Abstract: A piezoelectric composite transducer and method for making same are disclosed. A block of piezoelectric material has a common base and a plurality of uniform-length rods extending from the common base in a parallel spaced-apart fashion to define an array. A first surface region is defined at outboard ends of the rods and a side region is defined about the periphery of the array. Electric conductors extend through the side region, are routed parallel to the first surface region, and are then led substantially parallel to the rods to the first surface region. Spaces between the rods are filled up to the first surface region with a viscoelastic material. The common base of the block is then removed such that a second surface region parallel and opposite to the first surface region is defined. Electrodes are deposited at the first surface region to be in contact with the rods and in electrical contact with the electric conductors.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device has a piezoelectric substrate whose properties include electromechanical coupling coefficient advantageous to widening passband width and SAW velocity advantageous to achieving a compact surface acoustic wave device. The piezoelectric substrate is composed of the single crystal represented by chemical formula Sr3TaGa3Si2O14 belonging to point group 32. For example, cut angle of the single crystal and propagation direction of the surface acoustic wave are in region 1-1, wherein said region 1-1 represented by Euler angles (&phgr;, &thgr;, &psgr;) satisfies &phgr;=25° ˜35°, &thgr;=20° ˜90°, &psgr;=−40° ˜40°. These angles may be in range 1-2, wherein said range 1-2 satisfies &phgr;=25° ˜35°, &thgr;=20° ˜90°, &psgr;=−25° ˜25°.

Abstract: A piezoelectric stepping motor comprises a cylindrical housing (1), a stator and a rotor (4). The stator comprises at least two rotary-fixing (2) and fixing (3) piezoelectric units which are located one behind the other in a longitudinal plane. The piezoelectric unit (2) comprises a rotary piezoelectric cell (5) and a fixing piezoelectric cell (60, insulators (7) and a friction element (8). The piezoelectric unit (3) comprises a fixing piezoelectric cell (9), insulators (7) and a friction element (8).

Abstract: A thin-film piezoelectric resonator and method of fabrication that includes a barrier layer of material between the underlying electrode and a layer of piezoelectric material. For example, in a resonator that uses zinc oxide for the layer of piezoelectric material, a barrier layer of aluminum nitride is deposited upon an underlying aluminum electrode to protect the aluminum electrode from oxidation or structural deformation during the subsequent deposition of the piezoelectric layer of zinc oxide. The barrier layer of aluminum nitride is deposited in a manner so as to provide a substrate having a substantial degree of uniformity of crystal orientation upon which the layer of piezoelectric material may then be deposited in a manner such that the piezoelectric layer will, itself, also have a substantial degree of uniformity in the orientations of its crystals.

Abstract: A piezoelectric linear stepping motor comprises a housing (1), a movable part (4); between them there are provided fixing units made in the form of two piezoelectric units: a shifting-and-fixing unit (2) and a fixing unit (3) which consist of piezoelectric cells (7,8,9), insulators (5) and friction elements (6), the movable part (4) being in contact with the friction elements (6).

Abstract: A crystal support structure and oscillator package for ovenized oscillators that has improved thermal isolation of the crystal. The support has a glass tubular wall with helical coils. Airgaps are formed circumferentially around the wall. A conductive metal layer is located over the surface of the wall. One end of the wall is supporting and electrically connected to a crystal resonator. Another end of the wall is attached to and electrically connected to a substrate. The crystal support forms an electrical path between the crystal resonator and the substrate and thermally isolates the crystal resonator from the substrate.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor comprises first piezoelectric oscillators alternately arranged with first polarized regions having a first direction of polarization and second polarized regions having a second direction of polarization opposite to the first direction of polarization. The first piezoelectric oscillators undergo bending vibration in a first direction upon input of drive signals having a same phase to the first polarized regions and the second polarized regions to thereby excite the first and second polarized regions. Second piezoelectric oscillators are laminated to the first piezoelectric oscillators in a second direction generally perpendicular to the first direction for undergoing elongation and contraction vibration in the first direction.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a stator having a piezoelectric element and a rotor facing the stator. The piezoelectric element vibrates the stator to rotate the rotor. A lining member is located between the rotor and the stator. A spring is installed in the motor. The spring is deformed by a predetermined amount to press the rotor against the stator. The force of the spring pressing the rotor changes in accordance with the deformation of the spring. The spring is installed such that its deformation is in a predetermined range, so that, within the range, the urging force of the spring changes by a relatively small amount for a given change of deformation. Therefore, when deformation of the spring changes due to wearing of the lining member, the urging force of the disk spring scarcely changes. Accordingly, the rotation characteristics of the motor scarcely change over time.

Abstract: A piezoelectric stepping motor comprises a cylindrical housing (1), fixing units and a movable part (4). The fixing units comprise at least two rotary-shifting-fixing piezoelectric units (2,3) which are arranged one behind the other in a longitudinal plane. Each piezoelectric unit (2,3) comprises a rotary piezoelectric cell (5), a shifting piezoelectric cell (6), a fixing piezoelectric cell (7) and a friction element (9) separated by insulators (8).

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator has a vibrating member having a generally central portion and a vibratable cantilever extending from the central portion. The cantilever has a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, a first end integrally connected to the central portion, and a second free end. A piezoelectric element is connected to the second major surface of the cantilever and is driven by a voltage signal applied thereto to undergo expansion and contraction to vibrationally drive the cantilever. A moving member is in contact with the first major surface of the cantilever to be frictionally driven by vibration of the cantilevers in response to expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor includes a rotor and a rotor accommodated in a housing. The stator includes a piezoelectric element and the housing is secured to a base by screws. The rotor contacts the stator. The piezoelectric element vibrates the stator to rotate the rotor. An insulation plate is located between the stator and the base. An insulation washer is located between the stator and each screw. A rotary shaft is rotatably supported by the housing. The rotary shaft is coupled to the rotor with an insulation collar in between. Therefore, the stator and the rotor are electrically insulated from the housing and the rotary shaft. This arrangement reduces electromagnetic noise, which interferes with other electric devices, such as radios.

Abstract: An article of clothing including a piezoelectric transducer and an electrical component restrains movement of a first body portion relative to a second body portion. The article of clothing can be a sports bra that controls the wearer's breast movement relative to the wearer's torso. As the breast moves, the piezoelectric transducer deforms and induces a voltage that is passed to the electrical component. The electrical component provides either a resistance or a control signal to the transducer. The transducer stiffens in response to the electrical component and reduces the movement of the breast by placing an external force on the breast.

Abstract: A piezoid power supply used to supply power to the electronics located in a fast moving projectile which contains a programmable projectile fuze contains multiple layers of piezoid bulk material. By using multiple layers of piezoid bulk material, instead of just one layer, the capacitance of the piezoid is increased. As a result, less energy is lost when the piezoid energy is transferred to the fuze electronics. In addition, by applying a setback force to the piezoid of such magnitude that the piezoid operates in the nonlinear region, the energy output from the piezoid is increased even more. By both incorporating a multitude of very thin layers in a piezoceramic and over-stressing the piezoid into the depolarization region, an improvement of almost three orders of magnitude in energy generation from set-back force is realized when compared to operation in the linear region.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator 52 is produced by providing a common electrode 22 on one planar surface of a thin vibrating plate 20 of non-piezoelectric material, providing a slurry 28 prepared by dispersing a calcined powder of piezoelectric material in a solvent containing dissolved coupling agent on the common electrode, drying the slurry to produce a flexible green sheet 30, pressure molding the green sheet to produce a plurality of precursor members 34 arranged at a predetermined space, sintering the precursor members and thereby growing piezoelectric particles to produce unpolarized piezoelectric members 24, forming individual electrodes on the piezoelectric members to oppose the common electrode, and polarizing the piezoelectric members.

Abstract: A base (10) has a substantially cylindrical plug (12) penetrated by two leads 14. A piezoelectric oscillator (24) is secured to and supported on ends of the two leads by supports (26). The supports (26) are formed from solder having as high lead content of more than 60% by weight, preferably 85 to 98% by weight. A cap (28) open at one end is fitted on the piezoelectric oscillator (24). The plug (12) seals the open end of the cap (28) and forms a gas-tight casing, thus forming a piezoelectric oscillator unit with piezoelectric oscillator (24) held gas-tight in the inside. The high lead content solder is soft and has a low Young's Modulus, so that it can disperse stress when the piezoelectric oscillator experiences. It is thus possible to evade stress concentration on the piezoelectric oscillator (24) and improve shock resistance. A layer of a solder with a lead content of 60% by weight or less or of tin or a tin alloy, is formed on the surface of the leads (14), and ensures solder wetting property.

Abstract: A piezoelectric generator comprises one or more inner hubs, an outer, stationary support, and a plurality of strap-like piezoelectric power generating elements mounted between the hubs and the outer support. The hubs are mounted for relative rotation on a first shaft mounted eccentrically on a second shaft having an axis of rotation coincident with central axis of the outer support. Rotation of the eccentric first shaft causes the hubs to follow a circular path around the outer support axis but without rotation of the hub around its own axis. The movements of the hubs cause alternate straining and destraining of the piezoelectric elements for generating electrical energy. For obtaining high energy conversion efficiency, the elements are arranged in groups of three or more substantially identical elements which are identically strained but symmetrically out-of-phase with one another.

Abstract: The electronic circuit allows the control or regulation of the speed of rotation of a microgenerator (1) in a watch movement. The electronic circuit includes two inputs (G−, G+) connected to said microgenerator, a quartz oscillator (3, 4), an energy-dissipation circuit (9) for braking said microgenerator, energy dissipation control means (5, 6, 7, 30, 31) for controlling the energy dissipation of the energy-dissipation circuit as a function of the frequency difference between the signal coming from the quartz oscillator and the signal coming from said microgenerator, and a rectifier and voltage-transformer (2) for rectifying and multiplying the signal coming from said microgenerator, with at least one capacitor (C1, C2, C3) charged by said microgenerator via at least one switch (17, 18, 19). The momentary energy dissipation of the braking circuit can further be reduced when the capacitors are charged.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a downhole apparatus for quickly generating and regulating variable output electric power by varying the alignment of a pair of axially adjacent permanent magnets rotating within an armature having electrically conductive windings. Each of the permanent magnets comprises a plurality of permanent magnetic segments having circumferentially alternating magnetizations. One of the permanent magnets is fixed to the drive shaft, and the other permanent magnet is movably mounted on the drive shaft to enable the alignment or misalignment, as desired, of the magnetizations of the respective magnetic segments on the pair of permanent magnets. When the magnetizations are completely aligned, the maximum electrical power is generated in the windings of the main armature; conversely, when the magnetizations are completely misaligned, zero electrical power is generated.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a piezoelectric element having an electrode pattern and driven by a voltage signal to undergo expansion and compression. An oscillator is connected to the piezoelectric element and is vibrationally driven by the expansion and compression movement of the piezoelectric vibrator. A rotor is disposed on the oscillator to be frictionally driven by expansion and compression movement of the piezoelectric element. A pivot member is connected to a central portion of the rotor. A pressing member is in pressure contact with the pivot member for urging the rotor into pressure contact with the oscillator. The pressing member and the pivot member are comprised of different materials, and the material of the pivot member has a hardness greater than that of the pressing member.

Abstract: Quartz crystal resonators 30 with a first angle of rotation having an X-axis 17 and Z′-axis 19 lying within a plane corresponding to an AT-cut and a second angle of rotation 34 within the plane of the AT-cut and lying within a range of about ±1° to about ±11.5° from the Z′-axis of the AT-cut. The resonators includes substantially opposing electrodes 36 disposed on major faces of the quartz crystal plate 32. The second angle of rotation 34 results in quartz crystal resonators 30 being produced with a more uniform distribution of temperature performances.