US6326717B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Piezoelectric actuator
Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
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Filing: 1999-12-16
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Granted: 2001-12-04
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Expires: 2019-12-16
Abstract
Abstract A piezoelectric actuator, in particular for actuating control valves or injection valves in motor vehicles, having an actuator body embodied in the form of a multilayered laminate made up of stacked layers of piezoelectric material with intervening metallic or electrically conductive layers that function as electrodes. The piezoelectric actuator include end faces, between a bottom plate oriented toward the valve and an opposing top plate, which are elastically prestressed by two spring bands that are disposed in the longitudinal direction on opposite sides of the actuator body and whose prestressing force can be adjusted by an adjusting nut. The piezoelectric actuator is constituted so that the adjusting nut engages in screw fashion with an external thread provided on a central, axial extension bolt of the top plate and which, depending on a screwed position, adjusts the prestressing force of the spring bands.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick Mattes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 18:40
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10N; H10N30/00; H10N30/50; F; F02; F02M; F02M51/00; F02M51/06; F02M51/0603; H10N30/80; H10N30/88; H10N30/886
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
A piezoelectric actuator for actuating control valves or injection valves in motor vehicles, comprising an actuator body ( 10 ) in the form of a multilayered laminate made up of stacked layers of piezoelectric material with intervening metallic or electrically conductive layers that function as electrodes, which, the actuator body includes end faces between a bottom plate ( 11 ) oriented toward the valve and an opposing top plate ( 12 ), the end faces are elastically prestressed by means of two spring bands ( 13 , 14 ; 33 , 34 ) that are disposed in a longitudinal direction on opposite sides of the actuator body, the prestressing force of the springs is adjusted by adjusting means, the adjusting means includes an adjusting nut ( 16 ), which engages with an external thread ( 15 ) provided on a central, axial extension bolt ( 18 ) of the top plate ( 12 ) and which, depending on a screwed position of the adjusting nut, adjusts the prestressing force of the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ; 33 , 34 ).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
A piezoelectric actuator for actuating control valves or injection valves in motor vehicles, comprising an actuator body ( 10 ) in the form of a multilayered laminate made up of stacked layers of piezoelectric material with intervening metallic or electrically conductive layers that function as electrodes, which, the actuator body includes end faces between a bottom plate ( 11 ) oriented toward the valve and an opposing top plate ( 12 ), the end faces are elastically prestressed by means of two spring bands ( 13 , 14 ; 33 , 34 ) that are disposed in a longitudinal direction on opposite sides of the actuator body, the prestressing force of the springs is adjusted by adjusting means, the adjusting means includes an adjusting nut ( 16 ), which engages with an external thread ( 15 ) provided on a central, axial extension bolt ( 18 ) of the top plate ( 12 ) and which, depending on a screwed position of the adjusting nut, adjusts the prestressing force of the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ; 33 , 34 ).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 1 , in which the spring bands ( 33 , 34 ) includes parallel legs of a single, approximately U-shaped spring bracket ( 30 ), whose base engages the adjusting nut ( 16 ).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 1 , in which the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ) are two separate bands which are connected in a frictionally engaging manner by means of a connecting element which is disposed outside the adjusting nut ( 16 ) and is acted on by the adjusting nut ( 16 ) in a prestressing manner.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 3 , in which the connecting element constitutes a tiltable compensation rocker ( 20 ) that centers the prestressing force, which is exerted by the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ) and adjusted by the adjusting nut, onto a longitudinal axis (A) of the actuator body ( 10 ).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 4 , in which the compensation rocker ( 20 ) has a central centering bolt ( 21 ) which protrudes axially toward the adjusting nut ( 16 ), which rests against an outer end wall of the adjusting nut ( 16 ), and whose end has a spherical contour.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 5 , in which the external end wall of the adjusting nut ( 16 ) constitutes a central, concave centering surface ( 17 ) whose radius is significantly greater than that of the centering bolt ( 21 ) of the compensation rocker ( 20 ) resting in the centering socket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 3 , in which the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ) have bores on their end sections and are fixed to the respective connecting element or the compensation rocker ( 20 ) and the bottom plate ( 11 ) with fixing pins ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ) that are slid through the bores.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to 4 , in which the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ) have bores on their end sections and are fixed to the respective connecting element or the compensation rocker ( 20 ) and the bottom plate ( 11 ) with fixing pins ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ) that are slid through the bores.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to 4 , in which the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ) have bores on their end sections and are fixed to the respective connecting element or the compensation rocker ( 20 ) and the bottom plate ( 11 ) with fixing pins ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ) that are slid through the bores.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to 5 , in which the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ) have bores on their end sections and are fixed to the respective connecting element or the compensation rocker ( 20 ) and the bottom plate ( 11 ) with fixing pins ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ) that are slid through the bores.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
63 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to 5 , in which the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ) have bores on their end sections and are fixed to the respective connecting element or the compensation rocker ( 20 ) and the bottom plate ( 11 ) with fixing pins ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ) that are slid through the bores.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to 6 , in which the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ) have bores on their end sections and are fixed to the respective connecting element or the compensation rocker ( 20 ) and the bottom plate ( 11 ) with fixing pins ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ) that are slid through the bores.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
63 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to 6 , in which the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ) have bores on their end sections and are fixed to the respective connecting element or the compensation rocker ( 20 ) and the bottom plate ( 11 ) with fixing pins ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ) that are slid through the bores.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 7 , in which the fixing pins ( 23 - 26 ) are provided with an indentation or circumferential groove which is engaged in a form-fitting manner by the end sections of the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 4 , in which the fixing pins ( 23 - 26 ) are provided with an indentation or circumferential groove which is engaged in a form-fitting manner by the end sections of the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 5 , in which the fixing pins ( 23 - 26 ) are provided with an indentation or circumferential groove which is engaged in a form-fitting manner by the end sections of the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The piezoelectric actuator according to claim 6 , in which the fixing pins ( 23 - 26 ) are provided with an indentation or circumferential groove which is engaged in a form-fitting manner by the end sections of the spring bands ( 13 , 14 ).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-12-03 | 2005-06-04 | 2005-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-12-03 | 2009-06-04 | 2009-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-12-03 | 2013-06-04 | 2013-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |