Note: A compact, rigid, and easy-to-build piezo motor: The intact-tube GeckoDrive

Abstract

We report an extremely simple, rigid, low machine tolerance, yet high performance piezoelectric motor, in which two rings are coaxially glued at the ends of one intact piezotube, respectively, using the proper gluing method. A central shaft is pushed to press against the inner edges of the rings by a spring strip at a proper axial position and in the gap between the shaft and the inner wall of the piezotube. It is compared with other important forms of three-friction driven motors and shows advantageous structure and unexpectedly excellent performance, hence deserving a new name: the GeckoDrive.