Patents Examined by Emily P Pham
  • Vibration motor and lens driving device
    Patent number: 11088636
    Abstract: A vibration motor includes a vibrator, a friction member, and a pressurizing unit. The vibrator includes projecting portions and is vibrated by application of a driving voltage. The projecting portions are arranged in vicinities of nodes of the vibration, respectively. The friction member has a sliding surface formed of a curved surface with which the projecting portions come into contact. The pressurizing unit pressurizes the vibrator against the friction member with a pressurizing force. When the vibrator is vibrated, a driving force is generated in a tangential direction of the sliding surface by the vibration to drive the friction member relative to the vibrator, and each of the projecting portions generates an elliptic motion by the vibration. The elliptic motion is generated with an inclination at a predetermined angle with respect to the curved surface of the sliding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuharu Osawa
  • Motorized cable latch for a cooking oven
    Patent number: 11085648
    Abstract: Provided is a door latch including a latch mechanism, secured to an appliance such as a self-cleaning oven, which locks an appliance door to the appliance. The latch mechanism includes a latch bracket mounted to a surface of the appliance. A latch hook is mounted within the latch bracket for reciprocal movement between locking and unlocking positions. The latch hook pivotally engages a receptacle mounted on the door, to lock the door to the appliance. A flexible cable is retained inside a flexible conduit. A first end of the flexible cable is connected to the latch hook for displacing the latch hook into the locking position for pivotal engagement with the receptacle. An electric actuator is connected to a second end of the flexible cable for producing operative movement of the flexible cable within the flexible conduit to displace the latch hook between the locking and unlocking positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: HTI TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: Roger L. DeYoung
  • Linear structure for displacement transmission, and one-dimensional and three-dimensional micro movement device using same
    Patent number: 11087952
    Abstract: Provided is a linear structure for displacement transmission that can be bent in a second direction or a third direction when force in the second direction or the third direction is applied and can transmit a displacement in a first direction from an end of one side to an end of the other side when force in the first direction is applied. The linear structure includes a displacement transmission plate and a plurality of displacement transmission rods disposed radially on the displacement transmission plate to transmit the displacement in the first direction from the end of one side to the end of the other side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science
    Inventors: Dal Hyun Kim, Byong Chon Park, Chae Ho Shin
  • Unidirectional ring mitigation in a voltage converter
    Patent number: 11081955
    Abstract: A system includes a high side transistor switch coupled to a first voltage node and a low side transistor switch coupled to the high side transistor switch at a switch node. The system further includes a unidirectional decoupling capacitor circuit including a capacitive component. The unidirectional decoupling capacitor circuit is coupled between the first voltage node and a common potential. Responsive to a voltage on the first voltage node being more than a threshold greater than an input voltage to the first voltage node, the unidirectional decoupling capacitor circuit is configured to sink current from the first voltage node to the capacitive component. The capacitive component can therefore be charged, with the charge used to subsequently power a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sujan K. Manohar, Shailendra Baranwal, Jeffrey Morroni, Michael Lueders, Yogesh Ramadass
  • Method and apparatus for driving a piezoelectric transducer with stored charge recovery
    Patent number: 11081635
    Abstract: A piezo driver system including a driver including a switching amplifier coupling a power port to a driver port, a battery coupled to the power port, a piezo device coupled to the driver port, where the switching amplifier provides a filtered driver signal to the driver port and returns stored charge from the piezo device to the battery. A method for driving a piezo device includes multiplying an input signal by an oscillator signal to provide a control signal, controlling a switching amplifier in accordance with the control signal to provided a filtered alternating current (AC) driver signal and a returned charge direct current (DC) signal, applying the filtered driver signal to a piezo device, and returning stored charge of the piezo device to a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Cary L. Delano, Timothy A. Dhuyvetter
  • Vibration type motor, lens apparatus, and electronic device
    Patent number: 11081978
    Abstract: A vibration type motor includes a vibrator that includes a piezo element, a contacting portion, and a holding portion, and generates a first vibration and a second vibration, a friction member that makes frictional contact with the contacting portion of the vibrator, a holding member that holds the holding portion of the vibrator, and a biasing member that biases the holding portion of the vibrator to the holding member, and a condition of A3/A1<A4/A2 is satisfied where A1 and A2 are respectively amplitudes of the contacting portion in the first vibration and the second vibration, and A3 and A4 are respectively amplitudes of the holding portion in the first vibration and the second vibration in a state where the vibrator is not held by the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuharu Osawa
  • Claw pole brushless synchronous machine
    Patent number: 11081947
    Abstract: A claw pole synchronous machine includes a housing and a rotor being rotatable relative to the housing and having a plurality of first claw poles circumferentially alternating with a plurality of second claw poles. The plurality of first claw poles are axially overlapping with the plurality of second claw poles. At least two DC excitation coils are fixed relative to the housing and configured to provide a magnetic field to the rotor. A stator is fixed to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Jacek F. Gieras
  • Electrical power supply with removable plug-in cartridge
    Patent number: 11083067
    Abstract: A method of supplying electrical power to a load is provided. The method includes the step of providing a removable plug-in cartridge having markings related to a desired value of an electrical output of a power supply unit. The method further includes configuring the power supply unit to receive the removable plug-in cartridge such that the removable plug-in cartridge operates to set an output value of the power supply to the desired value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Hatch Transformers, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Richard Greenwood, Scott Rhodes
  • Wet cavity electric machine
    Patent number: 11081936
    Abstract: A wet cavity electric machine includes a stator core having two stator poles formed by a post and a wire wound about the post to form a stator winding, with the stator winding having end turns, and a rotor having two rotor poles and configured to rotate relative to the stator and a channel for liquid coolant to flow through the rotor, and at least one fluid port in fluid communication with the channel and the stator winding end turns wherein the end turns will be exposed to liquid coolant passing through the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventors: Hao Huang, Jan Zywot, Xiaochuan Jia
  • Inertial piezoelectric actuator driven by symmetrical sawtooth wave and method for achieving bi-directional motion thereof
    Patent number: 11075593
    Abstract: An inertial piezoelectric actuator driven by symmetrical sawtooth wave is symmetrical in structure and includes a seat, a slider, a piezoelectric stack and an elliptical ring. A pair of leaf-shaped flexible beams are arranged at a front end of a base, and a guide rail is connected between the pair of leaf-shaped flexible beams. The slider is placed on the guide rail. The piezoelectric stack is arranged in the elliptical ring with an interference fit. A front end of the elliptical ring is in contact with the guide rail, and a pre-stressed contact force between the elliptical ring and the guide rail is controlled by adjusting a screw at a rear end of the elliptical ring. A method for method for actuating bi-directional motion of the inertial piezoelectric actuator is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: XI'AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Minglong Xu, Yan Shao, Bo Feng
  • Vibrating type actuator performing linear driving, and electronic device
    Patent number: 11075592
    Abstract: A vibrating type actuator which hardly causes a failure and can suppress occurrence of abnormal noise while not preventing vibration from being excited in a vibrator. The vibrating type actuator comprises a vibrator in which vibration is excited, and a contact body which is in contact with the vibrator, wherein the vibrator and the contact body move relatively to each other. The vibrating type actuator comprises a holding member which holds the vibrator, a pressurizing member which pressurizes the vibrator against the contact body, a support member which movably supports the holding member in a pressurizing direction, in which the pressurizing member performs pressurization, and an vibration damping member which is in contact with the holding member at a plurality of portions while sandwiching the holding member in a direction orthogonal to the pressurizing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Oda, Makoto Shihoh
  • Balance input current of power supplies
    Patent number: 11073886
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system for balancing input current for power supplies a voltage detector configured to detect an input voltage to a power supply of a plurality of different power supplies. The system further includes one or more circuit elements configured to adjust one or more properties of the one or more circuit elements based at least in part on the detected input voltage in an attempt to maintain a consistent current input across the plurality of different power supplies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Mingchun Xu, Michael Timothy Kauffman
  • Device for integrating electric conductors into low-frequency electric tank circuits
    Patent number: 11075591
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a device for at least one low-frequency electric tank circuit, in which at least one electric conductor is an influencing component of the tank circuit due to its properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: DR. HIELSCHER GMBH
    Inventors: Harald Hielscher, Thomas Hielscher, Holger Hielscher
  • Pre-charged fast wake up low-dropout regulator
    Patent number: 11073854
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein present a new LDO design that eliminates the need for the sleep bias circuitry included in other systems. Further, the new LDO design can be biased with a small fraction of the operating current enabling the LDO to wake up substantially faster than previous LDO designs that include separate sleep circuitry. In some cases, the LDO can instantly (or faster than other LDOs) transition from a sleep mode to an operating mode enabling improved operation compared to prior LDOs. Furthermore, the new LDO design maintains a non-breakdown voltage across the transistors reducing the need to enter sleep mode to prevent transistors of the LDO from entering a breakdown region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Bo Zhou
  • Ultrasonic probe with heat dissipation
    Patent number: 11052425
    Abstract: An ultrasonic probe includes: an acoustic element that generates an ultrasonic wave and detects the ultrasonic wave; a support that supports the acoustic element on a side opposite to a test object side; and a heat dissipation material disposed on a side of the support opposite to the acoustic element, wherein an attenuation/thermal conduction material made of an attenuating material containing a thermally conductive material is disposed in contact with the heat dissipation material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Hirokazu Fukase
  • Haptic actuator using force multiplying spring and smart alloy wire
    Patent number: 11054904
    Abstract: A haptic feedback device includes a mechanical ground and a haptic surface. A plurality of connection points is connected to the mechanical ground and a plurality of connection points is connected to the haptic surface. An electroreactive wire extends around the plurality of connection point connected to the mechanical ground and the plurality of connection points connected to the haptic surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Douglas Bowers, Nelson Lin
  • Rotor of rotary electric machine and method for cooling rotary electric machine
    Patent number: 11056941
    Abstract: A rotor of the rotary electric machine includes a rotor core, and a plurality of permanent magnets disposed in an inner part or an outer circumferential surface of the rotor core in a circumferential direction. In the rotor core, one or more first flow passages through which a cooling liquid flows, the one or more first flow passages extending in an axial direction and communicating with the outside of the rotor, and one or more second flow passages extending radially outward from the first flow passage and having closed distal ends, are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Matsumoto
  • Piezoelectric driving device, electronic component conveyance apparatus, robot, projector, and printer
    Patent number: 11050365
    Abstract: A first member, a second member, a bearing that rotatably supports the second member about a rotation axis relative to the first member, a driven member placed on the first member, and a plurality of piezoelectric actuators that transmit driving forces for rotating the second member about the rotation axis relative to the first member to the driven member are provided, and the piezoelectric actuators are supported by the second member while being pressed against the first member or the member fixed thereto, and, as seen from a direction along the rotation axis, a center of pressing forces from the plurality of piezoelectric actuators to the driven member is located inside of an outer circumferential part of the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Inventors: Yutaka Arakawa, Tomohisa Iwazaki
  • Variable frequency voltage regulated AC-DC converters
    Patent number: 11042175
    Abstract: An AC-DC converter circuit can include a plurality of passive components configured to convert AC to DC and to non-linearly regulate output DC voltage to about a selected maximum throughout an AC input voltage range and/or generator frequency. The plurality of passive components can be configured to also limit power loss as a function of load on a DC side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Huazhen Chai, John Duward Sagona
  • Ultrasonic motor having a diagonally excitable actuator plate
    Patent number: 11043908
    Abstract: An ultrasonic motor, is disclosed having an ultrasonic actuator in the form of a rectangular piezo-electric plate, which has two generators for acoustic standing waves and on which at least two friction elements are arranged, an element to be driven, and an electric excitation device. The piezoelectric plate of the actuator is divided into two pairs of diagonally oppositely disposed sections by two virtual planes which extend perpendicularly to each other and which extend through the center line of the main surfaces of the actuator, wherein each of the generators includes two parts which can be operated in an antiphase manner and each of which is arranged in a diagonal section of the piezoelectric plate, and the friction elements are arranged on one or two end faces of the piezoelectric plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: PHYSIK INSTRUMENTE (PI) GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Wladimir Wischnewskiy, Alexej Wischnewski