In the piezoelectric vibrator element, a larger area of the electrode part making a contribution to the vibration of the piezoelectric vibrator element is ensured. The piezoelectric vibrator element is a tuning-fork piezoelectric vibrator element, provided with a pair of vibrating arm parts extending from a base, and a groove part constant in width is formed on each of principal surfaces (reverse and obverse surfaces) in the longitudinal direction of the vibrating arm part. On the side surfaces and the principal surfaces, and in the groove part of the vibrating arm part, there are formed two systems of excitation electrodes. In the case of defining a width of a bank part formed by a side surface of the vibrating arm part and a side surface of the groove part as W0, and the distance between the excitation electrodes formed on the principal surface of the vibrating arm part as an electrode separation width W1, the electrode separation width W1 is formed in a range of 1 μm<W1<3 μm so as to fulfill W0>W1. By making the electrode separation width narrower than 3 μm, it is possible to increase the width of each of the excitation electrodes formed on the principal surface (on the bank part) of the vibrating arm part. Thus, the area of the electrode part making a contribution to the vibration can be increased, and the piezoelectric effect can be improved.

An integrated thermal apparatus includes a piezoelectric device and a thermal module which includes a thermal plate contacting a heat source to remove heat from the heat source. The thermal plate has built-in heat sinks for maximizing the surface area for heat dissipation. Each piezoelectric device includes one or more piezoelectric elements. Through the actions of piezoelectric elements, a jet of air and an influx of air are generated to cool the heat sinks. The airflow also cools the surface of heat plate, which acts like a fan mounted on top of the heat source.

An in-plane vibration structure that includes a frame-shaped member defining an opening; a vibration portion in the opening; a beam portion connecting the frame-shaped member and the vibration portion; a piezoelectric film having a first main surface with a first electrode and a second main surface with a second electrode; a first support portion connecting the frame-shaped member and the first main surface; a second support portion connecting the vibration portion and the first main surface; a wiring member that has wiring for applying a voltage to the first electrode and the second electrode and is in contact with the first main surface at a predetermined contact portion; a first conductive member disposed between the first support portion and the contact portion in a plan view, and connecting the first electrode and the wiring; and a second conductive member connecting the second electrode and the wiring.

An optical transformer includes a plurality of light emitters, a plurality of photovoltaic cells positioned to receive light from at least a first subset of the plurality of light emitters, the plurality of photovoltaic cells including at least a first photovoltaic cell and a second photovoltaic cell, and one or more optically triggered switches positioned to receive light from at least a second subset of the plurality of light emitters, the one or more optically triggered switches including at least a first optically triggered switch electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell. A method of operating the optical transformer is also described.

A vibration device that includes a first elastic plate having a first end portion and a second end portion, and a first surface and a second surface facing each other and connecting the first and second end portions. A second elastic plate is laminated to the second end portion of the first elastic plate, and a piezoelectric vibration element is provided on at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the first elastic plate. On a portion where the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate are laminated, a first bonding portion and a second bonding portion that bond the first elastic plate and the second elastic plate to each other are provided. The second bonding portion is located closer to the first end portion than the first bonding portion.

There is provided a vibration generating apparatus including: an elastic member having both end portions fixed to a housing; a piezoelectric element installed on one surface of the elastic member; and a circuit board connected to the piezoelectric element, wherein the elastic member has support parts formed on both side surfaces of both end portions thereof and bent downwardly in order to be installed in the housing, and a portion of the circuit board passing between the support parts has a flat panel shape.

Provided is a piezoelectric vibrating device including a case provided with a certain space therein, a piezoelectric vibrating member provided in the case and vibrating according to an applied voltage, a weight member provided in the case and connected to a part of the piezoelectric vibrating member in a vibration direction of the piezoelectric vibrating member, and a limitation member for limiting movement of the weight member.

There are provided a vibrator and an electronic device including the same. The vibrator includes: a housing having an internal space; an elastic member having both ends fixed to the housing so as to be disposed in the internal space in a state in which elastic deformation is possible; and a piezoelectric element mounted on one surface of the elastic member, wherein the piezoelectric element is fixed to the elastic member by soldering.

An actuator and tactile sensation providing apparatus include an actuator including a piezoelectric element, a vibration plate, and a support. The vibration plate has the piezoelectric element joined thereto and vibrates in accordance with displacement of the piezoelectric element. The support supports the vibration plate and is configured so that an end of the vibration plate is displaced more in a longitudinal direction than in a normal direction of the vibration plate in accordance with displacement of the piezoelectric element. The angle between the vibration plate and the support is acute. The tactile sensation providing apparatus can further include an object of vibration configured to provide a tactile sensation to a user by vibration of the vibration plate being transmitted to the object of vibration.

An actuator or sensor device comprises an electroactive polymer (EAP) arrangement which extends between fixed opposite ends. The electroactive polymer arrangement comprises a passive carrier layer and an active electroactive polymer layer, wherein at or adjacent the ends, the passive carrier layer and the active EAP layer are mounted with one over the other in a first order, and at a middle area between the ends, the carrier layer and the active EAP layer are mounted in an opposite order. This enables internal stresses and moments within the electroactive polymer arrangement to be used more effectively to contribute to displacement or actuation force.