Piezoelectric crystal assembly

Claim 1

A piezoelectric crystal assembly comprising: an electrically nonconductive, generally annular frame having an aperture therethrough, presenting a chamber within said frame having an electrically insulated inner periphery and opposite, initially open extremities; a piezoelectric crystal element within said chamber having an outer, generally circular, peripheral edge and a pair of opposite faces bounded by said edge, said element being disposed within said chamber with said edge adjacent said periphery of said frame and said faces respectively facing the corresponding of said extremities of said chamber, each of said faces including a generally, circular, central portion and a generally annular, marginal portion between said central portion and said edge; an electrically conductive, generally circular, electrode structure for each of said faces respectively, each of said electrode structures being adhered to said central portion of the corresponding of said faces; an electrically conductive, striplike, contact structure for each of said faces respectively, each of said contact structures being mounted upon said marginal portion of the corresponding of said faces, being of lesser width than the diameter of the corresponding of said structures and extending substantially radially from a zone of electrical coupling with the corresponding of said electrode structures toward said edge of said element; a pair of electrically conductive cap members adapted to be coupled with an external electrical circuit, mounted on said frame in spaced, opposed relationship to each other, with said element being therebetween, and each of said members being disposed adjacent the corresponding of said extremities of said chamber, each of said members being provided with an integral annular flange fitted over a portion of said frame adjacent a corresponding extremity of the latter, at least one of said members having a generally central opening therethrough for introducing and affixing material to said element to adjust the operational characteristics of said element while it remains within said frame with said members mounted on the latter; resilient, electrically conductive means for each member respectively, each of said last-mentioned means being electrically coupled with the corresponding of said members and extending from the latter toward the other member for holding said element and engaging said contact structures to effect electrical coupling between each contact structure and the corresponding of said members, each of said resilient means comprising a plurality of spaced tabs integral at one extremity thereof with the corresponding of said members and extending at an angle therefrom; and means for closing each said opening after any necessary adjustment of the operational characteristics of said element has been made.