Patent ID: 7983008

Claim:
A piezoelectric actuated suspension with passive damping, comprising: a base plate, a suspension, connected to the base plate by a hinge, a first viscoelastic damping layer, and a first piezoelectric element, on the first viscoelastic damping layer, a second viscoelastic damping layer, and a second piezoelectric element, on the second viscoelastic damping layer, a first edge element, connecting a first end of the first piezoelectric element to a top face of the suspension, a second edge element, connecting a second end of the first piezoelectric element to a top face of the base plate, a third edge element, connecting a first end of the second piezoelectric element to the top face of the suspension, and a fourth edge element, connecting a second end of the second piezoelectric element to the top face of the base plate; wherein the hinge is positioned between the first and second piezoelectric elements such that actuation of the piezoelectric elements causes the suspension to pivot about the hinge, the first viscoelastic damping layer is between the first piezoelectric element and the top face of the suspension, and the second viscoelastic damping layer is between the second piezoelectric element and the top face of the suspension.