Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
310316010 | Input circuit for simultaneous electrical and mechanical output from piezoelectric element | 31 |
20080238247 | Piezo-Electric Motor - In a piezo-electric motor with alternately electrically actuated clamping piezo packs arranged between a reference part and a drive part and with two stepping piezo packs arranged in an opposite sense and assigned to each clamping piezo pack or to one clamping piezo pack or a support structure, the stepping piezo stacks are connected via quasi-pivotal joint structures to a foot at locations which are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of the clamping piezo pack and from the drive part. | 10-02-2008 |
20090108707 | Actuating device having an integrated electronic control circuit - An actuating device including a load and an integrated electronic control circuit comprising a microcontroller and at least one passive component. The microcontroller performs the dual function of providing a control signal to generate sufficient power to actuate a load and a drive signal to drive the load. | 04-30-2009 |
20090251025 | ULTRASONIC PROBE AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSIS APPARATUS - A variance in transmitting/receiving sensitivity between multiple vibrational elements or transducers included in an ultrasonic probe is corrected. An ultrasonic probe in accordance with the present invention has multiple transducers, each of which includes multiple vibrational elements that each transmit or receive ultrasonic waves by converting ultrasonic waves and an electric signal into each other with a bias voltage applied thereto, set in array. The ultrasonic prove includes a transmitting/receiving sensitivity correction means that independently adjusts the bias voltage to be applied to at least two vibrational elements among the multiple vibrational elements so as to correct a variance in transmitting/receiving sensitivity between the at least two vibrational elements. | 10-08-2009 |
20100013352 | UNIMORPH/BIMORPH PIEZOELECTRIC PACKAGE - A piezoelectric package comprises an upper and lower piezoelectric plates, each having opposing electrodes. The piezoelectric package further comprises an electrically insulative structure encapsulating the piezoelectric plates. The piezoelectric package further comprises first and second external connectors mounted to the insulative structure. The connectors respectively have connector terminals that are electrically coupled to the electrodes in different orders, and have geometric arrangements that are identical, such that a single interface device can be selectively mated to either of the connectors. The piezoelectric package may be incorporated into a system that comprises electronic circuitry configured for operating the piezoelectric package, and a single interface device electrically coupled between the electronic circuitry and either of the external connectors of the piezoelectric package to selectively configure the package between a unimorph and a bimorph. | 01-21-2010 |
20100117484 | DRIVER AND DRIVING METHOD - Conventional drivers for transducers oftentimes did not provide an efficient driving mechanism because the driving signal was not “close enough” to the natural frequency of the transducer. Here, a driver for a transducer is provided that measures the natural frequency of the transducer and generates a driving signal accordingly. Thus, a more efficient driver is provided. | 05-13-2010 |
20100148627 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER ARRAY, AND ULTRASONIC DEVICE - An ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit or receive ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic transducer includes a vibrating member and a piezoelectric member coupled to the vibrating member. The piezoelectric member includes a first piezoelectric part configured and arranged to be deformed by applied voltage to vibrate the vibrating member or configured and arranged to be deformed by vibration of the vibrating member to produce a potential difference, and a second piezoelectric part configured and arranged to be deformed by applied voltage to statically deflect the vibrating member. | 06-17-2010 |
20100176686 | PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR EMPLOYING SWITCH - One embodiment of the present invention features a circuit for driving a piezoelectric actuator, comprising a first transmission line to provide an input signal having a time-varying voltage; a second transmission line to provide a predetermined voltage current; a piezoelectric element; and a switch coupled to the second transmission line and the piezoelectric element, the switch configured to electrically connect and disconnect the predetermined voltage current to and from the piezoelectric element based on the input signal. | 07-15-2010 |
20100277038 | ARRAY OF ELECTROACOUSTIC TRANSDUCERS AND ELECTRONIC PROBE FOR DIAGNOSTIC IMAGES WITH HIGH FOCUSING DEPTH - An electroacoustic transducer assembly and probe for emitting and receiving acoustic radiation beams. The transducer assembly comprising a plurality of transducer elements, each one composed of an electroacoustic element, arranged side by side and spaced apart along a row having a first end. Starting from transducer element proximate to the first end, adjacent transducer elements are constructed and arranged create an electroacoustic pair. A first element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only transmit acoustic pulses and a second element of the electroacoustic pair is constructed and arranged to only receive acoustic pulses. Each electroacoustic pair share a common connection line which branches off into a transmit branch connected to the first element and a receive branch connected to the second element. | 11-04-2010 |
20110037346 | PIEZOELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF - Disclosed are a method for operating a piezoelectric drive system ( | 02-17-2011 |
20110068657 | PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR DRIVER CIRCUIT - In a piezoelectric-actuator driving circuit for driving a piezoelectric actuator, an amplifier circuit amplifies a signal output from a feedback circuit and supplies the amplified signal to a non-inverting amplifier circuit and an inverting amplifier circuit. The non-inverting amplifier circuit amplifies the output voltage of the amplifier circuit with a predetermined gain and applies the amplified voltage to a first terminal of the piezoelectric actuator. The inverting amplifier circuit inverts and amplifies the output voltage of the amplifier circuit with the same gain as that of the non-inverting amplifier circuit and then applies the amplified voltage to a second terminal of the piezoelectric actuator through resistors. The feedback circuit amplifies a difference between voltages at respective ends of the resistor and supplies the amplified difference to the amplifier circuit. | 03-24-2011 |
20110068658 | PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR DRIVER CIRCUIT - In a piezoelectric actuator driver circuit, a resistor provided to detect current is inserted in a current path for a piezoelectric actuator. A signal of a decreased voltage of the resistor is subjected to positive feedback to an amplifier circuit via a band-pass filter. An output signal of the amplifier circuit is subjected to negative feedback to the amplifier circuit via a band-elimination filter. The band-pass filter allows a signal of a fundamental resonant frequency of a piezoelectric device, which includes the piezoelectric actuator, to pass therethrough, and the band-elimination filter blocks the signal of the fundamental resonant frequency. Thus, a loop gain at a higher-order resonant frequency with respect to the fundamental resonant frequency becomes very low and a higher-order resonant mode can be effectively suppressed. | 03-24-2011 |
20120235539 | PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCERS USING MICRO-DOME ARRAYS - An ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer device includes a transducer array consisting of an array of vibrating elements, and a base to which the array of vibrating elements in the transducer array are attached. The base include integrated electrical interconnects for carrying driving signals and sensed signals between the vibrating elements and an external control circuit. The base can be an ASIC wafer that includes integrated circuitry for controlling the driving and processing the sensed signals. The interconnects and control circuits in the base fit substantially within an area below the array of multiple vibrating elements. | 09-20-2012 |
20140333176 | Vibration limit switch - A vibration limit switch with a membrane, which can be set into oscillation, and a drive unit for setting the membrane into oscillation and/or for detecting an oscillation of the membrane, with the drive unit comprising at least one electromagnetic drive and one Piezo-electric drive. | 11-13-2014 |
20150008790 | PHASE TRACK CONTROLLER IMPROVEMENT TO REDUCE LOSS OF LOCK OCCURRENCE - A system and method for driving ultrasonic transducers and improvements to a phase track controller for reducing loss of lock occurrence is disclosed and described. | 01-08-2015 |
20150022056 | SYSTEM FOR DRIVING A PIEZOELECTRIC LOAD AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME - A driver system comprises a direct current (DC) voltage source and a first bi-directional DC-to-DC converter having a primary side coupled to the DC voltage source and a secondary side and configured to convert a first voltage on the primary side to a second voltage on the secondary. The driver system also comprises a second bi-directional DC-to-DC converter having a primary side coupled to the DC voltage source and a secondary side coupled to the secondary side of the first bi-directional DC-to-DC converter and configured to convert the first voltage on the primary side to a third voltage on the secondary. The first and second bi-directional DC-to-DC converters are capable of boosting the first voltage, and the second control signal is a complement of the first control signal. A voltage difference between the second and third voltages comprises an output voltage that comprises an amplification of the first control signal. | 01-22-2015 |
20150076963 | Generator of electricity and refrigeration using induced vibrational and acoustic potential energy reclamation via tuned piezoelectric resonant cavity systems - A plurality of pressurized sequentially perpendicularly coupled and tuned piezoelectric resonators mechanically amplifies ambient and induced Sound Pressure Levels via Standing Wave Resonance such that the anti-node of the Natural Resonant Frequency in each resonator occurs in a plane consistent with the coupling port of the subsequent resonator thereby acting as a mechanically amplified acoustic driver for the proceeding resonator until acoustically driving mechanically coupled and tuned Piezoelectric Helmholtz resonators with physical parameters such that Standing Wave Resonance occurs within the Piezoelectric Helmholtz Resonant Cavities and Acoustic Refrigeration Units comprising cylindrical resonant cavities with axial regenerating stacks acted upon by tuned frequencies such that the hot heat exchangers are in the center of said cavities while the cold heat exchangers comprise the termination of the second ends of said cavities. The latent heat generates steam in a pressurized vessel. This invention generates electricity, heating and cooling without moving parts. | 03-19-2015 |
20150298174 | PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCERS USING MICRO-DOME ARRAYS - An ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer device includes a transducer array consisting of an array of vibrating elements, and a base to which the array of vibrating elements in the transducer array are attached. The base include integrated electrical interconnects for carrying driving signals and sensed signals between the vibrating elements and an external control circuit. The base can be an ASIC wafer that includes integrated circuitry for controlling the driving and processing the sensed signals. The interconnects and control circuits in the base fit substantially within an area below the array of multiple vibrating elements. | 10-22-2015 |
20160001325 | Self-Sustaining-Vibrational and Acoustic Piezoelectric Resonator-Acoustic Refigeration Core Generator of Electricity, Heating and Cooling - SS-VAPER-ARC - A Self-Sustaining-extensible-multi-stage-Vibrational-and-Acoustic-Piezoelectric-Resonator-Acoustic-Refrigeration-Core Generator of Electricity, Heating and Cooling comprises a plurality of acoustically-driven mechanically-coupled tuned-closed-column-resonator-tuned-Helmholtz-resonator-piezo-poly-passive-radiator-electromagnetic-induction-circuit vibrational-and-acoustic-piezoelectric-resonator-acoustic-refrigeration-core systems that mechanically amplifies induced sound pressure levels via standing wave resonance such that the anti-node/s of the natural resonant frequency/ies in the tuned-closed-column-resonator/s occur/s in the plane/s consistent with the coupling port/s of the attached tuned-Helmholtz resonator/s acoustically driving the tuned-Helmholtz resonator/s such that standing wave resonance occurs within the tuned-Helmholtz resonators one wall of which is a piezo-poly-passive-radiator connecting the preceding stage to the proceeding stage finally driving the axial-regenerating-stack acoustic-refrigeration-core/s of physical parameters such that standing wave resonance occurs within the acoustic-refrigeration-core such that the hot-heat-exchanger is in the center of the cavity and the cold-heat-exchanger is at the second end of the cavity protruding from the fluid-water-filled containment vessel designed to minimize vibrational translation to external environments, provide system cooling and produce steam driving mechanical-electrical turbines and for heating. | 01-07-2016 |
20160126445 | ULTRASONIC PROBE AS WELL AS ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS - An ultrasonic probe is provided that makes it possible to increase the shock resistance of a board of an ultrasonic device unit. An ultrasonic probe includes a housing. The housing defines an opening and an accommodation space that is continuous with the opening. An ultrasonic device unit is disposed in the accommodation space. A board has on its first surface an ultrasonic transducer that faces the opening. A rigid body is in contact with a second surface of the board and the housing. The rigid body has higher stiffness than the board. | 05-05-2016 |
20160149116 | ULTRASONIC SENSOR UTILIZING CHEMICALLY STRENGTHENED GLASS AS SUBSTRATE - An ultrasonic sensor includes a first electrode, a first piezoelectric layer, a substrate, a second electrode, a second piezoelectric layer, and a third electrode. The first electrode and the first piezoelectric layer are stacked on a first surface of the substrate. The second electrode, the second piezoelectric layer, and the third electrode are stacked on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the substrate. The substrate is made of chemically strengthened glass. | 05-26-2016 |
310316020 | Traveling wave motor | 2 |
20080309193 | Electro-Mechanical Wave Device - An electro-mechanical wave device which may be used for movement of a mechanical member, e.g. by friction, a motor comprising one or more wave devices, and a method of providing the electro-mechanical wave device. The electro-mechanical wave device comprises a substrate comprising a plurality of conductors, and a plurality of actuators positioned on the substrate for generation of mechanical waves along a predetermined propagation path, each of the actuators being connected to a respective set of the conductors of the substrate for reception of an excitation signal transmitted by the set of conductors. | 12-18-2008 |
20090066187 | CONTROL APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD FOR VIBRATION WAVE DRIVEN APPARATUS - A vibration wave driven apparatus capable of preventing a resonance frequency of a vibrator from being shifted to a frequency side higher than a fixed drive frequency of the vibrator during the execution of phase difference control or voltage control. Driving signals are supplied from a control apparatus to a vibration-type actuator having a piezoelectric element that functions as an electromechanical energy conversion element. To control the drive of the vibration-type actuator, either a phase difference between the driving signals or a voltage of the driving signals is changed. When either the phase difference or the driving signal voltage is changed, the frequency of the driving signals is set to a predetermined frequency higher than the frequency for use when neither the phase difference nor the driving signal voltage is changed. | 03-12-2009 |
310316030 | Charging and discharging | 9 |
20080211345 | Method and Device for Controlling a Capacitive Load - A tendency of the controlled load to oscillate when controlling a capacitive load can be avoided according to a piezo actuator for an injection valve of an internal combustion engine, having charging and discharging processes for charging and discharging the capacitive load by means of a load current, each loading process being effected by chronological partial load current pulses according to chronological partial charging capacity pulses (p | 09-04-2008 |
20080218027 | Circuit and Method for Controlling a Piezoelectric or Electrostrictive Actuator - A circuit and/or a corresponding method for controlling a piezoelectric or electrostrictive actuator (P) have a series-connected driver stage (G) which provides a control signal which is used to drive the piezoelectric actuator (P). A reference capacitor (M), which is used to measure a charge (qP) of the actuator (P), is serially connected to the actuator (P). The reference capacitor (M) is used as a series capacitor in order to measure the actuator charge (qA(T)=qP(t)) of the piezoelectric actuator. The output variable is a voltage which is proportional to the actuator charge. The voltage is guided to an A/D-converter and is processed further in a digital manner or guided directly to a analogue controller. | 09-11-2008 |
20090051247 | PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR DRIVE DEVICE AND DC/DC CONVERTER THEREFOR - A fuel injection control apparatus drives piezoelectric actuators for opening and closing injectors of respective cylinders based on energy stored in a capacitor of a DC/DC converter A current detecting resistor for controlling a boost switch to charge the capacitor is disposed at a position at which current flowing through the capacitor is not detected. Further, current detecting resistors for controlling the piezoelectric actuators are disposed at positions at which charging current from a diode to the capacitor is not detected. Thus, the charging of the capacitor can be performed even during the control for charging/discharging the piezoelectric actuator. | 02-26-2009 |
20110001392 | HIGHLY EFFICIENT, CHARGE DEPLETION-MEDIATED, VOLTAGE-TUNABLE ACTUATION EFFICIENCY AND RESONANCE FREQUENCY OF PIEZOELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR NANOELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS RESONATORS - A nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) device and method for using the device provide for a movable member that includes a region of low conductivity over which an electric field is developed. A region width is within a factor of ten (10) of a thickness of the NEMS device. The region is formed between a junction that incorporates piezoelectric material. A first voltage is applied across the region which alters a width of an active portion of the region thereby adjusting a movement of the movable member induced by a second voltage. The second voltage is applied across the region to produce a strain on the active portion of the region. The strain results in a defined movement of the movable member. | 01-06-2011 |
20120032556 | METHOD FOR OPERATING AN OUTPUT STAGE FOR AT LEAST ONE PIEZOACTUATOR - A method for operating an output stage for a piezoactuator includes checking, during an operating phase, in response to the undershooting of a current for the piezoactuator below a setpoint current, whether a point in time for the undershooting lies outside or within a time window. A subsequent current pulse is controlled via the setpoint current if the point in time is located outside the time window, and the subsequent current pulse is controlled via a turn-on time if the point in time is located within the time window. | 02-09-2012 |
20150061461 | DEVICE FOR CHARGING AND DISCHARGING A CAPACITIVE ACTUATOR AND CONFIGURATION HAVING SUCH A DEVICE - A device for charging and discharging a capacitive actuator connectable to an output connection has a first capacitor disposed between an input connection and a reference potential. The device has a series connection composed of a first and a second power switching element which is connected in parallel with the first capacitor. The device additionally has a first coil with a first connection connected to the center tap of the series connection, wherein the second connection of the first coil is connected to the reference potential via a third power switching element and to the output connection via a fourth power switching element. Wherein the power switching elements have diodes connected in parallel therewith such that they are reverse-biased from the input connection or the output connection to the reference potential. Wherein a connection of the fourth power switching element is connected to the input connection via a diode. | 03-05-2015 |
20150137661 | CAPACITIVE LOAD DRIVE CIRCUIT - A capacitive load drive circuit includes first and second capacitive loads, first and second connection path selection sections, and a voltage generation section. The first capacitive load and the second capacitive load are configured to charge and discharge in accordance with a drive signal. The first connection path selection section is configured to selectively supply a plurality of voltages to the first capacitive load, the first connection path selection section being arranged so as to correspond to the first capacitive load. The second connection path selection section is configured to selectively supply a plurality of voltages to the second capacitive load. The second connection path selection section is arranged so as to correspond to the second capacitive load. The voltage generation section is configured to generate and supply the voltages shared by the first connection path selection section and the second connection path selection section. | 05-21-2015 |
20160013393 | DRIVE CIRCUIT INCLUDING CONNECTION PATH SELECTION SECTIONS AND VOLTAGE GENERATION SECTION | 01-14-2016 |
20160149112 | Methods and Systems for Applying Charge to a Piezoelectric Element - Methods and systems for applying charge to a piezoelectric element include and/or facilitate implementation of processes including cyclical multi-stage processes for: providing a piezoelectric element with an accumulated charge; providing one or more charge holding elements with a scavenged charge from the piezoelectric element; substantially removing or discharging a remaining charge from the piezoelectric element; and applying the scavenged charge to the piezoelectric element with an opposite polarity in relation to the polarity of the remaining charge. | 05-26-2016 |