Patents by Inventor Masayuki Uetani

Masayuki Uetani 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: 20240107678
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bonded substrate includes: preparing one or plurality of products to be bonded, each including a brazing material layer and a copper plate laminated on both main surfaces of a ceramic substrate, laminating, one or a plurality of products bonded and a pair of clamping members that clamp them while providing a mold releasing layer between each thereof, heating the one or the plurality of products while pressing the one or the plurality of products in the pair of clamping members to obtain the one or the plurality of bonded substrates in which the ceramic substrate and the copper plate are bonded with a bonding layer, and removing the mold releasing layer from the bonded substrate by dissolving a portion in contact with the mold releasing layer of the copper plate included in the bonded substrate by wet etching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Kota KITAJIMA, Takahiko HONDA, Kazutaka NAKAO, Masayuki UETANI, Izumi MASUDA, Akihiro URANO
  • Patent number: 11515470
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a piezoelectric element in which a piezoelectric body substrate piece is subjected to polarization treatment and a piezoelectric element is produced. The method includes a first step in which the piezoelectric body substrate piece is held on a flat plate-shaped slightly adhesive sheet and a second step in which voltage is applied to the piezoelectric body substrate piece held on the slightly adhesive sheet and the piezoelectric body substrate piece is subjected to polarization treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Obata, Masayuki Uetani, Ryusuke Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11262394
    Abstract: Provided is a method for inspecting a piezoelectric element in which voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element and evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the piezoelectric element is performed. The method includes a first step in which the piezoelectric element is held on a flat plate-shaped slightly adhesive sheet and a second step in which voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element held on the slightly adhesive sheet and evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the piezoelectric element is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Obata, Masayuki Uetani, Ryusuke Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10897003
    Abstract: An opposite-side dielectric ceramic layer is in contact with a first opposite-surface electrode layer and a second opposite-surface electrode layer. A mounting-side dielectric ceramic layer is in contact with a first mounting-surface electrode layer and a second mounting-surface electrode layer. A mounting-side inner electrode layer is separated from the first mounting-surface electrode layer and the second mounting-surface electrode layer by the mounting-side dielectric ceramic layer, disposed on the mounting-side dielectric ceramic layer, extending from a first side-surface electrode layer, and separated from a second side-surface electrode layer. In a cross-sectional view including a lamination direction and a length direction, a position in which the second mounting-surface electrode layer has a maximum thickness is shifted toward a second side surface in the length direction with respect to a position in which the second opposite-surface electrode layer has a maximum thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Uetani
  • Patent number: 10790437
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric body having a main phase configured by lead zirconate titanate and a heterogenous phase configured by a different component to lead zirconate titanate, and a pair of electrodes provided on the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body has a surface region within 10 ?m of a surface, and an inner region more than 10 ?m from the surface. A surface area coverage of the heterogenous phase in a cross section of the surface region is at least 0.75% greater than a surface area coverage of the heterogenous phase in a cross section of the inner region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Uetani, Tomohiko Hibino, Akifumi Morishita
  • Patent number: 10749099
    Abstract: The piezoelectric element comprises a piezoelectric body extending in a lateral direction and a first and second electrodes that are provided on the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body has an active portion sandwiched between the first and second electrodes in a thickness direction that is vertical to the lateral direction, and an inactive portion connected to the active portion in the lateral direction. The first electrode has an active electrode portion disposed on the active portion. The active electrode portion includes an interface region that is adjacent to the interface of the active portion and the inactive portion in the lateral direction, and an inner region that is separated from the interface of the active portion and the inactive portion in the lateral direction. The cross sectional surface area per unit length of the interface region in the cross section of the active electrode portion is greater than the cross sectional area per unit length of the inner region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Uetani, Takatomo Ogata, Akifumi Morishita
  • Publication number: 20200212288
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a piezoelectric element in which a piezoelectric body substrate piece is subjected to polarization treatment and a piezoelectric element is produced. The method includes a first step in which the piezoelectric body substrate piece is held on a flat plate-shaped slightly adhesive sheet and a second step in which voltage is applied to the piezoelectric body substrate piece held on the slightly adhesive sheet and the piezoelectric body substrate piece is subjected to polarization treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki OBATA, Masayuki UETANI, Ryusuke IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20200209302
    Abstract: Provided is a method for inspecting a piezoelectric element in which voltage is applied to a piezoelectric element and evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the piezoelectric element is performed. The method includes a first step in which the piezoelectric element is held on a flat plate-shaped slightly adhesive sheet and a second step in which voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element held on the slightly adhesive sheet and evaluation of the electrical characteristics of the piezoelectric element is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Obata, Masayuki Uetani, Ryusuke Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20200020844
    Abstract: An opposite-side dielectric ceramic layer is in contact with a first opposite-surface electrode layer and a second opposite-surface electrode layer. A mounting-side dielectric ceramic layer is in contact with a first mounting-surface electrode layer and a second mounting-surface electrode layer. A mounting-side inner electrode layer is separated from the first mounting-surface electrode layer and the second mounting-surface electrode layer by the mounting-side dielectric ceramic layer, disposed on the mounting-side dielectric ceramic layer, extending from a first side-surface electrode layer, and separated from a second side-surface electrode layer. In a cross-sectional view including a lamination direction and a length direction, a position in which the second mounting-surface electrode layer has a maximum thickness is shifted toward a second side surface in the length direction with respect to a position in which the second opposite-surface electrode layer has a maximum thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Masayuki Uetani
  • Patent number: 9950965
    Abstract: A ceramic element includes: a ceramic body; a first coating layer disposed on a first part of a front surface of the ceramic body; and a second coating layer disposed on a second part of a back surface of the ceramic body. The first coating layer continuously extends from the front surface to a first region of a side surface of the ceramic body, the side surface being a machined surface, and the first region being a front side region of the side surface. The second coating layer continuously extends from the back surface to a second region of the side surface of the ceramic body, the second region being a back side region of the side surface. In the machined surface, one of the first and second coating layers is disposed at least partially on the other of the first and second coating layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Uetani, Masaki Hattori
  • Patent number: 9935253
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device is a fired body including a body part 10 and external electrodes 21 and 22. A surface of the side electrode 22 is comprised only of a material for the side electrode 22. On a surface of the surface electrode 21 or a surface of a connection portion where the surface electrode 21 and the side electrode 22 are connected to each other, a protrusion h extending along a direction along which the connection portion extends and sticking out in a thickness direction of the surface electrode 21 is provided. A region, on the surface of the surface electrode 21, farther from the connection portion than the protrusion h is interspersed with a plurality of exposed portions in each of which a surface of a ceramic material having lower solder wettability than a material for the surface electrode 21 is exposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Uetani, Takaaki Koizumi, Izumi Masuda, Takeshi Kaku
  • Publication number: 20170288126
    Abstract: The piezoelectric element comprises a piezoelectric body extending in a lateral direction and a first and second electrodes that are provided on the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body has an active portion sandwiched between the first and second electrodes in a thickness direction that is vertical to the lateral direction, and an inactive portion connected to the active portion in the lateral direction. The first electrode has an active electrode portion disposed on the active portion. The active electrode portion includes an interface region that is adjacent to the interface of the active portion and the inactive portion in the lateral direction, and an inner region that is separated from the interface of the active portion and the inactive portion in the lateral direction. The cross sectional surface area per unit length of the interface region in the cross section of the active electrode portion is greater than the cross sectional area per unit length of the inner region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki UETANI, Takatomo OGATA, Akifumi MORISHITA
  • Publication number: 20170288129
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric body having a main phase configured by lead zirconate titanate and a heterogenous phase configured by a different component to lead zirconate titanate, and a pair of electrodes provided on the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body has a surface region within 10 ?m of a surface, and an inner region more than 10 ?m from the surface. A surface area coverage of the heterogenous phase in a cross section of the surface region is at least 0.75% greater than a surface area coverage of the heterogenous phase in a cross section of the inner region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki UETANI, Tomohiko HIBINO, Akifumi MORISHITA
  • Publication number: 20170092835
    Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric device which has high reliability for the joint between an external electrode and low-melting-point solder. This piezoelectric device is a fired body including a main body part and an external electrode. The external electrode includes a surface electrode that covers upper and lower surfaces of the main body part, and a side-surface electrode that covers a side surface of the main body part and makes a connection to the surface electrode. This piezoelectric device is obtained by co-firing all of constituent members. The surface electrode is configured to include platinum (Pt) or palladium (Pd). The side-surface electrode is also configured to include platinum (Pt) or palladium (Pd). In addition, the side-surface electrode contains gold (Au). The content ratio of gold in the side-surface electrode is preferably 3 to 20 weight %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki UETANI, Takeshi KAKU, Yuhji UMEDA
  • Patent number: 9505201
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a ceramic device is provided including fixing a ceramic substrate to a reinforcing plate via a sacrifice layer, forming a groove, which penetrates the ceramic substrate and the sacrifice layer and reaches the reinforcing plate, on an upper surface of the ceramic substrate to divide the ceramic substrate into plural ceramic substrates, and removing the sacrifice layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Uetani, Takao Ohnishi, Takeshi Kaku
  • Publication number: 20160099400
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device is a fired body including a body part 10 and external electrodes 21 and 22. A surface of the side electrode 22 is comprised only of a material for the side electrode 22. On a surface of the surface electrode 21 or a surface of a connection portion where the surface electrode 21 and the side electrode 22 are connected to each other, a protrusion h extending along a direction along which the connection portion extends and sticking out in a thickness direction of the surface electrode 21 is provided. A region, on the surface of the surface electrode 21, farther from the connection portion than the protrusion h is interspersed with a plurality of exposed portions in each of which a surface of a ceramic material having lower solder wettability than a material for the surface electrode 21 is exposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Masayuki UETANI, Takaaki KOIZUMI, Izumi MASUDA, Takeshi KAKU
  • Patent number: 9246081
    Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a piezoelectric element, the method having a step of polarizing the fired piezoelectric body while fixing at least two positions in a direction perpendicular to the polarization direction. The method is a means for obtaining a piezoelectric element provided with a thin and flat fired piezoelectric body with no warpage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Ohnishi, Masayuki Uetani
  • Patent number: 9142750
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element is provided with a ceramic substrate including a first surface on which a groove is formed, and a first electrode formed on the first surface of the ceramic substrate and including a crossing part that extends over the groove. At least one void is formed between a bottom of the groove and the crossing part of the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Ohnishi, Hideki Shimizu, Masayuki Uetani
  • Publication number: 20140202629
    Abstract: A ceramic element includes: a ceramic body; a first coating layer disposed on a first part of a front surface of the ceramic body; and a second coating layer disposed on a second part of a back surface of the ceramic body. The first coating layer continuously extends from the front surface to a first region of a side surface of the ceramic body, the side surface being a machined surface, and the first region being a front side region of the side surface. The second coating layer continuously extends from the back surface to a second region of the side surface of the ceramic body, the second region being a back side region of the side surface. In the machined surface, one of the first and second coating layers is disposed at least partially on the other of the first and second coating layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki UETANI, Masaki HATTORI
  • Publication number: 20140027053
    Abstract: A provided method for manufacturing a ceramic device 62 includes fixing a ceramic substrate 10 to a reinforcing plate 20 via a sacrifice layer 30, forming a groove, which penetrates the ceramic substrate 10 and the sacrifice layer 30 and reaches the reinforcing plate 20, on an upper surface of the ceramic substrate 10 to divide the ceramic substrate 10 into plural ceramic substrates, and removing the sacrifice layer 30.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki UETANI, Takao OHNISHI, Takeshi KAKU