Patents by Inventor Jiro Kato

Jiro Kato has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20140104345
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric device comprising a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer that is formed above the first electrode, a second electrode that is formed above the piezoelectric layer and a coating layer that is formed above the second electrode consisting of tungsten or titanium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Hiroshi ITO, Jiro KATO, Eiju HIRAI
  • Patent number: 8636341
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a flow channel forming substrate having a pressure generation chamber communicating with a nozzle opening and arranged in parallel along a lateral direction. A piezoelectric element is provided on one surface of the flow channel forming substrate in correspondence to the pressure generation chamber, and has a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer provided on the first electrode and a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer. In a direction intersecting with the arrangement direction of the pressure generation chamber, in boundaries between an active section that is a substantial driving section and an inactive section that is not a substantial driving section of the piezoelectric layer of the first electrode, an opening group is provided including at least one opening in the active section and the inactive section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Hiroshi Ito, Jiro Kato, Toshihiro Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20140002550
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head comprises a pressure generation chamber communicating with a nozzle opening, a vibrating wall provided as one surface of the pressure generation chamber and vibrates so that ejects the liquid from the nozzle opening, and a resin portion having a recessed arc-shape and formed in a corner of the pressure generation chamber and formed of a resin material having a Young's modulus of less than or equal to 10 GPa. A ratio r/w of a radius r of the surface of the resin portion to a width w of the pressure generation chamber defined by the vibrating wall is greater than or equal to 0.017 and less than or equal to 0.087.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi ITO, Yasumi Ikehara, Jiro Kato, Hiroyuki Tomimatsu
  • Patent number: 8573751
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer disposed to face the first conductive layer, and a piezoelectric layer disposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer and composed of a compound oxide containing at least lead, zirconium, titanium, and oxygen. The piezoelectric layer includes a lead concentration gradient region in which the lead concentration increases from the first conductive layer side to the second conductive layer side. The lead concentration gradient region is disposed on the first conductive layer side of the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Morozumi, Toshiki Hara, Jiro Kato, Satoshi Denda
  • Patent number: 8567919
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer facing the first conductive layer, and a piezoelectric layer between the first and second conductive layers, composed of a compound oxide containing at least lead, zirconium, titanium, and oxygen. The piezoelectric layer includes a first crystal layer on the first conductive layer side of the piezoelectric layer and a second crystal layer continued from the first crystal layer, nearer to the second conductive layer side than the first crystal layer. In the piezoelectric layer, the lead concentration in the first conductive layer side of the first crystal layer is lower than that in the second conductive layer side of the second crystal layer. In the piezoelectric layer, the oxygen concentration in the first conductive layer side of the first crystal layer is higher than that in the second conductive layer side of the second crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Morozumi, Toshiki Hara, Jiro Kato, Satoshi Denda
  • Patent number: 8550602
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head comprises a pressure generation chamber communicating with a nozzle opening, a vibrating wall provided as one surface of the pressure generation chamber and vibrates so that ejects the liquid from the nozzle opening, and a resin portion having a recessed arc-shape and formed in a corner of the pressure generation chamber and formed of a resin material having a Young's modulus of less than or equal to 10 GPa. A ratio r/w of a radius r of the surface of the resin portion to a width w of the pressure generation chamber defined by the vibrating wall is greater than or equal to 0.017 and less than or equal to 0.087.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ito, Yasumi Ikehara, Jiro Kato, Hiroyuki Tomimatsu
  • Patent number: 8534802
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a fluid channel forming substrate including a pressure generating chamber communicating with a nozzle opening that ejects a liquid droplet and a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element has a first electrode, a piezoelectric material layer that is provided on the first electrode and has a perovskite monoclinic structure, and a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric material layer opposite to the first electrode. An angle formed between a direction of an electric field generated between the first and second electrodes and an orientation of a polarization moment of the piezoelectric material layer is greater than an angle formed between the direction of the electric field at a time when the piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material layer reaches a maximum level and the orientation of the polarization moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Hiroshi Ito, Koichi Morozumi, Jiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8491104
    Abstract: A liquid-ejecting head includes a pressure-generating chamber communicatively connected to a nozzle opening and also includes a piezoelectric transducer including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer. The first electrode contains platinum and titanium oxide with a rutile content of 76.5 to 100 mole percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Morozumi, Jiro Kato, Satoshi Denda, Ichiro Asaoka
  • Patent number: 8491101
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element comprising a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer which contains lead, zirconium, and titanium, and which is formed above the first electrode, and a second electrode formed above the piezoelectric layer. A groove which exists between grains in the second electrode side surface of the piezoelectric layer, satisfies 0?d/??0.900 (where d: depth of groove, w: width of groove, ?: radius of curvature (d2+w2/4)/2d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jiro Kato, Satoshi Denda, Yoko Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8459782
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head having pressure chambers each communicating with a nozzle opening for liquid ejection and piezoelectric element having a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer consisting a perovskite oxide containing lead, zirconium, and titanium, and a second electrode. The piezoelectric layer has a carbon intensity ratio in the range of 8 to 28 in its inner region excluding the volume 20 nm in depth from the second electrodes. The carbon intensity ratio is defined as the ratio of the maximum carbon intensity to the minimum as measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry along the thickness of the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Asaoka, Jiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8461747
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a pressure-generating chamber which communicates with a nozzle opening, and a piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer formed above the first electrode and having a perovskite structure represented by the general formula ABO3, and a second electrode formed above the piezoelectric layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer, lead, zirconium, and titanium are present at A sites of the perovskite structure, and lead, zirconium, and titanium are present at B sites of the perovskite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Jiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8459783
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head comprising: a pressure chamber substrate where pressure chambers that communicates with nozzle holes are provided, and a piezoelectric element including a first conductive layer, a piezoelectric material layer, and a second conductive layer, wherein the piezoelectric element has an overlap area that overlaps the pressure chamber, the first conductive layer, the piezoelectric material layer, and the second conductive layer, wherein the second conductive layers overlap a plurality of the pressure chambers continuously, wherein, the first conductive layer is provided in each of the overlap areas and has an end portion area at one end side of the overlap area in the longitudinal direction, and wherein a width of the end portion area gets narrow in the lateral direction as the end portion area directs to the end of the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiju Hirai, Hiroshi Ito, Toshihiro Shimizu, Jiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8449084
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head comprising a flow-channel-containing substrate having pressure generating chambers communicating a nozzle opening and a piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer formed above the first electrode, and a second electrode formed above the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer includes an active portion which is substantially driven, a non-active portion which is not substantially driven, and a low dielectric material layer which has a dielectric constant lower than that of a center portion of the active portion and which is in the active portion side of the boundary between the active portion and the non-active portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Hiroshi Ito, Jiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8376527
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element comprising a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer which is composed of a metal oxide containing lead, zirconium and titanium and which formed above the first electrode, and a second electrode formed above the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer has negatively charged Pb—O complex defects and positively charged Pb—O complex defects, the concentration of the negatively charged Pb—O complex defects being higher than the concentration of the positively charged Pb—O complex defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jiro Kato, Toshiki Hara, Hiroaki Tamura, Satoshi Denda, Koichi Morozumi
  • Publication number: 20130027470
    Abstract: The liquid ejecting head includes a nozzle plate in which nozzle holes which are through holes are formed, and ejects liquid from the nozzle holes. The nozzle hole has a first nozzle portion which is opened to an ejection surface to which liquid is ejected from nozzles of the nozzle plate, and a second nozzle portion which communicates with the first nozzle portion, and is opened to a surface opposite to the ejection surface of the nozzle plate, and of which the opening diameter is larger than the opening diameter in the ejection surface of the first nozzle portion. The first nozzle portion is covered with a liquid repellent film which has higher liquid repellency than a base material of the nozzle plate and an inner wall of the second nozzle portion is provided with a region which has lower liquid repellency than the liquid repellent film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jiro KATO, Ichiro ASAOKA, Mitsuhiro WADA, Satoshi DENDA
  • Patent number: 8262202
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a pressure generating chamber that communicates with a nozzle opening that ejects liquid and a piezoelectric element that generates a pressure change in the pressure generating chamber. The piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric body layer that is formed on the first electrode which includes a grain-shaped region, and a second electrode that is formed on a side of the piezoelectric body layer that is opposite to the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Morozumi, Jiro Kato, Satoshi Denda, Ichiro Asaoka
  • Patent number: 8262203
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head comprising: a pressure generating chamber substrate having pressure generating chambers; and a piezoelectric element including first conductive layer, piezoelectric layer, and a second conductive layer provided above the pressure generating chamber substrate, wherein the piezoelectric element includes overlapped areas where the pressure generating chamber and the piezoelectric element overlap one another in plan view, the first conductive layer has a longitudinal direction in a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and are provided for each of the overlapped areas, the second conductive layer is provided continuously so as to overlap with a plurality of the pressure generating chambers and includes end areas on the side of the ends of the overlapped areas in the first direction, and the end areas are each reduced in width in the second direction as it goes toward the end in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Inventors: Eiju Hirai, Hiroshi Ito, Toshihiro Shimizu, Jiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20120182360
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head comprises a pressure generation chamber communicating with a nozzle opening, a vibrating wall provided as one surface of the pressure generation chamber and vibrates so that ejects the liquid from the nozzle opening, and a resin portion having a recessed arc-shape and formed in a corner of the pressure generation chamber and formed of a resin material having a Young's modulus of less than or equal to 10 GPa. A ratio r/w of a radius r of the surface of the resin portion to a width w of the pressure generation chamber defined by the vibrating wall is greater than or equal to 0.017 and less than or equal to 0.087.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ito, Yasumi Ikehara, Jiro Kato, Hiroyuki Tomimatsu
  • Patent number: 8210662
    Abstract: A liquid-ejecting head including a pressure-generating chamber communicating with an nozzle, and a piezoelectric element having a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer arranged above the first electrode, and a second electrode arranged above the piezoelectric layer. An internal electric field in the piezoelectric layer is biased toward the first electrode or the second electrode and no voltage is applied to the first electrode or the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Hiroshi Ito, Koichi Morozumi, Jiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8141991
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a pressure generating chamber that communicates with a nozzle opening and a piezoelectric element that includes: a first electrode; a piezoelectric body layer that is formed on the first electrode and which has a perovskite structure with a general formula of ABO3, and a second electrode that is formed the piezoelectric body layer. There is lead in a B site of the piezoelectric body layer, and the peak position of A1(3LO) for a Raman shift of the piezoelectric body layer that is acquired by Raman scattering is 710 cm?1 to 712 cm?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jiro Kato, Satoshi Denda, Ichiro Asaoka