Patent · US Expired

Low voltage piezoelectric transducer and method

US5841736A · kind A · utility

14Cited by
2References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 28, 1997
Grant dateNov 24, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 28, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH10N30/097
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A transducer including a ceramic body having a base and an array of tube-shaped piezoelectric or electrostrictive ceramic elements integral with the base. A first electrode contacts the tube wall inner surface, while a second electrode contacts the tube wall outer surface and is electrically isolated from the first electrode and from the lower surface of the transducer. The first electrode extends onto the transducer lower surface for electrical connection to a power source for driving the transducer across the tube walls for d.sub.31 mode vibration of the tube walls. A stiff cover plate may be used to transmit the tube wall vibration to a desired medium. The ceramic base may be removed if an electrically insulating layer is provided between the elements at the lower surface of the transducer. The insulating layer and tube wall upper edges then electrically isolate the second electrode from the first electrode and the transducer lower surface. In this alternative, the first and second electrodes are provided by a stiff conductive polymer matrix filling the tube-shaped elements and spaces between the elements. The matrix upper surface transmits the tube wall vibration to a desired m…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.