A single-piece transmission mechanism to multiply motion frequency
Davood Farhadi Machekposhti, PhD-candidate at the Department of Precision and Microsystems Engineering has developed a new method for the design of compliant micro transmission mechanisms which multiply the motion frequency of cyclic input motion. With this new method, they present an alternative to the working principle of transmission mechanisms like gear trains that are being used in mechanical and Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) for motion frequency multiplication. They demonstrate the method on a local mechanical oscillator, which multiplies an input motion frequency with a factor of four.
The design of this kind of new micro transmissions will be attractive for the industry of MEMS. MEMS are miniaturized devices that provide smart functions. One of the main categories of these tiny devices are actuators-based MEMS; they can find applications in our notebook computers, camera focus systems, mobile phone, medical devices, and even toys. They have components like micro engines and micro gears to match the actuator specifications, such as displacement, force, and operation frequency, with the requirements of a given application. However, components like gears have not yet been able to meet the commercial maturity due to the backlash, adhesion, wear, friction, low mechanical efficiency, and need for assembly and lubrication.
This new method employs the natural elasticity of its constituted materials to transfer motion and force, rather than using rigid contacts. Therefore, the monolithic and planar nature of the proposed principle eliminate tribological issues (source of energy loses), and more importantly the need for assembly and costly fabrication process. The results are micro transmission mechanisms which have a smooth operation, no energy loss, and can be scaled down reliably.
Davood published his research “A Compliant Micro Frequency Quadrupler Transmission Utilizing Singularity” together with his supervisors professor Just Herder and micro engineer Nima Tolou in the Journal of Microelectromechanical systems. They also have a patent on this principle.
Read the paper “A Compliant Micro Frequency Quadrupler Transmission Utilizing Singularity”
