Abstract: A flow rate control valve including a valve chest having an open end, an inflow passage and outflow passage each having one end communicating with the valve chest and the other end opened, a valve seat provided at the end of the inflow passage or outflow passage communicating with the valve chest, a sheet-like diaphragm provided to tightly close the open end of the valve chest and a stacked-type dispalcement device made of an electromechanical transducing material exhibiting the maximum value of piezoelectric distortion constant at a higher temperature range than 100.degree. C. or above and which exerts a pressure on the diaphragm by its deformation to change the position of the diaphragm, thereby controlling the gap between the valve seat and the diaphragm.

Abstract: A method of making a layered electrostrictive displacement device by forming sheets of an electrostrictive material alternately with internal electrodes. The laminate formed therefrom has two opposite surfaces at which the ends of the internal electrodes are exposed and two other opposite surfaces at which alternate layers of the internal electrodes are exposed. Temporary external electrodes are formed on the latter mentioned opposite surfaces. Alternate layers of the exposed portions of the internal electrodes are plated at one surface of the laminate with a metal while using a temporary external electrode as a cathode. The exposed portions of the other internal electrodes are plated with metal using another temporary external electrode as a cathode. The non-plated portions of the plated surface are selectively removed to form recesses, and an insulating film is formed on the recesses.

Abstract: A laminated displacement device comprises: a laminate which is formed by alternately laminating thin plates made of an electromechanical converting material and internal electrodes made of a conductive material; and external electrodes which are provided in the side portions of the laminate and are connected to the internal electrodes. In the laminated displacement device, a plane projection area which is obtained by overlapping the internal electrodes in the laminating direction is set to be smaller than a plane projection area which is obtained by overlapping the thin plates in the laminating direction. A relation of B/A.gtoreq.0.5 is satisfied between the width dimension A of a displacement portion which is formed by overlapping the projections of the internal electrodes in the laminating direction and the width dimension B of a non-displacement portion which is formed between the edge of the displacement portion and the side surface of the laminate.

Abstract: A laminate displacement device comprises a laminate body having a plurality of thin plates made of an electromechanical converting material and a plurality of internal electrodes made of conductive material superposed on each other. The internal electrodes are used for every other electrode alternately as electrodes of first and second conductivity type, respectively. A first insulating layer is formed on one side surface of the laminate body so that the internal electrodes used for the electrodes of first conductivity type are exposed. Further a second insulating layer is formed on another side surface of the laminate body so that the internal electrodes used for the electrodes of second conductivity type are exposed. A pair of external electrodes are formed on the first and second insulating layers, which bridge the internal electrodes used as the electrodes of first and second conductivity type, respectively.

Abstract: A flow rate control valve including a valve chest having an open end, an inflow passage and outflow passage each having one end communicating with the valve chest and the other end opened, a valve seat provided at the end of the inflow passage or outflow passage communicating with the valve chest, a sheet-like diaphragm provided to tightly close the open end of the valve chest and a stacked-type displacement device made of an electromechanical transducing material exhibiting the maximum value of piezoelectric distortion constant at a higher temperature range than 100.degree. C. or above and which exerts a pressure on the diaphragm by its deformation to change the position of the diaphragm, thereby controlling the gap between the valve seat and the diaphragm.