Electrode Arrangement Patents (Class 310/365)
  • Publication number: 20120139393
    Abstract: A multilayered electroactive polymer (EAP) device and a method of manufacturing the same is provided. The multilayered EAP device includes a plurality of unit layers. Each unit layer includes an EAP layer formed of an electroactive polymer (EAP), a protecting layer configured to prevent a material from penetrating into the EAP layer, and an active electrode formed using a conductive material. The protecting layer may be formed below the active layer or above the active layer. The active electrode may be interposed between two protecting layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicants: Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Yonsei University, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung-Tae CHOI, Jong-Oh KWON, Youn-Jung PARK, Cheol-Min PARK, Yeon-Sik CHOI
  • Publication number: 20120139392
    Abstract: In a piezoelectric device, a lower covering layer, a piezoelectric material layer, a lower electrode layer, and an upper electrode layer, which define common layers, and an upper covering layer, which defines a specific layer, are laminated on a substrate. The piezoelectric material layer is sandwiched between a pair of electrodes. First to third vibration regions are provided in which the electrodes are superimposed with the piezoelectric material layer therebetween when viewed in a transparent manner in the direction in which the layers are laminated. The upper covering layer includes only a portion having with a first thickness in the first vibration region, includes a portion having the first thickness and a portion having a second thickness that is smaller than the first thickness in the second vibration region, and includes only a portion having the second thickness in the third vibration region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi YAMANE
  • Patent number: 8188637
    Abstract: A laminated piezoelectric element having a laminated structure in which a plurality of piezoelectric layers and a plurality of internal electrodes are alternately laminated is provided. This laminated structure has an opposing section wherein an internal electrode on an anode side and an internal electrode on a cathode side which are adjacent to each other in the laminating direction, oppose in the laminating direction, and an end-side non-opposing section situated in a position closer to end in the laminating direction than the opposing section. This end-side non-opposing section has a porous section having porosity larger than that of the internal electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Okamura, Ichitaro Okamura
  • Patent number: 8183743
    Abstract: Tubular linear piezoelectric motor (100, 300), and a method for exciting a tubular piezoelectric resonator (101, 301) used in such motor. The motor is comprised of a resonator (101, 301) formed of a cylindrical tube. The tube has length nL comprised of a piezoelectric material, where L is some length, and n is an even numbered integer, greater than zero. The piezoelectric material of the cylindrical tube is polarized in a radial direction, perpendicular at each point to the interior and exterior surface of the cylindrical tube. The resonator is excited with one signal having a single exciter frequency applied across an inner electrode (102, 302) and one or more first outer electrodes (103, 103a, 103b). The single exciter frequency is selected to move a contact site of one or more annular protrusions along an elliptical path when the resonator is excited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Discovery Technology International, Inc.
    Inventors: Serhiy Petrenko, Valentin R. Zhelyaskov
  • Patent number: 8183748
    Abstract: Provided is a lead-free piezoelectric thin film containing a lead-free ferroelectric material and having low dielectric loss, high electromechanical coupling coefficient and high piezoelectric constant comparable to that of lead zirconate titanate (PZT). The piezoelectric thin film of the present invention has a (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film composed of a perovskite composite oxide (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3. The (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film has (001) orientation and further contains Ag. The (Bi, Na, Ba)TiO3 film has a mole ratio of Ag to Ti of at least 0.001 but not more than 0.01.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takakiyo Harigai, Hideaki Adachi, Eiji Fujii
  • Publication number: 20120120160
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a thin film sheet, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The thin film sheet is to physically deform in response to an electric field induced within the thin film sheet. The first electrode is embedded within the thin film sheet. The second electrode is embedded within the thin film sheet, and is interdigitated in relation to the first electrode. The electric field is induced within the thin film sheet via application of a voltage across the first and the second electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Tony S. Cruz-Uribe, Peter Mardilovich
  • Publication number: 20120120162
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element comprises a piezoelectric layer and electrodes provided to the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer has a perovskite structure that includes Bi, Fe, Ba, Ti, and Co, and the mole ratio of Co to the total amount of Co and Fe is 0.02 or more and 0.07 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Takahashi, Tomohiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 8176606
    Abstract: To carry out frequency adjustment easily, accurately and efficiently and achieve low cost formation and promotion of maintenance performance without being influenced by a size of a piezoelectric vibrating piece, there is provided a method of fabricating a piezoelectric vibrating piece which is a method of fabricating a piezoelectric vibrating pieces having a piezoelectric plate 11, a pair of exciting electrodes 12, 13, and a pair of mount electrodes electrodes 15, 16 by utilizing a wafer S, the method including an outer shape forming step of forming a frame portion S1 at the wafer and forming a plurality of piezoelectric plates to be connected to the frame portion by way of a connecting portion 11a, an electrode forming step of respectively forming pairs of exciting electrodes and pairs of mount electrodes to the plurality of piezoelectric plates and forming a plurality of pairs of extended electrodes S2, S3 to be respectively electrically connected to the pairs of mount electrodes by way of the connecting po
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8176607
    Abstract: A method for fabricating VHF and/or UHF quartz resonators (for higher sensitivity) in a cartridges design with the quartz resonators requiring much smaller sample volumes than required by conventional resonators, and also enjoying smaller size and more reliable assembly. MEMS fabrication approaches are used to fabricate with quartz resonators in quartz cavities with electrical interconnects on a top side of a substrate for electrical connection to the electronics preferably through pressure pins in a plastic module. An analyte is exposed to grounded electrodes on a single side of the quartz resonators, thereby preventing electrical coupling of the detector signals through the analyte. The resonators can be mounted on the plastic cartridge or on arrays of plastic cartridges with the use of inert bonding material, die bonding or wafer bonding techniques. This allows the overall size, cost, and required biological sample volume to be reduced while increasing the sensitivity for detecting small mass changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventors: Randall L. Kubena, Tsung-Yuan Hsu
  • Patent number: 8179022
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device, having a piezoelectric vibrating piece and a circuit element being electrically connected, is provided with a package for storing inside at least the piezoelectric vibrating piece of the piezoelectric device. The package is made up of a substrate and a cover body, and on the outer surface of the package, an electrode terminal electrically connected to at least the circuit element or the piezoelectric vibrating piece is provided. The electrode terminal includes an external connecting terminal which is electrically connected with an external circuit board and an input-output terminal which is electrically non-connected with the external circuit board, at the time of mounting the package on the external circuit board. The surface of the external connecting terminal and that of the input-output terminal are formed of materials different from each other so that adhesive characteristics to a mounting material such as a solder are varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Citizen Finetech Miyota Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuo Murata
  • Patent number: 8174172
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator device comprises a piezoelectric resonator plate, a base for holding the piezoelectric resonator plate, a lid for hermetically enclosing the piezoelectric resonator plate held on the base, and a support member made of a brittle material for reducing external stress to the piezoelectric resonator plate. The piezoelectric resonator plate is held on the base via a support member. In this case, the base, the piezoelectric resonator plate, and the support member are bonded with each other using a base bonding member and a piezoelectric resonator plate bonding member (connection bumps) by FCB using ultrasonic waves. The base is electrically and mechanically bonded with the support member via the base bonding member in a plurality of areas of the support member using ultrasonic waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventors: Syunsuke Satoh, Shinichi Koyama
  • Patent number: 8162628
    Abstract: An electrical connection structure for use in a micro piezoelectric pump is disclosed. The electrical connection structure includes a driving circuit board and a multilayered wiring structure. The electrical connection structure includes the driving circuit board, the wiring structure, and a piezoelectric element arranged from top to bottom. The driving circuit board is provided with a driving circuit for driving the piezoelectric element and at least an electrical contact, wherein the electrical contacts are electrically connected to the driving circuit. A first electrode contact region and a second electrode contact region electrically insulated from each other are defined on the same surface of the piezoelectric element. The wiring structure sends a signal from the electrical contacts to the first electrode contact region and the second electrode contact region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Microbase Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Hsien-Kai Meng, Shu-Pin Hsieh, Chieh-Ming Hsiung, Chien-Hua Lin, Yu-Chung Hsu, Tai-Shuan Lin
  • Patent number: 8164235
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator includes a pair of driving electrodes and a pair of lead electrodes that are formed facing each other on the frontside and backside of a piezoelectric plate that operates in a thickness-shear vibration mode. The front and back driving electrodes are formed such that they each have one or more pairs of parallel sides and have the same shape, and their centers face each other. The parallel sides of one of the front and back driving electrodes are formed parallel with either the X-axis or the Z?-axis of the piezoelectric plate, but the parallel sides of the other driving electrodes are formed without being parallel with the X-axis and Z?-axis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Koyama
  • Publication number: 20120091863
    Abstract: A bonding structure that provides excellent conductivity and bonding between a piezoelectric body and a metal plate includes a metal plate and an electrode of a piezoelectric body bonded to one another with an electrically conductive adhesive so as to provide electrical conductivity, the electrically conductive adhesive includes carbon black with a nano-level average particle size, and has a paste form included in a solventless or solvent-based resin so that the carbon black forms an aggregate with an average particle size of about 1 ?m to about 50 ?m. The electrically conductive adhesive is applied between the metal plate and the electrode of the piezoelectric body, and the metal plate and the piezoelectric body are subjected to heating and pressurization so that the carbon black aggregate is deformed, thereby hardening the electrically conductive adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Kitayama, Hideo Nakagoshi, Kiyoshi Kurihara
  • Publication number: 20120091862
    Abstract: A microacoustic component includes an active layer and an electrode. The electrode includes a first metal layer facing the active layer, a second metal layer facing away from the active layer, and a third layer arranged between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. The third layer serves as a diffusion barrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Andreas Link, Gudrun Henn, Rainer Braun
  • Patent number: 8154170
    Abstract: An acoustic wave device includes: a piezoelectric substrate on which an acoustic wave element and an electrode pad connected to the acoustic wave element are formed; a first resin part having a first opening located above a function area in which an acoustic wave is excited by the acoustic wave element and a second opening located above the electrode pad; a second resin part that covers the first opening and has a third opening located above the second opening; and a metal layer formed on the electrode pad in the second opening, the first opening and the second opening being inversely tapered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Kimura, Shunichi Aikawa, Keji Tsuda, Hikomasa Oshita
  • Patent number: 8148881
    Abstract: A vibration reduction system has a vibration reduction film and a control unit. The vibration reduction film is constituted of a vibration sensor film, an insulating layer, and a vibration actuator film that are stacked in this order. In each of the vibration sensor film and the vibration actuator film, two pairs of electrodes are formed on both surfaces of a piezoelectric polymer film into a pattern based on a particular mode of vibration. The electrodes of the vibration sensor film overlap with the electrodes of the vibration actuator film. In response to electric charge signals from the electrodes of the vibration sensor film, the particular mode of vibration is detected. By application of voltages into the electrodes of the vibration actuator film, a vibration of opposite phase is generated to counteract the detected vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 8149542
    Abstract: A wiring connecting structure for a piezoelectric element is capable of performing wiring to the piezoelectric element without deteriorating the quality and reliability of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element is arranged between a base and head of an object, to minutely move the head in a sway direction according to deformation that occurs on the piezoelectric element in response to a voltage applied from a terminal to an electrode of the piezoelectric element. The wiring connecting structure includes first and second liquid stoppers arranged between the terminal and the electrode, the second liquid stopper being arranged outside the first liquid stopper. The wiring connecting structure also includes an adhesive part to connect the electrode to the terminal. The adhesive part has a conductive adhesive part defined by the first liquid stopper and a sealing adhesive part defined by the second liquid stopper. The sealing adhesive part seals the first liquid stopper and conductive adhesive part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiki Ando
  • Publication number: 20120075198
    Abstract: Piezoelectric actuator apparatus and methods for providing tactile feedback are described herein. An example piezoelectric actuator assembly includes a support plate having a recessed well and conductive contact disposed within the recessed well of the support plate. A piezoelectric element has a first layer composed of an electrically conductive material and a second layer adjacent the first layer composed of a piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric element is disposed within the recessed well so that the first layer directly engages the conductive contact and the second layer is to be electrically coupled to a ground via a flexible conductive lead.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventors: Firmansyah Kuncoko Sulem, James C. Infanti
  • Publication number: 20120069099
    Abstract: A transducer including a dielectric material; a metal layer configured in a predetermined pattern having at least two electrodes; and a piezoelectric layer disposed underlying, between and overlying at least a portion of the metal layer and a portion of which abuts the dielectric material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventor: James D. Huffman
  • Patent number: 8138659
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric component (1) comprising a piezoelectric transducer (10) wherein a pair of electrodes (20a, 20b) are formed on both major surfaces of a piezoelectric substrate (11), a pair of frame members (30a, 30b) fitted to both major surfaces of the piezoelectric transducer (10), a pair of sealing substrates (40a, 40b) composed of a light-transmitting resin material and so fitted as to cover the frame members (30a, 30b), opaque coating layers (50a, 50b) respectively formed on the sealing substrates (40a, 40b), and a pair of input/output terminal electrodes (61a, 61b) respectively connected to the electrodes (20a, 20b). By having such a constitution, the state of sealed space and sealing widths of the frame members (30a, 30b) can be checked by visual examination such as direct visual observation or image recognition, and thus a highly reliable piezoelectric component (1) can be obtained. In addition, a mark can be made on the coating layers (50a, 50b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Nakai
  • Publication number: 20120062075
    Abstract: A piezoelectric component includes a stack of piezoelectric layers arranged one on top of the other and first and second electrode layers arranged therebetween. The stack includes at least one first piezoelectric layer having a first electrical coercive force and directly adjacent thereto at least one second piezoelectric layer having a second electrical coercive force different from the first coercive force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Alexander Glazunov, Oliver Dernovsek
  • Patent number: 8132304
    Abstract: A method for producing a piezoelectric actuator has the following steps: providing a plurality of piezoelectric material layers (2) which can be assembled into a stack; applying electrode layers (3) each having a recess (4, 4?) to the plurality of piezoelectric material layers, such that an alternating sequence of piezoelectric material layers and electrode layers is formed in the stack, wherein electrode layers with a recess (4) in a first recess zone and electrode layers with a recess (4?) in a second recess zone which differs from the first recess zone are alternatingly formed in the stack; and providing a stress-relieving material (5) in the first and second recesses, the stress-relieving material exhibiting electrically insulating properties after the stack is sintered, and preventing the individual material layers from adhering to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Schröder, Manfred Weigl
  • Patent number: 8133182
    Abstract: The electrodes for a CMUT are split to provide separate transmit and receive bias and alternating current electrodes. The transmit electrodes of different elements are interconnected, such as rows sharing bias and columns sharing transmit alternating signals. The bias is used to select an aperture in elevation, and only a sufficient number of transmit beamformer channels to use the selected aperture are needed. On receive, the full multi-dimensional array may be used with integrated beamformer electronics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Wagner
  • Publication number: 20120056684
    Abstract: There is provided a method of fabricating a resonator, the method includes, joining a vibrating plate with a substrate at a first surface thereof, grinding a surface of the vibrating plate joined with the substrate, forming an electrode on the ground surface of the vibrating plate, and etching electively a region at a second surface of the substrate, where the second surface is opposite to the first surface and the region is corresponding to a position of the electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Masakazu KISHI, Masayuki Itoh
  • Publication number: 20120056946
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element, a liquid ejecting head and a liquid ejecting apparatus that have improved reliability are provided. Methods for the manufacture thereof are also provided. A piezoelectric element includes a vibration plate having a recess in a first surface, a first electrode formed in the recess, a piezoelectric layer formed on the vibration plate and the first electrode, and a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer, wherein an upper surface of the first electrode forms a continuous flat surface together with the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Eiju Hirai
  • Patent number: 8123983
    Abstract: An ion-conducting layer for an actuator element including (I) a fluorine-containing polymer having a functional group and (II) an ionic liquid. The functional group is selected from —OH, —COOH, —COOR, —CN, iodine atom, epoxy group and (meth)acryloyl group, and is contained in a side chain and/or at an end of a trunk chain of the fluorine-containing polymer. Also disclosed is an electrode layer including (I) the fluorine-containing polymer having a functional group, (II) an ionic liquid and (III) an electroconductive nano-filler. Also disclosed is an actuator element including the ion-conducting layer and at least two electrode layers formed on the surfaces of the ion-conducting layer and insulated from one another, in which flection or deformation can be caused by applying an electric potential between the electrode layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuzo Komatsu, Keiko Hirata, Haruhiko Mohri, Hirokazu Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8125123
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonant element includes a resonant portion having a laminate structure made up of a lower electrode, an upper electrode and a piezoelectric film arranged between these two electrodes. The lower electrode has an ellipsoidal plan-view shape and an outer circumference formed with an inclined portion inclined at an angle (about 30° for example) lying within a range of 25° through 55°. The upper electrode has an ellipsoidal plan-view shape. An additional film is provided on the upper electrode at a portion corresponding to the inclined portion of the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokihiro Nishihara, Motoaki Hara, Shinji Taniguchi, Masafumi Iwaki, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 8115367
    Abstract: By resistor attached by a piezoelectric element, measurement with high accuracy is possible by strain of the piezoelectric element. A piezoelectric actuator includes the piezoelectric element which is formed into an arbitrary shape, polarized in an arbitrary direction, and includes electrodes provided on at least two surfaces opposed in a thickness direction thereof. The piezoelectric actuator also includes a driver power supply for applying a voltage between the electrodes to generate strain in the piezoelectric element, a driver power supply for applying a voltage to generate strain in the piezoelectric element, resistors provided on the electrodes through intermediation of insulators, and a displacement detection device connected with the resistors. The electrodes of the piezoelectric element on which the resistors are provided are set at a ground potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: SII NanoTechnology Inc.
    Inventor: Masato Iyoki
  • Patent number: 8110963
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit or receive ultrasonic waves. The ultrasonic transducer includes a vibrating member and a piezoelectric member coupled to the vibrating member. The piezoelectric member includes a first piezoelectric part configured and arranged to be deformed by applied voltage to vibrate the vibrating member or configured and arranged to be deformed by vibration of the vibrating member to produce a potential difference, and a second piezoelectric part configured and arranged to be deformed by applied voltage to statically deflect the vibrating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Funasaka, Tomoaki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20120025674
    Abstract: The invention provides a piezoelectric polymer material including a helical chiral polymer having a weight average molecular weight of from 50,000 to 1,000,000 and having optical activity, the piezoelectric polymer material having a piezoelectric constant d14 at 25° C. of 10 pC/N or more, a degree of crystallinity obtained by X-ray diffraction of from 40% to 80%, and a haze of from 0.5 to 30.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicants: A school Corporation Kansai University, Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Yoshida, Masanobu Ajioka, Kenichi Goto, Ichiro Fujio, Takaharu Isaki, Takayuki Onogi, Yoshiro Tajitsu, Shinichi Usugi, Takeshi Karino, Yoshiaki Aso
  • Publication number: 20120025668
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film element includes a bottom electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a top electrode on a substrate. The piezoelectric layer includes, as a main phase, a perovskite-type oxide. The bottom electrode has a surface roughness of not more than 0.86 nm in arithmetic mean roughness Ra or not more than 1.1 nm in root mean square roughness Rms. The bottom electrode has a (111) preferential orientation in a direction perpendicular to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: HITACHI CABLE, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazufumi Suenaga, Kenji Shibata, Fumihito Oka, Hideki Sato
  • Patent number: 8104154
    Abstract: To efficiently fabricate a high quality piezoelectric vibrating piece regardless of an accuracy of an outer shape of a wafer, there is provided a method of fabricating a plurality of piezoelectric vibrating pieces at a time utilizing a wafer S, the method including a step of forming two or more of through holes 40 and forming outer shapes of a plurality of piezoelectric plates 10 simultaneously with the through holes by constituting reference points G by centers of the through holes by etching the wafer by a photolithography technology, a step of preparing a jig for a wafer having inserting pins formed to project by a number the same as a number of the through holes from above a flat plate portion, thereafter, mounting the wafer on the flat plate portion in a state of inserting the inserting pin into the through hole, a step of forming an electrode on outer surfaces of the plurality of piezoelectric plates, and a step of cutting to separate the plurality of piezoelectric plates from the wafer to fragment, and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Tomiyama, Takashi Kobayashi, Kazuyoshi Sugama
  • Publication number: 20120019108
    Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic composition including a perovskite-type oxide, wherein the perovskite-type oxide has Na, K, Li, Ba and Sr at the A site and Nb, Ta and Zr at the B site, and has a crystal phase transition in a temperature range of ?50 to 150° C., the crystal phase transition being accompanied by an endotherm of no greater than 4 J/g, as well as a piezoelectric element 20 provided with a piezoelectric ceramic 1 that contains the piezoelectric ceramic composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Tanaka, Masahito Furukawa, Takeo Tsukada
  • Patent number: 8102101
    Abstract: A piezoelectric sensor having a plurality of electrodes deposited on a single surface of the dielectric medium is generally provided. The plurality of electrodes can define a plurality of square-shaped electrodes forming a grid on the first surface of the dielectric medium while the second electrode defines a continuous electrode. An electrode border surrounding the plurality of electrodes can be deposited on the first surface of the dielectric medium. Alternatively, the plurality of electrodes can define column-shaped electrodes, while the second electrode defines a plurality of row-shaped electrodes separated by etchings. The direction of orientation of each column-shaped electrode and the direction of orientation of each row-shaped electrode can be substantially perpendicular. A method of making a piezoelectric sensor is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventors: Victor Giurgiutiu, James R. Kendall
  • Publication number: 20120007927
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a first piezoelectric layer which is formed at an upper side of the first electrode and at lateral sides to the first electrode, a porous layer which is formed so as to cover side surfaces of the first piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode which is formed at an upper side of the first piezoelectric layer and the porous layer. In the piezoelectric element, the porous layer contains at least one metal element constituting the first piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8093962
    Abstract: A filter has a plurality of piezoelectric thin film resonators formed by sandwiching a piezoelectric film with a lower electrode disposed on a substrate and an upper electrode. Each of the piezoelectric thin film resonators has an electrode region formed with the upper electrode and the lower electrode overlapping each other, whose outline includes a curve. Among the plural piezoelectric thin film resonators, the piezoelectric thin film resonators in the opposing electrode regions of the adjacent piezoelectric thin film resonators are shaped to have outlines complementary to each other. With the filter, influences caused by transverse mode undesired wave of the piezoelectric thin film resonators can be suppressed. Therefore, miniaturization can be achieved without sacrificing the mechanical strength of electrodes having hollow structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Taniguchi, Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Motoaki Hara, Takeshi Sakashita, Masanori Ueda
  • Patent number: 8089201
    Abstract: A contour resonator reducing fluctuation of resonance frequency due to variety of a film thickness of an excitation electrode is provided. A counter resonator includes a quartz substrate and excitation electrodes respectively formed on front and back surfaces of the quartz substrate. There is a range where a frequency sensitivity with respect to an electrode film thickness is smaller than that in related art when a ratio Fe/Fb between a contour vibration frequency Fe of the excitation electrodes and a contour vibration frequency Fb of the substrate is larger than 0.69. That is, fluctuation of the contour vibration frequency with respect to variety of the electrode film thickness can be made small substantially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8089202
    Abstract: Providing a piezoelectric vibrating reed which has low disconnection possibility and ensures reliability for stable operation without requiring strict exposure position accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8085115
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate, a lower electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric film formed on the substrate and the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film and opposing the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film. The upper electrode has a main portion and an extended portion connected to the main portion, the main portion opposing the lower electrode and an opening disposed between the substrate and the lower electrode, the extended portion having a portion which opposes the opening and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Shinji Taniguchi, Tokihiro Nishihara, Tsuyoshi Yokoyama, Masafumi Iwaki, Motoaki Hara, Masanori Ueda
  • 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: 20110291531
    Abstract: The invention may be embodied as an ultrasonic plane wave generator having a first sheet of piezoelectric material and a second sheet of piezoelectric material. A shared electrode may be between the first sheet and the second sheet. A first electrode set may have a plurality of electrodes, and these electrodes may be positioned with respect to the first sheet to form a set of wave generators. A wave generator in this first wave generator set may include the shared electrode, the first sheet, and one of the electrodes in the first electrode set. A second electrode set may have a plurality of electrodes, and these electrodes may be positioned with respect to the second sheet to form another set of wave generators. A wave generator in this second wave generator set may include the shared electrode, the second sheet, and one of the electrodes in the second electrode set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: John K. Schneider, Jack C. Kitchens
  • Patent number: 8063544
    Abstract: A method for producing a component as monolithic multilayer element or multilayer bending element, comprising at least two layer stacks each having 1-400 layers of piezoelectrically active material which are separated by at least one layer stack comprising 0-100 layers of piezoelectrically inactive material, wherein the inner electrodes of the active layer stacks contain at least the following materials: a) pure silver b) electrically non-conductive material having a proportion by weight of 0% to at most 30% and the material of the piezoelectrically active layers has a sufficient activity in a thermal process such that sintering below the melting point of the material of the inner electrodes is possible and performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Ceramtec GmbH
    Inventors: Reiner Bindig, Kurt Handschuh, Claudia Voigt, Jürgen Schmidt, Hans-Jürgen Schreiner
  • Patent number: 8061820
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for drive a pumping chamber of a fluid ejection system are disclosed. In one implementation, the actuator for drive the pumping chamber includes a continuous piezoelectric layer between a pair of drive electrodes and a continuous reference electrode. The pair of drive electrodes includes an inner electrode and an outer electrode surrounding the inner electrode. The actuator is further coupled to a controller which, during a fluid ejection cycle, applies a negative voltage pulse differential to the outer electrode to expand the pumping chamber for a first time period, then applies another negative voltage pulse differential to the inner electrode during a second time period after the first time period to contract the pumping chamber to eject a fluid drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Mats Ottosson, Christoph Menzel, Paul A. Hoisington
  • Publication number: 20110278993
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device is manufactured in which the material of a supporting substrate can be selected from various alternative materials. Ions are implanted into a piezoelectric substrate to form an ion-implanted portion. A temporary supporting substrate is formed on the ion-implanted surface of the piezoelectric substrate. The temporary supporting substrate includes a layer to be etched and a temporary substrate. The piezoelectric substrate is then heated to be divided at the ion-implanted portion to form a piezoelectric thin film. A supporting substrate is then formed on the piezoelectric thin film. The supporting substrate includes a dielectric film and a base substrate. The temporary supporting substrate is made of a material that produces a thermal stress at the interface between the temporary supporting substrate and the piezoelectric thin film less than the thermal stress at the interface between the supporting substrate and the piezoelectric thin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi IWAMOTO
  • Patent number: 8058778
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric vibrator 1 that includes a base substrate 2, a lid substrate 3, a piezoelectric vibrating reed 4, a pair of external electrodes 38 and 39, a pair of through electrodes 32 and 33, and routing electrodes 36 and 37. The lid substrate 3 includes a recess 3a for a cavity and is bonded to the base substrate so that the recess faces the base substrate. The piezoelectric vibrating reed 4 is bonded to the upper surface of the base substrate in a cavity that is formed between both the substrates. The pair of external electrodes 38 and 39 is formed on the lower surface of the base substrate. The pair of through electrodes 32 and 33 is formed so as to pass through the base substrate and is electrically connected to the pair of external electrodes, respectively. The routing electrodes 36 and 37 are formed on the upper surface of the base substrate and electrically connect the pair of through electrodes to the piezoelectric vibrating reed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi Numata, Kiyoshi Aratake
  • Patent number: 8053957
    Abstract: To achieve small-sized formation by shortening a total length after ensuring a length of a base portion capable of sufficiently reducing vibration leakage, there is provided a piezoelectric vibrating piece 2 including a piezoelectric plate 10 including a pair of vibrating arm portions 11, 12 arranged in parallel with each other in a state of being extended in one direction from base ends to front ends, and a base portion 13 having connecting portions 13a respectively connected to the pair of vibrating arm portions at middle positions from the base ends to the front ends for integrally supporting the pair of vibrating arm portions by way of the connecting portions, exciting electrodes 20, 21 respectively formed on outer surfaces of the pair of vibrating arm portions for vibrating the pair of vibrating arm portions when a drive voltage is applied thereto, a pair of mount electrodes 22, 23 formed on an outer surface of the base portion and electrically connected respectively to the pair of exciting electrodes, i
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Takeshi Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20110260586
    Abstract: The piezoelectric device comprises a piezoelectric vibrating piece having a base portion, a pair of vibrating arms extending in a specified direction from the base portion, and a pair of connection portions disposed on the pair of the supporting arms; a package having a bottom surface which accommodates the piezoelectric vibrating piece and side faces surrounding the bottom surface, in which a pair of electrode pads corresponding to the connection portions are formed on the bottom surface; and adhesive for bonding the pair of the electrode pads with the pair of connection portions. One electrode pad and the other electrode pad, with adhesive applied to the electrode pads, are shifted with respect to each other in a predetermined direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Kawase, Toshiaki Motegi, Shingo Kawanishi
  • Publication number: 20110260578
    Abstract: An electromechanical article that includes a composite material (110) including a polymer and at least one expanded microsphere having an outer shell of a shell material and a gas contained within the outer shell, wherein the polymer at least partially encapsulates the microsphere and wherein the polymer, shell material and gas all have different dielectric constants. Devices including such articles and methods of making the articles are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Vivek Bharti, Thu-Van T. Tran
  • Publication number: 20110254408
    Abstract: An electroactive polymer device is described that includes at least one layer of a dielectric polymer that is a polymerized product of at least one ethylenically unsaturated nitrogen-containing monomer. Also disclosed is a transducer that includes the electroactive polymer as disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Vivek Bharti, Thu-Van T. Tran