Piezoelectric Elements And Devices Patents (Class 310/311)
  • Patent number: 11973484
    Abstract: An acoustic resonator with a reinforcing structure is provided according to the present disclosure. The acoustic resonator includes a substrate and a cavity formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric layer is arranged above the substrate and an opening passing through the piezoelectric layer is formed in a peripheral region of the piezoelectric layer. The reinforcing structure includes a reinforcing layer, part of the reinforcing layer is formed at the edge of the opening with being fitted to the edge, to reinforce a resonant functional layer near the edge of the opening, which can reduce a change in stress of the piezoelectric layer and the lower electrode near the edge of the opening after the cavity is released, so that the piezoelectric layer and the lower electrode do not easily collapse due to stress, thereby ensuring the performance of a device. A method for manufacturing the same is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: HANGZHOU XINGHE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Linping Li, Jinghao Sheng, Zhou Jiang
  • Patent number: 11938574
    Abstract: Systems and apparatus are disclosed relating to improved fluid supply systems. In some examples, the improved fluid supply systems use an electrically controllable proportional valve and a surge prevention process to prevent a surge of pressurized fluid at the end of a welding-type operation. In particular, the surge prevention process may coordinate closure of the proportional valve and an on/off solenoid valve so that pressure in the fluid flow path can equalize to an ambient pressure after a welding operation (and/or a post flow operation) has ended. This coordination ensures that there is no pressure buildup and/or associated surge of fluid when the on/off solenoid valve is next opened (e.g., at the start of the next welding operation).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Michael Vincent Hoeger
  • Patent number: 11913847
    Abstract: Mechanoluminescent devices and articles, such as wearable articles, that include mechanoluminescent devices. The mechanoluminescent devices may have a lateral type architecture or a vertical type architecture. The mechanoluminescent devices may be sensors, including pressure sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Okenwa I. Okoli, Md Abu S. Shohag, Nirmal Adhikari
  • Patent number: 11890643
    Abstract: A PMUT includes a substrate, a stopper, and a multi-layered structure, where the substrate includes a corner, and a cavity is disposed in the substrate. The stopper is in contact with the corner of the substrate and the cavity. The multi-layered structure is disposed over the cavity and attached to the stopper and the multi-layered structure includes at least one through hole in contact with the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: You Qian, Joan Josep Giner de Haro, Rakesh Kumar, Jia Jie Xia
  • Patent number: 11885698
    Abstract: Mechanoluminescent devices and articles, such as wearable articles, that include mechanoluminescent devices. The mechanoluminescent devices may have a lateral type architecture or a vertical type architecture. The mechanoluminescent devices may be sensors, including pressure sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Okenwa I. Okoli, Md Abu S. Shohag, Nirmal Adhikari
  • Patent number: 11874186
    Abstract: Mechanoluminescent devices and articles, such as wearable articles, that include mechanoluminescent devices. The mechanoluminescent devices may have a lateral type architecture or a vertical type architecture. The mechanoluminescent devices may be sensors, including pressure sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Okenwa I. Okoli, Md Abu S. Shohag, Nirmal Adhikari
  • Patent number: 11824512
    Abstract: A through hole formed in an AT-cut crystal plate includes an inclined surface (72) that extends from a peripheral area toward a penetrating part (71) in a center part of the through hole. The inclined surface (72) includes: a first crystal surface S1 that extends from the penetrating part (71) toward the peripheral area of the through hole in a ?Z? and a +X directions; a second crystal surface S2 that extends from the penetrating part (71) toward the peripheral area of the through hole in the ?Z? and the +X directions and that contacts with the first crystal surface S1 in the +Z? and the +X directions of the first crystal surface S1; and a third crystal surface S3 that contacts with the second crystal surface S2 in the +X direction of the second crystal surface S2 and that contacts with the main surface of the AT-cut crystal plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11811336
    Abstract: A piezoelectric generator structure disposed between an upper platform and a lower platform that includes a lower piezoelectric pad, an upper piezoelectric pad, and a connecting shaft. The lower piezoelectric pad coupled to the upper piezoelectric pad via the connecting shaft, where the lower piezoelectric pad is configured to compress under a downward motion of the upper platform during a compression movement due to an additional load being applied to an existing load on a top surface of the upper platform, where the lower piezoelectric pad produces a first voltage due to the compression movement. The upper piezoelectric pad configured to compress under an upward motion of the upper platform during a rebound movement of the upper platform, where the upper piezoelectric pad produces a second voltage due to the rebound movement. The generator structure configured to provide the first and the second voltage to a coupled power storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William J Green, Cedric D. Cook, Myneeka Holloway, Jimmie Lamar Powell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11805700
    Abstract: There is provided a laminated substrate having a piezoelectric film, including: a substrate; a first electrode film provided on the substrate; and a piezoelectric film provided on the first electrode film, wherein an oxide film containing an oxide represented by a composition formula of RuOx or IrOx, is provided on the piezoelectric film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenji Shibata, Kazutoshi Watanabe, Fumimasa Horikiri
  • Patent number: 11788907
    Abstract: Mechanoluminescent devices and articles, such as wearable articles, that include mechanoluminescent devices. The mechanoluminescent devices may have a lateral type architecture or a vertical type architecture. The mechanoluminescent devices may be sensors, including pressure sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Okenwa I. Okoli, Md Abu S. Shohag, Nirmal Adhikari
  • Patent number: 11764751
    Abstract: A resonant member of a MEMS resonator oscillates in a mechanical resonance mode that produces non-uniform regional stresses such that a first level of mechanical stress in a first region of the resonant member is higher than a second level of mechanical stress in a second region of the resonant member. A plurality of openings within a surface of the resonant member are disposed more densely within the first region than the second region and at least partly filled with a compensating material that reduces temperature dependence of the resonant frequency corresponding to the mechanical resonance mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: SiTime Corporation
    Inventors: Paul M. Hagelin, Charles I. Grosjean
  • Patent number: 11736088
    Abstract: Devices and processes for preparing devices are described for reducing resonance of spurious waves in a bulk acoustic resonator and/or for obstructing propagation of lateral waves out of an active region of the bulk acoustic resonator. A first electrode is coupled to a first side of a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode is coupled to a second side of the piezoelectric layer to form a stack having the active region. The piezoelectric layer in the active region is configured to resonate in response to an electrical signal applied between the first electrode and the second electrode. One or more perforations in the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer and/or the second electrode, and/or one or more posts or beams supporting the stack, reduce resonance of spurious waves and obstruct propagation of lateral acoustic waves out of the active region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: GLOBAL COMMUNICATION SEMICONDUCTORS, LLC
    Inventors: Robert B. Stokes, Alvin M. Kong, Liping D. Hou, Dae-Jin Hyun, Shing-Kuo Wang
  • Patent number: 11722825
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display panel configured to display an image and a plurality of vibration generating devices on a rear surface of the display panel, the display panel being at least one of a vibration plate configured to output sound and a vibration plate configured to output a haptic vibration. Each of the plurality of vibration generating devices includes a first electrode under the display panel, a piezoelectric member under the first electrode, a damping member in a periphery the piezoelectric member, and a second electrode under the piezoelectric member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: YongWoo Lee, Chiwan Kim, Taeheon Kim, Sung-Eui Shin, Kyungyeol Ryu, YuSeon Kho, YongGyoon Jang, Yong-Su Ham, Sungwook Ko
  • Patent number: 11686918
    Abstract: An imaging lens driving module includes a base, a casing, a driving mechanism and a damping element. The base has an opening, and the casing has a central aperture corresponding to the opening. The casing includes a plastic frame portion and a metal structure portion. The plastic frame portion is coupled to the base. The metal structure portion has a plurality of pins extending towards the base. The driving mechanism is disposed in the casing. The driving mechanism is configured to drive the lens unit to move in a direction parallel to an optical axis. The damping element is connected to the pins and the lens unit. The metal structure portion is insert-molded with the plastic frame portion to form the casing. The pins are located closer to the optical axis than the other part of the metal structure portion to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: LARGAN DIGITAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Heng Yi Su, Ming-Ta Chou, Te-Sheng Tseng, Ming-Shun Chang
  • Patent number: 11678581
    Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric thin film device in which lattice mismatch between a piezoelectric thin film and a lower electrode layer (first electrode layer) is reduced. A piezoelectric thin film device 10 comprises a first electrode layer 6a and a piezoelectric thin film 2 laminated directly on the first electrode layer 6a; the first electrode layer 6a includes an alloy composed of two or more metal elements; the first electrode layer 6a has a face-centered cubic lattice structure; and the piezoelectric thin film 2 has a wurtzite structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11665483
    Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting ultrasonic waves, the apparatus including a microchip (300) for driving a resonant circuit and a resonant circuit which is at least one of an inductance (L) capacitance (C) circuit (LC tank), an antenna and a piezoelectric transducer. The microchip (300) is a single unit which includes a plurality of interconnected embedded components and subsystems including at least an oscillator (315), a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generator subsystem (329), an analogue to digital converter (ADC) subsystem (318) and a digital to analogue converter (DAC) subsystem (327).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Shaheen Innovations Holding Limited
    Inventor: Imad Lahoud
  • Patent number: 11656078
    Abstract: A sensor element includes a piezoelectric body and a plurality of electrodes. The piezoelectric body, when viewed on a plane, includes a base part and at least one arm part extending from the base part. The plurality of electrodes are located on a surface of the arm part. The piezoelectric body, when viewed on the plane, further includes a frame part which surrounds the base part and the at least one arm part and upon which the base part is bridged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Munetaka Soejima
  • Patent number: 11652425
    Abstract: A multi-axis MEMS assembly includes: a micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator configured to provide linear three-axis movement; and an optoelectronic device coupled to the micro-electrical-mechanical system (MEMS) actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: MEMS Drive (Nanjing) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Guiqin Wang, Xiaolei Liu
  • Patent number: 11653152
    Abstract: A microchip (300) for driving a resonant circuit, wherein the resonant circuit is an inductance (L) capacitance (C) circuit (LC tank), an antenna or a piezoelectric transducer, and wherein the microchip (300) is a single unit which includes a plurality of interconnected embedded components and subsystems including at least an oscillator (315), a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal generator subsystem (329), an analogue to digital converter (ADC) subsystem (318) and a digital to analogue converter (DAC) subsystem (327).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Shaheen Innovations Holding Limited
    Inventor: Imad Lahoud
  • Patent number: 11649352
    Abstract: A resin composition for an acoustic matching layer; an acoustic matching sheet formed from the composition; an acoustic wave probe; an acoustic wave measuring apparatus; a method for manufacturing an acoustic wave probe; and a material set, for an acoustic matching layer, that is suitable for preparation of the composition, in which the resin composition for an acoustic matching layer includes a binder including a resin; and metal particles having a monodispersity of 40% to 80%, wherein the monodispersity is calculated by equation (1): monodispersity (%)=(standard deviation of particle sizes of metal particles/average particle size of metal particles)×100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hamada, Yoshihiro Nakai
  • Patent number: 11623198
    Abstract: An ultrasound generation member according to an aspect of the present invention includes an ultrasound generation element configured to emit ultrasound in a direction of a target object in one specific container of a plurality of containers. An ultrasound emission device according to an aspect of the present invention includes the ultrasound generation member, and a drive power supply configured to apply voltage across the ultrasound generation element of the ultrasound generation member. An ultrasound emission device according to an aspect of the present invention includes the ultrasound generation member that includes, as the ultrasound generation element, a plurality of ultrasound generation elements, and a drive power supply configured to apply voltage across the plurality of ultrasound generation elements of the ultrasound generation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignees: OSAKA UNIVERSITY, CORONA ELECTRIC Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Goto, Hirotsugu Ogi, Masatomo So, Kensuke Ikenaka, Hideki Mochizuki, Shinichi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11612899
    Abstract: A method for isolating vibrations for centrifuge testing devices is provided. The method comprises coupling a test payload platform to a number of piezoelectric actuators and coupling the piezoelectric actuators to a reaction mass coupled to a centrifuge arm. A layer of vibration-absorbing material is sandwiched between the reaction mass and the centrifuge arm. The centrifuge arm is rotated around an axis, and the test payload platform is vibrated with the piezoelectric actuators as the centrifuge rotates, wherein the layer of vibration-absorbing material prevents vibrations from traveling down the centrifuge arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: David Michael Siler, Michael Edward Ferdinand
  • Patent number: 11614634
    Abstract: A MEMS actuator includes a monolithic body of semiconductor material, with a supporting portion of semiconductor material, orientable with respect to a first and second rotation axes, transverse to each other. A first frame of semiconductor material is coupled to the supporting portion through first deformable elements configured to control a rotation of the supporting portion about the first rotation axis. A second frame of semiconductor material is coupled to the first frame by second deformable elements, which are coupled between the first and the second frames and configured to control a rotation of the supporting portion about the second rotation axis. The first and second deformable elements carry respective piezoelectric actuation elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: STMicroelectronics S.r.l.
    Inventors: Domenico Giusti, Dario Paci
  • Patent number: 11610427
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer device for use in an acoustic biometric imaging system, the ultrasonic transducer device comprising: a first piezoelectric element having a first face, a second face opposite the first face, and side edges extending between the first face and the second face; a first transducer electrode on the first face of the first piezoelectric element; a second transducer electrode on the second face of the first piezoelectric element; and a spacer structure leaving at least a portion of the first transducer electrode of the first piezoelectric element uncovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: FINGERPRINT CARDS ANACATUM IP AB
    Inventor: Karl Lundahl
  • Patent number: 11600048
    Abstract: Example implementations may relate to methods and systems for detecting an event in a physical region within a physical space. Accordingly, a computing system may receive from a subscriber device an indication of a virtual region within a virtual representation of the physical space such that the virtual region corresponds to the physical region. The system may also receive from the subscriber a trigger condition associated with the virtual region, where the trigger condition corresponds to a particular physical change in the physical region. The system may also receive sensor data from sensors in the physical space and a portion of the sensor data may be associated with the physical region. Based on the sensor data, the system may detect an event in the physical region that satisfies the trigger condition and may responsively provide to the subscriber a notification that indicates that the trigger condition has been satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventors: Arshan Poursohi, Daniel Aden, Matthew Amacker, Charles Robert Barker, Paul Vincent Byrne, Paul Du Bois, Greg Joseph Klein, Steve Scott Tompkins
  • Patent number: 11588460
    Abstract: An elastic wave device manufacturing method includes a preparing a piezoelectric wafer on which IDT electrodes are provided in elastic wave device forming portions, providing on a first main surface of the piezoelectric wafer support layers in the elastic wave device forming portions, bonding a cover member to cover the support layers to obtain a multilayer body, cutting the multilayer body in a first direction multiple times, cutting the multilayer body in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction to obtain elastic wave devices, in which a resin layer extends across a boundary between the elastic wave device forming portions adjacent to each other on the first main surface of the piezoelectric wafer, and the second cutting step is performed in a state in which the resin layer is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Sawamura, Seiji Kai
  • Patent number: 11575094
    Abstract: An energy converting device includes a base, which is fixed; a methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr3) material having a first end fixedly attached to the base and a second end free to move; and an actuator block attached to the second end of the MAPbBr3 material. The actuator block moves relative to the base when the MAPbBr3 material is exposed to light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jr-Hau He, Tzu-Chiao Wei
  • Patent number: 11545613
    Abstract: A piezoelectric composition comprises an oxide having a perovskite structure, wherein the oxide contains bismuth, barium, iron and titanium; the X-ray diffraction pattern of the piezoelectric composition after a polarization treatment has a first peak and a second peak in the range of the diffraction angle 2? of 38.6° or more and 39.6° or less; the diffraction angle 2? of the first peak is smaller than the diffraction angle 2? of the second peak; an intensity of the first peak is represented as IL; an intensity of the second peak is represented as IH; and IH/IL is 0.00 or more and 2.00 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi Kitazaki
  • Patent number: 11540077
    Abstract: Provided are a directional acoustic sensor that detects a direction of sound, a method of detecting a direction of sound, and an electronic device including the directional acoustic sensor. The directional acoustic sensor includes a sound inlet through which a sound is received, a sound outlet through which the sound received through the sound inlet is output, and a plurality of vibration bodies arranged between the sound inlet and the sound outlet, in which one or more of the plurality of vibration bodies selectively react to the sound received by the sound inlet according to a direction of the received sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheheung Kim, Sungchan Kang, Yongseop Yoon, Choongho Rhee, Sangha Park, Hyeokki Hong
  • Patent number: 11533039
    Abstract: A film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) structure includes, a bottom cap wafer, a piezoelectric layer disposed on the bottom cap wafer, the piezoelectric layer including lithium niobate or lithium tantalate, a bottom electrode disposed below the piezoelectric layer, and a top electrode disposed above the piezoelectric layer. Portions of the bottom electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the top electrode that overlap with each other constitute a piezoelectric stack. The FBAR structure also includes a cavity disposed below the piezoelectric stack. A projection of the piezoelectric stack is located within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Shenzhen Newsonic Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jian Wang
  • Patent number: 11527706
    Abstract: A film structure body has: a substrate that is a silicon substrate including an upper surface composed of a (100) plane; an orientation film including a zirconium oxide film that is cubic crystal (100)-oriented on the upper surface; and a conductive film including a platinum film that is cubic crystal (100)-oriented on the orientation film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: KRYSTAL INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kijima, Yasuaki Hamada, Yuuji Honda
  • Patent number: 11502239
    Abstract: Technologies for a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) made up of composable piezoelectric actuators is disclosed. An elongated piezoelectric rod is disposed between a top and a bottom electrode. The top electrode runs along one edge of the top of the piezoelectric rod for a first segment, then runs along the other edge of the top of the piezoelectric rod for the a second segment. When a voltage is applied across the electrodes, the piezoelectric rod bends in a first direction for the first segment and in a second direction opposite the first for the second segment, displacing the tip of the rod. Several such rods can be joined in parallel and/or series, allowing for large-scale systems to be composed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Auburn University
    Inventors: Jason V. Clark, Justin V. Clark
  • Patent number: 11486774
    Abstract: Mechanoluminescent devices and articles, such as wearable articles, that include mechanoluminescent devices. The mechanoluminescent devices may have a lateral type architecture or a vertical type architecture. The mechanoluminescent devices may be sensors, including pressure sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Okenwa I. Okoli, Md Abu S. Shohag, Nirmal Adhikari
  • Patent number: 11466662
    Abstract: An actuator device for a wind turbine, in particular for a rotor blade of a wind turbine, and also to an associated wind turbine and a method of assembly, with an actuator component and a control component, wherein the actuator component has at least one actuator layer with a preferential direction and, substantially parallel to the actuator layer, at least one exciting layer, wherein the actuator layer comprises a photoactuator, wherein the photoactuator is designed to change a strain and/or stress of the actuator layer in the preferential direction on the basis of excitation light, wherein the exciting layer is designed to guide excitation light into the actuator layer, wherein the control component comprises a light source and a light guide, wherein the light source is arranged away from the exciting layer and is connected to the exciting layer by means of the light guide and wherein the light guide runs in different directions through the exciting layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Wobben Properties GmbH
    Inventor: Andree Altmikus
  • Patent number: 11463024
    Abstract: A power generation device is provided. A weight may vibrate in one direction as an axial direction in response to an external vibration. A beam may be arranged in at least one side with respect to the weight in the axial direction of the weight, and vibrate together with the weight. A piezoelectric element may be mounted on the beam. A guide may include a hollow guiding a movement of the weight in the axial direction. A stopper may be included in the weight. The stopper may restrict an amount of the movement of the weight in the axial direction within a predetermined amount. A stopper wall may stop the movement of the weight in the axial direction by contacting with the stopper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yoichiro Suzuki, Akira Takaoka, Takatoshi Sekizawa, Hiroki Kuwano
  • Patent number: 11431266
    Abstract: A piezoelectric motor may include a stator, a rotor rotating about a rotational axis and at least one piezoelectric element driving the rotor and maintained by the stator. Mechanical reliability and performance levels of a piezoelectric motor may be increased in that the at least one piezoelectric element may be mounted in an oscillating housing that oscillates with respect to the stator about the pivot axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: ASPRE AG
    Inventor: Friedrich-Josef Sacher
  • Patent number: 11424695
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a piezoelectric element and a mechanical energy storage unit. The mechanical energy storage unit can be configured to receive a force and store the force as stored mechanical energy. The apparatus further comprises a mass configured to receive the stored mechanical energy from the mechanical energy storage unit when the stored mechanical energy is released, move with a velocity as a result of receiving the stored mechanical energy, and deform the piezoelectric element based on the velocity of the mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Inventors: Roozbeh Khodambashi Emami, Amirebrahim Darabi
  • Patent number: 11411169
    Abstract: A method of forming a piezoelectric thin film includes sputtering a first surface of a substrate to provide a piezoelectric thin film comprising AlN, AlScN, AlCrN, HfMgAlN, or ZrMgAlN thereon, processing a second surface of the substrate that is opposite the first surface of the substrate to provide an exposed surface of the piezoelectric thin film from beneath the second surface of the substrate, wherein the exposed surface of the piezoelectric thin film includes a first crystalline quality portion, removing a portion of the exposed surface of the piezoelectric thin film to access a second crystalline quality portion that is covered by the first crystalline quality portion, wherein the second crystalline quality portion has a higher quality than the first crystalline quality portion and processing the second crystalline quality portion to provide an acoustic resonator device on the second crystalline quality portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Akoustis, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Moe, Jeffrey B. Shealy, Mary Winters, Dae Ho Kim, Abhay Saranswarup Kochhar
  • Patent number: 11405015
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device includes a quartz layer, a piezoelectric layer, and an Inter Digital Transducer. A rotation in a right-screw direction is assumed as a +-rotation. A three-dimensional coordinate system formed by an x1-axis, a y1-axis, and a z1-axis respectively matching an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis as crystallographic axes of a quartz-crystal is rotated from +125.25° in a range of ±3° with the x1-axis as a rotation axis. Subsequently, the three-dimensional coordinate system is rotated from +45° in a range of ±2° with the z1-axis as the rotation axis. Subsequently, the three-dimensional coordinate system is rotated from ?45° in a range of ±2° with the x1-axis as the rotation axis. The quartz layer is cut along a surface as a sectional plane perpendicular to the z1-axis. The quartz layer has a propagation direction of the surface acoustic wave in a direction parallel to the x1-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: NDK SAW Devices Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuya Hiratsuka, Kazuhiro Hirota
  • Patent number: 11391730
    Abstract: A sensor system includes a sensor and an optical source. The sensor has a receptor configured to bind to a chemical species. A spacer is bound to the receptor, and a fluorophore is bound to the spacer. The optical source is configured to irradiate the sensor to dissociate the chemical species from the receptor. The optical source can be infrared light, microwave or radio wave. The sensor system optionally includes a photodetector configured to determine an amount of the chemical species by measuring fluorescence when the optical source irradiates the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Mordechai Kornbluth, Karim Gadelrab, Jonathan Mailoa, Kaushal Sagar, Soo Kim, Shilpa Pant, Lloyd Ah Qune
  • Patent number: 11375018
    Abstract: A system and method in a building or vehicle for an actuator operation in response to a sensor according to a control logic, the system comprising a router or a gateway communicating with a device associated with the sensor and a device associated with the actuator over in-building or in-vehicle networks, and an external Internet-connected control server associated with the control logic implementing a PID closed linear control loop and communicating with the router over external network for controlling the in-building or in-vehicle phenomenon. The sensor may be a microphone or a camera, and the system may include voice or image processing as part of the control logic. A redundancy is used by using multiple sensors or actuators, or by using multiple data paths over the building or vehicle internal or external communication. The networks may be wired or wireless, and may be BAN, PAN, LAN, WAN, or home networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: May Patents Ltd.
    Inventors: Yehuda Binder, Benjamin Maytal
  • Patent number: 11333548
    Abstract: A device configured for low-energy ultrasonic 2D Fourier transform analysis, comprising: (i) a first layer comprising an array of piezoelectric pixels; (ii) a second layer comprising an array of piezoelectric pixels; (iii) a third layer, positioned between the first and second layers, comprising a bulk ultrasonic transmission medium; wherein the second layer of array of piezoelectric pixels is in the Fourier plane of an input signal of the first layer array of piezoelectric pixels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Amit Lal
  • Patent number: 11302858
    Abstract: A field driven electroactive polymer actuator which is actuated using an actuation drive having a profiled portion having a start voltage and an end voltage and a duration of at least 25 ms followed by a steady state drive portion based on a steady state voltage. The profiled portion comprises a voltage curve or a set of voltage points which define a first voltage slope at the beginning of the profiled portion which is steeper than a linear ramp between the start voltage and the end voltage, and a second voltage slope at the end of the profiled portion which is shallower than a linear ramp between the start voltage and the end voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Achim Hilgers, Daan Anton Van Den Ende, Mark Thomas Johnson
  • Patent number: 11257623
    Abstract: A multilayer electronic component includes: a body including a dielectric layer and an internal electrode alternately disposed with the dielectric layer; and an external electrode including an electrode layer disposed on the body and an Sn plating layer disposed on the electrode layer. A thickness of the body is defined as Tb, a thickness of the Sn plating layer is defined as Ts, Tb is 0.22 mm or less, and Ts is 4.5 ?m or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Tae Kim, Beom Seock Oh, Tai Won Choi, Woo Soon Whang, Byoung Woo Kim, Yong Won Seo
  • Patent number: 11243189
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave resonant sensor for measuring a sample comprising a single port surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator comprising an interdigital transducer and at least one reflective grating. The sensor is provided with a region for receiving the sample, said region being in communication with the at least one reflective grating and the IDT is separated acoustically and electrically from the region for receiving a sample such that the IDT is not mass sensitive to the sample. The sensor is especially suitable for bio sensing applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Inventors: Aldo Jesorka, Kiryl Kustanovich, Ventislav Mitkov Yanchev
  • Patent number: 11245065
    Abstract: An electroactive device may include (1) an electroactive polymer element having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface, (2) a primary electrode abutting the first surface, and (3) a secondary electrode abutting the second surface. The electroactive polymer element may be transformed from an initial state to a deformed state and may achieve substantially uniform strain by the application of an electrostatic field produced by a potential difference between the electrodes. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew John Ouderkirk, Katherine Marie Smyth
  • Patent number: 11232907
    Abstract: An electronic component includes a laminate in which first internal electrodes and second internal electrodes are alternately laminated in a lamination direction with dielectric layers interposed therebetween, the laminate including a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to each other in the lamination direction, a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to each other in a width direction, and a first end surface and a second end surface opposite to each other in a length direction, a first external electrode provided on a surface of the laminate and electrically connected to the first internal electrodes, a second external electrode provided on a surface of the laminate and electrically connected to the second internal electrodes, and side margin portions each including a dielectric including Ca, Zr, and Ti.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Teraoka, Hirokazu Takashima
  • Patent number: 11217865
    Abstract: An object is to prevent deterioration of a battery or to prevent decrease in capacity in storage so as to maximize the charge and discharge performance of the battery and maintain the charge and discharge performance of the battery for a long time. A third electrode or a fourth electrode is provided between a positive electrode and a negative electrode of a secondary battery and a signal (current, voltage, or the like) for inhibiting self-discharge is applied to the third electrode or the fourth electrode, whereby a potential difference between the third electrode and the positive electrode or a potential difference between the third electrode and the negative electrode is adjusted and a chemical reaction in the secondary battery is controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11206009
    Abstract: Acoustic resonator devices and filters are disclosed. An acoustic resonator includes a substrate having a surface and a single-crystal piezoelectric plate having parallel front and back surfaces, the back surface attached to the surface of the substrate. An interdigital transducer (IDT) is formed on the front surface of the single-crystal piezoelectric plate. The IDT is configured to excite a primary acoustic mode in the diaphragm in response to a radio frequency signal applied to the IDT. A pitch between adjacent fingers of the IDT is varied along one or both of an aperture of the IDT and a length of the IDT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Resonant Inc.
    Inventor: Ventsislav Yantchev
  • Patent number: 11171510
    Abstract: Provided is a power wiring device that can suppress reduction of electricity generation efficiency due to the external environment. The power wiring device includes: a plurality of circuit modules each including a first connector and a second connector; and a wiring member including a third connector that is mechanically and electrically attachable to and detachable from the first connector and a fourth connector that is mechanically and electrically attachable to and detachable from the second connector, and in which the third connector and the fourth connector are electrically connected to one another. The plurality of circuit modules includes: an energy harvesting module as a circuit module that can output, from the first connector and the second connector, electric power obtained through energy harvesting; and a load module as a circuit module that can consume electric power input from the first connector and electric power input from the second connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: ZEON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayoshi Yoshida, Kiyoshige Kojima