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US 7,679,273 B2Granted
Strain tolerant metal electrode design
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorsCharles D. Oakley, Rick D. Kerr, Russel H. Bosch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are related to an apparatus and method for providing a strain tolerant electrode, comprising: an upper layer; a lower layer; with the potential for a plurality of compliant members providing electrical communication between the upper layer and the lower layer; and wherein a surface of the upper layer is in direct contact with a surface of the lower layer to provide an electrical path between the upper layer and the lower layer.
Claims24
A strain tolerant electrode, comprising:
- an upper layer;
- a lower layer underlying the upper layer and configured for making bonded electrical contact with a stack of piezoceramic layers, wherein the upper layer and the lower layer are regions of a sheet of conductive material;
- a plurality of transverse compliant members providing electrical communication between the upper layer and the lower layer;
- and
- wherein a surface of the upper layer is in direct interfacial electrical contact with a surface of the lower layer to provide an electrical path between the upper layer and the lower layer and allow for actuator expansion and contraction of the lower layer without resulting expansion and contraction of the upper layer.
2 more elements
A strain tolerant electrode, comprising:
- an upper layer;
- a lower layer underlying the upper layer and configured for making bonded electrical contact with a stack of piezoceramic layers, wherein the upper layer and the lower layer are regions of a sheet of conductive material;
- a single compliant member at one end providing electrical communication between the upper layer and the lower layer;
- and
- wherein a surface of the upper layer is in direct interfacial electrical contact with a surface of the lower layer to provide an electrical path between the upper layer and the lower layer.
2 more elements
A piezoelectric actuator, comprising:
- a stack of piezoceramic layers;
- a plurality of internal metal electrodes, each having a lead extending out of the stack of piezoceramic layers in alternate directions on opposite sides of the stack of piezoceramic layers;
- a first external electrode electrically connected to the leads of the internal metal electrodes extending out of one side of the stack of piezoceramic layers;
- a second external electrode electrically connected to the leads of the internal metal electrodes extending out of another side of the stack of piezoceramic layers;
- wherein the first external electrode and the second external electrode each comprise:
- an upper layer;
- a lower layer underlying the upper layer and configured for making bonded electrical contact with a stack of piezoceramic layers, wherein the upper layer and the lower layer are regions of a sheet of conductive material;
- a plurality of transverse compliant members providing electrical communication between the upper layer and the lower layer;
- and
- wherein a surface of the upper layer is in direct interfacial electrical contact with a surface of the lower layer to provide an electrical path between the upper layer and the lower layer and allow for expansion and contraction of the lower layer without resulting expansion and contraction of the upper layer.
7 more elements
A method for manufacturing a strain tolerant electrode, the method comprising:
- cutting a plurality of slots within a sheet of conductive material;
- folding the sheet of conductive material upon itself to define an upper layer and a lower layer underling the upper layer and configured for making bonded electrical contact with a stack of piezoceramic layers, wherein the plurality of slots define a plurality of transverse compliant members each of which providing electrical communication between the upper layer and the lower layer and wherein a surface of the upper layer is in direct interfacial electrical contact with a surface of the lower layer after the sheet of conductive material is folded upon itself, wherein any cracks in the lower layer are bridged by the plurality of transverse compliant members and/or the direct interfacial electrical contact between the surface of the lower layer and the surface of the upper layer since expansion and contraction of the lower layer is possible without resulting expansion and contraction of the upper layer.
A strain tolerant electrode, comprising:
- an upper layer;
- a lower layer underlying the upper layer and configured for making bonded electrical contact with a stack of piezoceramic layers, wherein the upper layer and the lower layer are regions of a sheet of conductive material;
- a plurality of transverse compliant members providing electrical communication between the upper layer and the lower layer through an electrical path between the upper layer and the lower layer, wherein the upper layer and the lower layer are not in direct interfacial electrical contact such that the electrical path between the upper layer and the lower layer is provided only by the plurality of transverse compliant members such that actuator expansion and contraction of the lower layer is possible without resulting expansion and contraction of the upper layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.