EP0572230A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator having integral ceramic base member and film-type piezoelectric/electrostrictive element(s)
Assignee: NGK Insulators Ltd
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Filing: 1993-05-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-05-26
Abstract
Abstract A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator including a base member (44) having a pressure chamber or chambers (46), and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element or elements (78) is disclosed. The base member includes a spacer plate (70) having at least one window (76) which provides the pressure chamber(s), and which is closed by a closure plate (66) and a connecting plate (68) disposed on the opposite surfaces of the spacer plate. These spacer plate, closure plate and connecting plate are formed from respective ceramic green sheets which are laminated on each other and fired into an integral ceramic structure as the base member. Each piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is disposed on a wall partially defining the corresponding pressure chamber, for deforming the wall so as to change a pressure of the corresponding chamber. The element has a piezoelectric/ electrostrictive unit consisting of a pair of electrodes (75, 77) and a piezoelectric/ electrostrictive layer (79), which are formed by a film-forming method on an outer surface of the closure plate of the base member.
Inventors
- 👤 Yukihisa Takeuchi
- 👤 Hideo Masumori
- 👤 Nobuo Takahashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:35
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/005; B41J2/01; B41J2/135; B41J2/16; B41J2/1621; B41J2/1623; B41J2/14; B41J2/14201; B41J2/14233; B41J2/1607; B41J2/161; B41J2/1632; B41J2/164; B41J2/1642; B41J2/1643; B41J2/1646; H; H10; H10N; H10N30/00; H10N30/20; H10N30/204; H10N30/2047; H10N30/704; H10N30/706; B41J2002/14387
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
255 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator including a base member (44) in which at least one pressure chamber (46) is formed, and at least one piezoelectric/electrostrictive element (78) each disposed on a wall partially defining the corresponding one of said at least one pressure chamber, for deforming said wall so as to change a pressure of the corresponding pressure chamber, characterized in that: said base member is an integral ceramic body consisting of a spacer plate (70) having at least one window (76) which provides said at least one pressure chamber, respectively, a closure plate (66) disposed on one of opposite major surfaces of said spacer plate, for closing one of opposite openings of each of said at least one window, and a connecting plate (68) disposed on the other major surface of said spacer plate, for closing the other opening of said each window, said connecting plate having at least one hole (72,74) formed in alignment with said at least one window, respectively, said spacer plate, said closure plate and said connecting plate being formed from respective ceramic green sheets which are laminated on each other and fired into said integral ceramic body of the base member; and that each of said at least one piezoelectric/ electrostrictive element comprises a piezoelectric/ electrostrictive unit consisting of a pair of electrodes (75, 77) and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer (79), which are formed by a film-forming method on an outer surface of said closure plate of said base member, such that said piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is interposed between said pair of electrodes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
255 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator including a base member (44) in which at least one pressure chamber (46) is formed, and at least one piezoelectric/electrostrictive element (78) each disposed on a wall partially defining the corresponding one of said at least one pressure chamber, for deforming said wall so as to change a pressure of the corresponding pressure chamber, characterized in that: said base member is an integral ceramic body consisting of a spacer plate (70) having at least one window (76) which provides said at least one pressure chamber, respectively, a closure plate (66) disposed on one of opposite major surfaces of said spacer plate, for closing one of opposite openings of each of said at least one window, and a connecting plate (68) disposed on the other major surface of said spacer plate, for closing the other opening of said each window, said connecting plate having at least one hole (72,74) formed in alignment with said at least one window, respectively, said spacer plate, said closure plate and said connecting plate being formed from respective ceramic green sheets which are laminated on each other and fired into said integral ceramic body of the base member; and that each of said at least one piezoelectric/ electrostrictive element comprises a piezoelectric/ electrostrictive unit consisting of a pair of electrodes (75, 77) and a piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer (79), which are formed by a film-forming method on an outer surface of said closure plate of said base member, such that said piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer is interposed between said pair of electrodes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A piezoeiectric/eiectrostrictive actuator according to claim 1, wherein said base member is formed of alumina or zirconia.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A piezoeiectric/eiectrostrictive actuator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said closure plate has a thickness of not larger than 50µm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein said connecting plate has a thickness of not smaller than 10wm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein said spacer plate has a thickness of not smaller than 50µm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein said closure plate is formed of a ceramic material containing partially or fully stabilized zirconia as a major component.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator according to claim 6, wherein said ceramic material of said closure plate contains as a major component partially stabilized zirconia having a crystal phase that is partially stabilized by addition of yttrium oxide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein said closure plate has an average crystal grain size within a range of 0.05wm - 2wm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein said piezoelectric/ electrostrictive unit has a thickness of not larger than 100µm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein each of said pair of electrodes has a thickness of not larger than 20µm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator according to any one of claims 1-10, wherein said piezoelectric/electrostrictive layer has a thickness of not larger than 50µm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
A piezoeiectric/eiectrostrictive actuator according to any one of claims 1-11, which is used as an ink pump of an inkjet print head, and which is superposed on and bonded to an ink nozzle member (42) of the inkjet print head, said ink nozzle member having at least one nozzle (54) through which particles of ink are jetted, said at least one hole (72) of said connecting plate of said base member being in held in communication with said at least one nozzle of said ink nozzle member, respectively.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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