Patents Examined by Karen B Addison
  • Patent number: 11673165
    Abstract: A Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT) device is provided. The PMUT includes a substrate and an edge support structure connected to the substrate. A membrane is connected to the edge support structure such that a cavity is defined between the membrane and the substrate, where the membrane is configured to allow movement at ultrasonic frequencies. The membrane includes a piezoelectric layer and first and second electrodes coupled to opposing sides of the piezoelectric layer. The PMUT is also configured to operate in a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) mode. Also provided are an integrated MEMS array, a method for operating an array of PMUT/SAW dual-mode devices, and a PMUT/SAW dual-mode device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: InvenSense, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Daneman
  • Patent number: 11641781
    Abstract: A display apparatus is disclosed. The display apparatus includes a display panel, a piezoelectric vibration unit attached to a rear surface of the display panel, and a member attached to at least one of a rear surface of the piezoelectric vibration unit and a portion of the rear surface of the display panel that surrounds the piezoelectric vibration unit. The display apparatus includes a display panel, a damping member attached to a rear surface of the display panel, and a piezoelectric vibration unit attached to a rear surface of the damping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Jongha Park
  • Patent number: 11621654
    Abstract: A vibration-wave motor includes a vibrator having two protruding parts, a holding member configured to hold the vibrator, a movable member configured to translationally move together with the holding member, a rotating unit configured to allow the holding member to rotate around each of three axes relative to the movable member and to restrict the holding member from translating in each of the three axes relative to the movable member, a urging member configured to urge the holding member and the movable member so that the holding member and the movable member translationally move together, and a restricting unit configured to restrict the holding member from rotating around the rotating unit as a center by the urging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Noguchi
  • Patent number: 11581477
    Abstract: A vibrator includes a vibrating part including a pair of vibrating plates and a piezoelectric material provided between the pair of vibrating plates, a supporting part including a pair of supporting plates and an interplate portion provided between the pair of supporting plates, and a wire provided in the vibrating part and the supporting part, wherein the wire is exposed from the supporting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventors: Yutaka Arakawa, Noboru Furuya, Akio Konishi
  • Patent number: 11558031
    Abstract: A film bulk acoustic resonator includes: a first electrode disposed on a substrate; a piezoelectric body disposed on the first electrode and including AlN to which a dopant is added; and a second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric body and facing the first electrode such that the piezoelectric body is interposed between the second electrode and the first electrode, wherein the dopant includes either one of 0.1 to 24 at % of Ta and 0.1 to 23 at % of Nb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae Kyung Lee, Jin Suk Son, Sung Sun Kim, Je Hong Kyoung, Hwa Sun Lee, Ran Hee Shin
  • Patent number: 11515857
    Abstract: A third through hole is formed in a crystal resonator plate of a crystal resonator to penetrate between a first main surface and a second main surface. A through electrode of the third through hole is conducted to a first excitation electrode. A seventh through hole is formed in a first sealing member of the crystal resonator to penetrate between a first main surface and a second main surface. The through electrode of the third through hole is conducted to the through electrode of the seventh through hole. The third through hole is not superimposed to the seventh through hole in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Kojo, Satoru Ishino
  • Patent number: 11309861
    Abstract: Embodiments of a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device having a guided SAW structure that provides spurious mode suppression and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a SAW device includes a non-semiconductor support substrate, a piezoelectric layer on a surface of the non-semiconductor support substrate, and at least one interdigitated transducer on a surface of the piezoelectric layer opposite the non-semiconductor support substrate. A thickness of the piezoelectric layer, a SAW velocity of the piezoelectric layer, and an acoustic velocity of the non-semiconductor support substrate are such that a frequency of spurious modes above a resonance frequency of the SAW device is above a bulk wave cut-off frequency of the SAW device. In this manner, the spurious modes above the resonance frequency of the SAW device are suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Shogo Inoue, Marc Solal
  • Patent number: 11271542
    Abstract: An acoustic wave device includes: a mounting substrate; a first wiring layer located on an upper surface of the mounting substrate, the first wiring layer including a first bond region and a first connection region connecting with the first bond region and having a thickness substantially equal to a thickness of the first bond region; an element substrate mounted on the mounting substrate; an acoustic wave element located on a lower surface of the element substrate; and a second wiring layer located on the lower surface of the element substrate, the second wiring layer including a second bond region and a second connection region, the second bond region directly bonding with the first bond region of the first wiring layer, the second connection region connecting the acoustic wave element with the second bond region and having a thickness substantially equal to a thickness of the second bond region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 11192140
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a transducer includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, a first piezoelectric portion, and a second piezoelectric portion. A resistor and an inductor are connected to the second electrode. The first piezoelectric portion is provided between the first electrode and the third electrode. The second piezoelectric portion is provided between the second electrode and the third electrode. A ratio of the absolute value of a difference between a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency to the first resonant frequency is 0.29 or less. The first resonant frequency is mechanical. The first resonant frequency is of the first piezoelectric portion and the second piezoelectric portion. The second resonant frequency is of a parallel resonant circuit. The parallel resonant circuit includes an electrostatic capacitance, the inductor, and the resistor. The electrostatic capacitance is between the second electrode and the third electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tomio Ono, Kazuhiro Itsumi
  • Patent number: 10917024
    Abstract: A vibration-type drive apparatus, which increases productivity and also prevents undesired vibration from occurring during operation, includes an elastic body, a vibrating body having an electro-mechanical energy conversion element mounted on the elastic body, a driven body that is brought into pressure contact with the vibrating body, and a pressurizing member that brings the driven body into pressure contact with the vibrating body. Relative positions of the vibrating body and the driven body change due to vibrations excited in the vibrating body. The pressurizing member has a positioning portion, and the driven body has a fitting-receiving portion that is to be fitted onto the positioning portion. During operation, the positioning portion and the fitting-receiving portion are not in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kei Suefuji
  • Patent number: 10910548
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes: an element substrate including an ultrasonic transducer and a first connection electrode connected to the ultrasonic transducer; a reinforcing plate that is bonded to the element substrate to reinforce the element substrate; and a second connection electrode provided on the reinforcing plate. The first and second connection electrodes are connected to each other in a bonding portion between the element substrate and the reinforcing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventor: Chikara Kojima
  • Patent number: 10897004
    Abstract: A piezoelectric drive device including: laminated piezoelectric element including a first end face and a second end face opposed to the first end face; a weight member attached to the first end face; and a shaft attached to the second end face, in which a moving member, engaged to the shaft movable in an axial direction, is moved by activating the laminated piezoelectric element. Inside the laminated piezoelectric element, a first internal electrode and a second internal electrode, respectively having a plane surface approximately perpendicular to the first end face and the second end face, are laminated in Y axial direction, approximately perpendicular to the first internal electrode and the second internal electrode with a piezoelectric layer in-between. The piezoelectric drive device, in which the laminated piezoelectric element is difficult to bend, even when the load is applied to the shaft from a lateral direction, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsunao Homma, Masahiro Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 10873314
    Abstract: Embodiments of a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) device having a guided SAW structure that provides spurious mode suppression and methods of fabrication thereof are disclosed. In some embodiments, a SAW device includes a non-semiconductor support substrate, a piezoelectric layer on a surface of the non-semiconductor support substrate, and at least one interdigitated transducer on a surface of the piezoelectric layer opposite the non-semiconductor support substrate. A thickness of the piezoelectric layer, a SAW velocity of the piezoelectric layer, and an acoustic velocity of the non-semiconductor support substrate are such that a frequency of spurious modes above a resonance frequency of the SAW device is above a bulk wave cut-off frequency of the SAW device. In this manner, the spurious modes above the resonance frequency of the SAW device are suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Shogo Inoue, Marc Solal
  • Patent number: 10855206
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric rotary drive for a shaft, which includes a piezoelectric actuator, a deformable frame that can be coupled with a coupling section to the shaft in a force-fit manner in order to accomplish a stick-slip drive, and a loading device which can apply a preloading force to the coupling section and/or the actuator and/or the shaft. To facilitate production and assembly, the loading device can be a leaf spring which in the relaxed state extends substantially in a plane, such as along a straight line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: PHYSIK INSTRUMENTE (PI) GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Reinhard Hübner, Hansjörg Luckert
  • Patent number: 10825979
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes: a substrate; a first electrode which is disposed on the substrate; a piezoelectric body layer which is disposed on the first electrode, which has a plurality of layers configured to contain a piezoelectric body material, and in which the total thickness of the plurality of layers is within a range of 1.6 ?m to 10 ?m; and an intermediate layer which is disposed on an interlayer of the piezoelectric body layer, and which is configured to contain titanium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomokazu Kobayashi, Mitsumi Kishida, Tsutomu Asakawa
  • Patent number: 10825982
    Abstract: A piezoelectric Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) device comprising: a physical element; and a piezoelectric sensor element, with the physical element positioned in proximity to a moving portion of the piezoelectric sensor element, and with proximity of the physical element to the moving portion reducing a probability of breakage of the piezoelectric sensor element by limiting an excursion of the piezoelectric sensor element, relative to a probability of breakage of the piezoelectric sensor element in another piezoelectric MEMS device without the physical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Vesper Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Littrell, Karl Grosh, Craig Core, Yu Hui, Wang Kyung Sung
  • Patent number: 10818834
    Abstract: A mounting structure includes a first substrate which has a first surface on which a functional element is provided, a second substrate that has a second surface facing the first surface, a wiring portion that is provided at a position which is different from a position of the functional element on the first surface, has a third surface facing the second surface, and is electrically connected to the functional element, and a conduction portion that is provided on the second surface, protrudes toward the first surface, and is connected to the third surface so as to be electrically connected to the functional element, in which an area of the third surface is larger than an area of a first end section of the wiring portion on the first substrate side in a plan view which is viewed from a thickness direction of the first substrate and the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Suzuki, Hiroshi Matsuda, Koji Ohashi
  • Patent number: 10819313
    Abstract: There are disclosed various apparatuses and methods for tuning a resonance frequency. In some embodiments there is provided an apparatus (200) comprising at least one input electrode (202, 204) for receiving radio frequency signals; a graphene foil (210) for converting at least part of the radio frequency signals into mechanical energy; at least one dielectric support element (212) to support the graphene foil (210) and to space apart the at least one input electrode (202, 204) and the graphene foil (210). The graphene foil (210) has piezoelectric properties. In some embodiments there is provided a method comprising receiving radio frequency signals by at least one input electrode (202, 204) of an apparatus (200); providing a bias voltage to the apparatus (200) for tuning the resonance frequency of the apparatus (200); and converting at least part of the radio frequency signals into mechanical energy by a graphene foil (210) having piezoelectric properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Lyten, Inc.
    Inventor: Martti Voutilainen
  • Patent number: 10802588
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for micro actuators are presented. In some embodiments, a micro actuator can comprise a substrate coupled to an actuation member. A corrugating portion of the substrate in a first state can be uncontracted to form a substantially planar surface and in a second state can be contracted along a dimension parallel to the planar surface. The actuation member can be at least partially rigid. The micro actuator can be configured to move the actuation member relative to the corrugating portion upon a change in state of the corrugating portion. At least a layer of the substrate can be unitary and the actuation member can include at least a portion of the layer. The substrate can comprise a conducting polymer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Russel Allyn Martin
  • Patent number: 10801373
    Abstract: A lead screw actuator device includes a base configured to support a plurality of actuators. A first bridge is supported by one of the plurality of actuators and a second bridge is supported by another one of the plurality of actuators. A nut is supported by the first bridge and the second bridge and is rotatably coupled to a screw with a sliding contact friction between the screw and the nut. The plurality of actuators generate small movements of the first bridge, the second bridge, and the nut that produce relative rotation between the nut and the screw. A method of making a lead screw actuator device is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: NEW SCALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: David A. Henderson