Piezoelectric power generation device and piezoelectric ceramics member used therefor

• US 20060017353A1
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U.S.C. Corporation
• Original Assignee: U.S.C. Corporation
• Inventors: Sakai, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,078,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/339
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/183 using impacting bodies high voltage generators in spark lighters F23Q
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/30 with mechanical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as generators or sensors

Abstract

In a piezoelectric power generation device and a piezoelectric ceramics member used in the device excellent in its power generation efficiency in which the polarization of piezoelectric ceramics elements is set to the same direction and an extremely thin metallic electrode is sandwiched in between the piezoelectric ceramics elements so that a current output obtained in the piezoelectric power generation device can be improved substantially to about two times as high as a current output obtained by a usual piezoelectric power generation device and the parasitic resonance of the electrode can be prevented, the piezoelectric power generation device generates power by applying a distortion deformation to piezoelectric ceramics members formed in plate shapes. The piezoelectric power generation device includes the piezoelectric ceramics members each having the two plate shaped piezoelectric ceramics elements whose polarization is set to the same direction and the extremely thin metallic electrode interposed between the piezoelectric ceramics elements, the piezoelectric ceramics member being formed in a laminar shape by uniting the piezoelectric ceramics elements through the metallic electrode; and the cushion materials for supporting central parts or both end parts of one surfaces of the piezoelectric ceramics members. Thus, the piezoelectric power generation device has a soft support structure in which the natural oscillation of the piezoelectric ceramics members is hardly transmitted to other structural members. A step part is formed in the piezoelectric ceramics member and the metallic electrode.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric power generation device for generating power by applying distortion deformation to piezoelectric ceramics members formed in plate shapes;

said piezoelectric power generation device comprising;

the piezoelectric ceramics members each including two plate shaped piezoelectric ceramics elements whose polarization is set to the same direction and an extremely thin metallic electrode interposed between the piezoelectric ceramics elements, the piezoelectric ceramics member being formed in a laminar shape by uniting the piezoelectric ceramics elements to the metallic electrode; and

cushion materials for supporting central parts or both end parts of one surfaces of the piezoelectric ceramics members, wherein the piezoelectric power generation device has a soft support structure in which the natural oscillation of the piezoelectric ceramics members is hardly transmitted to other structural members.

2. The piezoelectric power generation device according to claim 1, the piezoelectric ceramics members supported by the cushion materials are opposed to each other and a hard striking member is provided between both the piezoelectric ceramics members which reciprocates between both the piezoelectric ceramics members to strike each piezoelectric ceramics member.

3. The piezoelectric power generation device according to claim 1, wherein a hard striking member is disposed in one or both sides of the piezoelectric ceramics members supported by the cushion materials, which reciprocates between the piezoelectric ceramics members to strike the piezoelectric ceramics members.

4. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric ceramics member is formed by forming the two piezoelectric ceramics elements in the same configuration.

5. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 4, wherein the two piezoelectric ceramics elements are respectively formed by uniting and laminating a plurality of sheets.

6. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 4, wherein lead zirconate titanate based material is used as the piezoelectric ceramics elements.

7. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 4, wherein the metallic electrode is made of electrically conductive metal such as phosphor bronze or brass.

8. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 4, wherein the two piezoelectric ceramics elements are arranged uniformly in one end side, and, the other piezoelectric ceramics element is formed longer than one piezoelectric ceramics element in the other end side to form a step part, and a lead wire connecting end part of the metallic electrode is extended to the step part.

9. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 4, wherein both the end parts of the two piezoelectric ceramics elements are arranged uniformly, the metallic electrode protrudes from one end part of both the piezoelectric ceramics elements, the lead wire is connected to the protruding part, and then, the protruding part is embedded in an adhesive to be formed integrally with the piezoelectric ceramics elements.

10. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric ceramics member is formed by forming the two piezoelectric ceramics elements in the same configuration.

11. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 3, wherein the piezoelectric ceramics member is formed by forming the two piezoelectric ceramics elements in the same configuration.

12. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 10, wherein the two piezoelectric ceramics elements are respectively formed by uniting and laminating a plurality of sheets.

13. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 11, wherein the two piezoelectric ceramics elements are respectively formed by uniting and laminating a plurality of sheets.

14. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 10, wherein lead zirconate titanate based material is used as the piezoelectric ceramics elements.

15. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 11, wherein lead zirconate titanate based material is used as the piezoelectric ceramics elements.

16. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 10, wherein the metallic electrode is made of electrically conductive metal such as phosphor bronze or brass.

17. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 11, wherein the metallic electrode is made of electrically conductive metal such as phosphor bronze or brass.

18. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 10, wherein the two piezoelectric ceramics elements are arranged uniformly in one end side, and, the other piezoelectric ceramics element is formed longer than one piezoelectric ceramics element in the other end side to form a step part, and a lead wire connecting end part of the metallic electrode is extended to the step part.

19. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 11, wherein the two piezoelectric ceramics elements are arranged uniformly in one end side, and, the other piezoelectric ceramics element is formed longer than one piezoelectric ceramics element in the other end side to form a step part, and a lead wire connecting end part of the metallic electrode is extended to the step part.

20. The piezoelectric ceramics member according to claim 10, wherein both the end parts of the two piezoelectric ceramics elements are arranged uniformly, the metallic electrode protrudes from one end part of both the piezoelectric ceramics elements, the lead wire is connected to the protruding part, and then, the protruding part is embedded in an adhesive to be formed integrally with the piezoelectric ceramics elements.