The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 21, 1996
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1994
Manfred Kahn, Alexandria, VA (US);
Peter Matic, Alexandria, VA (US);
George C Kirby, III, Alexandria, VA (US);
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US);
Abstract
A method for reducing and/or shifting stress in at least one outer end poon of an actuator made from a piezoelectric material. The actuator is affixed to a substrate by an adhesive bond and adapted to cycle between an expanded and contracted positions, which creates stresses in the actuator and in the bond. The method includes the step of doping at least one outer portion of the actuator with a metal oxide to reduce piezoelectric activity therein. In a preferred embodiment, the doped outer portion has a gradient composition varying from the maximum at the end of the actuator to essentially zero concentration at a point inward of the end. The system includes a doped piezoelectric actuator adhesively bonded to a substrate and electrodes attached to the actuator for receiving electrical energy, the actuator containing a metal oxide dopant in the outer portions thereof.