MULTILAYER PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR

• US 20120242196A1
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PI Ceramic Gmbh
• Original Assignee: PI Ceramic GmbH Keramische Technologien und Bauelemente
• Inventors: Kopsch, Daniel, Hennig, Eberhard, Ditas, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,117,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/366
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/50 having a stacked or multilayer structure
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/875 Further connection or lead arrangements, e.g. flexible wiring boards, terminal pins

Abstract

The invention relates to an actuator body, comprising a plurality of piezoceramic layers, which are separated from each other by means of a positive or negative internal electrode in alternation, positive and negative collecting electrodes, which are arranged on two outer faces of the actuator body and are conductively connected to the associated positive or negative internal electrodes, wherein the actuator body of the multilayer actuator has at least one positive and one negative contacting electrode, by means of which the multilayer actuator is electrically contacted and which is conductively connected to the associated positive or negative collecting electrode, and the contacting electrodes are arranged in areas of the actuator body that are provided with a base metallization. The areas of the actuator body provided with a base metallization are spaced apart from each other and distances from the internal electrodes, wherein the distances are not less than the thickness of the piezoceramic layers in the active area of the multilayer actuator.

Claims

1. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator comprising:

an actuator body with a plurality of piezoceramic layers which are separated from each other by means of a positive or negative internal electrode in alternation; and

positive and negative collecting electrodes which are arranged on two outer faces of the actuator body and are conductively connected to the associated positive or negative internal electrodes,

wherein the actuator body of the multilayer actuator has at least one positive and one negative contacting electrode, by means of each of which the multilayer actuator is electrically contacted and each of which is conductively connected to the associated positive or negative collecting electrode, and the contacting electrodes are arranged in areas of the actuator body that are provided with a base metallization,

wherein the areas of the actuator body that are provided with a base metallization are spaced apart from each other by distances and from the internal electrodes by distances, and

wherein the distances are not less than the thickness of the piezoceramic layers in the active area of the multilayer actuator.

2. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 1, wherein the positive and/or the negative contacting electrode reaches to at least one outer face of the actuator body.

3. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 1, wherein the positive and/or the negative contacting electrode directly contacts an inner face of the associated positive or negative collecting electrode.

4. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 1, wherein the collecting electrodes are arranged on two opposite outer faces of the actuator body.

5. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 1, wherein the actuator body of the multilayer piezoceramic actuator is formed with a cuboid or plate-like shape.

6. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 1, wherein the actuator body has at least one passive area that lies outside the two outermost internal electrodes, wherein the positive and/or the negative contacting electrode is arranged within the passive area.

7. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 1, wherein the passive area has at least one piezoceramic layer.

8. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 1, wherein the actuator body has a plurality of passive areas in which at least one positive and/or at least one negative contacting electrode is arranged.

9. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 8, wherein the geometric dimensions of the passive areas differ.

10. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 1, wherein the distances are selected in such a way that the electric field strengths between a positive and a negative contacting electrode do not exceed 0.5 times the coercive field strength of the piezoceramic material that is used.

11. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer actuator is formed as a surface actuator and is embedded in plastic.

12. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 2, wherein the positive and/or the negative contacting electrode directly contacts an inner face of the associated positive or negative collecting electrode.

13. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 4, wherein the collecting electrodes are arranged on two opposite outer faces of the actuator body.

14. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 13, wherein the collecting electrodes are arranged on two opposite outer faces of the actuator body.

15. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 2, wherein the actuator body of the multilayer piezoceramic actuator is formed with a cuboid or plate-like shape.

16. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 15, wherein the actuator body of the multilayer piezoceramic actuator is formed with a cuboid or plate-like shape.

17. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 16, wherein the actuator body of the multilayer piezoceramic actuator is formed with a cuboid or plate-like shape.

18. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 2, wherein the actuator body has at least one passive area that lies outside the two outermost internal electrodes, wherein the positive and/or the negative contacting electrode is arranged within the passive area.

19. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 18, wherein the actuator body has at least one passive area that lies outside the two outermost internal electrodes, wherein the positive and/or the negative contacting electrode is arranged within the passive area.

20. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 19, wherein the actuator body has at least one passive area that lies outside the two outermost internal electrodes, wherein the positive and/or the negative contacting electrode is arranged within the passive area.

21. A multilayer piezoceramic actuator according to claim 2, wherein the positive and/or the negative contacting electrode reaches to two outer faces of the actuator body, and ends flush with at least one outer face of the actuator body.