Abstract: Oscillators (101a and 101b) are attached to a spring material (100) whose both ends (105a and 105b) are held, and piezoelectric elements (103a, 103b, and 106) are attached to the spring material or the oscillators. Assuming that an axis parallel to an axis connecting the both ends of the spring material is a Y-axis, an axis parallel to a plane including the Y-axis and the oscillators and orthogonal to the Y-axis is an X-axis, and an axis orthogonal to the Y-axis and the X-axis is a Z-axis, the oscillators are asymmetric with respect to a plane including the Y-axis and the Z-axis. Consequently, when acceleration is applied, torsional vibrations act on the spring material. When the torsional rigidity of the spring material is set to be low, the resonant frequency of the torsional vibrations can be reduced. Since the both ends of the spring material are held, the spring material is bent in a small amount.

Abstract: The invention provides a (Li, Na, K)(Nb, Ta)O3 type piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition capable of being sintered at a low temperature and providing good electric field-induced strain at the time of high electric field application at a temperature for practical use. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition has an ABO3 type composition formula wherein lithium, sodium, and potassium are contained as first elements; niobium and tantalum are contained as second elements; oxygen (O) is contained as a third element; A/B ratio is higher than 1; and the ratio of the number of Ta atoms to the total number of atoms of the second elements is 10 mol % or more and 50 mol % or less, and comprises a perovskite type oxide wherein the first elements are A site composing elements and the second elements are B site composing elements.

Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating reed includes a piezoelectric plate having a pair of vibrating arms provided parallel to each other, a base portion to integrally fix the pair of vibrating arms at a base end side thereof, and groove portions formed on both principal surfaces of the pair of vibrating arms in a constant length from base end portions toward tip end portions of the vibrating arms, and an electrode film formed of a base metal layer and a finishing metal layer laminated on outer surfaces of the piezoelectric plate and configured to vibrate the pair of vibrating arms when a predetermined voltage is applied thereon. The finishing metal layer of the electrode film is removed either partially or entirely at least in regions from the base end portions to the tip end portions of the vibrating arms.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a package 1 having a base substrate 10 and a lid substrate 20 bonded to each other and both formed of a glass base material; and a cavity C formed between the both substrates for storing an encapsulated object 2 in a state of being hermetically encapsulated, including: a depression forming step for forming a depression C1 for a cavity which defines the cavity when the both substrates are superimposed to each other on at least one of the both substrates; and a bonding step for superimposing the both substrates so as to store the encapsulated object in the depression and then bonding the both substrates to encapsulate the encapsulated object in the cavity, characterized in that in the depression forming step, printed layers 12 are laminated on an upper surface of a flat plate-shaped glass base material 11 in a frame shape in plan view by screen printing, and then the printed layers and the glass base material are baked at the same time to form the depression.

Abstract: A multi-layer piezoelectric element of high durability wherein the internal electrodes and the external electrodes do not break even when operated continuously over a long period of time under high electric field and high pressure is provided. The first multi-layer piezoelectric element according to the present invention comprises a stack formed by stacking piezoelectric layers and internal electrodes alternately one on another and external electrodes formed on a first side face and on a second side face of the stack, wherein one of the adjacent internal electrodes is connected to the external electrode formed on the first side face and the other internal electrode is connected to the external electrode formed on the second side face, and the external electrodes include an electrically conductive material and glass and is formed from a porous electrically conductive material that has a three-dimensional mesh structure.

Abstract: An ultrasonic actuator may be provided in which generation of a stress is prevented in the connection face of the piezoelectric element between the electrodes and the conductive members. The ultrasonic actuator includes a piezoelectric element (P1) and flexible cables (F1). The piezoelectric element (P1) includes: a piezoelectric layer (1); a power supply electrode (2) provided on a principal surface of the piezoelectric layer (1); a counter electrode (3) provided to face the power supply electrode (2) with the piezoelectric layer (1) interposed therebetween; a power supply external electrode (4) which is provided on a short-side surface of the piezoelectric element (P1), and is electrically coupled to the power supply electrode (2); and a counter external electrode (5) which is provided on a short-side surface of the piezoelectric element (P1), and is electrically coupled to the counter electrode (3).

Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic composition includes: a composite oxide, as a main component thereof, represented by the composition formula, Pba[(Zn1/3Nb2/3)xTiyZrz]O3, wherein a, x, y and z satisfy the following relations, 0.96?a?1.03, 0.005?x?0.047, 0.42?y?0.53, 0.45?z?0.56, and x+y+z=1; and the following additives in the indicated percentages by mass in relation to the main component, Cu as a first additive, in a content ?, in terms of Cu2O, falling within a range 0<??0.5%; at least one of Dy, Nd, Eu, Gd, Tb, Ho and Er, as a second additive, in a content ?, in terms of oxide, falling within a range 0<??0.3%; and at least one of Ta, Nb, W and Sb, as a third additive, in a content ?, in terms of oxide, falling within a range 0<??0.6%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a piezoactuator for miniaturized pumps, atomizers, valves or the like. The piezoactuator comprises a piezoceramic disk (1) and a pressure disk (2) coupled to the piezoceramic disk. Said pressure disk is linked on its rim (18) with a substrate (3) in a fluid-tight manner and can be deflected by the piezoceramic disk (1) while modifying the volume of a cavity (4) formed between the pressure disk (2) and the substrate (3). According to the invention, a weak point (6, 9) is provided which extends along the linked rim (18) of the pressure disk (2) and forms a joint when the pressure disk is deflected.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a piezoelectric element, a method of manufacturing the same, a liquid-jet head, a method of manufacturing the same, and a liquid-jet apparatus, all of which prevent an inter-layer detachment in a lower electrode.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator 3 includes a metallic vibration plate 30, an insulating layer 31, a plurality of individual electrodes 32, a piezoelectric layer 33 and a common electrode 34. The insulating layer 31 is formed on the top surface of the vibration plate 30. The individual electrodes 32 are formed on the top surface of the insulating layer 31. The piezoelectric layer 33 is formed on the top surfaces of the individual electrodes 32. The common electrode 34 is formed on the top surface of the piezoelectric layer 33 over the individual electrodes 32. A plurality of terminals 36 and a plurality of wirings 35 are formed on the top surface of the insulating layer 31. Each of the terminals 36 is associated with one of the individual electrodes 32. Each of the wirings 35 connects one of the individual electrodes 32 and the associated terminal 36.

Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator element and method of manufacturing same are provided. The piezoelectric resonator element having a lower electrode, a piezoelectric substance layer, and an upper electrode disposed in this order on a substrate with an air layer between the substrate and the lower electrode, and having a laminated structure of the lower electrode, the piezoelectric substance layer, and the upper electrode in at least a part of the piezoelectric resonator element, wherein internal stress of the piezoelectric substance layer is ?300 MPa to 90 MPa.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive porcelain composition which exhibits superior piezoelectric/electrostrictive characteristics without containing lead (Pb) is provided. A main component of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive composition is a binary solid solution represented by the general formula (1): (1?n)(Ag1?a?b?cLiaNabKc)(Nb1?x?y?zTaxSbyVz)O3+nM1M2O3; wherein 0?a?0.2, 0?b?0.95, 0?c?0.95, 0<(1?a?b ?c)?1, 0?x?0.5, 0?y?0.2, 0?z?0.2, 0?(y+z)?0.3, 0?n?0.2, and wherein M1 and M2 are combinations of metal which satisfy pretermined conditions.

Abstract: In a driving device for a piezoelectric actuator, when a driving signal is input, a charging switch is repetitively turned on/off to charge and expand the piezoelectric actuator under the state that a discharging switch is turned off. Thereafter, when the input of the driving signal is stopped, the discharging switch is repetitively turned on/off under the state that the charging switch is turned off, thereby discharging and contracting the piezoelectric actuator. Particularly, during the charging period, the charging switch is turned on at a fixed period, and the charging switch is turned off when an integration value of current flowing in a charging circuit at the ON-time of the charging switch reaches a target charge amount.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device, comprising a lithium-tantalate substrate and an IDT electrode that excites a pseudo-longitudinal wave type leaky surface acoustic wave in the surface of the lithium-tantalate substrate, wherein a normalized substrate thickness t/?, which is a thickness t of the lithium-tantalate substrate normalized by an IDT wavelength ?, is in a range of 1?t/??22.

Abstract: Thickness of a piezoelectric layer 31 is measured and widths of individual electrodes 32 are determined based on an amount of deviation of the measured thickness of the piezoelectric layer 31 from a predetermined reference thickness set in advance for the piezoelectric layer 31. Individual electrodes 32 of the determined widths are then formed on a side opposite to pressure chambers 14 of the piezoelectric layer 31. It is therefore possible to easily compensate for fluctuation in the thickness of the piezoelectric layer 31 with the widths of individual electrodes 32. As a result, it is possible to provide a piezoelectric actuator for liquid transporting apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator or the like which is capable of compensating for the fluctuation in thickness of the piezoelectric layer with electrode width.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device which may be permanently attached or removably attached to a material, such as a vehicular glass window. This device may comprise of a converter sub-unit or vibrator and a coupler. These elements may be arranged to propagate mechanical motion generated by the converter sub-unit through the coupler and optionally into the edge of the attached material. The resulting vibration motion in the material, which could take the form of a longitudinal compression/rarefaction wave, transverse wave, or a combination of the two waveforms, may be of a sufficient magnitude so as to cause the adhesive bond between the material's surface and other solid debris, such as ice, to be broken. This allows the debris to fall away while not damaging the material. The vibration motion in the material may be also of sufficient magnitude to remove a liquid such as water from the material surface.

Abstract: A crystal oscillator used as a clock source and further having an angular velocity detection capability is provided with: a tuning fork type crystal unit provided with excitation electrodes for exciting tuning fork vibration and sensing electrodes for detecting electric charge generated by the Coriolis force; an oscillation circuit connected to the excitation electrodes for both exciting the tuning fork vibration and for supplying a clock signal as output based on the tuning fork vibration; and a detection circuit connected to the sensing electrodes for supplying an angular velocity signal in accordance with the electric charge. The tuning fork crystal unit has first and second tuning fork arms for realizing the tuning fork vibration. The excitation electrodes are provided on the side surfaces of the first tuning fork arm and the sensing electrodes are provided on the side surfaces of the second tuning fork arm.

Abstract: Ultrasonic probe comprising an elongate body having a first end and a second end, an ultrasonic transducer attached to the probe at or adjacent the first end, and an enlarged support section intermediate the ultrasonic transducer and the second end, wherein the enlarged support section has an equivalent diameter greater than an equivalent diameter of the body at any location between the enlarged support section and the ultrasonic transducer. The probe may be used to introduce ultrasonic energy into ultrasonic cleaning systems.

Abstract: A vibration detector for determining and/or monitoring a predetermined fill level in a container. The detector includes an oscillatable unit, a driver/receiver unit and an evaluation unit. The vibration detector can, additionally, be used as a viscosity sensor or as a density sensor. For providing a multivariable sensor, a microprocessor is provided in the oscillation circuit formed of oscillatable unit and feedback electronics. The microprocessor corrects the phase of the feedback electronics over a predetermined frequency bandwidth in such a way that the sum of the phases of the feedback electronics and the microprocessor follows a predetermined function f(v).

Abstract: A composite electronic component provided is one with sufficient impact resistance. In this resonator 1, a capacitive element 3 has a projection 37 projecting outside a piezoelectric element 2, from a portion of the capacitive element 3 coinciding with a vibration region 2a. The projection 37 is provided on each of two sides of the capacitive element 3 in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the capacitive element 3. This causes the projections 37 of the capacitive element 3 to be buried in a mold resin 5, whereby the capacitive element 3 is sufficiently fixed to the mold resin 5 even if the mold resin 5 is provided with a vibration space 5a containing the vibration region 2a of the piezoelectric element 2. Therefore, an improvement is made in impact resistance of the resonator 1.