Method for poling a ceramic piezoelectric plate

• US 5,605,659 A
• Filed: 06/02/1995
• Issued: 02/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spectro Incorporated (Spectro Scientific, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Spectro Incorporated (Spectro Scientific, Inc.)
• Inventors: Barss, Steven H., Hoisington, Paul A., Moynihan, Edward R., Biggs, Melvin L., Palifka, Robert G., McDonald, Marlene M., Hine, Nathan P., Gailus, David W., Adams-Brady, David, Mackay, Stephen C., Mackay, Diane, Paulson, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): THURLOW, JEFFERY
• Application Number:
  US08/460,393
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 264/435, 264/61, 264/436, 264/434, 264/430, 264/104, 156/89, 425/174.8 E
• US Class Current: 264/430
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14201 Structure of print heads with piezoelectric elements
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/14282 of cantilever type
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/155 for line printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1614 of cantilever type
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/162 Manufacturing of the nozzle plates
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1623 bonding and adhesion
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1626 etching
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1631 photolithography
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1632 machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1634 laser machining
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1642 thin film formation by CVD [chemical vapor deposition]
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 Ink filters
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/19 for removing air bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14362 Assembling elements of heads
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14379 Edge shooter
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2002/14387 Front shooter
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/12 with ink circulating through the whole print head
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2202/19 Assembling head units
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/045 by polarising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49401 Fluid pattern dispersing device making, e.g., ink jet

Abstract

In the embodiments described in the specification, a ceramic piezoelectric plate is polarized by compressing the plate between electrode plates with intervening slightly conductive rubber sheets or by applying electric charge from a corona discharge device to one surface of the plate while the opposite surface is grounded until the applied charge is sufficient to create a breakdown.

Claims

1. A method for poling a ceramic piezoelectric plate comprising compressing a ceramic piezoelectric plate between electrode plates with a slightly conductive rubber sheet interposed between each electrode plate and the ceramic piezoelectric plate and applying an electric potential to the electrode plates to pole the piezoelectric plate, the slightly conductive rubber plates being effective to provide intimate electric contact with the piezoelectric plate while limiting the current available for arcing in the event of breakdown.

3. A method for poling a ceramic piezoelectric plate according to claim 1, including the steps of removing the electric potential from the electrode plates and again applying an electric potential to the electrode plates to minimize stresses in the ceramic piezoelectric plate.

2. A method for poling a ceramic piezoelectric plate comprising applying one surface of a ceramic piezoelectric plate to a ground plate and applying electric charge from a corona discharge device to the opposite surface of the ceramic piezoelectric plate until the applied charge is sufficient to create a breakdown.