Piezoelectric transducer drive
OwnerAndrew J. Karpinskiinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Piezoelectric transducer drive apparatus applies varying pulse rates to the terminals of the transducer with the transducer acting as a capacitor and integrating the applied pulses. A conductive path from each transducer terminal remover charge from each terminal. Control of the voltage across the transducer is achieved by individually varying the pulse rates applied to each of the transducer terminals.
Claims18
Apparatus for applying a drive voltage to a piezoelectric transducer in a control system, said transducer having a first terminal and a second terminal, with said transducer drive voltage being the difference in a first voltage applied to said first terminal and a second voltage applied to said second terminal, comprising:
- first pulse rate means for applying a first charge to said first terminal at a first rate;
- means for removing said first charge from said first terminal at a second rate, with said transducer drive voltage increasing when an average of said first rate exceeds an average of said second rate;
- second pulse rate means for applying a second charge to said second terminal at a third rate;
- means for removing said second charge from said second terminal at a fourth rate, with said transducer drive voltage decreasing when an average of said third rate exceeds an average of said fourth rate.
Apparatus for applying a drive voltage to a piezoelectric transducer in a control system, said transducer having a first terminal and a second terminal, with said transducer drive voltage being the difference in a first voltage applied to said first terminal and a second voltage applied to said second terminal, comprising:
- means for converting a first digital word related to said desired first voltage into a first pulse rate;
- means for converting a second digital word related to said desired second voltage into a second pulse rate;
- first transformer means for translating the voltage of said first pulse rate from a first level to a second level;
- means for applying said first pulse rate at said second level to said first terminal of said transducer;
- means for bleeding a first current from said first terminal of said transducer;
- second transformer means for translating the voltage of said second pulse rate from a first level to a second level;
- means for applying said second pulse rate at said second level to said second terminal of said transducer;
- and
- means for bleeding current from said second terminal of said transducer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.