How does a SQUIGGLE motor work?
The patented SQUIGGLE motors structure (a nut) is excited at its first mechanically resonant bending mode. Piezo material on either side of the nut excites the X and Y bending modes in a hula-hoop motion. The largest motion, only a few microns, occurs at the middle and the ends of the tube. The areas in between, where the least motion occurs, are referred to as the node points. By threading the center of the tube, a screw can be inserted and the tiny vibrations, converted through friction between the nut and the screw, cause the screw to rotate. By changing the drive signals to vibrate the nut clockwise or counter-clockwise, the direction of the screw rotation, and resulting linear translation, is changed. Note: the nut does NOT rotate, it only vibrates. The screw does NOT vibrate, it only rotates and translates linearly. See also: SQUIGGLE overview page for an animation of the SQUIGGLE motor in action.
The patented SQUIGGLE motor’s structure (a nut) is excited at its first mechanically resonant bending mode. Piezo material on either side of the nut excites the X and Y bending modes in a hula-hoop motion. The largest motion, only a few microns, occurs at the middle and the ends of the tube. The areas in between, where the least motion occurs, are referred to as the “node points”. By threading the center of the tube, a screw can be inserted and the tiny vibrations, converted through friction between the nut and the screw, cause the screw to rotate. By changing the drive signals to vibrate the nut clockwise or counter-clockwise, the direction of the screw rotation, and resulting linear translation, is changed. Note: the nut does NOT rotate, it only vibrates. The screw does NOT vibrate, it only rotates and translates linearly. See also: SQUIGGLE overview page for an animation of the SQUIGGLE motor in action.
