Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device includes a ceramic substrate and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed on the ceramic substrate. The ceramic substrate includes fixed sections which have a large thickness, a pair of thin plate sections which are formed continuously from the fixed sections and which are thinner than the fixed sections, and movable sections which are provided at ends of the pair of thin plate sections. An additional member is used at least between the pair of thin plate sections and the movable sections. The additional member is a porous member or at least one columnar member.

Abstract: An additional member is provided at a border between an inner wall surface of a thin plate section formed by a long ceramic plate and a side surface (cutout surface) formed by a short ceramic plate. Assuming that a surface of the additional member forms a curve C as viewed in vertical cross section, the curve C is a free curve having one inflection point. The additional member has a portion C2 which extends along the inner wall surface of the thin plate section with its surface extending substantially in parallel toward the border, and a curved portion C3 which is disposed at a part corresponding to the border.

Abstract: A pair of opposing thin plate sections, movable sections, and fixed sections for supporting the thin plate sections and the movable sections are provided on a ceramic substrate. After a wiring pattern and a gap or an insulating layer of cermet layer for filling the gap are formed on a ceramic substrate, these are sintered. After that, piezoelectric/electrostrictive layers and cermet electrode layers including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive material and a conductive material are alternately stacked in a comb like structure on the ceramic substrate. Accordingly, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element in multilayer structure is obtained.

Abstract: A method of producing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having a base including a pair of movable parts opposing each other, a fixing part that connects the movable parts with each other at one end thereof, and mounting parts that extend for a predetermined length while holding slit-shaped gaps of a predetermined width along inside surfaces of said movable parts by being turned around at the other end of said movable parts, said piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element disposed on at least one outside surface of said movable parts of said base, wherein a base block obtained by laminating and calcining a large number of ceramic green sheets is adopted as a material for forming said base, and the base including said movable parts, said fixing part, and said mounting parts is formed by cutting said base block at a predetermined site along a lamination direction of said ceramic green sheets.

Abstract: A pair of opposing thin plate sections, movable sections, and fixed sections for supporting the thin plate sections and the movable sections are provided on a ceramic substrate. After a wiring pattern and a gap or an insulating layer of cermet layer for filling the gap are formed on a ceramic substrate, these are sintered. After that, piezoelectric/electrostrictive layers and cermet electrode layers including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive material and a conductive material are alternately stacked in a comb like structure on the ceramic substrate. Accordingly, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element in multilayer structure is obtained.

Abstract: A method of producing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having a base including a pair of movable parts opposing each other, a fixing part that connects the movable parts with each other at one end thereof, and mounting parts that extend for a predetermined length while holding slit-shaped gaps of a predetermined width along inside surfaces of said movable parts by being turned around at the other end of said movable parts, said piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element disposed on at least one outside surface of said movable parts of said base, wherein a base block obtained by laminating and calcining a large number of ceramic green sheets is adopted as a material for forming said base, and the base including said movable parts, said fixing part, and said mounting parts is formed by cutting said base block at a predetermined site along a lamination direction of said ceramic green sheets.

Abstract: A pair of opposing thin plate sections, movable sections, and fixed sections for supporting the thin plate sections and the movable sections are provided on a ceramic substrate. After a wiring pattern and a gap or an insulating layer of cermet layer for filling the gap are formed on a ceramic substrate, these are sintered. After that, piezoelectric/electrostrictive layers and cermet electrode layers including a piezoelectric/electrostrictive material and a conductive material are alternately stacked in a comb like structure on the ceramic substrate. Accordingly, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element in multilayer structure is obtained.

Abstract: An additional member is provided at a border between an inner wall surface of a thin plate section formed by a long ceramic plate and a side surface (cutout surface) formed by a short ceramic plate. Assuming that a surface of the additional member forms a curve C as viewed in vertical cross section, the curve C is a free curve having one inflection point. The additional member has a portion C2 which extends along the inner wall surface of the thin plate section with its surface extending substantially in parallel toward the border, and a curved portion C3 which is disposed at a part corresponding to the border.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device has a base 10a including a pair of right and left movable parts 11, 12 and a fixing part 13 on one end thereof, and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element 10b on the side surfaces of movable parts 11, 12 of base 10a. The adhesive force of bonding a component H sandwiched and held on the other end of movable parts 11, 12 is enhanced. Base 10a constituting the piezoelectric/electrostrictive device has a pair of long mounting parts 15, 16 for mounting component H on the other end of movable parts 11, 12. Mounting parts 15, 16 extend for a predetermined length while holding slit-shaped gaps 15a, 16a of a predetermined width along the inside surfaces of movable parts 11, 12 by being turned around at the other end of movable parts 11, 12. This increases the bonding area of mounting parts 15, 16 to component H, thereby greatly improving the adhesive force of bonding the component.

Abstract: A method of producing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having a base including a pair of movable parts opposing each other, a fixing part that connects the movable parts with each other at one end thereof, and mounting parts that extend for a predetermined length while holding slit-shaped gaps of a predetermined width along inside surfaces of said movable parts by being turned around at the other end of said movable parts, said piezoelectric/electrostrictive device having a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element disposed on at least one outside surface of said movable parts of said base, wherein a base block obtained by laminating and calcining a large number of ceramic green sheets is adopted as a material for forming said base, and the base including said movable parts, said fixing part, and said mounting parts is formed by cutting said base block at a predetermined site along a lamination direction of said ceramic green sheets.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device has a base 10a including a pair of right and left movable parts 11, 12 and a fixing part 13 on one end thereof, and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element 10b on the side surfaces of movable parts 11, 12 of base 10a. The adhesive force of bonding a component H sandwiched and held on the other end of movable parts 11, 12 is enhanced. Base 10a constituting the piezoelectric/electrostrictive device has a pair of long mounting parts 15, 16 for mounting component H on the other end of movable parts 11, 12. Mounting parts 15, 16 extend for a predetermined length while holding slit-shaped gaps 15a, 16a of a predetermined width along the inside surfaces of movable parts 11, 12 by being turned around at the other end of movable parts 11, 12. This increases the bonding area of mounting parts 15, 16 to component H, thereby greatly improving the adhesive force of bonding the component.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating vertically extending wires with paint in which the temperature of a paint bath is accurately maintained and temperature variations within the bath are largely eliminated so as to provide constant coating characteristics. Vertically extending coating chambers are provided having relatively small cross-sectional areas so that heat generated by an adjacent heating element is spread evenly throughout the paint bath. A coating die is disposed at the top of each chamber. A discharge element is provided near the coating die and a paint receiving pool is stationed to receive the paint discharged through the outlet. The paint pool is in fluid communication with the bottom portion of each of the chambers.