Piezoelectric crystal assembly

Claim 1

A piezoelectric crystal assembly comprising, in combination a base having a surface providing spaced clearance openings, tubulations in the respective openings arranged parallel to one another and at right angles to the plane of the base, an annular bead of insulation securing each tubulation within its respective opening, a piezoelectric crystal vibratory in the flexural mode having a flat undersurface thereon and electrodes providing respective widely spaced nodal contact points on such undersurface, light gauge crystal lead wires secured to the contact points and extending parallel to one another at right angles from the undersurface, the center-to-center distance of the tubulations being equal to the center-to-center distance of the crystal lead wires so that when the lead wires are inserted into the tubulations the relationship between the lead wires and the crystal is maintained with the lead wires forming the sole support of the crystal with respect to the base, the tubulations having an inner diameter such that the crystal lead wires are telescopingly accommodated with a small amount of lateral clearance and free sliding movement while defining an annular capillary space between each lead wire and its associated tubulation, the tubulations terminating in a plane which is spaced adjacent the surface of the base, the tubulations each having a funneled guide surface for guiding the respective lead wires while connected to the crystal into the tubulations, means occupying the capillary spaces for making sealed contact between the lead wires and their respective tubulations, and a cover mounted on the base for enclosing the crystal, the lead wires being extended upwardly the same amount above the tubulations to provide free straight lengths of lead wire adjacent the points of attachment to the crystal for accommodation of vibration imparted to the lead wires by flexural vibration of the crystal thereby to minimize transmission of acoustical energy from the crystal to the base, the same lead wires being extended downwardly within the tubulations to provide pigtails for the making of direct electrical connection to associated circuit elements.