Abstract: The inventive circuit breaker-contactor (1) comprises a fixed contact, a contact (5) movable (19, 21) with respect to the fixed contact between open and closed positions, means (7) for displacing the movable contact (5) in the closed position thereof, means (9) for displacing the movable contact in the open position.

Abstract: The inventive circuit breaker-contactor (1) comprises a fixed contact, a contact (5) movable (19, 21) with respect to the fixed contact between open and closed positions, means (7) for displacing the movable contact (5) in the closed position thereof, means (9) for displacing the movable contact in the open position.

Abstract: The valve comprises a mobile needle having a movement in the valve body which is controlled by an amplified piezoelectric actuator. A bellows, surrounding an intermediate zone of the needle, is integral at a first end with the valve body and at a second end with the needle so as to isolate the actuator from the pressure chamber. At least one flexible guide blade of the needle is fixed on the one hand to the valve body and on the other hand to the needle. This flexible guiding enables any part sliding with respect to another part, liable to generate wear or contaminating particles, to be avoided, except for the seat and needle.

Abstract: The piezoactive actuator with amplified movement comprises a first sub-assembly formed by a mechanical movement amplifier and a second sub-assembly equipped with piezoactive elements. An interface with a load and an interface with a base, respectively placed at the peaks of a small axis of the shell and designed for actuating the load with respect to the base, define an actuating axis. A longitudinal deformation of the large axis enables a deformation of the small axis to be induced, designed to generate a movement at the interface with the load, the component of which movement along the small axis is amplified. At least one zone made of elastomer material is arranged at least substantially along the actuating axis to dampen deformations and increase the capacity of the actuator to resist external stresses. The actuator comprises at least one free space adjacent to the elastomer material zones in a direction orthogonal to the actuating axis.

Abstract: The piezoactive actuator with amplified movement comprises a first sub-assembly formed by a mechanical movement amplifier and a second sub-assembly equipped with piezoactive elements. An interface with a load and an interface with a base, respectively placed at the peaks of a small axis of the shell and designed for actuating the load with respect to the base, define an actuating axis. A longitudinal deformation of the large axis enables a deformation of the small axis to be induced, designed to generate a movement at the interface with the load, the component of which movement along the small axis is amplified. At least one zone made of elastomer material is arranged at least substantially along the actuating axis to dampen deformations and increase the capacity of the actuator to resist external stresses. The actuator comprises at least one free space adjacent to the elastomer material zones in a direction orthogonal to the actuating axis.

Abstract: The valve comprises a mobile needle having a movement in the valve body which is controlled by an amplified piezoelectric actuator. A bellows, surrounding an intermediate zone of the needle, is integral at a first end with the valve body and at a second end with the needle so as to isolate the actuator from the pressure chamber. At least one flexible guide blade of the needle is fixed on the one hand to the valve body and on the other hand to the needle. This flexible guiding enables any part sliding with respect to another part, liable to generate wear or contaminating particles, to be avoided, except for the seat and needle.

Abstract: A piezoactive motor has a stator equipped with independent stator modules 44, each comprising at least one pair of longitudinal piezoactive actuators 12, 14 colinearly arranged inside a mechanical coupling element 16 in the form of a shell 20. In addition, it is fixed by flexible decoupling links 68, 70 and comprises a central countermass 18. To produce a closed trajectory of the peaks (A and B) designed to cause by friction relative movement of a driven part over a large travel distance, and to position the driven part, these modules use separately or in combination:translational deformation, obtained when the piezoactive actuators are deformed in opposition and produce a tangential movement of the peaks (A and B) of the shell (20) relatively to the countermass (18), due to the mass ratio between the countermass and the shell,flexional deformation, obtained when the piezoactive actuators are deformed in the same way and produce a flexion of the shell (20), resulting in a normal movement of the peaks A and B.

Abstract: The transformer (1) includes a body (2) made of piezoelectric material having an outer lateral surface (E) in the shape of a circular cylinder. Primary electrodes (5, 7, 10, 12, 17, 19, 22, 24) are arranged on the body (2) so that, when the primary voltage (Up) which is applied thereto has a determined frequency (fr), the outer lateral surface (E) alternately takes the shape of a first and a second elliptical cylinder, the major axes of these latter being perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the axis (A) of the circular cylinder.This vibration mode of the body (2) has a lower fundamental resonance frequency than that of the vibration mode of known transformer bodies having the same space requirement. The transformer (1) is thus well suited to being used in devices where the available space is limited for providing a relatively high AC voltage but having a relatively low frequency.

Abstract: Traveling-wave piezoelectric motor comprising at least one rotor (20, 21), at least one annular stator (27, 28) and two groups of piezoelectric elements (29) dispersed around the stator, in permanent contact with the stator and excited by an alternating current with a .pi./2 phase shift between the groups so as to produce, at the surface of the stator, a traveling wavelike deformation. Piezoelectric elements consist of mutually independent polarized ceramic bars (29) arranged perpendicularly to the stator and each connected to the stator by an articulation (14).

Abstract: The stator of the motor comprises a support structure bearing at least one pair of transducers each including a vibrating element, the transducers being located colinearly and excited so their vibrating elements vibrate at one and the same frequency, but with a phase shift of 90.degree., and a coupling shell to which the vibrations are applied, and at least one rotor frictionally driven by the coupling shell. The coupling shell is of closed shape and is fixed at two opposed points on its major axis to the transducers. The resonance frequency of the coupling shell is the same in both vibration modes so that high efficiency is obtained.