Method of making coating surrounding a piezoelectric solid state motor stack
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsChuong Q. Dam, Kurtis C. Kelley
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Abstract
A solid state motor includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements assembled in a stack. Each element has two opposing planar surfaces. A plurality of electrodes each has a planar section contacting the planar surfaces of two adjacent elements in the stack. A silicone adhesive is adapted to adhere to the piezoelectric elements. A plurality of alumina particles are disposed in the silicone adhesive. A protective housing cylindrically encases the combination of the stack, electrodes, and silicone adhesive.
Claims7
A method for encapsulating a piezoelectric solid state motor having a plurality of elements assembled in a stack interleaved with electrodes, comprising the steps of:
- adding a plurality of ceramic particles to a low viscosity silicone adhesive having high thermal conductivity characteristics, wherein the grain size of said ceramic particles is substantially equal to the grain size of the piezoelectric material of said piezoelectric elements;
- encapsulating said stack with said low viscosity silicone adhesive;
- curing the silicone adhesive at a first temperature for a first predetermined amount of time for setting said silicone adhesive;
- and thereafter
- curing the silicone adhesive at a second temperature for a second predetermined amount of time for further establishing adhesion between said piezoelectric elements and said silicone adhesive.
A method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the step of encapsulating further includes the steps of:
- grit blasting the stack to remove debris;
- cleaning the stack to remove unwanted contaminants;
- and
- applying the silicone adhesive to said stack under a vacuum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.