PIEZOELECTRIC MACRO-FIBER COMPOSITE ACTUATOR AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME
First Claim
1. A method of fabricating a piezoelectric macro-fiber composite actuator, comprising the steps of:
- providing a structure comprising a piezo-electric material having a first side and a second side;
providing a first film having a first and second conductive pattern formed thereon, the first conductive pattern being electrically isolated from the second conductive pattern, the first and second conductive patterns each having a plurality of electrodes that cooperate to form a pattern of interdigitated electrodes;
providing a second film; and
bonding the first and second films to the first and second sides, respectively, of the structure such that the conductive patterns of the first film electrically contact the piezo-electric material structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for fabricating a piezoelectric macro-fiber composite actuator comprises providing a piezo-electric material which has a first side and a second side. The method further comprises cutting the piezoelectric material to provide a plurality of piezoelectric fibers in juxtaposition. Two electrically conductive films are then adhesively bonded to the two sides of the piezo-electric material. The first film has first and second conductive patterns formed thereon which are electrically isolated from one another and in electrical contact with the piezo-electric material. In one embodiment, the second film does not have any conductive patterns. The first and second conductive patterns of the first film each have a plurality of electrodes to form a pattern of interdigitated electrodes. In another embodiment, the second film has a pair of conductive patterns similar to the conductive patterns of the first film. In another embodiment, the piezoelectric macro-fiber composite actuator further comprises a pair of anisotropically conductive sheets each positioned between one of the electrically conductive films and one side of the piezoelectric material.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of fabricating a piezoelectric macro-fiber composite actuator, comprising the steps of:
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providing a structure comprising a piezo-electric material having a first side and a second side;
providing a first film having a first and second conductive pattern formed thereon, the first conductive pattern being electrically isolated from the second conductive pattern, the first and second conductive patterns each having a plurality of electrodes that cooperate to form a pattern of interdigitated electrodes;
providing a second film; and
bonding the first and second films to the first and second sides, respectively, of the structure such that the conductive patterns of the first film electrically contact the piezo-electric material structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus comprising:
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a piezo-electric material having a first side and a second side;
a first film bonded to the first side of the material, the first film having a first side and a second side, the film further comprising first and second conductive patterns, each conductive pattern being in electrical contact with the piezo-electric material, the first conductive pattern being electrically isolated from the second conductive pattern, the first and second conductive patterns each having a plurality of electrodes which form a pattern of interdigitated electrodes; and
a second film bonded to the second side of the material. - View Dependent Claims (27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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28. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the second film has a first conductive pattern and a second conductive pattern, each conductive pattern being in electrical contact with the piezo-electric material, the first conductive pattern of the second film being electrically isolated from the second conductive pattern of the second film, the first and second conductive patterns of the second film each having a plurality of electrodes which form a pattern of interdigitated electrodes.
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38. A piezoelectric macro-fiber composite actuator, comprising:
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a plurality of piezoelectric fibers in juxtaposition, each fiber having a first side and a second side, each pair of adjacent fibers being separated by a channel;
a first adhesive layer disposed over the first sides of the fibers and within the channels;
a first film bonded to the first sides of the fibers, the first film comprising at least one conductive pattern, each conductive pattern being electrically isolated from any other conductive pattern and in electrical contact with the piezo-electric fibers, said at least one conductive pattern having a plurality of electrodes to form a pattern of interdigitated electrodes;
a second adhesive layer disposed over the second sides of the fibers and within the channel; and
a second film bonded to the second sides of the fibers, the second film comprising at least one conductive pattern, said at least one conductive pattern being electrically isolated from any other conductive pattern and in electrical contact with the piezo-electric fibers, said at least one conductive pattern having a plurality of electrodes to form a pattern of interdigitated electrodes, said at least one conductive pattern of the first film being substantially aligned with said at least one conductive pattern of the second film.
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Specification