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US 5,517,074 AGranted
Piezoelectric actuator device
AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorsEngelbert Van Pelt, Wouter Taen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A piezoelectric actuator, which has a large displacement rate and a relatively simple structure, is capable of providing an output without the need for a specific support and can be manufactured at low costs, is provided. The piezoelectric actuator 10 takes a planar plate-like form and has first and second layer regions 11 and 12 lying one upon the other. The first layer region 11 is formed comprising a piezoelectric ceramic material and contains electrodes 13-1 to 13-n for receiving an actuation voltage to cause this first layer region to contract in a plane parallel thereto. The second layer region 12 is formed integrally with the first layer region 11 and comprises a ceramic material.
Claims6
A piezoelectric actuator device comprising:
- a first planar piezoelectric actuator element having first and second layer regions disposed one upon the other, said first layer region being active and made of a piezoelectric ceramic material and incorporating therein electrodes for receiving an actuation voltage that radially contracts said first layer region, said second layer region being non-active and made of a ceramic material and being formed integrally with said first layer region so as to cause spherical bending of said first actuator element when said first layer region radially contracts;
- a second planar piezoelectric actuator element constructed complementarily to said first actuator element;
- and
- connecting means for mechanically connecting said first and second actuator elements to each other only at predetermined locations along peripheries of said first and second actuator elements with the first layer regions of said first and second actuator elements facing each other so that said first and second actuator elements spherically bend in opposite directions in order to produce a change in overall thickness dimension of said mechanically connected first and second actuator elements upon contraction of the first layer regions of said first and second actuator elements that is greater than any combined change in thickness of said first layer regions of said first and second actuator elements.
1 more element
A piezoelectric actuator device comprising:
- a first planar piezoelectric actuator element having first and second layer regions disposed one upon the other, said first layer region being made of a piezoelectric ceramic material and incorporating therein electrodes for receiving an actuation voltage for radial contraction of said first layer region, Said second layer region being made of a ceramic material and formed integrally with said first layer region;
- a second planar piezoelectric actuator element constructed complementarily to said first actuator element;
- and
- connecting means for connecting said first and second actuator elements to each other at predetermined locations along peripheries of said first and second actuator elements with the first layer regions of said first and second actuator elements facing each other,
- wherein each of the first and second actuator elements has a circular top view and wherein said connecting means are solders connecting said first and second actuator elements entirely along peripheries thereof.
2 more elements
An actuator unit comprising:
- a plurality of piezoelectric actuator devices, each said actuator device comprising:
- a first planar piezoelectric actuator element having first and second layer regions disposed one upon the other, said first layer region being made of a piezoelectric ceramic material and incorporating therein electrodes for receiving an actuation voltage for radial contraction of said first layer region, said second layer region being made of a ceramic material and formed integrally with said first layer region;
- a second planar piezoelectric actuator element constructed complementarily to said first actuator element;
- and
- connecting means for connecting said first and second actuator elements to each other at predetermined locations along peripheries of said first and second actuator elements with the first layer regions of said first and second actuator elements facing each other;
- guide means for accommodating said plurality of piezoelectric actuator devices in a stacked manner to guide said actuator devices in a direction of width of each device;
- stopper means fixedly coupled to said guide means for engaging with an end face of the stack of actuator devices to prevent same from moving towards said stopper means;
- and
- an output member coupled to said guiding means so as to be slidable in the direction of displacement of said actuator devices and having a portion disposed within said guide means for engaging with the other end face of said stack of actuator devices to transmit a movement of said portion in said displacement direction to the exterior of said guide means.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.