WO2011144591A1

WO2011144591A1 - Mechanical amplifier, system of said amplifiers and method for mechanically amplification of a motion

Info

Publication number: WO2011144591A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/057929
Authority: WO
Inventors: Göran Cewers
Original assignee: Mindray Medical Sweden Ab
Priority date: 2010-05-17
Filing date: 2011-05-17
Publication date: 2011-11-24
Also published as: EP2572387A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a mechanical amplifier for converting a small motion amplitude to larger. The method comprising using two or more beams (10, 11) which are connected in series at angles to each other. Undesirable movements arising in the structure are absorbed by the structure through torsion. Each beam is a mechanical motion amplifier, and by connecting these in series, the total amplification is the product of the amplification of the comprised beams. A device comprising two or more beams connected together, preferably at an angle of 90 degrees is also disclosed.

Description

TITLE: MECHANICAL AMPLIFIER, SYSTEM OF SAID AMPLIFIERS AND METHOD FOR MECHANICALLY AMPLIFICATION OF A MOTION

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Application

No. 61/345,625, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Background of the Invention

Technical Field

The following disclosure relates to mechanical amplifiers. More

particularly, the following disclosure relates to a mechanical amplifier for amplifying the motion of an actuator unit, such as a piezo actuator.

Description of Background Art

As new technological advances are made, mainly in the area of

piezoelectric ceramics, the need for mechanical amplifiers has increased.

Piezoelectric ceramics are being increasingly used in actuator applications, where they are replacing electromagnetic solutions. The reason is that force in proportion to intrinsic mass is approximately ten times larger using piezoelectric ceramic techniques compared to electromagnetic techniques.

One example where electromagnets have been replaced by

piezoactuators are fuel injection valves in the car industry. This has led to a new generation of car engines with lower fuel consumption and emissions. The piezoactuator technology has made it possible to control the fuel injection almost to the millisecond for each piston stroke.

Unfortunately replacing electromagnets with piezoactuators is not entirely straightforward, due to the small movement generated by the latter, even though the provideable force is huge.

Thus the generated motion of the piezoactuators must be amplified. This can be archived in a variety of ways, such as hydraulically, which is common in fuel injection, through mechanical deformation, being described in e.g. US patents number 6,749,176 and number 6,003,836, or using levers, being described in e.g. US patent number 5,328,149.

Hydraulic mechanical amplifiers are relatively simple to implement, as they follow a simple principle, still this type of design leaves a number of technical issues to be solved, such as the viscosity of the hydraulic fluid, mass, gas content, toxicity, temperature durability and the tightness of the hydraulic system. These conditions increase the cost of the design, neither is it suitable for e.g. medical applications.

Mechanical amplifiers employing deformation is a different principle. However, today's solutions often have certain limitations, such as complex valve seats, large dimensions or limited amplification. Moreover, it is difficult to make cascade connections using this principle. Examples can be found in US 6,175,170 and WO02/092496.

The principle of using levers is simple; it may easily be cascade connected, but some technical design issues makes it difficult to find a combined solution with articulations with no friction but with strength, low exhaustion, low weight, high resonance frequency, large amplification, small dimensions and low manufacturing costs.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved or alternative motion amplification device and method.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device with no friction but having strength and is preferably compact and durable.

It is desired to be able to being easy to manufacture.

It should preferably show low exhaustion and/or has low weight and/or has high resonance frequency and/or large amplification and/or small dimensions and/or is inexpensive to manufacture.

At least some of these objects, and/or others, are achieved separately or in combination by means of the device and method provided according to the appended independent patent claims, while particular embodiments are subject of the dependent claims.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention seeks to mitigate, improve or eliminate one or more of the above-identified deficiencies and disadvantages of conventional technology, singly or in any combinations, and solves at least partially the abovementioned issues by providing an equipment according to the appended patent claims.

In one aspect, the invention comprises of a mechanical motion amplifier for amplification of an amplitude of a motion from an actuator unit. The motion amplifier comprises at least two beams connected in series at an angle, where the thickness of each beam is substantially less than its orthogonal extension, and wherein each beam has at least one supporting element about which the beam is pivotable. When the serial connection is exposed to a pushing or pulling motion having a first amplitude, from at least one actuator unit, amplifies and generates a second pushing or pulling motion, in parallel in the same plane, with a larger amplitude than the first amplitude. The amplified amplitude and its direction are determined by the gear provided by the design, which depends on how the beams, supporting elements and at least one actuator unit are positioned in relation to each other.

In one aspect, the disclosure includes a mechanical motion amplifier for amplification of an amplitude of a motion from an actuator unit. The motion amplifier may include at least two beams connected in a series at an angle, where the thickness of each beam is substantially less than its orthogonal extension, and wherein each beam has at least one supporting element about which the beam is pivotable. When the serial connection is exposed to a pushing or pulling motion having a first amplitude from at least one actuator unit, the amplifier amplifies and generates a second pushing or pulling motion, in parallel in the same plane, with a larger amplitude than the first amplitude. The amplified amplitude and its direction are determined by the gear provided by the design, which depends on how the beams, supporting elements, and at least one actuator unit are positioned in relation to each other.

The design combined with that the beams may be described as having properties which besides being thin comprise low torsional strength, low weight and small dimensions, leads important properties being obtained, such as the serial beam design having low inertia and thus a rapid amplification response.

Moreover, in some embodiments of the invention the gearing transmission is obtained by a pushing or pulling motion being applied to a first beam, either from one or a plurality of actuator units or from a second beam adjacent to the first beam, at a position a distance X1 from the supporting element of the first beam support, which in turn is positioned a distance X2 from where the first beam is touching a third beam or the last beam in the series where the final amplified motion is to be applied. Optionally, the device may be designed such that the distances are X1 <= X2 for each serially connected beam.

In order to archive an amplified amplitude of the final motion, the

abovementioned relation must be complied with for each beam connected in the series. In some embodiments of the mechanical motion amplifier, the position of each beam's supporting element is adapted to providing a transmitted amplified motion amplitude by the beam that is pushing or pulling.

By adjusting where the supporting element for each individual in series connected beam is positioned, the final amplified motion becomes pushing or pulling. For example, a pushing motion from an actuator unit may be an amplified pushing motion, but if one alters the position of the supporting elements, the same pushing motion may be converted to an amplified pulling motion.

In some embodiments the beams of the mechanical motion amplifier may be made of a foil. By making beams of foil they may be manufactured having properties such as being thin, have low torsional strength, low weight and small dimensions.

In yet another embodiment, the beams connected in series of the mechanical motion amplifier may be made as an integrally part of a continuous piece of foil.

In yet another embodiment of the mechanical motion amplifier, twisting motions and lateral motions that may occur against a first beam, caused by motions of a second adjacent beam, be absorbed by the first beam by means of lateral bending and torsion.

Twisting motions in the structure of beams connected in series are mainly absorbed, thanks to the angle between the beams, by the first beam by means of torsion.

In another aspect of the mechanical motion amplifier, a beam having no amplifying effect of the motion may connect two adjacent beams having amplifying effect of the motion .

In some embodiments of the mechanical motion amplifier, the actuator unit may be at least one piezoactuator.

Moreover, the in series connected beams may form part of a system of a plurality of mechanical motion amplifiers, in which the design allows at least two units of in series connected beams to be linked together in order to, in a compact way, distribute the pushing and/or pulling motions from one or more actuator units, positioned vertically against the at least two units of in series connected beams, and generate in at least two zones parallel pushing and/or pulling motions with amplified amplitude.

This type of system having more than two units of beams connected in series, provides for effectively obtaining an amplified motion amplitude which may be either pushing or pulling to occur in parallel but at the same time almost simultaneously. From the same system a combination of pushing and pulling motion may be obtained.

Another aspect of the invention describes a mechanical motion

amplification method. The method comprises using at least two in series connected beams, wherein each beam is designed to have low torsional strength, low weight and small dimensions. According to the method, the pushing or pulling motion from at least one actuator unit having a first amplitude, on one of the beams connected in series, is provided with an amplified amplitude as a result of cooperation between the beams connected in series so that the total amplification of the first pushing or pulling motion's amplitude is a product of the cooperating beams' amplifying effect on the motion amplitude. Thus, the final amplified pushing or pulling motion is parallel to the first pushing or pulling motion.

Some important mechanical conditions were accounted for when developing the invention and are mentioned below. Thus the embodiments of the invention have advantages and particularly positive effects in addition to those mentioned above.

The rigidity of a beam having square cross section is increased by the cube of the beam's cross sectional width in the working direction of leverage. Thus the cross sectional width of the beam has been made greater compared to the orthogonal width in the working direction. This also decreases the mass and provides a high resonance frequency.

Metal with a low surface roughness has greater resistance to exhaustion than a processed surface. Therefore, the design complies with this in some of the embodiments of the invention. For example, a cross section of the foil is not bent but only the actual foil orthogonally to it.

A thin beam has low torsional strength. This may be exploited to absorb motions in the device. The thickness of the foil is in the range of 0.1 -1 mm;

preferably is the thickness approximately 0.5 mm.

Motions of two beams in a row which in an undesirable manner are working against each other in a plane, may by bending one of the beams in an angle relative the other be absorbed, so that the motions may be converted to a twisting of the first beam.

By making the beams thin they may be manufactured from foil, and with a design according to the invention it is easy to produce three dimensional structures by bending the foil to the desired structure.

To work with large forces, structures may be provided that comprise several parallel beam systems.

A third aspect of the invention provides a method for manufacturing of a mechanical motion amplifier. The manufacturing method involves cutting two beams connected in series from a single piece of foil and bending the foil to make two beams connected in series at an angle wherein each beam has a thickness considerably smaller than their orthogonal extension, bending the foil thickness orthogonally to obtain two angled beams and, optionally, arranging a piezoactuator parallel to one of the two beam's thickness at one of the two beams to create a motion that may be amplified by the two angled connected beams.

Brief Description of the Drawings

These and other aspects, features and advantages of which the invention at least is capable of will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the

accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is a schematic view showing an exemplary embodiment of a mechanical amplifier with angled levers according to a principle of the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic view showing an exemplary embodiment of a foil profile which may be bent into a three dimensional structure according to an invention principle. The parts included in the structure are corresponding to the parts in Figures 1 and 3. The corresponding parts are 20,10,30, 21 ,1 1 ,31 ,

22,12,32 and 23,13,33;

Figure 3 is a schematic view showing an exemplary embodiment of how four foil profiles as shown in Figure 2 may be bent and linked to form a complex structure according to a principle of the invention. The entire structure is made from one component as shown in Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic view showing yet another exemplary embodiment of a mechanical amplifier with angled levers according to a principle of the invention; and

Figure 5 is a schematic view showing an exemplary

embodiment of how a plurality, in this case six, of connected foil structures as shown in Figure 4 may be linked to a complex structure. The entire structure is formed from three foil components;

Figs. 6 and 7 are flowcharts of methods. Description of Embodiments

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

An example of a device in accordance with an embodiment is provided according to Figure 1 by a first beam 10 which at an angle 12 is lying against a base 19 orthogonally in line with the lever.

Force F0 holds the beam pressed against the base 19. By means of a, in relation to the beam orthogonal, foil 13 the beam is exposed to a downward motion d. The extension X1 +X2 of beam 10 thus forms a lever with amplification

X1 +X2/X1 .

The motion d of the first beam 10 is then directly transferred as incoming motion to a second beam 1 1 . Under load, this beam 1 1 will be pivoted

longitudinally about supporting element 14. Due to the angle between the two levers, this pivoting motion is advantageously absorbed by the first beam 10 by means of torsion. The area of transverse lines on the first beam 10 indicates this. The amplification of the second beam is -Υ2ΛΊ , and the amplification D/d of the entire device is the product of the levers' amplification.

All parts included in Figure 1 may be made in a continuous piece of foil as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 illustrates first and second beams 20, 21 , a supporting element 22, a foil 13 (which correspond to similar parts 10, 1 1 , 14, and 13, respectively, in Figure 1 ) and links 24 (which are similar to links 34 described in connection with Figure 3).

By bending the abovementioned pieces of foil at suitable positions, as shown in the Figures, a structure according to Figure 3 may be produced using four identical pieces of foil. The forces are then distributed into four groups, whilst the motions are parallel. Force F0 is in this case passed on from beam 31 . The links 34 transmitting the initial motion are provided at an angle in order to absorb shear motions.

This structure provides for manufacturing of a motion amplification element providing approximately 50 times amplification, a volume of less than 0.5 cm , a weight of less than one gram and handling of actuator forces in the range of 200 N. Higher amplification may be obtained by adding a third beam to each of the four beam devices involved. The low weight and the small dimensions result in low inertia of the system, and thus a rapid response to an amplified actuator motion.

Since a beam acting as a lever has a motion amplification, the first beam must manage forces with an amplification factor greater than for the following beam. This may be managed by making the beam higher in the direction of the load. An example for the first beam 10 is shown in Fig. 1 , which increases in height towards the actuator point at foil 13. However, this is only possible to a limited extent, as the beam geometry may be jeopardized. Instead it is better to increase the beam thickness orthogonally towards the direction of the load, as a completion. However, a design of this kind may be less advantageous under some circumstances. For example, it could result in variations of the foil thickness in a design having more than one beam in the same piece of foil. Moreover, a thicker foil may result in difficulties in bending it to the desired structures.

For this reason it may be more advantageous to double the first beam in the device. Therefore, in some embodiments, the first beam may be doubled in the device. Figure 4 is showing an example of such a design. Figure 4 is showing one of six segments from Figure 5. The first beam 41 has two beams merging into one crossbeam 48. This crossbeam 48 extends via a flexible part (the flexible areas are marked as transverse lines in the Figure) down to the next beam 42. This connection 44 is preferably rigid to avoid wear in the connection.

It may be advantageous to make this connection with a snap-connection included in the foil structure (not shown in the Figure).

The input motion to the first beam 41 occurs via segment 45 from the actuator (not shown in the Figure). The segment 45 has flexible areas to absorb motions generated by the beam pivoting about base 19. The folded-out angle from the first beams 41 serves as flexible support element against base 19. The angles 47 do not necessarily need to be fixed to the base 19. Instead it may be able to ride on the edge of the angle against the base. The angle does not need to flex in this case. The second beam 42, which is single, is pushed down by the first beam 41 . The angle 43 folded out from the second beam 42 serves as flexible point of support against the base 19. The folded out angle 46 transmits the structure's initial motion via a flexible link marked as an area with lines. The structure's amplification D/d is then [(X1 +X2)/X1 ]^*[(Y1 +Y2)/Y1 ].

The device shown in Figure 4 may be regarded as a segment of the structure shown in Figure 5.

The parts 47, 41 and 48 shown in Figure 4 are six folded to a continuous foil which is folded and closed at the ends and obtains a structural shape 51 as shown in Figure 5. Parts 43,42 and 46 are six-folded in the same way to obtain a structural shape 52 as shown in Figure 5. Actuator linkage 47 is also six-folded and obtains the structural shape 53 as shown in Figure 5. This method results in a mechanical amplifier as shown in Figures 4 and Figure 5 with a force distribution from the actuator to twelve adjacent points and an exchanged motion from six linkages.

The principles described above are advantageous in combination with actuators with small motion, and besides piezoactuators, combinations may be made with other actuators such as electrostrictive, thermal or chemical ones.

As is shown in the Figures, it is possible to generate both pushing and pulling amplified motions.

In a method as shown in Fig. 6, a method 200 for mechanical motion amplification comprises providing 210 a mechanical motion amplifier as described above. The mechanical motion amplifier has at least two in series connected beams where each beam is designed to have low torsional strength, low weight and small dimensions. A, from at least one actuator unit generated pushing or pulling motion has a first amplitude on one of the beams connected in series, is obtaining 220 an amplified amplitude as a result of cooperation of the beams connected in series in such a way that the total amplification of the first pushing or pulling motion's amplitude becomes a product of the cooperating beams' amplifying effect on the motion amplitude. The final amplified pushing or pulling motion is provided 230 in parallel to the first pushing or pulling motion.

Fig. 7 shows a flowchart of a method for manufacturing 300 of a mechanical motion amplifier. The method comprises cutting 310 two beams connected in series from a piece of foil, and bending said foil to obtain two beams connected in series at an angle, wherein each beam has a thickness substantially smaller than their orthogonal extension. Further, the method comprises bending 320 said foil orthogonally the thickness to obtain said two angled beams.

The method 300 further may comprise arranging a piezoactuator parallel to one of said two beam's thickness at one of said two beams providing said mechanical motion amplifier presenting a motion that can be amplified by the two angled connected beams.

In the method 300 preferably no machined surface of the beams are exposed to bowing or bending.

The method 300 further may comprise providing at least one supporting element for each beam about which said beam can be pivoted.

The method 300 further may comprise arranging an actuator unit at a first beam for a pushing or pulling motion on said first beam. The actuator unit is preferably being arranged at a position at a distance X1 from said supporting element of said first beam.

The method 300 further may comprise composing said beams connected in series being of a continuous piece of foil.

In the method 300 a first beam may being arranged in relation to a second beam so that twisting motions and lateral motions against said first beam, caused by motions of said second beam bearing on said first beam, are being absorbed by said first beam through lateral bending and torsion.

The method 300 further may comprise, further comprising arranging a beam having no amplifying effect of the motion, connecting two adjacent beams having amplifying effect of the motion.

The method 300 further may comprise providing at least two units of in series connected beams, and positioning of one or more actuator units vertically against said at least two units of serially connected beams.

In the method 300 said beams are advantageously being higher in the direction of the load and/or the thickness of said beam increases orthogonally towards the direction of the load.

A mechanical motion amplifier as described above, may

advantageously be used in medical device applications due to high requirements regarding reliability, energy efficiency, and patient safety.

A mechanical motion amplifier as described above, may

advantageously be used in a valve of a medical ventilator, such as described in US61 345,797, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A mechanical motion amplifier as described above, may advantageously be used in a pneumatic transient handler of a medical ventilator, such as described in US61/345,825, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Without further elaboration, it is believed that one skilled in the art can use the preceding description to utilize the present disclosure to its fullest extent. The examples and embodiments disclosed herein are to be construed as merely illustrative and not a limitation of the scope of the present disclosure in any way. It will be apparent to those having skill in the art that changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the disclosure described herein. In other words, various modifications and improvements of the embodiments specifically disclosed in the description above are within the scope of the appended claims. The scope of the invention is, therefore, defined by the following claims. The words "including" and "having," as used herein, including the claims, shall have the same meaning as the word "comprising."

Claims

A mechanical motion amplifier, for amplification of an amplitude of a motion from an actuator unit, comprising:

at least two beams connected in series at an angle, each beam having a thickness substantially smaller than its orthogonal expansion;

wherein each beam in turn comprising at least one supporting element about which said beam is pivotable;

wherein, when said serial connection is exposed to a pushing or pulling motion having a first amplitude from at least one actuator unit, the motion is amplified and a second, substantially parallel motion is generated having a second amplitude larger than said first amplitude; and

wherein said amplified second amplitude and its direction is obtained from a transmission of a construction dependent on how said beams, said supporting elements, and said at least one actuator unit are positioned in relation to each other.

The mechanical motion amplifier according to claim 1 , wherein said transmission is provided by means of a pushing or pulling motion applied on said first beam, either from one or a plurality of actuator units or from a second beam bearing on said first beam at a position at a distance X1 from said supporting element of said first beam which in turn is positioned at a distance X2 from where said first beam is touching a third beam or the last beam in the series where the final amplified motion is to be applied.

The mechanical motion amplifier according to claim 1 -2, wherein each supporting element of each beam is adjustable to whether said transmitted amplified motion amplitude from said beam is pushing or pulling.

The mechanical motion amplifier according to claim 1 -3, wherein said beams are made of a foil.

The mechanical motion amplifier according to claim 4, wherein said beams connected in series is a continuous piece of foil.

6. The mechanical motion amplifier according to claim 1 -5, wherein twisting motions and lateral motions against a first beam, caused by motions of a second beam bearing on the first beam, are absorbed by said first beam by way of lateral bending and torsion.

7. The mechanical motion amplifier according to claim 1 -6, wherein, a beam having no amplifying effect of the motion is connecting two adjacent beams having amplifying effect of the motion.

8. The mechanical motion amplifier according to claim 1 -7, wherein said actuator unit is at least one piezoactuator.

9. A system of a plurality of mechanical motion amplifiers, such as of any of claims 1 -8, comprising at least two units of in series connected beams linked together for distributing a pushing and/or pulling motions from one or more actuator units, positioned vertically against the at least two units of serially connected beams, for generating in at least two zones parallel pushing and/or pulling motions with amplified amplitude.

10. The system of mechanical motion amplifiers according to claim 9, wherein said beam is higher in the direction of the load and/or the thickness of said beam increases orthogonally towards the direction of the load.

1 1 .The system of mechanical motion amplifiers according to claim 9 or 10, wherein at least one beam is higher in a direction of the load and/or a thickness of the at least one beam increases orthogonally towards a direction of a load.

12. The system of mechanical motion amplifiers according to claim 9,

wherein said system comprises an assembly of said mechanical motion amplifiers of any of claims 1 -8 arranged into an integral unit.

13. A method for mechanical motion amplification comprising:

providing a mechanical motion amplifier according to claims 1 -9 or 12, having at least two in series connected beams where each beam is designed to have low torsional strength, low weight and small dimensions;

wherein an, from at least one actuator unit generated pushing or pulling motion having a first amplitude on one of the beams connected in series, is obtaining an amplified amplitude as a result of cooperation of the beams connected in series in such a way that the total amplification of the first pushing or pulling motion's amplitude becomes a product of the cooperating beams' amplifying effect on the motion amplitude;

and wherein the final amplified pushing or pulling motion occurs in parallel to the first pushing or pulling motion.

14. A method for mechanical motion amplification comprising:

using a mechanical motion amplifier comprising:

at least two beams connected in a series at an angle, each beam having a thickness substantially smaller than its orthogonal expansion; wherein each beam in turn comprises at least one supporting element about which said beam is pivotable;

wherein, when said serial connection is exposed to a pushing or pulling motion having a first amplitude from at least one actuator unit, the motion is amplified and a second,

substantially parallel motion is generated having a second amplitude larger than said first amplitude; and

wherein said amplified second amplitude and its direction is obtained from a transmission of a construction dependent on how said beams, said supporting elements and said at least one actuator unit are positioned in relation to each other providing at least two in-series connected beams, wherein each beam is designed to have low torsional strength, low weight, and small dimensions;

wherein at least one actuator unit generated pushing or pulling motion having a first amplitude on one of the beams connected in series obtains an amplified amplitude as a result of cooperation of the beams connected in series in such a way that the total amplification of a first pushing or pulling motion's amplitude becomes a product of the cooperating beams' amplifying effect on the motion amplitude; and wherein the final amplified pushing or pulling motion occurs in parallel to the first pushing or pulling motion.

15. A method for manufacturing of a mechanical motion amplifier comprising:

cutting two beams connected in series from a piece of foil, and bending said foil to obtain two beams connected in series at an angle, wherein each beam has a thickness substantially smaller than their orthogonal extension,

wherein said foil is being bended orthogonally the thickness to obtain said two angled beams.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising arranging a

piezoactuator parallel to one of said two beam's thickness at one of said two beams providing said mechanical motion amplifier presenting a motion that can be amplified by the two angled connected beams.

17. The method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein exposing no

machined surface of the beams exposed to bowing or bending.

18. The method according to any of the preceding claims 15-17, further comprising providing at least one supporting element for each beam about which said beam can be pivoted.

19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising arranging an actuator unit at a first beam for a pushing or pulling motion on said first beam.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said actuator unit being arranged at a position at a distance X1 from said supporting element of said first beam.

21 .The method according to any of the preceding claims 15-20, wherein said beams connected in series being composed of a continuous piece of foil.

22. The method according to any of the preceding claims 15-21 , wherein a first beam is being arranged in relation to a second beam so that twisting motions and lateral motions against said first beam, caused by motions of said second beam bearing on said first beam, are being absorbed by said first beam through lateral bending and torsion.

23. The method according to any of the preceding claims 15-22, further comprising arranging a beam having no amplifying effect of the motion, connecting two adjacent beams having amplifying effect of the motion.

24. The method according to claim 15, further comprising providing at least two units of in series connected beams, and positioning of one or more actuator units vertically against said at least two units of serially connected beams.

25. The method according to claim 15, wherein said beams are being

higher in the direction of the load and/or the thickness of said beam increases orthogonally towards the direction of the load.

26. The method according to any of claims 15-25, wherein said method comprises providing a mechanical motion amplifier according to claims 1 -8.

27. Use of a mechanical motion amplifier of any of claims 1 -9 or 12 in a valve of a medical ventilator.