A method for forming a dielectric elastomer transducer of the present invention includes: a first electrode layer fixing step of fixing a first electrode layer to a target object; a dielectric elastomer layer fixing step of fixing a dielectric elastomer layer to the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer fixing step of fixing a second electrode layer to the dielectric elastomer layer. This configuration ensures that the dielectric elastomer transducer highly conforms to the target object.

A system and related method can self-adaptively absorb a flexural wave acting on a beam. The method includes the steps of receiving an input signal representing a frequency response of a flexural wave acting on the beam, determining a spring constant for absorbing the flexural wave based on the input signal, a damping value of a damper acting on the beam, and a mass value of a mass acting on the beam, and applying a spring constant voltage based on the spring constant to a piezoelectric device connected to the beam. The piezoelectric device has a variable spring value that varies based on the voltage applied to the piezoelectric device. The piezoelectric device's variable spring value is approximately equal to the spring constant value when the spring constant voltage is applied to the piezoelectric device.

A method of fabricating an ultrasonic medical device is presented. The method includes machining a surgical tool from a flat metal stock, contacting a face of a first transducer with a first face of the surgical tool, and contacting a face of a second transducer with an opposing face of the surgical tool opposite the first transducer. The first and second transducers are configured to operate in a D31 mode with respect to the longitudinal portion of the surgical tool. Upon activation, the first transducer and the second transducer are configured to induce a standing wave in the surgical tool and the induced standing wave comprises a node at a node location in the surgical tool and an antinode at an antinode location in the surgical tool.

The invention relates to an actuator (1; 1a; 1b) which can be moved from an initial position into a working position having at least one actuator element (2; 2a; 2b) whose dimensions can changed by an electrical signal, Appropriately, at least two restoring means (20, 30; 20a, 30a; 20b, 30b) acting on the actuator element (2; 2a; 2b) are provided for movement into the working position. With the at least two restoring means, a total restoring means characteristic curve, which is composed of portions of the individual, preferably preloaded restoring means as well as a portion of a variable stiffness of the actuator element, can be advantageously tailored.

An ultrasonic transducer for an ultrasonic flowmeter includes a piezoelectric transducer element arranged between first and second holding elements. The first holding element, the piezoelectric transducer element and the second holding element are arranged one behind the other along a longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic transducer. The pre-tensioning element is on the side of the first holding element facing away from the piezoelectric transducer element. A connecting element is on the side of the pre-tensioning element facing away from the first holding element. The connecting element serves to preload the pre-tensioning element and is connected to the second holding element. In the loaded state of the pre-tensioning element, a force acts on the first holding element and, via the connecting element, on the second holding element in such a way that the first holding element and the second holding element clamp the piezoelectric transducer element.

A spring (3, 3′) comprising a plurality of elements (30), each element (3) comprising a rigid portion (31) and a flexible beam (32), the extremities (320, 321) of the flexible beam being supported by the rigid portion (31), the flexible beam (32) having a single stable position, so that the flexible beam can be deformed when a pressure is exerted between said extremities in the direction of the rigid portion (31), and returns to said single stable position when the pressure is released, and wherein the rigid portion (31) of at least one element (30) is in contact with the flexible beam (32) of the next element between said extremities (320, 321) of the flexible beam (32), so that the spring has a negative stiffness over an operating range. The arrangement ensures a pure radial compression/expansion of the spring.

A first lever portion includes a first point-of-effort portion, a first fulcrum portion, and a first point-of-load portion. A second lever portion has a second point-of-effort portion, a second fulcrum portion, and a second point-of-load portion. A first point-of-effort portion is located between a first fulcrum portion and a first point-of-load portion in a direction orthogonal to an axis of a stem. A second fulcrum portion is located between a second point-of-effort portion and a second point-of-load portion in the direction orthogonal to the axis. A distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-load portion is configured longer than a distance between the second fulcrum portion and the second point-of-effort portion. The second point-of-load portion of the second lever portion is displaced toward the stem and moves the stem toward the piezoelectric element by means of displacement of the intermediate member to the second lever portion side.

A piezoelectric generator for generating power upon an acceleration and upon a deceleration of a body. The piezoelectric generator including: first and second masses; first and second springs, the first spring being connected to the body at one end and to the first mass at an other end, the second spring being connected to the body at one end and to the second spring at an other end; and a piezoelectric material connected to the first and second masses such that the piezoelectric material generates power when the body is accelerated or decelerated.

In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to an exemplary inventive method having steps of: providing at least one housing having a pre-determined physical structure; fixing a first edge of at least one electro-active polymer (EAP) film within the at least one housing; connecting a first edge of at least one pulling mechanism to a second edge of the at least one EAP film; where a second edge of the at least one pulling mechanism extends outside of the at least one housing; sufficiently pulling at the second edge of the at least one pulling mechanism to form at least one pre-stretched EAP film that has been stretched in a first axial direction within the at least one housing by a first pre-determined, pre-stretched amount; and where the pre-determined, pre-stretched amount is limited by the pre-determined physical structure of the housing.

A pre-loaded piezoelectric stack actuator comprising a stack of piezoelectric material. Caps are coupled at opposed ends of the stack. Each of the caps includes projecting fingers. Insulating plates are stacked between the ends of the stack and the caps. A pair of pre-loaded spring plates are coupled to the stack. The spring plates define slots. The fingers on the caps extend through respective ones of the slots at respective ends of the spring plates for coupling the spring plates to the stack. A method of pre-loading the piezoelectric stack actuator includes the step of mounting the stack, the caps, the insulating plates, and the spring plates in a pre-load tool that applies a pre-load tensile stretching force to the spring plates. The pre-load tensile force is subsequently released and the actuator is removed from the tool.