Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator that can be operated in the d31 mode and which controls the potential energy of a spring is disclosed. The d31 mode of operation provides large actuator displacement and the potential energy of the spring significantly increases the force and work produced by the actuator. In a first embodiment, a single piezoelectric element, operating in the d31 mode, controls the potential energy of the spring. In another embodiment, two piezoelectric elements, both operating in the d31 mode, control the potential energy of the spring.

Abstract: A piezoelectric transducer able to convert an electrical signal into a mechanical motion. In various embodiments the transducer is used to form a motor and an actuator. In one embodiment a piezoceramic stack is supported as to experience a compressive load from a flexible beam. The flexible beam is installed under compression to assume an initial bowed shape. Applying an electrical signal to the piezoceramic stack causes decompression, and thus lengthening, of the stack. This in turn causes an increased compression of the flexible beam that causes it to flex from its initial bowed shape to an increased (i.e., more pronounced) bowed shape. An output member disposed against the flexible beam is driven by the flexing of the beam. Alternately applying and removing the electrical signal causes an alternating mechanical motion to be applied to the output member by the flexible beam.

Abstract: An electronic device and transducer structures are described.

Abstract: An actuator device which is made as a laminated structure including a displacement-functioning layer having a region to be deformed by the electric field and an electrode-functioning layer having a region to function as an electrode. And an manufacturing method in which the above-mentioned device is easily manufactured, the method in which, according to the laminated structure, arranging each layer to be formed on the transfer section and transferring it onto the substrate to laminate.

Abstract: A multilayer ultrasonic transducer includes a multilayer piezoelectric substrate assembly (100) laminated with a first and a second piezoelectric substrate on top of each other, and having a first electrode node (42) and a second electrode (44) node polarized with a primary electrode and a secondary electrode, respectively, a flexible printed circuit board coupled to the first electrode node, a backing block with a predetermined thickness surrounded by the flexible printed circuit board, a ground flexible printed circuit board coupled to the second electrode node, and an acoustic matching layer deposited on the multilayer piezoelectric substrate assembly.

Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer of the type containing a cylindrical piezoelectric active element mounted on a supporting tube is provided with a backing component made of an electrically and thermally insulating material forming a sleeve which extends between the piezoelectric element and the supporting tube. An insulating material is selected for the backing component which includes a substantial amount of entrained air. Preferably, the backing component is made of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (EPTFE).

Abstract: An acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate, comb electrodes formed above the piezoelectric substrate, and a first dielectric film provided so as to cover the comb electrodes, the first dielectric film having empty spaces associated with fingers of the comb electrodes.

Abstract: The invention concerns an actuator which includes a linear piston (2) in an active material, and an inner sliding cylinder (7, 7?) which includes an outer cylinder (5, 5?) in which the said sliding cylinder ((7, 7?) is pre-stressed, with one cylinder being in an anisotropic material with a negative or approximately zero expansion coefficient along at least one axis and a positive or approximately zero expansion coefficient on at least one other axis, and the other cylinder having a positive thermal or approximately zero expansion coefficient.

Abstract: A micro-mechanical device includes a first piezoelectric actuator including a piezoelectric film, and lower and upper electrodes interleaving the piezoelectric film, and extending from a first fixing part on a substrate to a first operating end, and a second piezoelectric actuator connected to the first piezoelectric actuator via a connecting part at the first operating end of the first piezoelectric actuator, and extending from the connecting part to a second operating end, the second piezoelectric actuator being shorter than the first piezoelectric actuator.

Abstract: A drive unit being characterized in that a movable object can be prevented from being tilted when the movable object is stopped using a restricting member. The drive unit comprises a piezoelectric element, a rod provided at an end of the piezoelectric element, a movable object frictionally engaged with the rod, and drive pulse generating means that apply drive signals to the piezoelectric element. The drive pulse generating means apply to the piezoelectric element a rectangular wave drive signal that has a duty ratio other than 0.5 and vibrates the rod so that a difference occurs between the expansion and contraction of the rod when the movable object is moved, and apply to the piezoelectric element a rectangular wave drive signal that has a duty ratio of 0.5 and vibrates the rod so that the movable object is not moved substantially when it is detected that the movable object is in contact with a restricting member.

Abstract: A piezoelectric linear motor for amplifying the change in at least one dimension of a piezoelectric material is disclosed. A shaft is connected axial-movably to a piezoelectric actuator. The actuator includes a piezoelectric ceramic that expands or contracts in response to an applied voltage. The expansion or contraction of the piezoelectric ceramic is amplified by converting the displacement due to expansion/contraction into a greater displacement of a top plate to which the shaft is coupled. The greater displacement is, for instance, by causing the expansion/contraction of the piezoelectric ceramic into a convex or concave bending of a complex of which the piezoelectric ceramic is a part. In a preferred embodiment the base plate is attached to the piezoelectric ceramic, a slanted plate conically extending from the base plate, and a top plate formed at the center of the slanted plate to form an assembly that changes its curvature to amplify the displacement.

Abstract: A laminated piezoelectric element according to the present invention includes a plurality of unit laminates and a plurality of adhesive layers. The unit laminates are stacked together. Each of the unit laminates includes a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic layers and a plurality of internal electrode layers that are alternately laminated with the piezoelectric ceramic layers in the lamination direction of the unit laminate. Each of the adhesive layers is formed between adjacent two of the unit laminates to bond the two unit laminates together. Further, each of the adhesive layers has a thickness of 1 ?m or less and an adhesive strength of 1.3 MPa or higher.

Abstract: A laminated piezoelectric element capable of being sintered at low temperatures and high in piezoelectric properties is provided. The laminated piezoelectric element comprises a plurality of piezoelectric layers each comprising a composite oxide as a main constituent thereof and a plurality of internal electrode layers formed between the piezoelectric layers and containing Ag, wherein the piezoelectric layers are each comprised of a sintered body comprising the composite oxide, as a main constituent thereof, represented by (Pba-bMb) [(Zn1/3Nb2/3)xTiyZrz]O3 with the proviso that 0.96?a?1.03, 0?b?0.1, 0.05?x?0.15, 0.25?y?0.5, 0.35?z?0.6, x+y+z=1, and M represents at least one selected from Sr, Ca and Ba, and Ag in a content of 1.0% by weight or less (not inclusive of 0) in terms of Ag2O in relation to the main constituent.

Abstract: An actuating element for a function carrier (4) in a motor vehicle having a piezoelectric element (1), preferably a piezoelectric foil and a decorative surface (2), mounted above the piezoelectric element (1). Further, a system of at least two actuating elements characterized in that the actuating elements have a common piezoelectric element (1), preferably a piezoelectric foil. Finally, a method for the production of such an actuating element or such a system including the steps of producing at least one piezoelectric element (1), applying at least one piezoelectric element (1), connecting each piezoelectric element (1) to an evaluation unit and a control unit, and covering each piezoelectric element (1) preferably with one decorative surface (2).

Abstract: An acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate, a first dielectric film provided on the piezoelectric substrate, electrodes that are provided on the first dielectric film and excite an acoustic wave, and a second dielectric film that is provided so as to cover the electrodes and is thicker than the electrodes.

Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes: a base substrate; a lower electrode provided above the base substrate; a lower dummy electrode provided on the base substrate and electrically insulated from the lower electrode; a piezoelectric layer provided on the base substrate, the lower electrode and the lower dummy electrode; and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave chip formed with an inter-digital transducer entirely over a piezoelectric substrate. In the surface acoustic wave chip, the inter-digital transducer is extended to a rim of the piezoelectric substrate, and a partition section is provided all the way to the rim of the piezoelectric substrate to partition an electrode pattern to derive two of the inter-digital transducers.

Abstract: A laminate-type piezoelectric element has a ceramic laminated body obtained by alternately laminating piezoelectric layers made of a piezoelectric material and inner electrode layers having electrical conductivity. Outer electrodes are joined to side surfaces of the ceramic laminated body via an electrically conductive adhesive. The electrically conductive adhesive has buried therein mesh bodies obtained by forming a mesh by using a nonmetallic material. The mesh bodies are desirably constituted by using any one of a resin, ceramic, carbon or glass.

Abstract: A piezoelectric fan includes a piezoelectric actuator patch (110, 210, 310) and a blade (120, 220, 320) attached to the piezoelectric actuator patch. The blade has a hole (121, 127, 221) in it, and a door (122, 128, 222) is adjacent to the hole and attached to the blade (as with a hinge (123, 129, 223)) such that the door is capable of opening and closing.

Abstract: Acoustic resonator device (1) includes an active element (6) and a support provided with a membrane (5). The active element (6) is provided with at least one piezoelectric layer (10) and is surmounted by a multilayer stack (12). The multilayer stack (12) is provided with at least three layers, including at least one layer (15) of high acoustic impedance and at least one layer (13) of low acoustic impedance. An integrated circuit including at least one such acoustic resonator device is also disclosed.