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:
Jul. 22, 2008
Filed:
Apr. 23, 2007
Koji Ikeda, Tsu, JP;
Yuya Kikuta, Nagoya, JP;
Nobuchika Noguchi, Ichinomiya, JP;
Kazumasa Kitamura, Ichinomiya, JP;
Kazuyoshi Shibata, Mizunami, JP;
Koji Ikeda, Tsu, JP;
Yuya Kikuta, Nagoya, JP;
Nobuchika Noguchi, Ichinomiya, JP;
Kazumasa Kitamura, Ichinomiya, JP;
Kazuyoshi Shibata, Mizunami, JP;
NGK Insulators, Ltd., Nagoya, JP;
Abstract
A piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is provided with a stationary portion, a thin-plate portion supported by the stationary portion, and piezoelectric/electrostrictive element formed by alternately laminating a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of piezoelectric/electrostrictive layers. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive device is produced by cutting a thin-plate body that composes the thin-plate portion afterward and a laminated body comprising the piezoelectric/electrostrictive layers and thereafter applying prescribed specific processing (for example, heat treatment) to the cut plane (the lateral end surfaces). By so doing, the ratio of the actual surface area of the lateral end surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element to the area of the lateral end surface of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive element in the orthographic projection is four or less, and the deposition of moisture on the lateral end surfaces is suppressed to the extent of not substantially generating electric leakage or ion migration. As a result, a highly durable piezoelectric/electrostrictive device can be provided.