Manufacturing an active suspension electromechanical transducer

• US 4,518,555 A
• Filed: 06/14/1983
• Issued: 05/21/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson-CSF (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Micheron, Francois, Ravinet, Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): LOWE, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US06/504,159
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 264/291, 264/292, 264/22, 264/296, 264/554, 425/383, 425/384, 425/DIG. 48, 310/800, 310/371
• US Class Current: 264/292
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 17/005 using a piezoelectric polymer

Abstract

A process for manufacturing an electrochemical transducer, having at least one active element in the form of at least one film of a polymer material, comprises the following steps. First, clamping a polymer film between an inner set of jaws for delimitating a central area. Second, further clamping said polymer film between an outer set of jaws for delimitating a peripheral area surrounding the central area. And finally, shaping at least one of the areas by stretching.

Claims

1. A process for manufacturing an electromagnetic transducer with self-supporting radiating structure comprising at least one active element in the form of at least one film of a polymer material, this radiating structure being provided with at least one marginal attachment forming a support, this radiating structure comprising at least one active suspension having two edges connected by an active wall;

the first edge being connected to this attachment;

the second edge of said active suspension being connected to an element for closing said radiating structure;

said closure element being formed by a film taking on the exact shape of a spherical surface portion, the movement of said second edge of said active suspension being directed along marginal radii of said spherical surface portion, consisting in;

clamping a polymer film between two concentric sets of annular jaws;

moving one of the sets in relation to the other so as to stretch the annular zone of the film which forms the active suspension; and

shaping the portion of the film situated inside the central set by driving a punch having a spherical bearing surface.

2. A process for manufacturing an electromechanical transducer having at least one active element in the form of at least one film of a polymer material shaped so as to have a spherical skullcap at its center and at the periphery of the spherical skullcap the film is shaped as a truncated cone with rectilinear generatrices along the marginal radii of the spherical skullcap, said process comprising:

clamping said polymer film between an inner set of jaws for delimitating a central area;

further clamping said polymer film between an outer set of jaws for delimitating a peripheral area surrounding said central area;

stretching said peripheral area by moving said inner set of jaws in relation to said outer set in order to form said truncated cone shape; and

shaping said central area by driving a punch towards said central area in order to form said spherical skullcap.