Piezoelectric Actuator Electrode Segmentation for Voltage Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Piezoelectric actuators in liquid ejecting heads face issues with voltage drop and electric field imbalance, leading to crack or burn damage, and reduced deformation efficiency due to electrode thickness limitations.
Innovation Solution
A piezoelectric actuator design with a diaphragm plate, a first electrode, a piezoelectric substance layer, and a second electrode, where the piezoelectric substance layer has multiple active portions sandwiched between the electrodes, with one electrode being common and the other individual, and multiple-connected lead-out wiring to reduce voltage drop and electric field imbalance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the thickness of the individual electrode is decreased, then the deformative efficiency of the piezoelectric actuator is improved, but a voltage drop occurs on a remote side away from the lead electrode, resulting in electric field imbalance and crack or burn damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single lead electrode into multiple lead electrodes (first lead electrode and second lead electrode). This segmentation allows the electric field to be applied more uniformly across the piezoelectric substance layer, preventing voltage drop on remote sides while maintaining thin electrode thickness for high deformative efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different electrode configurations to different regions of the piezoelectric actuator. Multiple lead electrodes are positioned at specific locations to ensure uniform electric field distribution across the piezoelectric substance layer, addressing the local voltage drop issue without compromising overall deformative efficiency.
2Reliability
If the thickness of the individual electrode is increased to prevent voltage drop, then electrode integrity is improved, but the thick electrode becomes obstructive to deformative actuation, resulting in lower deformation efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the lead electrode structure into multiple thin electrodes rather than using a single thick electrode, the patent prevents voltage drop without increasing electrode thickness. This maintains the piezoelectric actuator's ability to deform efficiently while ensuring electrode integrity through proper electric field distribution.
3Device complexity
If a single lead electrode is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but voltage drop and electric field imbalance occur, leading to crack or burn damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single lead electrode into multiple lead electrodes (first and second lead electrodes) to prevent voltage drop and electric field imbalance. This segmentation improves reliability by ensuring uniform electric field distribution across the piezoelectric substance layer, preventing crack or burn damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple lead electrodes with multiple individual electrodes in a coordinated configuration. This merging of multiple components works together to distribute the electric field uniformly across the piezoelectric substance layer, preventing voltage drop and improving reliability while maintaining manageable device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Prevents crack and burn damage while maintaining high deformation efficiency by reducing voltage drop and electric field imbalance, allowing for effective ink droplet ejection with low drive voltage.
Implementation Method 1
a piezoelectric actuator configured as a stack of a first electrode, a piezoelectric substance layer, and a second electrode
Data Source
AI summary
A piezoelectric actuator includes: a diaphragm plate; a first electrode provided on or over the diaphragm plate; a piezoelectric substance layer provided on or over the first electrode; and a second electrode provided on or over the piezoelectric substance layer; wherein the piezoelectric substance layer includes a plurality of active portions sandwiched between the first electrode and the second electrode, either one of the first electrode and the second electrode is an individual electrode provided individually for each of the plurality of active portions, the other of the first electrode and the second electrode is a common electrode that is common to the plurality of active portions, and lead-out wiring is multiple-connected to the individual electrode.