A monolithic, bulk piezoelectric actuator includes a bulk piezoelectric substrate having a starting top surface and an opposing starting bottom surface and a at least two electrodes operatively disposed on the bulk piezoelectric substrate consisting of at least two discrete electrodes disposed on either/both of the starting top surface and the starting bottom surface and at least one electrode disposed on the respective other starting bottom surface or starting top surface. A stage includes a base, at least two of the monolithic, bulk piezoelectric actuators disposed on the base, a movable platform disposed on the base, and a respective number of deformable connectors each having a first connection to a respective one of the piezoelectric actuators and a second connection to a respective portion of the movable platform. A method for monolithically making a monolithic, bulk piezoelectric actuator involves a direct write micropatterning technique.

Disclosed is a smart soft composite actuator which enables user-desiring deformation by changing the position of smart material functioning as an active component, wherein the smart soft composite actuator comprises a smart material whose shape is changeable based on an external signal; and a matrix for supporting the smart material and determining an external shape, wherein the smart material is positioned inside the matrix or in a surface of the matrix, and at least one of in-plane shear deformation and out-of-plane deformation is realized by controlling the position of smart material.

The present invention is a novel electroactive actuator device provides high active and passive performances for electromechanical and smart systems. The electroactive actuator device is capable of operating in a manner that achieve good passive isolation characteristics, amplifies the stroke displacement per applied voltage, and also enhances the active forces of the electroactive mechanism without weight or size penalties. The electromechanical responses can be transferred to the objective systems using lightweight electrical-mechanical connectors fastened at the center of the piezoelectric actuator elements. When an alternating voltage potential is across the upper and lower electrodes of a piezoelectric actuator element, the center portions of all the piezoelectric actuator elements, as well as the electrical-mechanical connectors attached thereto, reciprocate harmoniously in one direction generating high electroactive forces and dynamic responses.

A thin-film piezoelectric material element includes a piezoelectric part having a laminated structure which a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric material film and an upper electrode film are laminated sequentially, and electrode pads connected with the piezoelectric part. The thin-film piezoelectric material element has solder regulating parts formed on pad surfaces being surfaces of the electrode pads. The solder regulating parts have peripheral edge parts and crossing edge parts connected with the two outer edge parts, and formed to cross the pad surfaces. The crossing edge parts are formed in a bow like curve-shape having curved parts, being gradually distant from the shortest line as they are distant more from the outer edge parts.

A thin-film piezoelectric material element includes a piezoelectric part having a laminated structure which a lower electrode film, a piezoelectric material film and an upper electrode film are laminated sequentially, and electrode pads connected with the piezoelectric part. The thin-film piezoelectric material element has solder regulating parts formed on pad surfaces being surfaces of the electrode pads. The solder regulating parts have peripheral edge parts and crossing edge parts connected with the two outer edge parts, and formed to cross the pad surfaces. The crossing edge parts are formed in a bow like curve-shape having curved parts, being gradually distant from the shortest line as they are distant more from the outer edge parts.

A piezoelectric element includes first and second electrodes, a first piezoelectric body layer, and a plurality of first through-hole conductors. The first and second electrodes oppose each other. The first piezoelectric body layer is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The plurality of first through-hole conductors penetrates the first piezoelectric body layer and is connected to the first electrode and the second electrode. When seen in an opposing direction of the first and second electrodes, the plurality of first through-hole conductors is arrayed in a matrix.

A fluid valve for influencing a fluid flow, including a valve housing in which an actuator is accommodated which can be moved between a first and a second functional position, further including a fluid passage which extends through some regions of the valve housing and terminates at a valve seat in the valve housing, and further including a sealing means which is motion-coupled to the actuator and designed for temporarily sealing the valve seat as a function of the functional position of the actuator, wherein a plastically deformable adjustment means is assigned to and designed to act on the actuator in order to allow a position of the sealing means to be adjusted in at least one of the functional positions of the actuator, the adjustment means being designed as a positionable abutment for the actuator or for a coupling element arranged between the actuator and the sealing means for the purpose of motion-coupling.

A piezoelectric actuating apparatus including a frame, a rotatable element, an actuating structure, and a sensing structure is provided. The rotatable element is disposed in an accommodating opening and connected to the frame through a rotating shaft structure. The rotatable element is configured to reciprocatingly swing relative to the frame with an axis of the rotating shaft structure. The actuating structure is elastically coupled to the rotatable element through at least one first elastic component. The sensing structure is elastically coupled to the rotatable element through at least one second elastic component. The actuating structure is deformed by receiving a driving signal, and drives the rotatable element to rotate around the axis through the at least one first elastic component. The rotating rotatable element is linked to the sensing structure through the at least one second elastic component to be correspondingly deformed, and outputs a sensing signal.

An energy harvesting module includes a pendular unit with piezoelectric transducer elastically deformable in bending between a clamped end and a free end coupled to an inertial mass. The piezoelectric transducer includes two coplanar piezoelectric beams arranged side-by-side on either side of a central axis of the transducer, each of the piezoelectric beams including adjacent external and internal arms, arranged side-by-side and formed single-piece. The external arm of each beam has a clamped proximal end and a free distal end, and the internal arm of each beam has a free proximal end supporting the inertial mass, and a free distal end connected to the distal end of the adjacent external arm by a common junction.

In one example, an apparatus comprises a substrate, a first piezoelectric flap, and a second piezoelectric flap. The substrate has an opening. The first piezoelectric flap has a first end on the substrate and has a first portion extending over a first part of the opening, the first piezoelectric flap including first electrodes, in which the first electrodes extend no more than half of a first length of the first portion. The second piezoelectric flap has a second end on the substrate and has a second portion extending over a second part of the opening, the second piezoelectric flap including second electrodes, in which the second electrodes extend no more than half of a second length of the second portion.