公开(公告)号：US6086490A

公开(公告)日：2000-07-11

申请号：US54940

申请日：1998-04-03

Applicant: Ronald Spangler ,  David Gilbert ,  Carl Prestia ,  Emanuele Bianchini ,  Kenneth B. Lazarus ,  Jeffrey W. Moore ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Jonathan C. Allen ,  Farla M. Russo

Inventor： Ronald Spangler ,  David Gilbert ,  Carl Prestia ,  Emanuele Bianchini ,  Kenneth B. Lazarus ,  Jeffrey W. Moore ,  Robert N. Jacques ,  Jonathan C. Allen ,  Farla M. Russo

IPC: A63B53/14 ,  A63B49/08 ,  A63B53/00 ,  A63B59/00 ,  A63C5/00 ,  A63C5/075

CPC classification number: A63C5/075 ,  A63B60/54 ,  A63B2208/12 ,  A63B53/00

Abstract: A baseball bat includes an electroactive assembly attached near the handle and electrically tuned to capture energy from several modes with high efficiency. More generally, a sports implement includes an electroactive element, such as a piezoceramic sheet attached to the implement, and a circuit attached to the electroactive element. The circuit may be a shunt, or may include processing such as amplification and phase control to apply a driving signal which may compensate for strain sensed in the implement, or may simply alter the stiffness to affect performance. In a ski, the electroactive element is located near to the root in a region of high strain to apply damping, and the element captures between about one and five percent of the strain energy of the ski. The region of high strain may be found by modeling mechanics of the sports implement, or may be located by empirically mapping the strain distribution which occurs during use of the implement. In other embodiments, the electroactive elements may remove resonances, adapt performance to different situations, or enhance handling or comfort of the implement. Other embodiments include striking implements intended to hit a ball or object in play, such as mallets, golf clubs and tennis racquets, wherein the strain elements may alter the performance, feel or comfort of the implement. The electroactive elements may be configured in sets to capture energy in different modes, and/or along different directions.

Abstract translation: 棒球棒包括附接在手柄附近的电活性组件，并被电调谐以从高效率的几种模式捕获能量。 更一般地，运动器具包括电活性元件，例如附接到器具的压电陶瓷片和连接到电活性元件的电路。 该电路可以是分流器，或者可以包括诸如放大和相位控制的处理以施加可以补偿在工具中感测到的应变的驱动信号，或者可以简单地改变刚度以影响性能。 在滑雪板中，电活性元件位于高应变区域的根部附近以施加阻尼，并且该元件捕获滑雪板的约百分之一至百分之五的应变能量。 高应变区域可以通过运动器具的建模力学来发现，或者可以通过经验地绘制在使用中发生的应变分布来定位。 在其它实施例中，电活性元件可以去除谐振，适应不同情况的性能，或增强器具的处理或舒适度。 其他实施例包括旨在击打游戏中的球或物体的打击工具，例如槌，高尔夫球杆和网球，其中应变元件可改变工具的性能，感觉或舒适性。 电活性元件可以被配置成以不同模式和/或沿不同方向捕获能量。

公开(公告)号：US6069433A

公开(公告)日：2000-05-30

申请号：US943645

申请日：1997-10-03

Applicant: Kenneth B. Lazarus ,  Mark E. Lundstrom ,  Jeffrey W. Moore ,  Edward F. Crawley

Inventor： Kenneth B. Lazarus ,  Mark E. Lundstrom ,  Jeffrey W. Moore ,  Edward F. Crawley

IPC: G01L1/16 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01L41/047 ,  H01L41/053 ,  H01L41/09 ,  H01L41/22 ,  H02N2/00 ,  H03H9/17 ,  H04R17/08 ,  H01L41/08

CPC classification number: H01L41/23 ,  G03F7/70725 ,  G03F7/70758 ,  G03F7/709 ,  H01L41/047 ,  H01L41/053 ,  H01L41/0926 ,  H01L41/0933 ,  H01L41/094 ,  H01L41/0953 ,  H01L41/0993 ,  H04R17/08 ,  Y10T29/42 ,  Y10T29/49126 ,  Y10T29/49128 ,  Y10T29/49146

Abstract: A modular actuator assembly includes one or more plates or elements of electro-active material bonded to an electroded sheet, preferably by a structural polymer to form a card. The card is sealed, and may itself constitute a practical device, such as a vane, shaker, stirrer, lever, pusher or sonicator for direct contact with a solid or immersion in a fluid, or may be bonded by a stiff adhesive to make a surface-to-surface mechanical coupling with a solid workpiece,device, substratesmachine or sample. The structural polymer provides a bending stiffness such that the thin plate does not deform to its breaking point, and a mechanical stiffness such that shear forces are efficiently coupled from the plate to the workpiece. In further embodiments, the card may include active circuit elements for switching, powering or processing signals, and/or passive circuit elements for filtering, matching or damping signals, so that few or no connections to outside circuitry are required. The actuator assembly can be manufactured in quantity, to provide a versatile actuator with uniform mechanical and actuation characteristics, that introduces negligible mass loading to the workpiece. The cards themselves may be arranged as independent mechanical actuators, rather than strain-transfer actuators, in which the induced strain changes the position of the card. Various arrangements of pinned or cantilevered cards may act as a pusher, bender or other motive actuator, and structures such as powered bellows may be formed directly by folding one or more suitably patterned cards.

Abstract translation: 模块化致动器组件包括一个或多个电活性材料的板或元件，其结合到电镀片材上，优选地通过结构聚合物形成卡片。 该卡被密封，并且本身可以构成用于与固体直接接触或浸入流体中的实际装置，例如叶片，摇动器，搅拌器，杠杆，推动器或超声波器，或者可以通过刚性粘合剂粘合以形成 表面到表面的机械耦合与固体工件，装置，基板机或样品。 结构聚合物提供弯曲刚度，使得薄板不会变形到其断裂点，并且具有机械刚度，使得剪切力从板有效地耦合到工件。 在另外的实施例中，卡可以包括用于切换，供电或处理信号的有源电路元件，和/或用于滤波，匹配或阻尼信号的无源电路元件，使得很少或者不需要与外部电路的连接。 致动器组件可以大量制造，以提供具有均匀机械和致动特性的通用致动器，其将可忽略的质量负载引入到工件中。 卡本身可以被布置为独立的机械致动器，而不是应变传递致动器，其中感应应变改变卡的位置。 钉扎或悬臂卡的各种布置可以用作推动器，弯曲机或其它动作致动器，并且诸如动力波纹管的结构可以通过折叠一个或多个适当图案化的卡直接形成。

公开(公告)号：US5687462A

公开(公告)日：1997-11-18

申请号：US342370

申请日：1994-11-18

Applicant: Kenneth B. Lazarus ,  Mark E. Lundstrom ,  Jeffrey W. Moore ,  Edward F. Crawley

Inventor： Kenneth B. Lazarus ,  Mark E. Lundstrom ,  Jeffrey W. Moore ,  Edward F. Crawley

IPC: G01L1/16 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01L41/047 ,  H01L41/053 ,  H01L41/09 ,  H01L41/22 ,  H02N2/00 ,  H03H9/17 ,  H04R17/08

CPC classification number: H01L41/23 ,  G03F7/70725 ,  G03F7/70758 ,  G03F7/709 ,  H01L41/047 ,  H01L41/053 ,  H01L41/0926 ,  H01L41/0933 ,  H01L41/094 ,  H01L41/0953 ,  H01L41/0993 ,  H04R17/08 ,  Y10T29/42 ,  Y10T29/49126 ,  Y10T29/49128 ,  Y10T29/49146

Abstract: A modular actuator assembly includes one or more plates or elements of electro-active material bonded to an electroded sheet, preferably by a structural polymer to form a card. The card is sealed, and may itself constitute a practical device, such as a vane, shaker, stirrer, lever, pusher or sonicator for direct contact with a solid or immersion in a fluid, or may be bonded by a stiff adhesive to make a surface-to-surface mechanical coupling with a solid workpiece,device, substrate machine or sample. The structural polymer provides a bending stiffness such that the thin plate does not deform to its breaking point, and a mechanical stiffness such that shear forces are efficiently coupled from the plate to the workpiece. In further embodiments, the card may include active circuit elements for switching, powering or processing signals, and/or passive circuit elements for filtering, matching or damping signals, so that few or no connections to outside circuitry are required. The actuator assembly can be manufactured in quantity, to provide a versatile actuator with uniform mechanical and actuation characteristics, that introduces negligible mass loading to the workpiece. The cards themselves may be arranged as independent mechanical actuators, rather than strain-transfer actuators, in which the induced strain changes the position of the card. Various arrangements of pinned or cantilevered cards may act as a pusher, bender or other motive actuator, and structures such as powered bellows may be formed directly by folding one or more suitably patterned cards.

Abstract translation: 模块化致动器组件包括一个或多个电活性材料的板或元件，其结合到电镀片材上，优选地通过结构聚合物形成卡片。 该卡被密封，并且本身可以构成用于与固体直接接触或浸入流体中的实际装置，例如叶片，摇动器，搅拌器，杠杆，推动器或超声波器，或者可以通过刚性粘合剂粘合以形成 与实体工件，器件，基板机器或样品的表面到表面的机械耦合。 结构聚合物提供弯曲刚度，使得薄板不会变形到其断裂点，并且具有机械刚度，使得剪切力从板有效地耦合到工件。 在另外的实施例中，卡可以包括用于切换，供电或处理信号的有源电路元件，和/或用于滤波，匹配或阻尼信号的无源电路元件，使得很少或者不需要与外部电路的连接。 致动器组件可以大量制造，以提供具有均匀机械和致动特性的通用致动器，其将可忽略的质量负载引入到工件中。 卡本身可以被布置为独立的机械致动器，而不是应变传递致动器，其中感应应变改变卡的位置。 钉扎或悬臂卡的各种布置可以用作推动器，弯曲机或其它动作致动器，并且诸如动力波纹管的结构可以通过折叠一个或多个适当图案化的卡直接形成。