Patent ID: 7638923

Claim:
A method for operating an injection valve having housing and at least the following components commonly disposed in the housing: a piezoelectric actuator for generating a stroke, a displaceable component to be displaced, and a hydraulic element forming a hydraulic bearing for play compensation between the housing and the piezoelectric actuator, the method which comprises: biasing the actuator with a bias voltage having a polarity opposing a preferred polarity of the actuator, to thereby cause a preliminary contraction of the actuator and a corresponding increase in a height of the hydraulic bearing; and applying a drive voltage to the actuator, the drive voltage having a polarity corresponding to the preferred polarity of the actuator, to thereby generate a stroke of the displaceable component greater than the preliminary contraction of the actuator and having a value defined by a voltage-driven expansion of the actuator and the increase in the height of the hydraulic bearing.