Patent ID: 7860259

Claim:
A piezoelectric acoustic element using a piezoelectric element as a vibration source, comprising: a hollow casing having at least one opening and a side wall; a diaphragm provided at the opening of said casing; said side wall extending in a direction normal to a plane of the opening and normal to a surface of the diaphragm; and a piezoelectric element disposed in said casing, and attached at one end of said piezoelectric element in a longitudinal direction to said side wall of said casing by a first support member, and attached at a second end of said piezoelectric element in a longitudinal direction to said side wall of said casing by a second support member for pivotal movement with respect to said first and second support members about an axis through said first and second support members, respectively, and that bends about said axis when a voltage is applied thereto; wherein said first support member has a coefficient of elasticity that is different from a coefficient of elasticity of said second support member, wherein said piezoelectric element has a laminated structure in which conductive layers and piezoelectric material layers are alternately laminated, and wherein said piezoelectric element and said diaphragm are joined through a vibration transmitting member.