Multi-degree-of-freedom miniaturized linear actuator based on stick and slip of friction

Abstract

A miniaturized multiple actuation device is of great interest in optics, biology and nanotechnology, and it is important to implement it readily in a small size. For the adaptive optics, precise multiple positioning device is required for compensation of a misalignment caused by extreme operating environment and mechanical shock and vibration. Another example of multiple actuations in optics is a compact zoom lens system. Recently, it is considered as a promising component for portable electronic devices, but it has an obstacle to be commercialized due to difficulty of long stroke lens movements in a small size. In the field of biology and nanotechnology, miniature stages are crucial for micro-factory, nano-size probe fabrication and cell manipulation. There have been extensive researches for a novel actuation device based on new materials and actuation methods. The material based approach uses the deformation of the material itself by external excitation signal. Various mechanical transducers were reported such as piezoelectric material, magnetostrictive material, shape memory alloy (SMA), ionic polymer-metal composite (IPMC), dielectric elastomer (DEA) and conducting polymer actuator. Miniaturized actuator can be made by these materials, but the usage is very restricted because of their inherent limitation of dynamic performances. The second approach is based on dynamic analysis of the end-effector and actuation method of mechanical transducer. In the spirit of minimalism, the smallest possible set of hardware elements are used to readily implement multiple actuations in a small size. In the literature, multiple objects manipulation in a plate, 3 rotational motion of a sphere, and 1 translational and 1 rotational motion is respectively obtained with minimalist device by dynamic analysis. In this study, an actuation method of multiple sliders with a single smooth impact drive mechanism (SIDM) is newly proposed. With a great simplicity by using minimalist devi...