A servovalve includes a fluid transfer valve assembly comprising a supply port and a control port, a moveable valve spool arranged to regulate flow of fluid from the supply port to the control port in response to a control signal, and a drive assembly configured to axially move the valve spool relative to the fluid transfer assembly in response to the control signal to regulate the fluid flow. The drive assembly includes a steerable member moveable by an amount determined by the control signal to cause corresponding movement of the valve spool. The drive assembly further includes piezoelectric actuator means configured to move said steerable member in response to the control signal.

This invention describes a method for producing highly controllable motion in electroactive materials and electroactive actuators capable of pronounced contraction and expansion, which act as synthetic muscle, tendon, fascia, perimysium, epimysium, and skin that wrinkles, comprising ion-containing, cross-linked electroactive material(s); solvent(s); electrode(s); attachments to levers or other objects; and coating(s). Restriction of movement in undesired direction(s) produces pronounced movement in the desired direction(s). The electroactive material itself or the electroactive actuator may be used individually or grouped to produce movement when activated by electricity. This invention can provide for human-like motion, durability, toughness, speed, and strength. The electroactive materials and electroactive actuators, with highly controllable motion, can be attached to objects and devices to produce motion with no metal pulleys, gears, or motors needed.

A coating device for sealant and a coating method for sealant coating are disclosed. The coating device includes a sealant storage pipe provided with two end portions; one end portion is connected to a gas jet means and the other end portion is connected to a nozzle; a pipe wall of the sealant storage pipe is made from a flexible material; and the pipe wall can be subjected to recoverable inward deformation perpendicular to an axial line of the sealant storage pipe. A coating method for sealant coating, comprising: subjecting a pipe wall to recoverable inward deformation perpendicular to an axial line of a sealant storage pipe during spraying; and subjecting the pipe wall to recovery when the spraying ends.

Provided is a vibration-type actuator in which electric contact between a piezoelectric element and an elastic member is sufficiently ensured. In the vibration-type actuator solving the above-described issue, a plate-like piezoelectric material included in the piezoelectric element has a through-hole penetrating in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric material and includes a through-hole electrode filling the through-hole, the through-hole electrode has a protruding portion protruding from a first opening portion of the through-hole that opens on an elastic member side, a ground electrode electrically connected to the through-hole electrode is provided on a surface on the first opening portion side of the piezoelectric material, and the through-hole electrode and the elastic member are electrically connected.

Disclosed herein are ultrasound transducers that are selectively insulated to thereby enable the transducers to be exposed to an electrically conductive fluid without causing a short circuit between electrodes of the transducers. Such a transducer includes a piezoelectric transducer body having a first surface and a second surface that are spaced apart from one another and do not intersect with one another. The ultrasound transducer also includes a first electrode disposed on the first surface, a second electrode disposed on the second surface, and an electrical insulator covering only one of first and second electrodes and configured to inhibit electrical conduction between the first electrode and the second electrode when the ultrasound transducer is placed within an electrically conductive fluid. Also disclosed are apparatuses and systems that include such a transducer. Related methods are also disclosed herein.

A lift pin assembly includes a lift pin body, two or more piezoelectric cells and a lead. The lift pin body includes a contact feature defined on a first end of the lift pin body and a fixation feature longitudinally opposite the contact feature. The two or more piezoelectric cells are stacked within the lift pin body between the fixation feature and the contact feature. The lead is electrically connected to the plurality of piezoelectric cells and extends to the external environment outside of the lift pin body to change the length of the lift pin body between a first length and a second length using a voltage applied to the lead. Semiconductor processing systems including the lift pin assemblies and substrate transfer methods are also described.

A system comprises a support, typically part of dishwashing machine or clothes washing machine, having a plurality of piezoelectric transducers. Each transducer can have a cylindrical housing with a water inlet along a side surface of the housing. The transducers can also comprise a lens and a piezoelectric material with electrodes configured to couple to a power supply.

In a piezoelectric device, a cantilever portion includes a fixed edge portion and a free edge portion. A plate-shaped portion includes a facing edge portion, a support edge portion, a first lateral support edge portion, and a second lateral support edge portion. The facing edge portion faces the free edge portion. The support edge portion is on an opposite side from the facing edge portion in an extension direction of the cantilever portion. The plate-shaped portion is connected to an inner surface at at least a portion of the support edge portion, at least a portion of the first lateral support edge portion, and at least a portion of the second lateral support edge portion.