Design method for power enhancement of piezo actuators with displacement amplification using rolling transmission

Mechanical stiffness in piezoelectric actuators restrains their output property and suppresses the output energy in general. We aimed to enhance the output energy of displacement amplified piezoelectric actuators (DAPAs) by employing rolling joint mechanisms with high energy transmissibility. By using the proposed design method for the shape of the rolling joints, we developed a DAPA with a novel output. In the new design, the influence of stiffness on the DAPA's output force was significantly reduced. In this paper we show the design method and the DAPA's novel output characteristics. In addition, we suggest the great potential of the design to enhance the utilization of piezoelectric energy in DAPAs.