Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A piezoelectric element, comprising: a first electrode layer; a piezoelectric layer provided on the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer provided on the piezoelectric layer, wherein:
the first electrode layer is made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal; and
the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.
2. The piezoelectric element of claim 1, wherein an orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane is provided between the first electrode layer and the piezoelectric layer.
3. The piezoelectric element of claim 2, wherein the orientation control layer is made of lead lanthanum titanate or a material obtained by adding at least one of magnesium and manganese to lead lanthanum titanate.
4. The piezoelectric element of claim 2, wherein the orientation control layer is made of a strontium-containing perovskite oxide.
5. The piezoelectric element of claim 4, wherein the orientation control layer contains strontium titanate.
6. The piezoelectric element of claim 1, wherein the noble metal of the first electrode layer is at least one noble metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, iridium, palladium and ruthenium.
7. The piezoelectric element of claim 1, wherein a content of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper in the first electrode layer is greater than zero and less than or equal to 26 mol %.
8. The piezoelectric element of claim 1, wherein:
the first electrode layer is provided on a substrate; and
an adhesive layer for improving adhesion between the substrate and the first electrode layer is provided between the substrate and the first electrode layer.
9. The piezoelectric element of claim 8, wherein the adhesive layer is made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of titanium, tantalum and molybdenum.
10. An ink jet head, comprising: a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order; a vibration layer provided on one surface of the piezoelectric element that is closer to the second electrode layer; and a pressure chamber member bonded to one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the piezoelectric element and including a pressure chamber for storing ink therein, in which the vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element so as to discharge the ink out of the pressure chamber, wherein:
the first electrode layer of the piezoelectric element is made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal; and
the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.
11. The ink jet head of claim 10, wherein an orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane is provided between the first electrode layer and the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element.
12. An ink jet head, comprising: a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order; a vibration layer provided on one surface of the piezoelectric element that is closer to the first electrode layer; and a pressure chamber member bonded to one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the piezoelectric element and including a pressure chamber for storing ink therein, in which the vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element so as to discharge the ink out of the pressure chamber, wherein:
the first electrode layer of the piezoelectric element is made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal; and
the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.
13. The ink jet head of claim 12, wherein an orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane is provided between the first electrode layer and the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element.
14. An angular velocity sensor, comprising a substrate including a fixed portion and at least a pair of vibrating portions extending from the fixed portion in a predetermined direction, in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order at least on each of the vibrating portions of the substrate, and the second electrode layer on each of the vibrating portions is patterned into at least one driving electrode for vibrating the vibrating portion in a width direction thereof and at least one detection electrode for detecting a displacement of the vibrating portion in a thickness direction thereof, wherein:
the first electrode layer is made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal; and
the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.
15. The angular velocity sensor of claim 14, wherein an orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane is provided between the first electrode layer and the piezoelectric layer.
16. A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric element, comprising the steps of:
forming a first electrode layer made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal on a substrate by a sputtering method;
forming a piezoelectric layer made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane on the first electrode layer by a sputtering method; and
forming a second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer.
17. A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric element, comprising the steps of:
forming a first electrode layer made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal on a substrate by a sputtering method;
forming an orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane on the first electrode layer by a sputtering method;
forming a piezoelectric layer made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane on the orientation control layer by a sputtering method; and
forming a second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer.
18. A method for manufacturing an ink jet head, the ink jet head including a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order, in which a vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element so as to discharge ink out of a pressure chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
forming the first electrode layer made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal on a substrate by a sputtering method;
forming the piezoelectric layer made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane on the first electrode layer by a sputtering method;
forming the second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer;
forming the vibration layer on the second electrode layer;
bonding a pressure chamber member for forming the pressure chamber on one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the second electrode layer; and
removing the substrate after the bonding step.
19. A method for manufacturing an ink jet head, the ink jet head including a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, an orientation control layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order, in which a vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element so as to discharge ink out of a pressure chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
forming the first electrode layer made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal on a substrate by a sputtering method;
forming the orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane on the first electrode layer by a sputtering method;
forming the piezoelectric layer made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane on the orientation control layer by a sputtering method;
forming the second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer;
forming the vibration layer on the second electrode layer;
bonding a pressure chamber member for forming the pressure chamber on one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the second electrode layer; and
removing the substrate after the bonding step.
20. A method for manufacturing an ink jet head, the ink jet head including a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order, in which a vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element so as to discharge ink out of a pressure chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
forming the vibration layer on a pressure chamber substrate for forming the pressure chamber;
forming the first electrode layer made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal on the vibration layer by a sputtering method;
forming the piezoelectric layer made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane on the first electrode layer by a sputtering method;
forming the second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer; and
forming the pressure chamber in the pressure chamber substrate.
21. A method for manufacturing an ink jet head, the ink jet head including a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, an orientation control layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order, in which a vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element so as to discharge ink out of a pressure chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
forming the vibration layer on a pressure chamber substrate for forming the pressure chamber;
forming the first electrode layer made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal on the vibration layer by a sputtering method;
forming the orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane on the first electrode layer by a sputtering method;
forming the piezoelectric layer made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane on the orientation control layer by a sputtering method;
forming the second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer; and
forming the pressure chamber in the pressure chamber substrate.
22. A method for manufacturing an angular velocity sensor, the angular velocity sensor including a substrate including a fixed portion and at least a pair of vibrating portions extending from the fixed portion in a predetermined direction, in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order at least on each of the vibrating portions of the substrate, and the second electrode layer on each of the vibrating portions is patterned into at least one driving electrode for vibrating the vibrating portion in a width direction thereof and at least one detection electrode for detecting a displacement of the vibrating portion in a thickness direction thereof, the method comprising the steps of:
forming the first electrode layer made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal on the substrate by a sputtering method;
forming the piezoelectric layer made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane on the first electrode layer by a sputtering method;
forming the second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer;
patterning the second electrode layer so as to form the driving electrode and the detection electrode;
patterning the piezoelectric layer and the first electrode layer; and
patterning the substrate so as to form the fixed portion and the vibrating portions.
23. A method for manufacturing an angular velocity sensor, the angular velocity sensor including a substrate including a fixed portion and at least a pair of vibrating portions extending from the fixed portion in a predetermined direction, in which a first electrode layer, an orientation control layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order at least on each of the vibrating portions of the substrate, and the second electrode layer on each of the vibrating portions is patterned into at least one driving electrode for vibrating the vibrating portion in a width direction thereof and at least one detection electrode for detecting a displacement of the vibrating portion in a thickness direction thereof, the method comprising the steps of:
forming the first electrode layer made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal on the substrate by a sputtering method;
forming the orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane on the first electrode layer by a sputtering method;
forming the piezoelectric layer made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane on the orientation control layer by a sputtering method;
forming the second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer;
patterning the second electrode layer so as to form the driving electrode and the detection electrode;
patterning the piezoelectric layer, the orientation control layer and the first electrode layer; and
patterning the substrate so as to form the fixed portion and the vibrating portions.
24. An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising an ink jet head, the ink jet head including: a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order; a vibration layer provided on one surface of the piezoelectric element that is closer to the second electrode layer; and a pressure chamber member bonded to one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the piezoelectric element and including a pressure chamber for storing ink therein, the ink jet head being capable of being relatively moved with respect to a recording medium, in which while the ink jet head is moved with respect to the recording medium, the vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element in the ink jet head so as to discharge the ink out of the pressure chamber through a nozzle hole communicated to the pressure chamber onto the recording medium, thereby recording information, wherein:
the first electrode layer of the piezoelectric element in the ink jet head is made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal; and
the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.
25. The ink jet recording apparatus of claim 24, wherein an orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane is provided between the first electrode layer and the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element of the ink jet head.
26. An ink jet recording apparatus, comprising an ink jet head, the ink jet head including: a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer are layered in this order; a vibration layer provided on one surface of the piezoelectric element that is closer to the first electrode layer; and a pressure chamber member bonded to one surface of the vibration layer that is away from the piezoelectric element and including a pressure chamber for storing ink therein, the ink jet head being capable of being relatively moved with respect to a recording medium, in which while the ink jet head is moved with respect to the recording medium, the vibration layer is displaced in a thickness direction by a piezoelectric effect of the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element in the ink jet head so as to discharge the ink out of the pressure chamber through a nozzle hole communicated to the pressure chamber onto the recording medium, thereby recording information, wherein:
the first electrode layer of the piezoelectric element in the ink jet head is made of an alloy of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel, iron, manganese and copper and a noble metal; and
the piezoelectric layer is made of a rhombohedral or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (001) plane.
27. The ink jet recording apparatus of claim 26, wherein an orientation control layer made of a cubic or tetragonal perovskite oxide that is preferentially oriented along a (100) or (001) plane is provided between the first electrode layer and the piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element of the ink jet head.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A portable sunshade apparatus comprising:
a shade;
a ridged support panel;
an articulating support frame affixed to the ridged support panel and the shade, the articulating support frame including joints and configured to articulate about the joints to position the shade with respect to the ridged support panel; and
at least one securing strap affixed to the ridged support panel and configured to wrap around an external object and brace the ridged support panel up against the external object.
2. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, the shade further comprising:
a jointed frame covered; and
a flexible opaque sheath, the jointed frame having a substantially rectangular shape and shade joints enabling the jointed frame to fold substantially in half, the flexible opaque sheath enveloping the jointed frame.
3. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shade includes frills extending outward.
4. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ridged support panel has a substantially filled-in rectangular shape and provides support for the shade when buried.
5. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articulating support frame includes a substantially rectangular section and the joints enable the substantially rectangular section to warp substantially into a parallelogram shape.
6. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articulating support frame, the shade, and the ridged support panel fold together into substantially the same plane.
7. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, the at least one securing strap comprising:
two Velcro straps affixed to opposing sides of the ridged support panel and configured to secure to one another.
8. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, further including one or more of:
a sleeve adapted to accommodate a folded sunshade apparatus; or
carry-straps attached to a surface of the portable sunshade apparatus and orto a surface of the sleeve.
9. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shade further comprises:
flexible opaque material configured for receiving markings applied through any of ink, sublimation, paint, or adhesive.
10. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articulating support frame further comprises:
a rectangular frame wherein the first length of the rectangular frame spins about a first axis and the second length of the rectangular frame spins about a second axis, the first length additionally affixed to the shade and the second length including two perpendicular poles affixing to the ridged support panel.
11. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articulating support frame is configured to lock at predetermined articulation configurations.
12. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articulating support frame is configured to force fit to predetermined articulation configurations.
13. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 1, wherein the articulating support frame further comprises:
speakers; and
auditory apparatus.
14. The portable sunshade apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ridged support panel further comprises:
A media player pocket.
15. A portable sunshade apparatus comprising:
a shade including a jointed frame covered with a flexible opaque sheath, the jointed frame having a substantially rectangular shape and shade joints enabling the jointed frame to fold substantially in half, the flexible opaque sheath enveloping the jointed frame and including frills extending outward from the jointed frame;
a ridged support panel having a substantially filled-in rectangular shape and configured to brace against the frame of a chair and provide supportive resistance against the ground when buried;
an articulating support frame affixed to the ridged support panel and the shade, the articulating support frame including articulation joints and configured to articulate about the articulation joints to position the shade with respect to the ridged support panel, wherein the articulation joints enable the shade to rotate about a first axis and the ridged support panel to rotate about a second axis, and enable the articulating support frame to warp into alternate polygonal shapes; and
at least one Velcro strap affixed to the ridged support panel and configured to wrap around the frame of the chair and brace the ridged support panel up against the frame of the chair.

1. A shim for positioning a work piece comprising:
a first plate;
an optional reference frame; and
an actuator in operative communication with the first plate and the reference frame.
2. The shim of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises an active material, and wherein the active material is a shape memory alloy, a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy, a shape memory polymer, an electroactive polymer, a piezoelectric material, a magnetostrictive material, an electrorheological fluid, a magnetorheological fluid, a magnetorheological elastomer, a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing active materials.
3. The shim of claim 2, wherein the active material has the ability to return to an original defined shape upon application of an external stimulus.
4. The shim of claim 2, wherein the active material undergoes a change in stiffness andor shape in proportion to the strength of an external stimulus.
5. The shim of claim 1, wherein the reference frame can be displaced with respect to the first plate or wherein the first can be displaced with respect to the reference frame.
6. The shim of claim 1, wherein the reference frame partially or completely surrounds the first plate and wherein the first plate upon actuation by the actuator can be displaced vertically, horizontally andor rotationally with respect to the reference frame.
7. The shim of claim 2, wherein the active material can change its shear strength, modulus properties, andor shape to control the position of the first plate with respect to the reference frame.
8. The shim of claim 1, wherein the actuator employs control logic andor a feedback loop.
9. The shim of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises an electric stepper motor, an inchworm, a piezoelectric inchworm, an ultrasonic motor, an electrohydrostatic actuator, a nanomotion piezoelectric motor, a compact hybrid actuator device, or combinations thereof.
10. The shim of claim 9, wherein the electric stepper motor, the inchworm, the piezoelectric inchworm, the ultrasonic motor, the electrohydrostatic actuator, the nanomotion piezoelectric motor and the compact hybrid actuator device comprise a active material.
11. The shim of claim 1, wherein the shim is capable of positioning a load of about 0.5 kilograms to 10,000 kilograms.
12. The shim of claim 1, further comprising a second plate andor a third plate, wherein the second andor third plates are in operative communication with the actuator.
13. The shim of claim 12, wherein the second plate andor the third plate are adopted to act cooperatively and synchronously with a first plate.
14. A method of aligning a work piece comprising:
disposing the work piece upon a first plate of a shim;
activating an actuator with an external stimulus; wherein the actuator is in operative communication with the first plate; and
displacing the work piece.
15. The method of claim 14, further comprising holding the work piece in a displaced position without the assistance of power.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the work piece is displaced vertically, horizontally, andor rotationally with respect to a reference frame.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the work piece is reversibly displaced with respect to a reference frame.
18. The method of claim 14, wherein the actuating comprises applying an external stimulus to the actuator, and wherein the external stimulus is thermal, electric, magnetic, radiation, chemical, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing external stimuli.
19. The method of claim 14, wherein the work piece has a weight of about 0.5 kilograms to about 10,000 kilograms.
20. The method of claim 14, wherein the shim displaces the work piece to a distance of less than or equal to about 50 micrometers from a specified reference point.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A case for containing a disk cartridge, in which the disk cartridge is inherently provided with at least one recess formed on a bottom surface thereof, the case comprising:
an upper case member;
a lower case member;
a pivoting mechanism pivoting the lower case member on the upper case member to form a substantially hollow parallelepiped which defines a chamber therein and has an inserting opening, such that the disk cartridge is adapted to be inserted through the inserting opening and received in the chamber;
a fastening mechanism, disposed between the upper case member and the lower case member to retain the upper case member with the lower case member;
cartridge retaining means, having at least one arm resiliently biasing upward, the at least one arm having two opposing ends with one end thereof extending from the bottom plate of the lower case member and the other end provided with a protrusion;
when the disk cartridge is completely inserted into the chamber of the case, the protrusion is adapted to be allocated in the recess formed on the bottom surface of the disk cartridge, whereby securely positioning the disk cartridge in the case.
2. The case for containing a disk cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the upper case member includes a top plate having two opposing edges, a right sidewall and a left sidewall, in which the right sidewall and the left sidewall extend from the opposing edges of the top plate and are substantially perpendicular to the top plate; and wherein the lower case member includes a bottom plate having two opposing edges, a right sidewall and a left sidewall, in which the right sidewall and the left sidewall extend from the opposing edges of the bottom plate and are substantially perpendicular to the bottom plate.
3. The case for containing a disk cartridge according to claim 2, wherein the pivoting mechanism has two pivoting members, in which one of the pivoting members has a pin disposed on the right sidewall of the upper case member and a hole formed on the right sidewall of the lower case member, and the other pivoting member has a pin disposed on the left sidewall of the upper case member and a hole formed on the left sidewall of the lower case member;
thereby the pins of the left and right sidewalls are adapted to be inserted into the holes of the left and right sidewalls, respectively, such that the upper case member pivots, with respect to the lower case member, about the pins.
4. The case for containing a disk cartridge according to claim 3, wherein the fastening mechanism includes at least one tab extending from at least one of the right sidewall and the left sidewall of the upper case member, and at least one groove formed on at least one of the right sidewall and the left sidewall of the lower case member, such that the at least one tab correspondingly engages in the groove.
5. The case for containing a disk cartridge according to claim 4, comprising two arm resiliently biasing upward, wherein the bottom plate is formed with two concave portions receiving the two arms, respectively; each of the two arms being integrally formed with the bottom plate at the end extending therefrom.