# US 8,541,925 B2 · Piezoelectric element driving circuit

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- Number: US 8,541,925 B2
- Document ID: US8541925B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/039,226
- Filed: 2011-03-02
- Published: 2011-09-15
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2010-03-09
- Assignees: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
- Applicants: Yoshinobu Nakayama; Takahiro Imai
- Inventors: Yoshinobu Nakayama; Takahiro Imai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8541925B2

## CPC

- H10N 30/802: {Circuitry or processes for operating piezoelectric or electrostrictive devices not otherwise provided for, e.g. drive circuits}
- H10N 30/2047: {Membrane type}
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A transformer T1 receives a sinusoidal signal on the primary side. The transformer T1 is provided with a terminal 3, a terminal 5, and a center tap 4 on the secondary side. The center tap 4 is connected to the anode of a diode D1. The cathode of the diode D1 is connected to the cathode of a diode D2 and one electrode of a capacitor C1. The other electrode of the capacitor C1 is connected to the anode of a diode D3 and a connection point of the second electrode of a piezoelectric element C2 and the first electrode of a piezoelectric element C3. The second electrode of the piezoelectric element C3 is connected to the terminal 3. The first electrode of the piezoelectric element C2 is connected to the cathode of the diode D3, the anode of the diode D2, and the terminal 5.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A piezoelectric element driving circuit comprising:
a signal generation unit that generates a sinusoidal signal;
a transformer that receives the sinusoidal signal generated by the signal generation unit on a primary side, and includes a first terminal and a second terminal on a secondary side and a third terminal led from a midpoint between the first terminal and the second terminal;
a piezoelectric element including a first electrode connected to the first terminal;
a first capacitor including a first electrode connected to a second electrode of the piezoelectric element and a second electrode connected to the second terminal;
a second capacitor including a first electrode connected to a connection point of the second electrode of the piezoelectric element and the first electrode of the first capacitor;
a first diode including a cathode connected to a second electrode of the second capacitor and an anode connected to the third terminal;
a second diode including a cathode connected to a connection point of the second electrode of the second capacitor and the cathode of the first diode, and an anode connected to a connection point of the first electrode of the piezoelectric element and the first terminal; and
a third diode including a cathode connected to the connection point of the first electrode of the piezoelectric element, the first terminal, and the anode of the second diode, and an anode connected to the connection point of the second electrode of the piezoelectric element, the first electrode of the first capacitor, and the first electrode of the second capacitor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric element driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first capacitor is another piezoelectric element that substantially equal in electrostatic capacitance to the piezoelectric element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric element driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein electrostatic capacitance of the first capacitor is sufficiently greater than electrostatic capacitance of the piezoelectric element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric element driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein the signal generation unit generates the sinusoidal signal through phase control such that output of the first terminal starts from a rising phase of a sine wave.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The piezoelectric element driving circuit according to claim 1, wherein a high resistance is used as the first diode.

### Claim 6

A pump comprising:
a signal generation unit that generates a sinusoidal signal;
a transformer that receives the sinusoidal signal generated by the signal generation unit on a primary side, and includes a first terminal and a second terminal on a secondary side and a third terminal led from a midpoint between the first terminal and the second terminal;
a piezoelectric element including a first electrode connected to the first terminal;
a first capacitor including a first electrode connected to a second electrode of the piezoelectric element and a second electrode connected to the second terminal;
a second capacitor including a first electrode connected to a connection point of the second electrode of the piezoelectric element and the first electrode of the first capacitor;
a first diode including a cathode connected to a second electrode of the second capacitor and an anode connected to the third terminal;
a second diode including a cathode connected to a connection point of the second electrode of the second capacitor and the cathode of the first diode, and an anode connected to a connection point of the first electrode of the piezoelectric element and the first terminal;
a third diode including a cathode connected to the connection point of the first electrode of the piezoelectric element, the first terminal, and the anode of the second diode, and an anode connected to the connection point of the second electrode of the piezoelectric element, the first electrode of the first capacitor, and the first electrode of the second capacitor; and
a space a volume of which changes by driving of the piezoelectric element, the space including an inlet and an outlet of a fluid.