Abstract A unique coupling arrangement for joining the thin leaf conductors interposed between adjacent ones of a stack of ferroelectric elements functioning as an acoustic energy projecting transducer is provided. A separate resilient helical spring element is secured to each metalic conductor and has an orthogonally shaped portion to slidably contact one of two longitudinally extending bus bars sized to reach through the orthogonal portions. By coupling alternate ones of the helical springs to one of the bus bars and the other alternate ones of the helical springs to the other bus bar, the ferroelectric rings are connected electrically in parallel to provide an additive composite driving force for the transducer when a suitable driving field is impressed across the stack. Having the resilient, orthogonally shaped helical springs mounted in slidable contact with the bus bars allows responsive reciprocal travel by the stack yet does not permit the electrical interconnections between the bus bars and their conductors to be torn apart as is the case with rigidly soldered connections in conventional transducers.
Inventors
👤 Frank R Abbott
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-23 19:53
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04R; H04R23/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
In a transducer including a stack of ferroelectric rings polarized for axial deformation having metal conductors interposed between adjacent rings for impressing electric fields to impart representative proportional deformation, an improvement therefore is provided comprising: a first bus element longitudinally extending the length of said stack; a second bus element longitudinally extending the length of said stack; and a least one resilient conductor member secured to each said metal conductor and formed for making a slidable connection to one of the two bus elements for eliminating failure producing tensile stresses at the points of electrical interconnection.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a transducer including a stack of ferroelectric rings polarized for axial deformation having metal conductors interposed between adjacent rings for impressing electric fields to impart representative proportional deformation, an improvement therefore is provided comprising: a first bus element longitudinally extending the length of said stack; a second bus element longitudinally extending the length of said stack; and a least one resilient conductor member secured to each said metal conductor and formed for making a slidable connection to one of the two bus elements for eliminating failure producing tensile stresses at the points of electrical interconnection.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A transducer according to claim 1 in which said resilient conductor is a helical spring having a portion of its length orthogonally shaped and being sized to slidably accommodate a bus element making said slidable connection.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A transducer according to claim 1 further including: corona rings carried on the inner rim of each of said metalic sheets and their outer rims for minimizing corona.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
124 words
In a transducer including a stack of ferroelectric rings polarized for axial deformation having metal conductors interposed between adjacent rings for impressing electrical fields to impart representative proportional deformation an improvement therefor is provided comprising: a first helical spring helically wound on the outer surface of said stack longitudinally extending the length of said stack having portions making resilient contact with alternate ones of said conductors; and a second helical spring helically wound on the outer surface of said stack longitudinally extending the length of said stack having portions making resilient contact with alternate ones of said conductors, said first helical spring and said second helical spring being so connected for eliminating failure-producing tensile stresses at the points of electrical interconnection with the conductors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
124 words
In a transducer including a stack of ferroelectric rings polarized for axial deformation having metal conductors interposed between adjacent rings for impressing electrical fields to impart representative proportional deformation an improvement therefor is provided comprising: a first helical spring helically wound on the outer surface of said stack longitudinally extending the length of said stack having portions making resilient contact with alternate ones of said conductors; and a second helical spring helically wound on the outer surface of said stack longitudinally extending the length of said stack having portions making resilient contact with alternate ones of said conductors, said first helical spring and said second helical spring being so connected for eliminating failure-producing tensile stresses at the points of electrical interconnection with the conductors.