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March 14, 2007 - VICTOR, NY - New Scale
Technologies, Inc. has received its second US patent for its
piezoelectric SQUIGGLE motors, the company announced today. The
patent covers New Scale’s latest design innovations that facilitate
high-volume manufacturing and allow further miniaturization of this
tiny ultrasonic device, which at 1.5 x 1.5 x 6 mm is the world’s
smallest linear motor.
The new patent also grants application claims for integration of the
SQUIGGLE motor in an ultra-thin autofocus assembly for mobile phone
cameras, and in a miniature syringe pump assembly for medical use.
The SQUIGGLE motor enables smaller size, higher precision and longer
battery life in both applications. The patent also covers
integration of the SQUIGGLE motor with a tangential limit stop, a
technique to stop shaft rotation without thread locking.
Patent # 7,170,214 issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on
January 30, 2007 to inventors David Henderson, New Scale’s founder
and co-CEO, and Dan Viggiano III, New Scale’s chief operating
officer. It is a continuation-in-part of Henderson’s fundamental
SQUIGGLE motor patent #6,940,209 issued in September 2005.
"This patent significantly strengthens our intellectual property
portfolio and further validates the novel design of the SQUIGGLE
motor," Henderson said. "It will accelerate our business development
in numerous markets including mobile phone cameras, medical devices,
electronic locks, intelligent fasteners, automotive components and
cryogenic instruments."
The patented SQUIGGLE motor design consists of piezoelectric
ceramics bonded to a threaded nut, with a mating screw inside.
Applying electrical signals to the ceramics creates ultrasonic
vibrations in the nut, causing the screw to rotate and translate
with precise linear movement in a very small space. SQUIGGLE motors
are smaller, more precise, less expensive and more efficient than
conventional electromagnetic motors. With their unique design and
materials, SQUIGGLE motors also operate reliably in extreme
environments such as vacuum, cryogenic temperatures and high
magnetic fields.
About New Scale Technologies, Inc.
New Scale Technologies, Inc. (www.newscaletech.com)
makes miniature ceramic motors that enable our customers to create
smaller products and research tools. Our patented piezoelectric
SQUIGGLE motors are half the size of competing micromotors and offer
ten times better position resolution and push force. With only seven
parts and no gears, SQUIGGLE motors are more efficient and precise
than conventional electromagnetic motors. These ultrasonic motors
are compatible with extreme environments including vacuum, cryogenic temperatures, and high magnetic fields including MRI
chambers. SQUIGGLE motors are used in microelectronics, optics,
lasers, biotechnology, medical devices, electronic locks,
intelligent fasteners, aerospace and defense, fluid
control, nanotechnology research, and office/consumer products
including mobile phone cameras.
SQUIGGLE is a registered trademark of New Scale Technologies, Inc.
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