IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,671,518
Granted Patent B2
US 7,671,518 · App. 11/350,044 · Granted Mar 2, 2010

Piezoelectric vibrator, method for adjusting piezoelectric vibrator, piezoelectric actuator, timepiece, and electronic device

Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,671,518
App. No.
11/350,044
Granted
Mar 2, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

Piezoelectric vibrators provided with an electrode that includes a drive electrode and adjustment electrodes formed in advance on part of the electrode; the drive electrode and adjustment electrodes that are initially electrically connected to each other are electrically cutoff and insulated from each other by cutting conductive parts between the drive electrode and adjustment electrodes, or the mutually insulated drive electrode and adjustment electrodes are electrically connected using solder, a wire, or another electrically conductive member, whereby the characteristic frequencies are adjusted.

Claims (39)

1. A piezoelectric vibrator for driving a driven object comprising:

a pair of piezoelectric elements having electrodes, the piezoelectric vibrator vibrating by application of voltage to the electrodes:

a reinforcing plate being configured between the pair of piezoelectric elements; and

a protuberance being configured at a an end of the reinforcing plate to contact with the driven object,

the electrodes including a drive electrode to which the voltage is applied and an adjustment electrode being adjacent to the drive electrode,

the adjustment electrode including a conductive part that is conductive with the drive electrode in a portion adjacent to the drive electrode, the conductive part being cuttable,

the characteristic frequency being adjusted, if the conductive part is cut.

2. A piezoelectric vibrator for driving a driven object comprising:

a pair of piezoelectric elements having electrodes, the piezoelectric vibrator vibrating by application of voltage to the electrodes;

a reinforcing plate being configured between the pair of piezoelectric elements; and

a protuberance being configured at a an end of the reinforcing plate to contact with the driven object,

the electrodes including a drive electrode to which the voltage is applied and an adjustment electrode being adjacent to the drive electrode with an interposed space,

the characteristic frequency being adjusted as a result of providing a conductive member between the drive electrode and the adjustment electrode and establishing conduction between the drive electrode and the adjustment electrode by means of the conductive member.

3. The piezoelectric vibrator according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of adjustment electrodes are provided.

4. The piezoelectric vibrator according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein

the vibration trajectory is switchable among a plurality of mutually differing operating modes,

the piezoelectric element has a plurality of adjustment areas which are provided for each operating mode and in which voltage application and voltage non-application are switched according to the operating mode,

the drive electrodes and the adjustment electrodes are provided individually to the adjustment areas, and

the characteristic frequencies are adjusted in each operating mode.

5. The piezoelectric vibrator according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein

the vibration trajectory is switchable among a plurality of mutually differing operating modes,

the piezoelectric element has a plurality of adjustment areas which are provided for each operating mode and in which voltage application and voltage non-application are switched according to the operating mode,

the drive electrodes and the adjustment electrodes are provided individually to the adjustment areas, and

the difference in characteristic frequencies between the operating modes is adjusted by adjusting the characteristic frequencies.

6. The piezoelectric vibrator according to claim 5 , wherein

the vibrator is substantially rectangular when viewed in a plane and performs longitudinal vibration and bending vibration, and

the adjustment area corresponding to one operating mode and the adjustment area corresponding to the other operating mode are disposed in line symmetry in relation to a center line running in the longitudinal direction that passes through the centroid of the vibrator.

7. The piezoelectric vibrator according to claim 1 , wherein

the piezoelectric vibrator vibrates in a plurality of vibrating modes, and

the difference in the resonance frequencies among the plurality of vibrating modes is adjusted by adjusting the characteristic frequencies.

8. The piezoelectric vibrator according to claim 7 , wherein

the piezoelectric vibrator is formed into a plate shape, and

the piezoelectric vibrator vibrates so that longitudinal vibration and bending vibration are superposed, and

the difference in resonance frequencies in the longitudinal vibration and the bending vibration is adjusted by adjusting the characteristic frequencies.

9. The piezoelectric vibrator according to claim 8 , wherein

the piezoelectric vibrator is substantially rectangular when viewed in a plane, and

the adjustment electrodes are provided to diagonal positions in the planar substantial rectangle.

10. The piezoelectric vibrator according to claim 1 , wherein

the conductive part is cut by Joule heat generated when an electric current is passed through the piezoelectric vibrator.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2006
From: SAWADA, AKIHIRO; SEKI, SHIGEAKI; KAYAMORI, SUSUMU
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017547/0119 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2005-034211 · Feb 10, 2005 · national
JP 2005-356637 · Dec 9, 2005 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20060175929A1 · Aug 10, 2006