Piezoelectric bimorph beam manufacturing method

• US 20080092354A1
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Clingman, Dan J., Thiesen, Jack
• Granted Patent: US 7,681,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/25.35
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/03 Assembling devices that include piezoelectric or electrostrictive parts
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2041 Beam type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/42 Piezoelectric device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/435 Solid dielectric type

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric beam is provided. The method includes inserting a piezoelectric body and a pair of roller pins into an injection molding form. Once the piezoelectric body and roller pins are enclosed within the injection mold form a liquefied substance is injected into the injection molding form. The liquefied substance solidifies to substantially permanently affix the roller pins to opposing distal ends of the body.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric beam, said method comprising:

inserting a piezoelectric body into an injection molding form;

inserting a pair of roller pins into the injection molding form; and

injecting a liquefied substance into the injection molding form to affix the roller pins to opposing distal ends of the body.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting the liquefied substance into the injection mold comprises forming a mounting tab around a center portion of the body.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising fabricating the piezoelectric body by affixing a pair of piezoelectric wafers to opposing surfaces of a flexible substrate to form a piezoelectric bimorph slab.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising subdividing the piezoelectric bimorph slab into a plurality of piezoelectric bimorph bars, each bimorph bar constituting a body of a respective piezoelectric beam.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the piezoelectric wafers each comprise a piezo fiber composite wafers.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the piezoelectric wafers each comprise a piezoceramic wafer.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a uniaxle preimpregnated carbon fiber wafer.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising subdividing the piezoelectric bimorph slab into a plurality of piezoelectric bimorph bars having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with a longitudinal orientation of carbon fibers within the uniaxle preimpregnated carbon fiber wafer, each bimorph bar constituting a body of a respective piezoelectric beam.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquefied substance comprises molten fiber filled plastic.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquefied substance comprises fiberglass.

11. A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric beam, said method comprising:

inserting a piezoelectric body into an injection molding form;

inserting a pair of roller pins into the injection molding form; and

injecting a liquefied substance into the injection molding form to affix the roller pins to opposing distal ends of the body and form a mounting tab around a center portion of the body.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising fabricating the piezoelectric body by affixing a pair of piezoelectric wafers to opposing surfaces of a flexible substrate to form a piezoelectric bimorph slab.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising subdividing the piezoelectric bimorph slab into a plurality of piezoelectric bimorph bars, each bimorph bar constituting a body of a respective piezoelectric beam.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the piezoelectric wafers each comprise a piezoceramic wafer.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the piezoelectric wafers each comprise a piezoceramic wafer.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a uniaxle preimpregnated carbon fiber wafer.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising subdividing the piezoelectric bimorph slab into a plurality of piezoelectric bimorph bars having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with a longitudinal orientation of carbon fibers within the uniaxle preimpregnated carbon fiber wafer, each bimorph bar constituting a body of a respective piezoelectric beam.

18. A method of manufacturing a plurality of piezoelectric bimorph beam, said method comprising:

affixing a pair of piezoelectric wafers to opposing surfaces of a flexible substrate to form a piezoelectric bimorph slab;

subdividing the piezoelectric bimorph slab into a plurality of piezoelectric bimorph bars, each bimorph bar constituting a bimorph body of a respective piezoelectric bimorph beam to be manufactured;

inserting one of the piezoelectric bodies into an injection molding form;

inserting a pair of roller pins into the injection molding form;

injecting a liquefied substance into the injection molding form to affix the roller pins to opposing distal ends of the body; and

duplicating inserting one of the piezoelectric bodies into an injection molding form, inserting a pair of roller pins into the injection molding form and injecting a liquefied substance into the injection molding form to affix the roller pins to opposing distal ends of the body for each of the piezoelectric bimorph bodies.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein injecting the liquefied substance into the injection mold comprises forming a mounting tab around a center portion of the body.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the piezoelectric wafers each comprise piezoceramic wafer.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a uniaxle preimpregnated carbon fiber wafer.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising subdividing the piezoelectric bimorph slab into a plurality of piezoelectric bimorph bars having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel with a longitudinal orientation of carbon fibers within the uniaxle preimpregnated carbon fiber wafer, each bimorph bar constituting a body of a respective piezoelectric beam.