TULA
Tiny Ultrasonic Linear Actuator
Preface
Generally speaking, the most of actuators are electronic and fluid (air pressure, hydraulic).
However, TULA is a piezoelectric actuator designed and built using the cutting-edge piezoelectric technology.
Now, TULA became one of the most market-friendly and famous piezo-actuator in the world because it is very small,
low power-consumption with a high thrust, speed and self-friction when stopped.
At first, TULA was adopted for Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) in the digital camera market, and received a lot of attention from related industries.
Currently, TULA have been widely applied such as a barcode scan engine of “Honeywell” in the U.S.,
Fundus cameras for the medical device of “OPTOMED” in Finland and the various kinds of AF(auto-focus) modules for the optical equipment.
In future years, TULA will be a dominant linear actuator including the smartphone business.
Principles
TULA consists of transducer of Bimorph type, a rod joined above the transducer, and a moving element attached to the rod
with constant pre-pressure. Appling PWM signals the piezoelectric ceramics, the transducer moves up and down,
and the vibration is transmitted through the rod in the form of an elastic wave. Consequently, the moving element attached
to the rod is moved along the rod repeating the Slip & Stick operation in accordance with PWM signals.
Principle 1
Principle 2
Forward Motion
When the transducer ups slowly, then rod and moving element are moving together. Next, if it downs quickly, then the rod only are moving down.
So the moving element moved up a little in terms of the rod. It is the stick-slip operation
Backward Motion
When the transducer ups quickly, then the rod is moving up only. Next, if it downs slowly, then rod and moving element are moving together.
So the moving element moved down a little in terms of the rod. It is the slip-stick operation
Repeating the small movement rapidly, it makes the moving element move smoothly.
Features
Small size, Light weight and Simple structure
Suitable for precision positioning with sensor
Quick response
High holding force and No power consumption when stopped
None magnetic, No EMI
Low audible sound
Low audible sound
- 1Small size, Light weight and Simple structure
- 3Quick response
- 5None magnetic, No EMI
- 2Suitable for precision positioning with sensor
- 4High holding force and No power consumption when stopped
- 6Low audible sound
Applications
OIS(Optical Image Stabilizer)
IR filter for surveillance camera
Precision ultra-small stage
Mobile communication terminals including camera phone and PDA
Small precision instruments including semiconductor, small robot and MEMS
Industrial shutter
Small robot
Braille module
Pan/tilt module of surveillance camera
Adjusting flow rate of valve and nozzle
Auto-Focus, Zoom for smart-phone
- 1OIS(Optical Image Stabilizer)
- 4Mobile communication terminals including camera phone and PDA
- 7Small robot
- 10Adjusting flow rate of valve and nozzle
- 2IR filter for surveillance camera
- 5Small precision instruments including semiconductor, small robot and MEMS
- 8Braille module
- 11Auto-Focus, Zoom for smart-phone
- 3Precision ultra-small stage
- 6Industrial shutter
- 9Pan/tilt module of surveillance camera
- 10Adjusting flow rate of valve and nozzle
Specification
| Specifications | Tula 25 | Tula 35B | Tula 35 | Tula 50 | Tula 70 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Characteristics |
Speed (No Load) (mm/s) | gt3 | gt7 | gt10 | gt10 | gt10 |
| Max-Thrust (g.f) | gt3 | gt5 | gt10 | gt20 | gt50 | |
| Holding-Force (g.f) | 30~50 | 40~70 | 50~80 | 100~150 | 120~160 | |
| Stroke (mm) | lt1.5 | lt4 | lt8 | lt10 | lt14 | |
| Shaft length (mm) | lt6.5 | lt9.5 | lt14 | lt18 | lt22 | |
| Electrical Characteristics |
Driving Frequency (kHz) | 170~250 | 110~140 | 80~100 | 60~80 | 40~55 |
| Driving Voltage (V) | 12~16 | 12~18 | 14~20 | 20~35 | 20~35 | |
| Power Consumption (mW) | lt150 @12V | lt180 @12V | lt250 @14V | lt350 @20V | lt500 @20V | |
| Environment Condition |
Operation Temperature (°C) | -10~60 | -10~60 | -10~60 | -10~60 | -10~60 |
| Storage Temperature (°C) | -30~80 | -30~80 | -30~80 | -30~80 | -30~80 |
