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US 6,655,790 B2Granted
Piezoelectric actuator and fluid jet apparatus and method for manufacturing the piezoelectric actuator and the fluid jet apparatus
AssigneeBrother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorYoshikazu Takahashi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
First internal electrodes are disposed in a piezoelectric laminate in association with each side of chambers, and second internal electrodes are disposed in association with central portions of the chambers. The first internal electrodes are interconnected by a first lead. The second internal electrodes are interconnected by a second lead. In a polarization process, a voltage is applied between all of the first and second internal electrodes at one time. Thereafter, grooves are formed on the piezoelectric laminate by removing the first and second leads, so that the first internal electrodes and the second internal electrodes can be separated individually.
Claims28
A piezoelectric actuator, comprising:
- a piezoelectric plate that is made of at least one sheet of piezoelectric material;
- a set of a plurality of first internal electrodes that are provided in one direction in the piezoelectric plate with a space therebetween;
- a set of a plurality of second internal electrodes that are provided in the one direction in the piezoelectric plate so as to correspond to the set of the first internal electrodes with a space between the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes;
- and
- a groove that is formed in the one direction in the piezoelectric plate so as to expose ends of at least one of the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes, wherein the piezoelectric material between the first internal electrodes and the second internal electrodes is polarized.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator, comprising the steps of:
- forming in a piezoelectric plate that is made of at least one sheet of piezoelectric material, a first internal electrode pattern including a set of a plurality of first internal electrodes disposed in one direction with a space therebetween and a first lead that interconnects the set of the first internal electrodes, and a second internal electrode pattern including a set of a plurality of second internal electrodes disposed in the one direction so as to correspond to the set of the first internal electrodes with a space between the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes and a second lead that interconnects the set of the second internal electrodes;
- polarizing the piezoelectric material between the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes in the one direction by applying an electric field between the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes through the first lead and the second lead;
- and
- separating at least one of the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes individually after the polarizing step, by removing at least one of the first lead and the second lead.
1 more element
A fluid jet apparatus, comprising:
- a chamber plate unit that includes a plurality of chambers separated by partition walls and nozzles connected to the chambers to eject fluid from the chambers;
- and
- a piezoelectric actuator that is laminated with the chamber plate unit and includes:
- a piezoelectric plate that is made of at least one sheet of piezoelectric material and has drive electrodes on a surface thereof;
- a set of a plurality of first internal electrodes that are provided in one direction in the piezoelectric plate with a space therebetween;
- a set of a plurality of second internal electrodes that are provided in the one direction in the piezoelectric plate so as to correspond to the set of the first internal electrodes with a space between the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes;
- and
- a groove that is formed in the one direction in the piezoelectric plate so as to expose ends of at least one of the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes, wherein the piezoelectric material between the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes is polarized.
5 more elements
A method of manufacturing a fluid jet apparatus, comprising the steps of:
- forming in a piezoelectric plate that is made of at least one sheet of piezoelectric material, a first internal electrode pattern including a set of a plurality of first internal electrodes disposed in one direction with a space therebetween and a first lead that interconnects the first internal electrodes, and a second internal electrode pattern including a set of a plurality of second internal electrodes disposed in the one direction so as to correspond to the set of the first internal electrodes with a space between the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes and a second lead that interconnects the set of the second internal electrodes;
- polarizing the piezoelectric material between the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes in the one direction by applying an electric field between the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes through the first lead and the second lead;
- separating at least one of the set of the first internal electrodes and the set of the second internal electrodes individually after the polarizing step, by removing at least one of the first lead and the second lead;
- making drive electrodes on the piezoelectric plate that generate a drive electric field in a direction perpendicular to the one direction that the piezoelectric material is polarized;
- forming a chamber plate unit that includes a plurality of chambers separated by partition walls and nozzles connected to the chambers to eject fluid from the chambers;
- and
- bonding the piezoelectric plate to the chamber plate unit such that a portion of the piezoelectric plate that is polarized is associated with each of the chambers.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.