385results about "Piezo-electric polymer transducers" patented technology

Directional piezoelectric devices and methods for their manufacture are provided that improve the quality of piezoelectric device mediated signal detection and provide new thermal imaging devices. The devices can provide over an order of magnitude improved signal to noise ratio compared with previously known devices. The devices may be used along with new head mounted acoustic technologies for improved voice communication systems in inherently noisy environments. The head mounted technologies utilize microphones that are activated by pressure wherein the applied trigger pressure further serves to improve efficiency of the microphones. Also provided are head pieces that include both microphones and speakers that are particularly useful for harsh environments such as those encountered by fire fighters. The head pieces are capable of further functions related to contact with the head of the user, such as reporting physiological variables of the user, along with oral communications.

The invention describes devices for controlling fluid flow, such as valves. The devices may include one or more electroactive polymer transducers with an electroactive polymer that deflects in response to an application of an electric field. The electroactive polymer may be in contact with a fluid where the deflection of the electroactive polymer may be used to change a characteristic of the fluid. Some of the characteristic of the fluid that may be changed include but are not limited to 1) a flow rate, 2) a flow direction, 3) a flow vorticity, 4) a flow momentum, 5) a flow mixing rate, 6) a flow turbulence rate, 7) a flow energy, 8) a flow thermodynamic property. The electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure that is immersed in an external fluid flow, such as the surface of an airplane wing or the electroactive polymer may be a portion of a surface of a structure used in an internal flow, such as a bounding surface of a fluid conduit.

A sonic actuator including a multi-layer membrane having a non-metallic elastomeric dielectric polymer layer with a first surface and a second surface, a first compliant electrode layer contacting the first surface of the polymer layer, and a second compliant electrode layer contacting the second surface of the polymer layer. The actuator further includes a support structure in contact with the sonic actuator film. Preferably, the non-metallic dielectric polymer is selected from the group consisting essentially of silicone, fluorosilicone, fluoroelastomer, natural rubber, polybutadiene, nitrile rubber, isoprene, and ethylene propylene diene. Also preferably, the compliant electrode layer is made from the group consisting essentially of graphite, carbon, and conductive polymers. The support structure can take the form of grid having a number of circular apertures. When a voltage is applied to the electrodes, portions of the film held at the aperture of the support structure can bulge due to the electrostriction phenomenon. The resultant “bubbles” can be modulated to generate sonic vibrations, or can be used to create a variable surface for airflow control.

A transducer in the form of cloth having high flexibility obtained by manufacturing a conventional woven or knitted fabric structure using general-purpose fiber materials. The transducer includes piezoelectric units, each including two conductive fibers and one piezoelectric fiber arranged substantially on the same plane in the order of the conductive fiber, the piezoelectric fiber and the conductive fiber, and outputs and inputs an electric signal.

A display device is provided. The display device includes a display panel, a backlight unit, and a rear chassis. The display panel is configured to display an image. The backlight unit is provided on a rear surface of the display panel. The rear chassis includes a protruding region, a vibration plate, and at least one acoustic element. The protruding region is protruded in a rear direction. The at least one acoustic element is provided in the vibration plate and includes a pair of electrodes and a vibration material layer provided therebetween. The protruding region and the vibration plate are made of different materials.

An impact-reinforced piezocomposite transducer array comprises a load supporting structure having a plurality of cells, each of said cells comprises a piezocomposite transducer element. The load supporting structure comprises a honeycomb structure having a plurality of multi-sided cells or the structure comprises a plurality of cylindrical cells. The piezocomposite element includes a plurality of piezoceramic rods encapsulated in a polymeric matrix to form a 1-3 composite body. The transducer array may be used as a hydrophone or a transmitter in a rugged environment such as on the hull of an icebreaker ship.

The invention provides an ultrasonic generator, a screen sounding device, a sounding display screen, a manufacturing method thereof and a screen sounding system. The screen sounding device comprises asubstrate, a lower electrode layer, an ultrasonic generating unit array and an upper electrode layer arranged in order from bottom to top, wherein the substrate is used for providing support for thescreen sounding device; the lower electrode layer is disposed on the upper surface of the substrate and includes a lower electrode for supplying the working voltage of each ultrasonic generating unitin the ultrasonic generating unit array. The ultrasonic generating unit array is arranged above the low electrode layer and includes a plurality of ultrasonic generating unit arranged according to a preset ultrasonic pattern; the upper electrode lay is disposed above thet ultrasonic generating cell array and includes an upper electrode for supplying an operating voltage of each ultrasonic generating unit in the ultrasonic generating unit array. Thus, the space occupation of the sound producing device is reduced, the sound producing device is convenient to be integrated with the display panel,and directional sound producing can be realized.

Provided is an electroacoustic converter film including: a polymeric composite piezoelectric body having piezoelectric particles dispersed in a viscoelastic matrix which is formed of a polymer material exhibiting viscoelasticity at ordinary temperatures; thin film electrodes formed on both sides of the polymeric composite piezoelectric body; and protective layers formed on surfaces of the thin film electrodes. The electroacoustic converter film serves as a speaker capable of being integrated with a flexible display without impairing lightweightness or flexibility, and has considerable frequency dispersion in the storage modulus and also has a local maximum of the loss tangent around ordinary temperatures. A flexible display, a vocal cord microphone and a musical instrument sensor, in each of which the electroacoustic converter film is used, are also provided.

A localized multimodal haptic system includes one or more electromechanical polymer (EMP) transducers, each including an EMP layer, such as an electrostrictive polymer active layer. In some applications the EMP transducer may perform an actuator function or a sensor function, or both. The EMP polymer layer has a first surface and a second surface on which one or more electrodes are provided. The EMP layer of the EMP actuator may be 5 microns thick or less. The EMP transducers may provide local haptic response to a local a stimulus. In one application, a touch sensor may be associated with each EMP transducer, such that the haptic event at the touch sensor may be responded to by activating only the associated EMP transducer. Furthermore, the EMP transducer may act as its own touch sensor. A variety of haptic responses may be made available. The EMP transducers may be used in various other applications, such as providing complex surface morphology and audio speakers.

A piezoelectric speaker that includes an electrode formed on opposing main surfaces of a piezoelectric sheet having a predetermined stretching axis and made of a chiral polymer. The electrode is divided into four electrode portions by a plurality of dividing lines extending in a radiation direction. The four electrode portions are distributed along the outer peripheral portion except for the central portion of a vibration region. Voltage is applied to the respective four electrode portions in such a manner that electric field vectors generated in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric sheet direct in opposite directions between the adjacent ones of four sheet portions of the piezoelectric sheet to which voltage is applied by the electrode portions.

A display apparatus and a computing apparatus including the same are provided. A display apparatus includes: a display module including a display panel configured to display an image, a system rear cover covering a rear surface of the display module, a vibration plate between the system rear cover and the rear surface of the display module, and a vibration module configured to vibrate the vibration plate, wherein the display panel is further configured to vibrate based on a vibration of the vibration plate to output sound.

A digital / analog conversion apparatus for converting a digital signal into an analog signal. The digital / analog conversion apparatus can generate a high-quality analog signal, even when elements configuring the digital / analog conversion apparatus have variance, with high resolution and a small circuit size. The data conversion apparatus is provided with a first data converter for reducing the number of bits of an input signal, a second data converter for converting the format of the first output signal, and a third data converter for conversion into a code which corresponds to the history of the output from the second data converter.

A piezoelectric microspeaker and a method of fabricating the same are provided. The piezoelectric microspeaker includes a substrate having a through hole therein; a diaphragm disposed on the substrate and covering the through hole; and a plurality of piezoelectric actuators including a piezoelectric member, a first electrode, and a second electrode, wherein the first and second electrodes are configured to induce an electric field in the piezoelectric member. The piezoelectric actuators include a central actuator, which is disposed on a central portion of the diaphragm and a plurality of edge actuators, which are disposed a predetermined distance apart from the central actuator and are formed on a plurality of edge portions of the diaphragm.

Disclosed is an electroacoustic transduction film suitable for a flexible speaker or the like, in which predetermined acoustic properties are able to be stably exhibited regardless of a bending state. The electroacoustic transduction film includes a polymer composite piezoelectric body in which piezoelectric body particles are dispersed in a viscoelastic matrix formed of a polymer material having viscoelasticity at a normal temperature, and electrode layers interposing the polymer composite piezoelectric body therebetween, and an area fraction of the piezoelectric body particles in a contact surface with respect to the electrode layer is less than or equal to 50%, and thus the object is attained.

Provided are an electroacoustic transduction film capable of reproducing a sound with a sufficient sound volume at a high conversion efficiency, a manufacturing method thereof, an electroacoustic transducer, a flexible display, a vocal cord microphone, and a sensor for a musical instrument. The electroacoustic transduction film includes: a polymer composite piezoelectric body in which piezoelectric body particles are dispersed in a viscoelastic matrix formed of a polymer material having viscoelasticity at a normal temperature; two thin film electrodes laminated on both surfaces of the polymer composite piezoelectric body; and two protective layers respectively laminated on the two thin film electrodes, in which an intensity ratio α1=(002) plane peak intensity / ((002) plane peak intensity+(200) plane peak intensity) between a (002) plane peak intensity and a (200) plane peak intensity derived from the piezoelectric body particles in a case where the polymer composite piezoelectric body is evaluated by an X-ray diffraction method is more than or equal to 0.6 and less than 1.

Provided are a piezoelectric acoustic transducer and a method of fabricating the same. In the piezoelectric acoustic transducer, a piezoelectric portion is formed in a portion of a diaphragm, and a deformation layer is formed in another portion of the diaphragm. Deformation of the piezoelectric portion is transferred to the deformation layer, or deformation of the deformation layer is transferred to the piezoelectric layer so that the deformation layer vibrates with the piezoelectric layer.

The present invention provides an electroacoustic conversion film comprising: a polymeric composite piezoelectric body in which piezoelectric body particles are dispersed in a viscoelastic matrix formed of a polymer material exhibiting viscoelasticity at normal temperature; and two or more electrode pairs, wherein one electrode and the other electrode of each of the electrode pairs are arranged on two opposite main surfaces of the polymeric composite piezoelectric body, respectively, to interpose the polymeric composite piezoelectric body therebetween, and thereby each of the electrode pairs forms an active region.

A plane-type speaker where, on one of the main surfaces of an exciter film, there are placed piezoelectric films which are expanded and contracted by sound-releasing driving signals applied thereto. An oscillation plate is secured to the excited film through frame members. The oscillation plate has a flat-plate shape and is secured to the exciter film while having a warped shape such that it is gradually spaced further away from the exciter film, with decreasing distance from the secured ends to a center area, when viewed at a side surface. This realizes a state where the exciter film is pulled outwardly with respect to the secured ends due to bending stresses therein. If sound-releasing driving signals are applied to the piezoelectric films in this state, the exciter film contracts and expands along with the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric films, thereby causing the oscillation plate to oscillate.

Provided is a method of fabricating a piezoelectric microspeaker. According to the method, drive units having a piezoelectric layer and an electrode are symmetrically formed so as to be disposed over and under a diaphragm, respectively. When a thin conductive layer is used as the diaphragm, the diaphragm can be used as a common electrode. On the other hand, when a thin non-conductive layer is used as the diaphragm, a common electrode is necessary in each of the drive units.

A piezoelectric panel speaker and an electronic apparatus including the same are disclosed. The piezoelectric panel speaker may include a piezoelectric panel including at least one hole and configured to vibrate, and a fingerprint sensor accommodated into the one hole and configured to sense biometric information.

A display apparatus may include: a display panel including: a display area configured to display an image, and a non-display area, an optical module on a rear surface of the display panel, at least one first sound generator on a rear surface of the optical module, and at least one second sound generator in the non-display area and between the display panel and the optical module.

In a sheet-type piezoelectric vibrator provided with a piezoelectric sheet made from a transparent organic polymer and electrodes formed on respective main surfaces that are opposite to each other of the piezoelectric sheet, an electrode material that is effectively used for making the vibrator colorless is provided. The first electrodes formed on one of the main surfaces of piezoelectric sheets are made of zinc oxide electrode layers, each mainly containing zinc oxide, and second electrodes formed on the other main surface of the piezoelectric sheets include polythiophene electrode layers made from a conductive polymer containing thiophene in a molecule structure thereof. Although the zinc oxide electrode layer is transparent, it is slightly yellowish, while, on the other hand, although the polythiophene electrode layer is also transparent, it is slightly bluish. Since the spectral characteristic of light transmitted through these two electrode layers is made substantially flat in the visible region, the coloring of the transmitted light is suppressed so that the layers appear colorless and transparent.

An omnidirectional electroacoustic transducer capable of reproducing a sound with high acoustic quality and sufficient sound volume in a wide frequency band is provided with a small number of components. The electroacoustic transducer includes: two or more electroacoustic transduction units each including an electroacoustic transduction film and an elastic supporter, the electroacoustic transduction film having a polymer composite piezoelectric body in which piezoelectric body particles are dispersed in a viscoelastic matrix formed of a polymer material having viscoelasticity at a normal temperature, and two thin film electrodes laminated on both surfaces of the polymer composite piezoelectric body, and the elastic supporter being disposed to be closely attached to one principal surface of the electroacoustic transduction film so as to cause the electroacoustic transduction film to be bent, in which the two or more electroacoustic transduction units are disposed so that the electroacoustic transduction films face outward and form some or all of faces of a polyhedron.

A display apparatus includes a display panel, a back cover accommodating the display panel, and a sound output unit including at least one sound output module disposed to overlap the display panel. The at least one sound output module includes a support plate including an uneven surface and a piezoelectric element attached on the uneven surface of the support plate and has a shape corresponding to the uneven surface of the support plate. Accordingly, a sound having a straight characteristic within an audible frequency domain may be output, thereby enhancing a sense of reality and an immersion of a viewer watching an image displayed by the display apparatus.

An ultrasonic speaker including: a vibration film having a conductive layer; a pair of fixed electrodes provided oppositely to respective surfaces of the vibration film; and an ultrasonic transducer that causes the vibration film to generate sound waves by applying a DC bias voltage to the conductive layer of the vibration film while applying an alternating signal between the pair of fixed electrodes, and outputs the sound waves generated by the vibration film from two sound wave output surfaces via through-holes provided in each of the pair of fixed electrodes. The two sound wave output surfaces of the ultrasonic transducer are disposed in a direction intersecting with a sound wave emitting direction at right angles. Also, sound wave reflection plates are provided to both of the two sound wave output surfaces of the ultrasonic transducer so that the sound waves outputted from each of the two sound wave output surfaces are reflected in the sound wave emitting direction.