Abstract: A visco-elastic delayed actuator and system are provided, including a visco-elastic delayed actuator which includes a restorable and collapsible structure having at least two confronting surfaces and a resilient member interconnecting the surfaces. A visco-elastic delay member including visco-elastic adhesive on at least one of the confronting surfaces of the structure provides a visco-elastic holding force when the confronting surfaces come into mutual contact with the visco-elastic adhesive. The delayed actuator system also includes a support section and an operator member mounted in the support section. A resilient member in the structure biases the operator member in a first state while permitting the operator member to be selectively switched to a second state, thereby initiating a visco-elastic delay period.

Abstract: A delayed actuator mechanism with visco-elastic timer is provided including a support section and an actuator section mounted to the support section. A compression spring biases the actuator section in a first state and permits the actuator section to be selectively switched to a second state. In that state a cocked torsion spring urges a detent carried by the actuator into engagement with a shoulder of the support section to restrain the actuator section in the second state. A visco-elastic delay mechanism gradually relaxes the torsion spring until the compression spring overcomes the detent shoulder restraint to abruptly switch the actuator section to the first state.

Abstract: An ultrasonic wave generator includes a resonant member tapered to a thin edge, the member having a Q of about 300 or more.

Abstract: A visco-elastic actuator mechanism including a support section and an actuator section. A visco-elastic adhesive is mounted to one of the sections and is engageable by the other of the sections to hold the actuator in a first state. A spring urges apart one of the sections relative to the other until the actuator is abruptly switched to a second state.

Abstract: An aerosol dispenser including a nozzle chamber for holding fluid to be dispensed and a diaphragm forming at least a portion of the chamber and having an aerosol dispensing nozzle disposed therein. The chamber includes a nozzle region proximate the nozzle and a larger reservoir region interconnected to the nozzle region. There is a restrictive passage for introducing fluid from the reservoir region to the nozzle region and restricting backflow from the nozzle region to the reservoir region. A driver, typically a piezoelectric bender, is provided to drive fluid from the reservoir region to the nozzle region and from the nozzle region through the nozzle to create an aerosol spray.

Abstract: An acoustic pump including a resonant member having low internal damping and asymmetrically tapered to a thin edge; a piezoelectric driver mounted on the resonant member; and means for applying an alternating voltage to the piezoelectric driver in the resonant range of the resonant member for vibrating the resonant member and pumping fluid away from the thin edge.

Abstract: A monolithic ceramic body with ordered pores and a method of making a monolithic ceramic body is provided including applying a fugitive material in a pattern having a predetermined order, size, shape, orientation and location to a broad surface of at least one layer of green ceramic material. A second ceramic layer is juxtaposed in a stack with the first layer, with the fugitive material between the layers. The juxtaposed layers are laminated and the stack is heated to a first temperature to dislodge the fugitive material and provide a plurality of pores having a predetermined order, size, shape, orientation and location which matches that of the fugitive material pattern. The stack is then heated to a second temperature to form a monolithic ceramic body which includes the pores.

Abstract: A pressure gauge including: a deformable element; a rigid guard element surrounding the deformable element to form an engagement face; and means for sensing the deformation of the deformable element as an indication of pressure.

Abstract: A non-vibrational oscillating blade piezoelectric blower is disclosed, including: a piezoelectric bender and means for supporting the piezoelectric bender at its inertial nodes. Weights may be attached to the bender to control the location of the inertial nodes. Flexible blades may be attached to the bender at various locations and with their planes in various orientations. The blower according to this invention may also consist of two benders oscillating 180 degrees out of phase to further minimize vibration and noise.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive variable-resistance insert device for use with a light bulb and socket, including: a heat-sensitive variable-resistance wafer for interconnecting the central contact of the socket with the central contact of the light bulb. An annular insulation member surrounds the edge of the wafer and electrically insulates it from the wall of the socket. A resilient contact is mounted on at least one side of the wafer for resiliently engaging the associated central contact and accommodating for variations in the distance between the central contacts.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive variable-resistance insert device for use with a light bulb and socket including: a thin, heat-sensitive variable-resistance wafer and a perimetrical insulation member surrounding the edge of the wafer and electrically insulating it from the wall of the socket. The wafer has a contact area on one side for engaging the central contact of the socket and on the other side thereof for engaging the central contact of the light bulb, and an adhesive paste on that other side within the perimetrical member for adhering the device to the base of a light bulb.

Abstract: A pumping device comprising: a housing; piezoelectric element having one end mounted to the housing and one end free; a generally planar impeller blade connected to the free end of the piezoelectric element and having its distal end unconstrained by the housing; the blade having a high Q factor, a high stiffness-to-weight ratio and a low mass per unit area substantially less than that of the piezoelectric element; a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element for oscillating its free end perpendicular to its plane at or close to resonance and propagating a traveling wave along the blade to generate and shed vortices at the distal end of the blade.

Abstract: A calibration system for a temperature sensing probe in an electronic thermometer, including: a reference temperature element having a characteristic that varies as a function of temperature; a reference temperature sensing circuit, responsive to the reference element, for providing a reference signal representative of the temperature sensed by the reference element; a probe temperature sensing circuit responsive to the probe for providing a probe signal representative of the temperature sensed by the probe; means for releasably interconnecting the probe and the probe temperature sensing circuit; and comparator means for comparing the probe signal representative of the temperature sensed by the probe and the reference signal representative of the temperature sensed by the reference element; the probe temperature sensing circuit being responsive to the comparator means for adjusting the probe signal representative of the temperature sensed by the probe to match the reference signal representative of the temper

Abstract: A piezoelectric circuit breaker including: a line terminal and a load terminal; contact means interconnected between the terminals; means responsive to an increase in load current between the terminals for generating a voltage indicative of an overload current; and piezoelectric bender means responsive to the voltage for deflecting and opening the contact means.

Abstract: A piezoelectric generator for converting acoustic energy in a predetermined frequency range to electric energy including: a piezoelectric bending element; means for mounting the piezoelectric bending element in an acoustic energy path; tuning means mounted to the piezoelectric bending element to set the resonant frequency of oscillation of the piezoelectric bending element within the predetermined frequency range.

Abstract: A magnetically detented piezoelectric relay including a piezoelectric bender element having a fixed portion and a movable portion; means for providing an actuating voltage to deflect the bender element; first contact means mounted on the movable portion; second stationary contact means remote from the bender element and proximate the first contact means for selective engagement therewith in response to deflection of the bender element; and magnetic circuit means including a magnet, pole means, and magnetic means on the movable portion of the bender element for magnetically adhering the movable portion to the pole means until the deflection force of the bender element exceeds the holding force of the magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A magnetically detented piezoelectric relay including a piezoelectric bender element having a fixed portion and a movable portion; means for providing an actuating voltage to deflect the bender element; first contact means mounted on the movable portion; second stationary contact means remote from the bender element and proximate the first contact means for selective engagement therewith in response to deflection of the bender element; and magnetic circuit means including a magnet; a first stationary pole member; and a second pole member on the movable portion for magnetically adhering the movable portion to the first pole member until the deflection force of the bender element exceeds the holding force of the magnetic circuit; one of the first and second pole members is convergingly tapered toward its face and has a face of reduced area relative to the area of the face of the other of the first and second pole members; at least one of the first and second pole members is movable toward and away from the othe

Abstract: A piezoelectric printer including: a frame; a plurality of printer units mounted on the frame; each unit including an asymmetric piezoelectric bender including one or more piezoelectric members and having a mounting portion and an actuating portion, the actuating portion being moveable in an actuating direction; the bender being tapered in its lateral dimension and being larger at the mounting portion and smaller at the actuating portion; first and second metal reinforcing layers externally mounted on said bender, the first on the side of the actuating direction, the second on the opposite side; and a printing element driven by the actuating portion; means for applying an actuating voltage to the bender in the poling direction for actuating the bender to drive the printing element to the printing position and guide means attached to the frame for guiding the printing elements; the printer units are arranged in sets of stacked arrays, which may be overlapped and may include holes in each of the inferior printe

Abstract: A piezoelectric printer including: a frame; a plurality of printer units mounted on the frame; each unit including a piezoelectric multilam including at least two piezoelectric members and having a mounting portion and an actuating portion; the actuating portion moveable in an actuating direction and a cocking direction, the multilam being tapered in its lateral dimension and being larger at the mounting portion and smaller at the actuating portion; a weight carried by the multilam for increasing the energy transfer of the multilam; and a printing element driven by the actuating portion; means for applying a cocking voltage and an actuating voltage to the members, which voltages are less than the rupture voltage in the poling direction and less than the depoling voltage in the depoling direction, for cocking and actuating the multilam to drive the printing element to the printing position and guide means attached to the frame for guiding the printing elements; the printer units are arranged in sets of stacked