Low Cost Composite Peizoelectric Spring for Acoustic Applications

"This program proposes to develop a power source capable of producing a high-output directional transmission of acoustic energy, using piezoelectric spring-shaped drivers produced using ACR's Fibrous Monolith (FM) technology. These "springs" will consistof a piezo-electric core surrounded by a conductive metal outer layer, and will be configured to provide the desired acoustic output signal while giving consideration to device size, weight and cost. The use of FM processing technology will make itpossible to rapidly provide any one of a virtually infinite number of final spring configurations. This design will also provide a method to "pole" the piezoelectric using the outer metal shell to provide both the necessary heat and electric field. Thesprings can be fabricated from a variety of materials, including those that provide significant high temperature resistance (i.e. >1000 ¿C). In addition to the above-mentioned acoustic application, these springs also have potential application as loadsensors and piezoelectric actuators, especially where resistance to harsh environments is critical. This has a verity of commercial applications including load sensors, actuators and acoustic sources for stereo speakers."