US 7,573,624 B2
Piezoelectric-motor-driven two-axis orientation turret
Florent Thibout, Paris (France); Jacques Robineau, Paris (France); Jean-Thierry Audren, Paris (France); and Julien Aragones, Paris (France)
Assigned to Sagem Defense Securite, Paris (France)
Filed on Oct. 03, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/866,479.
Claims priority of application No. 06 09187 (FR), filed on Oct. 19, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2008/0252957 A1, Oct. 16, 2008
Int. Cl. G02B 26/08 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 359—198.1  [310/323.06] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An orientation device of what is called “two axis” orientation head or turret type, for orienting at least one transmission assembly for transmitting at least one beam selected in the group comprising optical and electromagnetic beams in at least one direction selected in elevation and bearing, by rotation of said transmission assembly about at least one of an elevation axis and a bearing axis respectively, in which device said transmission assembly is mounted so as to pivot on a fork about a first axis, called the elevation axis, and capable of being rotated about said elevation axis by a first motor supported by said fork, which fork is mounted so as to pivot on a base about a second axis, called the bearing axis, perpendicular to the elevation axis, and capable of being rotated about said bearing axis by a second motor supported by said base, wherein at least one of said first and second motors is a travelling-wave piezoelectric rotary motor comprising:
a stator comprising a cogged stator ring of circular cross section, supported by said fork or said base respectively;
a rotor comprising an annular rotor slider of circular cross section, substantially coaxial with said cogged stator ring about said elevation or bearing axis and being pressed axially against said stator ring by a prestressing force; and
at least one piezoelectric ring with excitation sectors for exciting said cogged stator ring, said piezoelectric ring also being substantially coaxial with said cogged stator ring about said corresponding elevation axis or bearing axis and applied against a radial face of said cogged stator ring so as to be able to excite said cogged stator ring and to cause a rotary displacement of said rotor when said excitation sectors of said piezoelectric ring are supplied with an exitation electrical current, wherein said annular rotor slider of at least one piezoelectric rotary motor is made to rotate as one with a driven member integral with one of said transmission assembly and fork respectively and rotated about said corresponding elevation axis or bearing axis by said piezoelectric rotary motor, and wherein said driven member integral with said transmission assembly is a first support for said assembly, which is mounted so as to swivel via said first support about said elevation axis on a first of two arms of said fork, between which arms said transmission assembly pivots.