Spring actuator stacked of iron particles layers with permanent magnet under electromagnetic control

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Nagaya, Kosuke^{a; *} | Notoya, Masayuki^a | Sakamoto, Naoya^a | Fujinaka, Tetsuya^a | Hata, Hideki^a | Zheng, J.^a

Affiliations: [a] Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjincho, Kiryu-shi, Gunma 376-8515, Japan

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Kosuke Nagaya, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjinchou, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan. Tel.: +81 277 30 1563; Fax: +81 277 30 1567; E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: A new spring type actuator is presented in which controls are possible by using usual control methods such as PID control. The actuator consists of a normal helical coil spring and a number of iron (ferrite) particles layers inside. The iron particles layers are made of silicon based adhesive material involving iron particles. The layers are pasted to the coil spring with a certain air gap between each layer. To achieve both extensive and compressive motions, a permanent magnet is attached to the top of the spring and electromagnet to the base, and the motion of the top of the actuator is controlled by electric currents in the coil of the electromagnet. A method of forming the actuator is presented, and its design formulae are presented. The present actuator works well under the control. Especially, the size is small in comparison with such as moving coil actuators and the work area is large enough.

Keywords: Spring, actuator, electromagnet, control, iron particles layer

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-2007-903

Journal: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 26, no. 1-2, pp. 133-146, 2007