Abstract
A linear ultrasonic motor (LUSM) using two parallel buckling beams and two multilayer piezoelectric actuators (MPAs) was developed. Two MPAs are fixed in alignment across the beams from each other. The force and displacement of the MPAs are converted in the orthogonal direction by the buckling of the beams. Hence, when MPAs are driven by alternating voltage with π/2 phase difference, elliptical displacement motions are generated on the surface of beams. An object touching surfaces of beams can be transferred. Characteristics of the LUSM made as a trial had been obtained as maximum speed of 41mm/s and maximum thrust of 3.4N at the operating voltage of 20Vpp.
