Transducer with a flexible piezoelectric layer as a sensor element

US4737676A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• AVL Gesellschaft fuer Verbrennungskraft-maschinen und Messtechnik mbH, · AT
• Hans List · AT

Inventors

• Günter Engel · Leibnitz, AT
• Peter W. Krempl · Leibnitz, AT
• Klaus-Christoph Harms · Graz, AT
• Helmut List · Graz, AT

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 17, 1986
• Grant date: Apr 12, 1988
• Expiry date: Dec 17, 2006

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10N30/302

Abstract

A transducer comprising a flexible piezoelectric layer as a sensor element for measuring mechanical quantities in hollow bodies, above all pressures in pipes, the opposite sides of this layer being bonded to electrically-conductive contact layers and being connectable via leads to a display and evaluation unit. In order to achieve a high temperature stability in such transducers and to make them suitable for use at temperatures exceeding 80.degree. C., the piezoelectric layer is proposed to consist of wurtzite or sphalerite. One of the electrically-conductive contact layers can be of some heat-resistant, flexible supporting material, for instance flexible metal foil, such as Cu-Be foil, or a sheet of plastic, one or both of whose sides are metallized, and the other electrically-conductive contact layer can be a metal coating applied by evaporation.