Patents Examined by Derek J Rosenau
  • Patent number: 11689172
    Abstract: A bonded body includes a supporting substrate, a silicon oxide layer provided on the supporting substrate, and a piezoelectric material substrate provided on the silicon oxide layer and composed of a material selected from the group consisting of lithium niobate, lithium tantalate and lithium niobate-lithium tantalate. An average value of a nitrogen concentration of the silicon oxide layer is higher than a nitrogen concentration at an interface between the silicon oxide layer and supporting substrate and higher than a nitrogen concentration at an interface between the silicon oxide layer and piezoelectric material substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Hori, Takahiro Yamadera, Tatsuro Takagaki
  • Patent number: 11689122
    Abstract: A nonlinear magnetic force-based arched piezoelectric ceramic energy harvesting deceleration strip, which comprises an outer case and an internal generating mechanism. The outer case structure comprises an upper deceleration strip and a casing. The casing is embedded in the pavement structure by excavating the upper part of surface course. A rebounding mechanism is located between the upper deceleration strip and casing to restore the pressed upper deceleration strip. Features: the generating mechanism comprises a rack, a gear set and generating discs. The rack is disposed at the bottom of the upper deceleration strip and moving up and down therewith. The rack can drive the gear set to generate acceleration, and the transmission shafts drive the left and right generating discs to rotate. The gear set is combined with three transmission shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Wenhou University
    Inventors: Jun Wang, Zhiming Liu, Yaguang Ding, Yuanqiang Cai, Hongtao Fu, Peng Wang, Guohui Yuan, Junfeng Ni, Ziyang Ggao
  • Patent number: 11656355
    Abstract: For direct chip-on-array for a multi-dimensional transducer array, the generally rigid and conductive dematching layer is extended beyond a footprint of the transducer array. The ASIC is directly connected to the dematching layer on one side, while the other side provides for electrical connection to the elements of the array and I/O pads for connections (e.g., flex-to-dematching layer) to the ultrasound imaging system. By using the dematching layer rigidity, the ASIC may be protected during formation of the acoustic stack. By using the dematching layer conductivity, any mis-alignment is compensated by the routing through the dematching layer, and/or a large flat region is provided for I/O, allowing for good low temperature asperity contact connections with larger area than flip-chip solder bumps. By providing the I/O for the system connections on a different side of the dematching layer than the ASIC, a large keep-out distance due to underfill may be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Baik Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 11652463
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave resonator device comprises a substrate supporting: a gateable, electrically conducting layer; an interdigital transducer (IDT); a reflector grating that comprises a plurality of electrically separated fingers; a main ohmic contact; and a gate element. The IDT is configured to be connectable to a ground. The conducting layer is configured to be connectable to the ground via the main ohmic contact, while each of said fingers is electrically connected to a lateral side of the conducting layer. This defines a gateable channel, which extends from the fingers to the ground via the conducting layer and the main ohmic contact. The gate element is electrically insulated from the conducting layer. The gate element is configured to allow an electrical impedance of the gateable channel to be continuously tuned by applying a voltage bias to this gate element with respect to the ground, in operation of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sergej Markmann, Gian R. von Salis
  • Patent number: 11641186
    Abstract: A quartz crystal resonator includes a quartz crystal resonator element, a thermistor, and a package base having a first principal surface and a second principal surface having an opposed surface relationship with each other, the quartz crystal resonator element is mounted on the first principal surface side, the thermistor is housed in a recessed section of the second principal surface side of the package base, a plurality of electrode terminals connected to the quartz crystal resonator element or the thermistor is disposed on the second principal surface side of the package base, and a distance in a first direction perpendicular to the first principal surface from a mounting surface of the electrode terminals to the thermistor is equal to or longer than 0.05 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Inventor: Go Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11623245
    Abstract: A vibrating piezoelectric atomizer comprising: a piezoelectric tube having a length, a first end defining an opening and a second end, the second end of the piezoelectric transducer tubular body is connected to a horn; the horn is dimensioned to be half wavelength resonator; the horn is folded and located alongside the piezoelectric tube; a metallic disk is connected to the horn near the first end of the piezoelectric tube, whereby by applying an alternating voltage across electrodes of the piezoelectric tube, the piezoelectric tube is excited into a resonant vibration when frequency of excitation equals to half wavelength resonant frequency of the piezoelectric tube's length and vibrates in synchronism and is communicated to the metallic disk to atomize a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Inventors: David Wuchinich, Liat Keng Kang, William Tan
  • Patent number: 11621390
    Abstract: A contact sensor for the repeatable detection of small, high frequency mechanical vibrations in external systems is presented herein. The sensor includes a metal housing with an attachment device at one end and an output at the other end. Inside the metal housing is a core assembly that includes a piezo transducer assembly suspended or isolated between an actuator and a biasing device. The actuator may be in the form of a ceramic sphere that sits at least partially within a recess on the inside of the housing and is in physical contact with the piezo transducer assembly. The biasing device may be in the form of a spring that causes the piezo transducer assembly to be pressed against the actuator at a contestant and known amount of tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: CTRL Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Henry Roche, David Andrew Roche, Robert Matthew Roche
  • Patent number: 11621692
    Abstract: An elastic wave device includes an interdigital transducer electrode, a dielectric film, and a frequency adjustment film are disposed on a LiNbO3 substrate. When Euler Angles of the LiNbO3 substrate are within a range of about 0°±5°, within a range of about ?±1.5°, within a range of about 0°±10°, the interdigital transducer electrode includes a main electrode, a film thickness of the main electrode normalized by a wavelength determined in accordance with an electrode finger pitch of the interdigital transducer electrode is denoted as T, and a density ratio of a material of the main electrode to Pt is denoted as r, the film thickness of the main electrode and ? of the Euler Angles satisfy ?=?0.05°/(T/r?0.04)+31.35°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masakazu Mimura
  • Patent number: 11618057
    Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses directed at localized haptic feedback in electronic devices using pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) and piezoelectric haptic actuators. In aspects, an electronic device includes a housing having a frame defining a slot. An actuator is adhered to the frame at the bottom of the slot by the PSA. When a force is applied to an exterior surface of the actuator (“button press”), the PSA compresses and an extending member attached to the actuator, opposite the exterior surface, slidably moves within an aperture in the frame at the bottom of the slot. The extending member engages a sensor module (e.g., piezoelectric sensor) and the electronic device registers a button press. The sensor module then applies haptic feedback to the extending member and through the actuator to the exterior surface. When the force is removed from the actuator's exterior surface, the PSA expands to an approximate original thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Joshua Acosta, Ryan Joseph Yund
  • Patent number: 11621389
    Abstract: Provided is a low frequency vibrating actuator device. The low frequency vibrating actuator device includes a substrate including a pair of connection electrodes, an actuator provided on the pair of connection electrodes to generate vibration, a support provided on the actuator, a vibration membrane provided on the support to vibrate according to the actuator, and a vibrating mass provided on the vibration membrane to vibrate according to the vibration membrane. The actuator includes a plurality of laminated insulating layers and internal electrodes that are alternately laminated between the insulating layers adjacent to each other, and a top surface of the support, which contacts the vibration membrane, has an area that is equal to or less than that of a bottom surface of the support, which contacts the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Kang-Ho Park, Seongdeok Ahn, Jong Tae Lim, Chan Woo Park, Ji-Young Oh
  • Patent number: 11618058
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vibration actuator device. The vibration actuator device includes a substrate, lower supports disposed on the substrate and spaced apart from each other in a first direction, an actuator disposed on the lower supports to generate a vibration having a first resonant frequency by an external power, a vibration plate disposed on the actuator to vibrate in accordance with the actuator, and a mass portion disposed on the vibration plate to vibrate in accordance with the actuator and the vibration plate. Here, each of the vibration plate and the mass portion has a second resonant frequency that is less than the first resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Kang-Ho Park, Hye Jin Kim, Seongwoo Cho
  • Patent number: 11622491
    Abstract: An electric controlled bi-directional bending actuator with deformability and stiffness tunable capacity is disclosed. The electric controlled bi-directional bending actuator with deformability and stiffness tunable capacity comprises three kinds of functional layers that are electro-deformable layers, electro-variable stiffness layers and flexible electrodes. From up to bottom, they are the first flexible electrodes layer, the first electro-deformable layer, the second flexible electrodes layer, the electro-variable stiffness layer, the third flexible electrode layer, the second electro-deformable layer and the fourth flexible electrode layer. The adjacent layers are glued together. The electro-deformable layer is made from dielectric elastomers. The electro-variable stiffness layer is made from electro-rheological materials, including electro-rheological fluids, electro-rheological gels or electro-rheological elastomers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Xufeng Dong, Bo Li, Ning Ma
  • Patent number: 11616191
    Abstract: An elastic wave device in which a recess is provided on an upper side of a support, a piezoelectric thin film covers the recess, and an IDT electrode is provided on an upper surface of the piezoelectric thin film. A plate wave of an S0 mode or SH0 mode is used. A plurality of grooves are provided in the upper surface or lower surface of the piezoelectric thin film at a portion of the piezoelectric thin film that is positioned on a hollow section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Kishimoto, Tetsuya Kimura
  • Patent number: 11607707
    Abstract: A vibration device includes a piezoelectric element, a vibration member to which the piezoelectric element is bonded, and a wiring member connected with the piezoelectric element. A method for vibrating the vibration device includes inputting a signal including a fundamental frequency component to the piezoelectric element through the wiring member, and vibrating the vibration device in a vibration mode that includes the fundamental frequency component and does not approximately include a high order frequency component that is n times (n represents an integer of 2 or more) the fundamental frequency component. The fundamental frequency component is lower than the resonance frequency component of the vibration device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru Kijima, Kazuki Saito
  • Patent number: 11606077
    Abstract: An elastic wave device includes a supporting substrate, an acoustic reflection layer on the supporting substrate, a piezoelectric layer on the acoustic reflection layer, and an IDT electrode on the piezoelectric layer. The acoustic reflection layer includes three or more low-acoustic impedance layers and two or more high-acoustic impedance layers. At least one of a first relationship in which in which, a film thickness of a first low-acoustic impedance layer closest to the piezoelectric layer is thinner than a film thickness of a low-acoustic impedance layer closest to the first low-acoustic impedance layer, and a second relationship in which a film thickness of a first high-acoustic impedance layer closest to the piezoelectric layer is thinner than a film thickness of a high-acoustic impedance layer closest to the first high-acoustic impedance layer, is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masakazu Mimura, Yutaka Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 11605773
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element driving circuit includes a boosting circuit, a driving circuit, a waveform shaping circuit, and a computing circuit. The driving circuit includes a differential amplifier circuit with an LPF, an amplifier circuit with a BPF, an inverter, a resistor, and a comparator. The driving circuit applies a driving signal to a piezoelectric element of a piezoelectric pump. The waveform shaping circuit extracts a voltage signal from the driving circuit. On the basis of the voltage signal, the waveform shaping circuit and the computing circuit determine a voltage value corresponding to driving current flowing through the piezoelectric element. The computing circuit outputs a control signal to the boosting circuit on the basis of the voltage value. The boosting circuit sets the value of a DC supply voltage on the basis of the control signal, and outputs the DC supply voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenjiro Okaguchi
  • Patent number: 11594671
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a substrate in which an opening section piercing through the substrate in a thickness direction is provided, a vibration plate provided on the substrate to close the opening section, a piezoelectric element provided in a position corresponding to the opening section on a first surface at the opposite side of the substrate side of the vibration plate, and an elastic layer provided in contact with a second surface at the substrate side of the vibration plate at the inner side of the opening section of the substrate. The elastic layer includes a curved surface recessed to the vibration plate side at the opposite side of the vibration plate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki, Chikara Kojima
  • Patent number: 11595019
    Abstract: An acoustic wave resonator includes: a support substrate; a piezoelectric substrate located on the support substrate; a first amorphous layer that is in contact with the support substrate and is mainly composed of one or more constituent elements of the support substrate; a second amorphous layer that is in contact with the piezoelectric substrate and the first amorphous layer, is mainly composed of one or more constituent elements of the piezoelectric substrate, and is thinner than the first amorphous layer; and a pair of comb-shaped electrodes that is located on an opposite surface of the piezoelectric substrate from the support substrate, each of the pair of comb-shaped electrodes including electrode fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Kakita, Osamu Kawachi, Rei Oikawa
  • Patent number: 11590533
    Abstract: An acoustic transducer, in particular for an ultrasonic sensor, is proposed. The acoustic transducer has a functional group, the functional group encompassing a diaphragm cup and at least one electroacoustic transducer element. The acoustic transducer furthermore has a housing. The diaphragm cup encompasses a vibration-capable diaphragm and an encircling wall, as well as at least one electroacoustic transducer element, the transducer element being embodied to excite the diaphragm to vibrate and/or to convert vibrations of the diaphragm into electrical signals. The diaphragm cup is constituted from a plastic material, the at least one transducer element being integrated into the vibration-capable diaphragm, the transducer element having an electrically active polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Henneberg, Andre Gerlach, Marko Liebler
  • Patent number: 11592017
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element drive circuit includes a piezoelectric element driven at a predetermined frequency and having a resonant frequency of (2n+1) times the predetermined frequency (n is a predetermined natural number), and a drive voltage generator that has a first output terminal connected to a first terminal of the piezoelectric element and a second output terminal connected to a second terminal of the piezoelectric element. When the piezoelectric element is driven, a waveform of potential difference between the first output terminal and the second output terminal is a step wave which transitions while taking an intermediate potential. A time length for which the potential difference is the intermediate potential is around (t2?t1)/(2n+1) in a period of time from time t1 at which the potential difference falls to the intermediate potential to time t2 at which the potential difference falls to the intermediate potential subsequently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kenjiro Okaguchi