Piezoelectric transformer having a high energy-conversion efficiency and high reliability

• US 6,037,706 A
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 03/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Saito, Susumu, Inoi, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Budd, Mark O.
• Application Number:
  US09/177,791
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 310/328, 310/358, 310/359, 310/366
• US Class Current: 310/359
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/40 with electrical input and electrical output, e.g. functioning as transformers

Abstract

A piezoelectric transformer is described that features high energy-conversion efficiency and high reliability. Four driver piezoelectric ceramic plates are provided on the upper and lower surfaces at both ends of a generator piezoelectric ceramic plate having a rectangular shape, the driver piezoelectric ceramic plates having the same width and one-third the length of the generator piezoelectric ceramic plate. Vibration is not hindered and the energy-conversion efficiency is therefore increased in this construction because the draw-out positions of the four input electrodes and three output electrodes are all positioned at the nodes of mechanical vibration. In addition, the reliability of lead wire connections is improved because vibration places no load on the lead wires. Finally, input capacitance and step-up capabilities can be raised by adopting a multilayer construction for the driver piezoelectric ceramic plates.

Claims

1. A piezoelectric transformer comprising:

a generator piezoelectric ceramic plate having a rectangular shape, and divided in the longitudinal direction into six substantially equal portions from a first to a sixth region, five band-like electrodes being formed at the five positions of the borders between said regions, and said second to fifth regions being polarized in the longitudinal direction; and

four driver piezoelectric ceramic plates formed substantially as wide as, and substantially one-third as long as said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate, having input internal electrodes formed on the surface confronting said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate and input electrodes formed on the surface of the side opposite said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate, and which are polarized in the direction of thickness between said input electrodes and input internal electrodes, with one driver piezoelectric ceramic plate on the upper surface of the first and second regions, one on the lower surface of the first and second regions, one on the upper surface of the fifth and sixth regions, and one on the lower surface of the fifth and sixth regions of said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate, each with an interposed insulating plate.

2. A piezoelectric transformer according to claim 1 wherein said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate is a multilayered body composed of multilayered ceramic green sheet, each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates are multilayered bodies in which ceramic green sheet and input internal electrodes are alternately layered, and said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate and each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates are sintered together as a unit with interposed ceramic green sheet.

3. A piezoelectric transformer according to claim 1 wherein said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate, each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates, and said insulating plates are sintered monoplates and said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate, each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates, and said insulating plates are joined with an adhesive.

4. A piezoelectric transformer according to claim 3 wherein said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate is a multilayered body composed of multilayered ceramic green sheet, each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates are multilayered bodies in which ceramic green sheet and input internal electrodes are alternately layered, and said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate and each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates are sintered together as a unit with interposed ceramic green sheet.

5. A piezoelectric transformer comprising:

a generator piezoelectric ceramic plate having a rectangular shape, and divided in the longitudinal direction into six substantially equal portions from a first to a sixth region, five band-like electrodes being formed at the five positions of the borders between said regions, and said second to fifth regions are polarized in the longitudinal direction; and

four driver piezoelectric ceramic plates formed substantially as wide as, and substantially one-third as long as said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate, being formed by multilayering a plurality of piezoelectric ceramic plates polarized in the direction of thickness and each having electrodes formed on both the upper and lower surfaces, with one driver piezoelectric ceramic plate on the upper surface of the first and second regions, one on the lower surface of the first and second regions, one on the upper surface of the fifth and sixth regions, and one on the lower surface of the fifth and sixth regions of said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate, each with an interposed insulating plate;

four first side-surface electrodes that are provided on said each driver piezoelectric ceramic plate, for connecting together every other electrode of the electrodes formed on both the upper and lower surfaces of said plurality of ceramic plates; and

four second side-surface electrodes provided on said each driver piezoelectric ceramic plates, for connecting together the electrodes formed on said plurality of ceramic plates not connected to said first side-surface electrodes.

6. A piezoelectric transformer according to claim 5 wherein said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate is a multilayered body composed of multilayered ceramic green sheet, each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates are multilayered bodies in which ceramic green sheet and input internal electrodes are alternately layered, and said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate and each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates are sintered together as a unit with interposed ceramic green sheet.

7. A piezoelectric transformer according to claim 5 wherein said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate and said insulating plates are sintered monoplates, said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate, each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates, and said insulating plates are joined together with an adhesive.

8. A piezoelectric transformer according to claim 7 wherein said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate is a multilayered body composed of multilayered ceramic green sheet, each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates are multilayered bodies in which ceramic green sheet and input internal electrodes are alternately layered, and said generator piezoelectric ceramic plate and each of said driver piezoelectric ceramic plates are sintered together as a unit with interposed ceramic green sheet.