Patents Examined by Karen B Addison
  • Elastic wave device
    Patent number: 8803402
    Abstract: An elastic wave device includes an elastic wave resonator which includes a comb-shaped electrode pair including a pair of com-shaped electrodes interdigitating with each other and provided on a piezoelectric substrate and which is configured to trap energy of the elastic wave therein. Each of the pair of comb-shaped electrodes includes interdigital electrode fingers connected to a common. A pitch of the interdigital electrode fingers changes along a direction perpendicular to a propagation direction of elastic wave. The elastic wave device has a small insertion loss and operates efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Satoru Ikeuchi
  • Increased frequency power generation using low-frequency ambient vibrations
    Patent number: 8796907
    Abstract: An increased frequency power generator that includes a pair of transducers located on opposite sides of a suspended inertial mass. Magnetic attraction is used to couple the mass to each of the two transducers in alternating fashion in response to vibration and other movement externally imparted on the generator. Each transducer includes a suspended magnetic element that couples and decouples to the inertial mass as it reciprocates in the housing due to the applied external moving force. As the inertial mass decouples from one transducer on its way to magnetically connecting to the other transducer, the decoupled suspended magnetic element oscillates at a frequency greater than the imparting force, thereby generating electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: The Regents of The University of Michigan
    Inventors: Tzeno Galchev, Hanseup Kim, Khalil Najafi
  • Piezoelectric actuator and piezoelectric actuator array
    Patent number: 8791623
    Abstract: An aspect of a piezoelectric actuator according to the present invention comprises: a plate-like piezoelectric element (20); a sheet (30); and a movable body (50). The piezoelectric element is provided to the sheet (30) in such a manner that the upper surface of the plate-like piezoelectric element is parallel to the upper surface of the sheet. The sheet includes a movable body driving section (40) formed on one of the upper and the lower surfaces of the sheet. A movable body includes a contact section (51) contacting with the sheet at the movable body driving section. The actuator moves the movable body driving section in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the sheet by using expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element in a direction parallel to the upper surface of the piezoelectric element to move the movable body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Tani
  • Surface acoustic wave resonator, surface acoustic wave oscillator, and electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 8791621
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave resonator includes a quartz substrate with preselected Euler angles and an IDT on the quartz substrate. The IDT includes electrode fingers and excites a stop band upper end mode surface acoustic wave. Inter-electrode finger grooves are provided between the electrode fingers. Assuming a surface acoustic wave wavelength is ?, an electrode finger film thickness is H, an inter-electrode finger groove depth is G, a line occupation rate of convex portions of the substrate between the inter-electrode finger grooves is ?g, and a line occupation rate of the electrode fingers on the convex portions is ?e, 0.0407??G+H; and ?g>?e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Owaki, Kunihito Yamanaka, Keigo Iizawa, Kenichi Hano
  • Ceramic material, method for producing said ceramic material and component comprising said ceramic material
    Patent number: 8791625
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ceramic material of the formula [(Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3)(1-y)(BaTiO3)y](1-x) (K0.5Na0.5NbO3)x, and also to a method for producing the same and to a component comprising said material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Epcos AG
    Inventors: Alain Brice Kounga Njiwa, Yongli Wang, Irmgard Penzinger
  • Ceramic material, method for the production of the ceramic material and component comprising the ceramic material
    Patent number: 8786167
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ceramic binary material and to a method for the production thereof. The material has piezoelectric properties and has a composition of the formula (1?x)(Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3)×(K0.5Na0.5NbO3), where 0<x?0.15. Furthermore, the invention relates to a component comprising said material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Alain Brice Kounga Njiwa, Shan-Tao Zhang, Juergen Roedel, Wook Jo, Torsten Granzow
  • Unit, oscillator and electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 8766516
    Abstract: A unit comprises a quartz crystal resonator having a base portion, and first and second vibrational arms, each of the first and second vibrational arms having opposite main surfaces. At least two grooves are formed in at least one of the opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms so that a distance in the width direction of the at least two grooves measured from an outer edge of the one of the at least two grooves to an outer edge of the other of the at least two grooves is less than 0.05 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Piedek Technical Laboratory
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
  • Piezoelectric device
    Patent number: 8766513
    Abstract: The piezoelectric device (100) stores a piezoelectric vibrating piece (10) which vibrates whenever an electrical voltage is applied. The piezoelectric device comprises: a package lid (11) having a first peripheral surface (M1) which surrounds a plane surface in a predetermined width; and a package base (12) comprising a second peripheral surface (M2) bonded to the first peripheral surface of the package lid and a recess portion recessed from the second peripheral surface. The first peripheral surface of the package lid and the second peripheral surface of the package base are rough surfaces, respective metal films (AC1, AC2) are formed on each rough surface, and the package lid and the package base are bonded using a sealing material (LG) formed between the metal films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuichi Mizusawa
  • Vibration wave driving apparatus
    Patent number: 8760036
    Abstract: A vibration wave driving apparatus includes a vibrator for driving a driven body and a member for supporting the vibrator. The construction can restrain increases in the number of components and in necessary space and can maintain a stable contact state of frictional surfaces of the vibrator and the driven body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Kojima
  • Quartz crystal unit, quartz crystal oscillator and electronic apparatus
    Patent number: 8749124
    Abstract: A quartz crystal unit comprises a quartz crystal resonator having an overall length less than 2.1 mm, a base portion, and first and second vibrational arms connected to the base portion. At least one groove is formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms so that a width of the at least one groove formed in the at least one of the opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms is less than a spaced-apart distance between the first and second vibrational arms. The quartz crystal resonator is housed in a case, and a lid being connected to the case to cover an open end of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Piedek Technical Laboratory
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
  • Piezoelectric vibrating pieces and piezoelectric devices comprising same, and methods for manufacturing same
    Patent number: 8742651
    Abstract: Exemplary piezoelectric vibrating pieces have an excitation electrode and an extraction electrode having uniform thickness in the vibrating region to prevent unnecessary vibrations and degradation of vibration characteristics. An exemplary piezoelectric vibrating piece includes a vibrating portion having an excitation electrode of a first thickness (d1), an outer frame surrounding the vibrating portion with a gap therebetween, a joining portion connecting the vibrating portion and the outer frame, and an extraction electrode connected to the excitation electrode and extending on the vibrating portion, joining portion, and outer frame. The extraction electrode has the first thickness d1 throughout the vibrating portion and a second thickness (d2>d1) on the outer frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuichi Mizusawa
  • Vibration type driving apparatus
    Patent number: 8736144
    Abstract: A vibrator according to an aspect of the present invention is provided with an adjustment region which is realized with use of an electro-mechanical energy conversion element that is designed for an adjustment on a resonance frequency, and an impedance element is arranged to be connected to the adjustment region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Kojima
  • Electromechanical transducer and actuator
    Patent number: 8729778
    Abstract: An electromechanical transducer that includes an elongating/contracting member and a driving member. The elongating/contracting member elongates and contracts in response to application of a voltage thereto. The elongating/contracting member has a side surface that is parallel to an elongation/contraction direction. The driving member is provided on the side surface of the elongating/contracting member. The driving member is displaced with elongation and contraction of the elongating/contracting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanaga Nishikawa, Takashi Hase, Toshio Nishimura
  • Wide bandwidth slanted-finger contour-mode piezoelectric devices
    Patent number: 8729779
    Abstract: Contour-mode piezoelectric devices and methods of forming contour mode piezoelectric devices. The contour mode piezoelectric device includes a piezoelectric film having first and second surfaces and suspended so that it is spaced away from a substrate. The contour mode piezoelectric device also includes first and second patterned electrodes respectively disposed on the first and second surfaces of the piezoelectric film, at least one of the first and second patterned electrodes having variable width along a length thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
    Inventors: Carlos R. Perez, Gianluca Piazza
  • Linear vibrator
    Patent number: 8716921
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus. The apparatus includes a housing, a first piezo element, a second piezo element, and a mass. The first piezo element and the second piezo element are inside the housing. The mass is movably mounted inside the housing. The mass is configured to move inside the housing in response to a displacement of at least one of the first piezo element and the second piezo element. The mass is simultaneously in direct contact with the first piezo element and the second piezo element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Nokia Corporation
    Inventor: Juha-Pekka Pettersson
  • Surface acoustic wave resonator for down-hole applications
    Patent number: 8710714
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for packaging a Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) piezoelectric device into a SAW tagging device for use in a harsh environment is provided. An exemplary SAW tagging device comprises a SAW piezoelectric device within a header container. The header container is electrically connected to an antenna system that comprises an antenna substrate, a dielectric disk that may operate as an antenna reflector in combination with a metal base. The antenna system, antenna substrate, dielectric disk and header container are all contained within a cavity in the metal base. The SAW tagging device is completely encased in a chemical, temperature and environmentally resistive and durable material that is transparent to the operating radio frequency of the SAW piezoelectric device contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: HM Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Duke Loi, Tim Mueller, Kathleen Hanafan
  • Piezoceramic multilayer actuator with high reliability
    Patent number: 8704430
    Abstract: A piezoceramic multilayer actuator has a first sub-stack (12, 14, 16) with a plurality of piezoceramic layers (22) and at least one internal electrode (24, 26), the piezoceramic layers (22) and the at least one internal electrode (24, 26) being laminated in an alternating manner, a second sub-stack (12, 14, 16) has a plurality of piezoceramic layers (22) and at least one internal electrode (24, 26), the piezoceramic layers (22) and the at least one internal electrode (24, 26) being laminated in an alternating manner, and a connection layer (40) arranged between the first sub-stack (12, 14, 16) and the second sub-stack (12, 14, 16), wherein the connection layer (40) is set up by a multitude of single connection points or connection lines (44) or other connection regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignees: Continental Automotive GmbH, Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Bernhard Döllgast, Masahiro Inagaki, Harald Johannes Kastl, Atsushi Ochi, Takami Sakamoto, Carsten Schuh
  • Bismuth iron oxide powder, manufacturing method for the bismuth iron oxide powder, dielectric ceramics, piezoelectric element, liquid discharge head, and ultrasonic motor
    Patent number: 8704429
    Abstract: Provided is a lead-free dielectric ceramics having a low leakage current value, and a bismuth iron oxide powder as a raw material thereof. The bismuth iron oxide powder includes at least: (A) grains including a bismuth iron oxide having a perovskite-type crystal structure; (B) grains including a bismuth iron oxide having a crystal structure classified to a space group Pbam; and (C) grains including a bismuth iron oxide or a bismuth oxide having a crystal structure that is classified to a space group I23. The dielectric ceramics are made of bismuth iron oxide in which the bismuth iron oxide crystals having the crystal structure classified to the space group Pbam are distributed at a grain boundary of crystal grains of the bismuth iron oxide crystals having the perovskite-type crystal structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha, Fuji Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisato Yabuta, Makoto Kubota, Mikio Shimada, Kenji Takashima, Fumio Uchida, Kenji Maeda, Chiemi Shimizu
  • Automated drive frequency control for resonant actuator systems and methods thereof
    Patent number: 8698374
    Abstract: An actuator system includes an actuator device comprising at least one piezoelectric member, a driving system, and an actuator controller. The driving system drives the at least one piezoelectric member at a driving frequency. The actuator controller monitors at least one parameter of the actuator device and the direct driving system to determine an operational mechanical resonant frequency of the actuator device based on the at least one parameter. The actuator controller adjusts the driving frequency based at least in part on the determined operational mechanical resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: New Scale Technologies
    Inventors: Qin Xu, Tom Guidarelli, Robert Culhane, Conrad Hoffman
  • Electrical component comprising a material with a perovskite structure and optimized electrodes and fabrication process
    Patent number: 8692443
    Abstract: An electrical component comprises a lead-based perovskite crystal material layer between a lower electrode on the surface of a substrate and an upper electrode, characterized in that the lower electrode comprises a stabilizing first layer made of a first material and a seeding second layer made of a second material, the first and second materials having the same chemical composition but different structural parameters and/or densities. A process for fabricating a component is also provided, in which the material with a perovskite structure may be PZT with a (100) or (111) orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Matthieu Cueff, Emmanuel Defay, Gwenael Le Rhun