HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT, THIN FILM PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCERS

• US 3,832,580 A
• Filed: 01/04/1973
• Issued: 08/27/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Isao Yamamuro, Masahiko Tamura
• Original Assignee: Isao Yamamuro, Masahiko Tamura
• Inventors: Tamura, Masahiko, Yamamuro, Isao
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, J. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Budd, Mark O.
• Application Number:
  US05/321,072
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 310/8,8.2,8.3,8.5,8.6,9.1,9.4,9.6,8.1,8.7 340/10 179/11A,1.41P,1.1B 317/144 252/62.9
• US Class Current: 310/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/005 using a piezoelectric polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 23/00 Transducers other than those covered by groups H04R9/00 - H04R21/00 diaphragms for transducers of the distributed-mode type H04R7/045
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 310/80 Piezoelectric polymers, e.g. PVDF

Abstract

A transducer for converting electrical energy into mechanical or acoustic energy or vice versa using a converting means made of a thin film of high molecular weight polymer piezo-electric organic compound having orientated molecules and having electrodes bonded or deposited onto both surfaces thereof. When an electric current is applied to the electrodes, the thin film is extended or contracted in a direction different from the direction of orientation of the molecules. when the angle between these two directions is 45*, the extent of the extension or contraction of the thin film is at a maximum and the best converting efficiency can be obtained.

Claims

1. A transducer comprising:

a. converting means for converting electric energy into mechanical energy or vice versa which is a thin film of from 10-200 microns of a high molecular weight polymer piezo electric material with a molecular weight of 5,000 to 500,000 having its molecules oriented in a first direction, b. electrode means disposed on both surfaces of said converting means, and c. fixing means for fixing said converting means so that it will be stressed in a second dIrection at an angle of approximately 45* to said first direction when an electric current is supplied to said electrode means.

2. A transducer comprising:

a. a cylindrical converting means for converting electrical energy into mechanical energy or vice versa which is a thin film of from 10-200 microns of high molecular weight polymer piezoelectric material with a molecular weight of 5,000 to 500, 000 having its molecules oriented in a first direction, said converting means being separated into first and second portions by a center insulating portion, b. a thin vibrator film secured at said center portion to said converting means, c. electrode means disposed on both surfaces of said converting means, and d. fixing means for fixing said converting means so that it will be stressed in a second direction at an angle to said first direction when an electric current is supplied to said electrode means, said converting means being fixed by said fixing means at the outer ends of said first and second portions.

3. A transducer comprising:

a. converting means for converting electric energy into mechanical energy or vice versa which is a thin film of from 10-200 microns of a high molecular weight polymer piezo electric material with a molecular weight of 5,000 to 500,000 having its molecules oriented in a first direction, which comprises a pair of rectangular thin film plane vibrators that are fixed at one end and are bonded at the other end in substantially perpendicular relation to each other, and a needle is secured to said bonded ends, b. electrode means disposed on both surfaces of said converting means, and c. fixing means for fixing said converting means so that it will be stressed in a second direction at an angle to said first direction when an electric current is supplied to said electrode means.

4. A transducer comprising:

a. converting means for converting electric energy into mechanical energy or vice versa which is a thin film of from 10-200 microns of a high molecular weight polymer piezo electric material with a molecular weight of 5,000 to 500,000 having its molecules oriented in a first direction, which comprises a thin film plane vibrator having a V-shaped configuration with its ends fixed, and a vibrating means comprising a conical thin vibrating plate is attached at its apex to the apex of said V-shaped vibrator, b. electrode means disposed on both surfaces of said converting means, and c. fixing means for fixing said converting means so that it will be stressed in a second direction at an angle to said first direction when an electric current is supplied to said electrode means.

5. A transducer comprising:

a. converting means for converting electric energy into mechanical energy or vice versa which is a thin film of from 10-200 microns of a high molecular weight polymer piezo electric material with a molecular weight of 5,000 to 500,000 having its molecules oriented in a first direction, which comprises a thin film plane vibrator fixed under tension such that said vibrator can only expand when it is stressed, b. electrode means disposed on both surfaces of said converting means, and c. fixing means for fixing said converting means so that it will be stressed in a second direction at an angle to said first direction when an electric current is supplied to said electrode means.

6. A transducer comprising:

a. converting means for converting electric energy into mechanical energy or vice versa which is a thin film of from 10-200 microns of a high molecular weight polymer piezo electric material with a molecular weight of 5,000 to 500,000 having its molecules oriented in a first direction, which comprises a thin film tubular vibrator fixed at two opposite ends thereof, and a resilient element is in engagment with one face of said vibrator along the entirE unsupported length thereof between said opposite ends to support it under tension such that the vibrator expands and contracts concentrically, b. electrode means disposed on both surfaces of said converting means, and c. fixing means for fixing said converting means so that it will be stressed in a second direction at an angle to said first direction when an electric current is supplied to said electrode means.

7. A transducer comprising:

a. converting means for converting electric energy into mechanical energy or vice versa which is a thin film of from 10-200 microns of a high molecular weight polymer piezo electric material with a molecular weight of 5,000 to 500,000 having its molecules oriented in a first direction, which comprises a thin plane film fixed at opposite ends supported on one face along its center portions under tension by a resilient element, b. electrode means disposed on both surfaces of said converting means, and c. fixing means for fixing said converting means so that it will be stressed in a second direction at an angle to said first direction when an electric current is supplied to said electrode means.

8. A transducer comprising:

a. converting means for converting electric energy into mechanical energy or vice versa which is a thin film of from 10-200 microns of a high molecular weight polymer piezo electric material with a molecular weight of 5,000 to 500,000 having its molecules oriented in a first direction, which comprises a thin film in the configuration of a regular polygonal cylinder supported at the corners of said polygon under tension by equidistinctly spaced resilient elements, b. electrode means disposed on both surfaces of said converting means, and c. fixing means for fixing said converting means so that it will be stressed in a second direction at an angle to said first direction when an electric current is supplied to said electrode means.