Patent ID: 7429817

Claim:
A multilayer piezoelectric element comprising: a multilayer ceramic body having a stacked structure in which piezoelectric layers made of piezoelectric material and a plurality of inner electrode layers of an electrical conductivity are alternately stacked; and a pair of outer electrodes placed on a pair of electrode connecting surfaces in outer circumference surfaces of the multilayer ceramic body so that the outer electrodes are electrically connected alternately to a plurality of the inner electrode layers, wherein each outer electrode comprises: a fixed part electrically contacted with the corresponding electrode connecting surface through connecting material of electrical conductivity having a smaller width than a width of the outer electrode; a free part having a plurality of openings, which does not contact with the connecting material and is expandable in a stacked direction of the multilayer ceramic body; and a rigid part of not contacting with the connecting material, and whose sectional area is larger in the width direction of the outer electrode than that of each of the fixed part and the free part, wherein each outer electrode has at least a part where the fixed part, the free part and the rigid part are arranged in order.