JPS62296780A - Electric signal-mechanical quantity converter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a responsive device of simple structure by retaining a plurality of Peltier elements between at least two metallic plates. CONSTITUTION:Between two metallic plates 19, 21 with the different coefficients of thermal expansion, Peltier elements 23 are jointed together. Besides, on the counter surfaces of the metallic plates 19, 21, base plates 29, 31 are arranged via respective Peltier elements 25, 27. A power source is connected to the Peltier elements 23, 25, 27. When current is conducted to the Peltier elements 23, 25 so that heat may be generated on the sides jointed to the metallic plate 19, and current is conducted to the Peltier elements 23, 27 so that heat may be absorbed on the sides jointed to the metallic plate 21, then the metallic plate 19 is expanded and the metallic plate 21 is contracted, and so a device 17 is transformed to be projected upward. When the current direction is reversed, then the device 17 is transformed to be projected downward.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention 3. Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an electrical signal-to-mechanical quantity conversion device that is used as an actuator and has extremely good responsiveness.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, there are various types of grinding machines that use bimetals as actuators. This bimetal is used, for example, to adjust the direction of the louver at the cold air outlet of a room air conditioner, or to automatically adjust the mixture ratio of fuel and air in an automobile carburetor depending on the temperature. It will be done.

FIG. 4 shows the structure of an actuator using such a bimetal. The bimetal 1 is formed by joining two metal plates 3 and 5 with different coefficients of thermal expansion. One end of the bimetal 1 is electrically connected via the heater 7! Connected to 9. An electrical contact 11 is provided at the other end of the bimetal 1.

Electrical contact 1 when bimetal 1 is not deformed
1 is connected to an electrical contact 13, and this electrical contact 13 is connected to a power source 9 via a switch 15.

When switch 15 is closed, heater 7 generates heat and bimetal 1
is deformed by this heat as shown by the dotted line in the figure. When the bimetal 1 deforms, the electrical contacts 11 and 13 separate, so power is no longer supplied to the heater 7 and the light heat is stopped. When the light and heat stop, the bimetal 1 is naturally cooled 10 and gradually returns to the position shown by the solid line. When the bimetal 1 returns to its original state, the electrical contacts 11 and 13 come into contact, the heater 7 is heated, and the above operation is repeated.

By applying this bimetal 1 as an actuator to various mechanical devices, it is possible to construct a gate structure that automatically adjusts in response to temperature changes.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, this type of automatic adjustment using bimetals has the problem of poor responsiveness because it relies on natural cooling for cooling. For this reason, cooling with air blower etc. may be considered, but #1 the system becomes complicated and leads to an increase in cost. It is also possible to use a shape memory alloy instead of a bimetal, but there is a problem that the deformation of the actuator cannot be continuously controlled.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide an electrical signal-to-machine conversion device that is simple and has extremely good responsiveness.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by comprising at least two thin metal plates and a plurality of Peltier elements sandwiched between the metal plates.

(Function) The Peltier element absorbs heat and generates heat by changing the direction of the applied current, and this heat absorption and heat generation action is performed extremely quickly with respect to the application of the current.

Combining this Peltier element with at least two metal plates,
By generating heat and absorbing heat using the Peltier element, the metal plate can be deformed in a predetermined manner.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an electrical signal-to-machine converter 17 according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a Peltier element 23 is bonded between two metal plates 19 and 21 having different coefficients of thermal expansion. Furthermore, substrates 29 and 31 are provided on the opposite sides of the metal plates 19 and 21 via Peltier elements 25 and 27, respectively. A power source (not shown) is connected to the Peltier elements 23, 25, and 27. Peltier elements 23, 25, and 27 are generally made of compound semiconductors such as bismuth telluride or selenium, and generate heat when a forward current is passed through the junction between a P-type semiconductor and an N-type semiconductor, and absorb heat when a reverse current is passed through the junction. It is. The substrates 29 and 31 are made of highly flexible members, and these electrical signals are
This protects the mechanical suspension conversion device 17.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. Peltier element 2
In 3.25, electricity is applied so that heat is generated on the side joined to the metal plate 19, and electricity is applied to the Peltier element 23.27 so that heat absorption occurs on the side joined to the metal plate 21. Since the metal plate 19 expands and the thin metal plate 21 contracts, the device 17 as a whole is deformed to become convex upward.

When the direction of the current applied to the Peltier elements 23, 25, 27 is reversed, the metal plate 19 contracts and the metal plate 21 expands, so that the device 17 as a whole is deformed to become convex downward.

In this way, in this example, the Peltier element is 23°25.27
By adjusting the direction of the current applied to the device 17, it is possible to cause a predetermined deformation in the device 17. Furthermore, since the Peltier element generates heat or absorbs heat very quickly when a current is applied to it, when this device 17 is used as an actuator, the response is extremely good.

In this embodiment, the Peltier element has a three-layer structure, but the Peltier element 23 may be omitted and the gold till plate 19 and the metal thin plate 21 may be directly bonded together. Furthermore, the metal sheets 21, 23 may be made of the same type of metal instead of having different coefficients of thermal expansion.

Figure 2 shows this bimetal used in a direction switching device for a louver in a room air conditioner. The louver 33 is provided at the air outlet of the room air conditioner. One end of the actuator 35 consisting of the electrical signal-to-machine conversion device 17 described above is fixed, the other end is joined to a lever 39 via a hinge 37, and the other end of this lever 39 is joined to the louver 33. The actuator 35 is connected to a power supply circuit 45 via a switch 41.43.

When the switches 41, 43 are in the position shown by the solid line in the figure, the actuator 35 is deformed as shown by the solid line. When the switches 41 and 43 are placed in the position shown by the dotted line in the figure, the direction of the current applied to the actuator 35 is reversed, and the actuator 35 is deformed as shown by the dotted line in the figure. It will be like this.

By operating the switches 41 and 43 in this manner, the direction of the louver can be changed easily and quickly.

Figure 3 shows this electrical signal applied to the operating valve of a car's carburetor.
This uses an actuator consisting of a mechanical quantity converter or the like. The actuator 47 consisting of the device 17 is connected to a power source 49. Control] device 51. Temperature sensor 53. An atmospheric pressure sensor 55 is connected. One end of this actuator 47 is fixed, and an operating valve 57 is connected to the other end. This operating valve 57 is for adjusting the amount of air in the carburetor.

Further, in the figure, reference numeral 59 indicates gasoline, and reference numeral 61 indicates a slot valve that is set to MvJ on the accelerator.

The control device 51 adjusts the opening degree of the operating valve 57 based on information sent from the temperature sensor 53 and the atmospheric pressure sensor 55. That is, the control device 51 adjusts the direction of the current applied from the power source 49 to the actuator 47 based on the above-mentioned information, thereby moving the reactuator 47 as shown by the dotted line A in the figure.
By deforming the operating valve 5 into the state shown in B.
Adjust the opening in step 7.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a simple electric bow-to-mechanical bow conversion device with extremely good responsiveness.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of an electrical signal-to-separate-mechanical conversion device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a louver direction switching device for a room air conditioner using this device, and Fig. 3 is a Self-vJ adjustment of the carburetor operating valve using this device
A schematic configuration diagram showing a bucket, and FIG. 4 is a principle diagram showing a conventional horizontal view using bimetal as an actuator. 17... Electrical signal - is a mechanical converter, 19.21...
・Thin metal plate, 23, 25. 27... Peltier element 1st
Figure 2 ' Figure 3 Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] An electrical signal-to-mechanical quantity conversion device comprising at least two metal plates and a plurality of Peltier elements sandwiched between the metal plates.