Piezoelectric/electrostrictive device and method of manufacturing same

• US 6,476,538 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2002
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Original Assignee: NGK Insulators Limited
• Inventors: Kimura, Koji, Takeuchi, Yukihisa, Ikeda, Koji, Nanataki, Tsutomu, Shibata, Kazuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sircus, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zarroli, Michael C.
• Application Number:
  US10/067,958
• Publication Number:
  US 20020070637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 310/321, 310/328, 310/348, 310/330, 29/253.5
• US Class Current: 310/321
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/053 by integrally sintering piezoelectric or electrostrictive bodies and electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2042 Cantilevers, i.e. having one fixed end
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/2043 connected at their free ends, e.g. parallelogram type
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/302 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/501 with non-rectangular cross-section in stacking direction, e.g. polygonal, trapezoidal

Abstract

A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device including a pair of mutually opposing thin plate sections and a fixation section for supporting the thin plate sections. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive element is arranged on each of the pair of thin plate sections. Movable sections, having mutually opposing end surfaces, are formed proximate the ends of the thin plate sections. A distance between the end surfaces is not less than a length of the movable sections.

Claims

1. A method for producing a piezoelectric./electrostrictive device comprising:

a pair of mutually opposing thin plate sections and a fixation section for supporting said thin plate sections;

movable sections provided at forward end portions of said pair of thin plate sections; and

one or more piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements arranged on at least one thin plate section of said pair of thin plate sections, said method comprising;

a step of forming said movable sections or said fixation section having mutually opposing end surfaces wherein a distance between said end surfaces is not less than a length of said movable section, by cutting off a predetermined part of any one of a portion to be formed into said movable sections or a portion to be formed into said fixation section after producing at least said piezoelectric/electrostrictive element on said thin plate section.

2. The method for producing said piezoelectric/,electrostrictive device according to claim 1, further comprising a step of allowing a plurality of members different from a constitutive member of said movable section or said fixation section to intervene between said mutually opposing end surfaces.

3. The method for producing said piezoelectric/electrostrictive device according to claim 2, wherein organic resin is used as at least one member of said plurality of members.

4. A method for producing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive device comprising:

a pair of mutually opposing thin plate sections and a fixation section for supporting said thin plate sections;

movable sections provided at forward end portions of said pair of thin plate sections; and

one or more piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements arranged on at least one thin plate section of said pair of thin plate sections, said method comprising;

a step of producing a ceramic laminate by integrally sintering a ceramic green laminate including at least a ceramic green sheet having a window and ceramic green sheets to be formed into said thin plate sections thereafter to produce said ceramic laminate;

a step of forming said piezoelectric/electrostrictive element on an outer surface of a portion of said ceramic laminate to be formed into said thin plate section; and

a cutoff step of forming said movable sections or said fixation section having at least mutually opposing end surfaces wherein a distance between said end surfaces is not less than a length of said movable section, by means of at least one time of cutoff treatment for said ceramic laminate formed with said piezoelectric/electrostrictive element.

5. The method for producing said piezoelectric/electrostrictive device according to claim 4, wherein:

in said step of producing said ceramic laminate, said ceramic laminate is produced by integrally sintering a ceramic green laminate including a plurality of ceramic green sheets each having a window for forming said movable section or said fixation section having at least said mutually opposing end surfaces, and said ceramic green sheets to be formed into said thin plate sections thereafter to produce said ceramic laminate; and

in said cutoff step, said movable section or said fixation section, which has at least said mutually opposing end surfaces and in which said distance between said end surfaces is not less than said length of said movable section, is formed by means of said cutoff treatment for said ceramic laminate formed with said piezoelectric/electrostrictive element.

6. The method for producing said piezoelectric/electrostrictive device according to claim 4, wherein:

in said step of producing said ceramic laminate, said ceramic laminate is produced by integrally sintering a ceramic green laminate including a plurality of ceramic green sheets each having a window for forming a portion to be formed into said movable section or a portion to be formed into said fixation section having at least said mutually opposing end surfaces partially connected to one another, and said ceramic green sheets to be formed into said thin plate sections thereafter to produce said ceramic laminate; and

in said cutoff step, said portion to be formed into said movable section or said portion to be formed into said fixation section having at least said mutually opposing end surfaces partially connected to one another is formed by means of said cutoff treatment for said ceramic laminate formed with said piezoelectric/electrostrictive element, and said movable section or said fixation section, which has said mutually opposing end surfaces and in which said distance between said end surfaces is not less than said length of said movable section, is formed by cutting off said connecting portion.