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:
Jan. 02, 2007
Filed:
Feb. 25, 2004
Masatomo Kojima, Ichinomiya, JP;
Masatomo Kojima, Ichinomiya, JP;
Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nagoya, JP;
Abstract
A piezoelectric actuator including two or more piezoelectric layers each of which is formed of a piezoelectric material and which are stacked on each other; three or more electrode layers which are stacked alternately with the piezoelectric layers; and one or more active portions each of which includes respective portions of the piezoelectric layers that are sandwiched by the electrode layers in a direction of stacking of the piezoelectric layers. Each active portion is expanded and contracted when an electric voltage is applied to the electrode layers. The piezoelectric layers include one or more first piezoelectric layers each having a first thickness, and one or more second piezoelectric layers each having a second thickness greater than the first thickness.