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: 20120069103
    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: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi MOROZUMI, Jiro KATO, Satoshi DENDA, Ichiro ASAOKA
  • Publication number: 20120062073
    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: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromu MIYAZAWA, Jiro KATO
  • Publication number: 20120030915
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a piezoelectric element includes: forming a first conductive layer upon a substrate; forming a piezoelectric layer upon the first conductive layer; forming a second conductive layer upon the piezoelectric layer; forming a third conductive layer upon the second conductive layer; forming a first portion, a second portion, and an opening portion provided between the first portion and the second portion by patterning the third conductive layer; forming a resist layer that covers the opening portion and covers the edges of the first portion and the second portion that face the opening portion side; and forming a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion configured from the first portion and the second portion, and forming a third conductive portion configured from the second conductive layer, by dry-etching the second conductive layer using the first portion, the second portion, and the resist layer as a mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro Shimizu, Jiro Kato, Eiju Hirai, Hiroshi Ito
  • Publication number: 20120007929
    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: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiju Hirai, Hiroshi Ito, Toshihiro Shimizu, Jiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20120005871
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric element includes a process for forming a first conductive layer, a process for forming a piezoelectric layer having a region serving as an active region, a process for forming a second conductive layer, which overlaps with the region, a process for forming a third conductive layer, which overlaps with the region, on the second conductive layer, a process for forming an opening portion that divides the third conductive layer into a first portion and a second portion, a process for forming a resist layer that covers the opening portion and a peripheral portion at the side of the opening portion of the first portion and the second portion; a process for etching the third conductive layer to form a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion, and a process for etching the second conductive layer to form a third conductive portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiju HIRAI, Hiroshi ITO, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Jiro KATO
  • Publication number: 20120007928
    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: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiju Hirai, Hiroshi Ito, Toshihiro Shimizu, Jiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8083330
    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: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Morozumi, Jiro Kato, Satoshi Denda, Ichiro Asaoka
  • Patent number: 8080924
    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: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Jiro Kato
  • Patent number: 8079677
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a pressure generating chamber that is communicated with a nozzle opening and a piezoelectric element includes a first electrode formed above the pressure generating chamber, a piezoelectric layer formed above the first electrode, and a second electrode formed above the piezoelectric layer. In addition, an amorphous layer including an amorphous material is formed on a surface of the piezoelectric layer at the second electrode side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Morozumi, Jiro Kato, Satoshi Denda, Ichiro Asaoka
  • Publication number: 20110261120
    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: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Hiroshi ITO, Jiro KATO, Eiju HIRAI
  • Patent number: 7992973
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a pressure generating chamber communicating with a nozzle opening, and a piezoelectric element generating a pressure change in the pressure generating chamber. In this liquid ejecting head, the piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer provided above the first electrode, and a second electrode provided above the piezoelectric layer at a side opposite to the first electrode. The first electrode has a diffusion-preventing layer containing iridium oxide as a primary component, and the diffusion-preventing layer has stress relieving holes that pass through in the thickness direction thereof and that is filled with a material other than iridium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Morozumi, Jiro Kato, Satoshi Denda, Ichiro Asaoka
  • Publication number: 20110169896
    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: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Hiroshi Ito, Jiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20110169898
    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: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jiro KATO, Toshiki HARA, Hiroaki TAMURA, Satoshi DENDA, Koichi MOROZUMI
  • Publication number: 20110164093
    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: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jiro KATO, Satoshi DENDA, Yoko MIYAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20110148991
    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: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromu MIYAZAWA, Hiroshi ITO, Jiro KATO, Toshihiro Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20110148990
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a flow channel forming substrate having pressure generation chambers 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 chambers, 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, the first electrode includes a taper section of which a width is gradually decreased toward the boundary from the active section side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromu MIYAZAWA, Hiroshi ITO, Jiro KATO, Eiju HIRAI, Toshihiro SHIMIZU
  • Publication number: 20110148992
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes: a base substrate; a lower electrode formed above the base substrate; a piezoelectric layer that is formed above the lower electrode, and formed from a perovskite type oxide; and an upper electrode formed above the piezoelectric layer, wherein the piezoelectric layer is oriented to (100) crystal orientation in the pseudo-cubic crystal expression, and a crystal of the perovskite type oxide in a direction parallel to a lower surface of the piezoelectric layer has a lattice constant greater than a lattice constant of the crystal of the perovskite type oxide in a direction orthogonal to the lower surface of the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromu MIYAZAWA, Taku AOYAMA, Jiro KATO, Koji OHASHI
  • Patent number: 7950782
    Abstract: A droplet discharging head includes a substrate, a cavity section positioned on a first surface side of the substrate, a piezoelectric thin film positioned on a second surface side of the substrate and disposed in an area opposing the cavity section, a cover section positioned on the first surface side of the substrate, and disposed covering the cavity section, the cover section having a through-hole, and a groove positioned on the second surface side of the substrate and disposed in a direction extending along an edge of the piezoelectric thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Jiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20110069124
    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: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ichiro ASAOKA, Jiro KATO
  • Publication number: 20110063376
    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: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi MOROZUMI, Toshiki HARA, Jiro KATO, Satoshi DENDA