plates for coupling the spring plates to the stack. A method of pre-loading the piezoelectric stack actuator includes the step of mounting the stack, the caps, the insulating plates, and the spring plates in a pre-load tool that applies a pre-load tensile stretching force to the spring plates. The pre-load tensile force is subsequently released and the actuator is removed from the tool.

Provided are a piezoelectric driving device, an optical member driving device, a camera device, and an electronic apparatus, which are capable of performing driving only by one-direction oscillation modes, and capable of combining the oscillation modes to enable driving in two directions. A piezoelectric driving device (10) includes: a driving portion (12) to be brought into frictional contact with an object to be driven; and two piezoelectric portions (14a, 14b) (14c, 14d), which are provided to the driving portion (12), are arranged on a plane with the driving portion (12) being sandwiched between the two piezoelectric portions, and are configured to be bent with respect to the plane when voltages are applied thereto. Further, a piezoelectric driving device (10) includes: a driving portion (12) to be brought into frictional contact with an object to be driven; and at least four piezoelectric portions (14a to 14d), which are fixed to the driving portion (12), are arranged in a circulated manner on a plane and around the driving portion (12), and are configured to be bent with respect to the plane when voltages are applied thereto.

When an actuator using a conventional piezoelectric element is used as a general-purpose mechanical component, such as a linear actuator and an electric cylinder, the absence or weak constraint of a guide in the moving direction causes the problem that the moving direction of a moving member is changed or the moving member is rotated due to a change in the posture of the moving member by an external force. A restraint member presses a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped output shaft, which has high stiffness, thermal conductivity, and lubricity and to which a piezoelectric element is attached at one end, against a guide member so as to limit the degree of freedom to one degree, in order to realize a linear actuator, an electric cylinder, and a force generation device that can be used for general purposes and have a high straight movement property. Also, an output member having a mass that is commensurate with the mass of the piezoelectric element is attached to the other end of the output shaft to improve a generated force, stiffness, and usability.

An electric linear repetitive pulsed drive for an operation of apparatuses, in particular for an operation of apparatuses for improving an efficiency of which a working energy that is output in a pulsed manner, with at the same time low repetition frequencies, is advantageous, includes a magnetic circuit with an air gap and an electric coil, a magnetic shape-memory adjustment element and a reset unit, and a control electronics unit, wherein the electric linear repetitive pulsed drive outputs its energy in discrete-time fashion, bundled in short time intervals, that is in pulses.

In certain examples, methods and semiconductor structures are directed to operation of a piezoelectric-based device (e.g., a DC-DC converter) and such operation may involve selectively switching inputs of the piezoelectric-based device at a modulation frequency and, in response, decoupling of the modulation frequency from output power delivered by the piezoelectric-based device. In some examples, the inputs of the piezoelectric-based device are selectively switched to cause decoupling the modulation frequency from output power delivered by the piezoelectric-based device and/or cause operation of the piezoelectric-based device without spurious mode operation.

The present disclosure relates to an SIDM piezo actuator driving apparatus and a method thereof, and the present disclosure provides an apparatus and a method for driving the SIDM piezo actuator capable of reducing heat generation and power consumption by removing the inrush current into the piezo actuator and capable of improving the vibration speed by increasing the applied voltage.

A piezoelectric stepper drive includes a piezoelectric drive apparatus with at least two drive sections, each acted upon by at least two piezoelectric actuators, and a driven member which is advanced by at least one of the drive sections when control voltages are applied to the actuators. The drive apparatus is configured approximately in the shape of a triangle, at the tip of which the drive sections are arranged. At least one of the drive sections is biased against the driven member, in the absence of control voltages applied to the actuators, such that the drive section blocks advance of the driven member, where each of the drive sections is mounted individually resilient relative to a base of the triangle.

The invention relates to an actuating method for an electromechanical element for positioning an element that is to be driven and that is at least temporarily in contact with the electromechanical element, wherein, in a step mode, electrical voltage pulses are applied to the electromechanical element and each voltage pulse has at least two temporal sections, wherein, in one of the temporal sections, a temporal change of the electrical voltage occurs that is slower on average and, in the other temporal section, a temporal change of the electrical voltage occurs that is faster on average, and, at least in one part of the temporal section of the temporal change of the electrical voltage that is slower on average, which part defines a drive time section, by means of static friction between the electromechanical element, expanding or contracting in the drive direction, and the element to be driven, the latter is moved along by the electromechanical element, and at least in one part of the time section of the temporal change of the electrical voltage that is faster on average, which part defines a relative motion time section, a relative movement occurs between the electromechanical element and the element to be driven by sliding friction between the electromechanical element contracting or expanding opposite the drive direction, such that the element to be driven carries out a discrete step in the drive direction with each voltage pulse, and the method furthermore comprises the providing of a controller and of a driver electrically connected thereto. According to the invention, the controller transmits a temporally continuous current to the driver, and the driver outputs a corresponding charge current to the electromechanical element that is electrically connected thereto, wherein the controller continually adapts the temporally continuous current in dependence on the difference between the actual position and the target position of the element to be driven and the driver carries out an electrical separation of the driver from the controller, independently of the controller and in dependence on the voltage applied to the electromechanical element. The invention furthermore relates to a corresponding device for carrying out the method according to the invention.

A stick-slip stage device includes a carriage assembly configured to support a payload, the carriage assembly comprising at least three piezoelectric stick-slip actuators each having one or more contact points. At least two rails are positioned on opposing sides of the carriage assembly and configured to interact with one or more of the contact points to form a guideway for movement of the carriage assembly. A fixed structure connects the at least two rails and is configured to generate a friction force between the at least two rails and one or more of the contact points of the at least three piezoelectric stick-slip actuators. A method of making a stick-slip stage device is also disclosed.