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. 03, 2012
Filed:
Oct. 31, 2006
Masahiro Inagaki, Kirishima, JP;
Takami Sakamoto, Krishima, JP;
Harald-johannes Kastl, Fichtelberg, DE;
Carsten Schuh, Baldham, DE;
Bernhard Doellgast, Flurweg, AT;
Atsushi Ochi, Yokohama, JP;
Masahiro Inagaki, Kirishima, JP;
Takami Sakamoto, Krishima, JP;
Harald-Johannes Kastl, Fichtelberg, DE;
Carsten Schuh, Baldham, DE;
Bernhard Doellgast, Flurweg, AT;
Atsushi Ochi, Yokohama, JP;
Kyocera Corporation, Kyoto, JP;
Continental Automotive GmbH, Hanover, DE;
Abstract
A multi-layer piezoelectric element includes a stack having metal layers and piezoelectric layers stacked one on another, and a pair of external electrodes formed on the side faces of the stack. At least one of the metal layers is a stress relieving layer having partial metal layers scattered between the two piezoelectric layers and voids. Junction sections are formed between the two piezoelectric layers to join and are disposed on both sides of an imaginary straight line drawn to connect the center of width of one of the external electrodes and the center of width of the other of the external electrodes in a plane including the stress relieving perpendicular to the stacking direction.