A piezoelectric pump, for causing the flow of a liquid, including a piezoelectric member driven by applying a voltage, a diaphragm which is deformed by the driving of the piezoelectric member, an adhesive member which bonds the piezoelectric member and the diaphragm together, and an urging member that urges the piezoelectric member toward the diaphragm.

A device having a piezoelectric actuator, which can both detect the actuation force and provide a haptic feedback. The linear expansion of the actuator can be amplified in the desired direction by a deformable metal sheet. The actuator has a flat piezoelectric basic body having plane-parallel main surfaces and two electrodes. The body is designed to generate an active haptic feedback when a force exerted upon the basic body is detected. The haptic feedback is generated in that an actuator voltage, which, by piezoelectric actuator action, results in a change in the length of the basic body, is applied between the electrodes. A cymbal-shaped metal sheet is fastened to the basic body. The body is fixed with the truncated cone vertices between a base and an actuation means connected to the base and fixed by means of a bias, which is set as tensile or compressive stress.

Some embodiments relate to compositions for active compression devices and related methods. In some embodiments, a composition for an active compression device comprises an electro-active polymer film. In some embodiments, the electro-active polymer film comprises at least one polymer and at least one additive.

An actuator includes a stack including: an elastomer layer; and an elastic electrode disposed on each surface of the elastomer layer, in which the stack is subjected to a pre-strain of 50% or more at least in one direction. The stack may have a round tubular shape with the elastic electrodes disposed on opposite surfaces of the elastomer layer in a radial direction of the stack.

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.

In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to an actuator which includes at least the following: a pre-stretched electro-active polymer film being pre-stretched in a single or biaxial planar directions; at least one first semi-stiff conductor attached to a first surface of the pre-stretched electro-active polymer film, wherein the first surface is parallel to the single or biaxial planar stretch directions; at least one second semi-stiff conductor attached to a second surface of the pre-stretched electro-active polymer film, wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface; where the semi-stiff conductors are configured to: fix the pre-stretched electro-active polymer film in a pre-stretched state and allow the pre-stretched electro-active polymer film to expand; a pair of mechanical connectors coupled to each end of an active region of the pre-stretched electro-active polymer film.

Some embodiments relate to compositions for active compression devices and related methods. In some embodiments, a composition for an active compression device comprises an electro-active polymer film. In some embodiments, the electro-active polymer film comprises at least one polymer and at least one additive.

The invention relates to a metering system (1) for a metering substance, comprising a nozzle (40), a feed channel (44) for the metering substance, a discharge element (31), and a piezo actuator (61) which is coupled to the discharge element (31) and/or the nozzle (40). The piezo actuator (61) of the metering system (1) is hermetically encapsulated in a housing (62).

A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element, and a case accommodating the piezoelectric element. The case is deformable to conform with expansion or contraction of the piezoelectric element. The case includes a cylinder including a first end portion being open, and a first cap including a first end plate being circular and a first protrusion being annular. The first protrusion is located on a first surface of the first end plate and protrudes perpendicularly to the first surface. The cylinder includes the first end portion receiving the first protrusion on the first cap. The first end portion includes an inner peripheral surface joined to an outer peripheral surface of the first protrusion. The first end portion includes an edge located nearer an edge of the first protrusion than the first surface of the first end plate in an axial direction of the cylinder.

A device for generating a haptic signal. The device includes a haptic module for generating a vibration, a base plate and a cover plate arranged parallel to each other. The cover plate has an abutment surface facing towards the base plate and a top side facing away from the base plate. The haptic module is arranged between the base cover plates, a first partial area of the haptic module abuts the abutment surface of the cover plate and a second partial area of the haptic module abuts the base plate. A spring-loaded suspension mechanically connects the base plate and the cover plate. The spring-loaded suspension is designed so that the abutment surface of the cover plate is moved towards the base plate when the cover plate is in a neutral position and a force is exerted in the direction of the base plate on any point on the top side of the cover plate.