Abstract: A motor includes a vibrating plate having a projection part to be pressed against a driven member and a piezoelectric material provided on the vibrating plate, wherein a Young's modulus EL in the pressing direction of the vibrating plate and a Young's modulus ES in a direction crossing the pressing direction are different.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer includes a resin substrate, a support film and a piezoelectric element. The resin substrate has an opening. The support film blocks off the opening in the resin substrate. The piezoelectric element is disposed on the support film in a region that blocks off the opening in plan view from a thickness direction of the support film. The piezoelectric element includes a lamination of a lower electrode, a piezoelectric body, and an upper electrode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating a multiple degree of freedom (DOF) actuated device having a single transducer source, wherein each DOF is individually actuated by a particular amplified response frequency and wherein simultaneous multiple DOF actuation is possible through superimposing multiple frequencies. Further included are several embodiments rectifying DOF(s) into a continuous output motion.

Abstract: An electric energy generating device. The electric energy generating device includes a piezoelectric structure including a material having piezoelectric characteristics, and an insulating film including a material having electret characteristics. When external energy is supplied to the insulating film, the insulating film contacts the piezoelectric structure and the piezoelectric structure is then deformed to generate electric energy. Also, electric energy is generated when an electrostatic capacitance between the insulating film and a substrate adjacent to the insulating film changes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a crystal unit fills an adhesive from a first opening in a front surface of a mask of each of penetration holes in the mask in a state in which the mask is set on a base, into each penetration hole, and heats, by a heating element, a sidewall region defining a second opening in a back surface of the mask, in order to cure a sidewall part of the adhesive in the sidewall region defining each penetration hole in contact with the adhesive filling each penetration hole. A crystal blank is bonded on the base using the adhesive in order to form the crystal unit, after removing the mask from the base.

Abstract: A device may include a component including an electroactive polymer (EAP) material configured to generate a voltage in response to movement of the component. The device may also include voltage detector coupled to the component, the voltage detector configured to detect voltage generated by the component. The device may further include processing logic configured to perform a function based on the detected voltage.

Abstract: A vibration wave driving apparatus including: a vibrator in which a first elastic body, a second elastic body and an electrical-mechanical energy converting element provided between the first and the second elastic bodies are arranged in a direction of a rotation axis; a rotor performing a rotational motion due to the vibration excited to the first elastic body by applying a driving signal to the electrical-mechanical energy converting element; an output transmitter rotating synchronously with the rotor; and a shaft passing through the vibrator, the rotor and the output transmitter in the direction of the rotation axis, wherein the output transmitter has a fitting portion to which the shaft or a flange fixed to the shaft is fitted, and wherein a portion of the fitting portion of the output transmitter and a portion of the first elastic body are overlapped in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

Abstract: A manufacturing method, which realizes general versatility of an external connection terminal by reducing deterioration of characteristics and a decrease in yield rate of a piezoelectric device in an external connection terminal forming process, and a piezoelectric device manufactured by this method are provided. Before a piezoelectric device is sealed together with a ceiling layer to form a package, an electrode structure serving as an external connection terminal is provided beforehand on a substrate mounted with a key area of the device, and after formation of the key area of the device, the piezoelectric device is sealed and packaged together with the ceiling layer. The piezoelectric device of the present invention can accommodate a three-dimensional structure by providing a rewiring layer on a principal surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator is provided, including a piezoelectric layer which is joined to a joining member and which has a coefficient of linear expansion smaller than a coefficient of linear expansion of the joining member; a first electrode which is arranged on one surface of the piezoelectric layer; a second electrode which is arranged on a portion of the one surface of the piezoelectric layer different from the first electrode and which is in conduction with the first electrode; and a low dielectric layer which is formed between the piezoelectric layer and the second electrode and which has a dielectric constant lower than a dielectric constant of the piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate made of lithium niobate and including grooves in a surface thereof. Each groove includes a finger of an IDT electrode made of copper. The IDT electrode includes a first electrode layer embedded in the grooves and a second electrode layer sticking out of the surface of the piezoelectric substrate. A normalized electrode thickness of the first electrode layer is about 1.0% to about 12.0% inclusive, and the normalized electrode thickness of the second electrode layer is about 1.0% to about 9.0% inclusive. The normalized electrode thickness of the entire IDT electrode is about 6.0% to about 13.0% inclusive.

Abstract: A component that operates with acoustic waves includes a substrate including a piezoelectric material, a first electrode plane in which bottom electrode structures including an acoustically active bottom electrode are arranged directly on the substrate, and a top electrode arranged above the bottom electrode plane and which is electrically conductively connected to the bottom electrode structures, wherein excitation of the acoustic waves during operation of the component is effected exclusively or predominantly through the bottom electrode structures.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of adjusting the resonance frequency of a vibrating element, comprising measuring the resonance frequency of the vibrating element, determining, using abacuses and as a function of the resonance frequency measured, a dimension and a position of at least one area of modified thickness to be formed on the vibrating element so that the resonance frequency thereof corresponds to a setpoint frequency, and forming on the vibrating element, an area of modified thickness of the determined dimension and position.

Abstract: A micro-scale, smart material actuator having an overall length smaller than 10 mm comprising a multilayer piezoelectric stack housed in a mechanical amplifier made up of a fixed supporting member, a movable supporting member connected to compliant links attached to one or more actuating arms such that, when a suitable electric current is applied to the piezoelectric stack, the resulting expansion is translated through the movable supporting member, thereby causing movement in the actuating arms A method of generating electricity from motion using such an actuator is also disclosed in which the actuating arms are connected to a source of mechanical motion and the piezoelectric stack is connected to an electrical load, whereby the mechanical motion causes the piezoelectric stack to generate electrical charge that is then discharged into the load.

Abstract: A smart material actuator comprising a mechanical amplifier with a fixed supporting member, at least one mountable actuating arm, and mechanical web having at least one compliant member attached to the mountable arm and a movable supporting member. A piezoelectric stack is affixed between a first mounting surface on the fixed supporting member and a second mounting surface on the movable supporting member. With the fixed supporting member being substantially rigid, and the piezoelectric stack being affixed between the first mounting surface and the second mounting surface, which are substantially parallel, applying an appropriate electric potential to the piezoelectric stack will cause it to expand substantially without angular movement. The expansion urges the second mounting surface away from the first, thereby causing the compliant members of the mechanical web to flex, thereby moving the mountable actuating arm.

Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric generating element having an electrode on an outer surface of a piezoelectric ceramic body, wherein the piezoelectric ceramic body has a relative permittivity of 110 to 1700, an elastic compliance of 15 to 150 pm2/N, and a void ratio of 20 to 75%. Preferably, the void ratio is 50 to 75% in the piezoelectric generating element. A crystal particle is modeled as a cube with a length X on a side, a virtual void portion is provided in cube, a void ratio x is calculated based on a thickness t of a frame excluding void portion, a relative permittivity ?r and an elastic compliance s are calculated based on void ratio x, and a power generation amount P is estimated. Thereby, a piezoelectric generating element capable of significantly increasing a power generation amount more than before, and a method for estimating a power generation amount of the piezoelectric generating element can be obtained.

Abstract: A haptic device includes an elongated piezo bender supported by a first holder and a second holder. The first holder and the second holder being spaced apart from each other and located at or near opposite ends of the elongated piezo bender. A mass is supported by the elongated piezo bender and positioned in between the first holder and the second holder. The mass has a non-uniform thickness in a direction along a major axis of the elongated piezo bender. An electrical driving signal generator is configured to generate a signal to create a vibration in the elongated piezo bender.

Abstract: A solid state actuator arrangement comprising an actuator which is configured as a solid state bending actuator and which has a first and a second end section opposite each other, a fastening device for fastening the first end section of the actuator in such a manner that it can still be adjusted, and connections for applying a driver signal to the actuator for adjusting the second end section by bending the actuator between at least two positions, an extension element being fastened to the free second end section of the actuator.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus used in an electronic device for providing haptic feedback. The apparatus includes a main board defining a mounting surface, a vibration unit mounted on the mounting surface of the main board, the vibration unit being capable of vibrating along a direction parallel to the mounting surface and defining at least two fastening portions at two distal ends thereof. At least two screws are provided to fix the vibration unit on the main board through the fastening portions along a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface.

Abstract: A power generation unit includes: a deformation member which is deformed by switching a deformation direction; a piezoelectric element which is installed to the deformation member; a pair of electrodes which are installed to the piezoelectric element; an inductor which is installed between the pair of the electrodes and which together with a capacitive component of the piezoelectric element constitutes a resonance circuit; a switch which is connected in series to the inductor; a full bridge rectifier which is installed between the pair of the electrodes to rectify an AC current generated by the piezoelectric element; a voltage detection circuit which detects potentials of an anode and cathode of a diode included in the full bridge rectifier; and a controller which allows the switch to be in an ON state for a predetermined time interval based on an output signal of the voltage detection circuit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic oscillating device with a detachable ultrasonic oscillating assembly is mounted inside a case having a detachable lid and applied in a humidifier. The ultrasonic oscillating device has a circuit board, a supporting board, a connecting structure and the ultrasonic oscillating assembly. The detachable ultrasonic oscillating assembly is placed between the supporting board and the lid. The connecting structure is mounted on a bottom of the lid and electrically connected to the ultrasonic oscillating assembly and the circuit board. When the ultrasonic oscillating assembly is broken, users easily replace the broken ultrasonic oscillating assembly by the detachable ultrasonic oscillating assembly and the detachable lid of the case, so other unbroken parts remain useful.