No, but what could be being dissipated? Electrical charge/current/voltage? Heat? Motion/Vibration? From this patent I am guessing it could be the former, or maybe all of them.
The ann of 25/8 described them as "electromechanical points of contact that ... suppress contact effects ... that (ensure) sound quality ... and durability". If you read that in conjunction with the patent clauses I included in my previous post I think these refer to the piezoelectric "layers" and how those interact with the "mechanical stops" and the electrical circuit that actuates them. I suggest that getting the right amount of the flexures covered with the most effective piezo material may be the subject of the current experimentation.
The mechanical stops may be required to ensure that the membranes only start, move, and stop precisely in the planar dimension of the device array, ensuring that the sound wavefront is optimal across the whole array.
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[0061] Microelectromechanical apparatus 100 also includes at least one electrode 140 that is connected to at least one of the piezoelectric members 130. It is noted that a single electrode 140 may be connected to a single piezoelectric member 130 (as illustrated) or to more than one of the piezoelectric members 130. Also--two or more electrodes 140 may be connected to any single piezoelectric member 130 (e.g. for transferring of current via the piezoelectric member 130, thereby applying an electric field onto the respective piezoelectric member 130).
[0062] Each of the one or more electrodes 140 is operable to transfer to the at least one piezoelectric member 130 a sequences of electric fields, thereby controllably inducing movement of the moving element 110 for creating the physical effect. It is noted that the one or more electrodes may be connected to a power source and/or to a controller, from which electric voltages may be applied to the electrodes for generating the electric fields straining the one or more piezoelectric members 130.
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This is all very interesting, and clearly underlines the quality of the science that is behind the device. I am impressed - again.
AKP Price at posting:
$18.50 Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
(20min delay)