Patents Examined by Peter Medley
  • Patent number: 6448690
    Abstract: An energy-trap type piezoelectric resonator utilizes a fundamental wave of a thickness shear vibration mode and includes resonance electrodes provided on both main surfaces of a substantially rectangular piezoelectric plate so as to face each other with the piezoelectric plate disposed therebetween. An energy trap vibration portion including a portion of the piezoelectric plate where the resonance electrodes overlap each other is asymmetrical with respect to the center in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sawai, Ryuhei Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6448697
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of mounting a piezoelectric device having a plurality of mounting pads directly to a printed circuit board comprising the steps of providing a piezoelectric device, miniature conductive springs and a printed circuit board, attaching the springs to mounting pads of the piezoelectric transformer, and attaching the springs to the printed circuit board. Also disclosed is an apparatus made according to the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: CTS Corporation
    Inventor: Gary Vaughn
  • Patent number: 6437490
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vibration gyro having good detection sensitivity and good detection accuracy and which comprises four beams provided on a base portion and which are made substantially stationary, for any type of vibration used. Since the vibration stimulus and detection make use of the same vibration mode, and the beams is so configured that output signals output from the beams cancel noise output generated by externally applied vibration, it is possible that matching of the excitation to obtain a large output signal and the resonant frequency for detection can be achieved without placing great expectations on machining and assembly precision, and without affecting adversely to the performance thereof depending upon a supporting method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tohru Yanagisawa, Izumi Yamamoto, Naoki Fujii
  • Patent number: 6437482
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator using a thickness extensional vibration mode, comprises a vibrator portion made up of two or more layers of piezoelectric thin-films where the piezoelectric thin-films and a plurality of insulating thin films are alternately laminated. An alternating voltage is independently applied to each layer of the piezoelectric thin-films for a higher-order vibration mode to be dominantly excited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akihiko Shibata
  • Patent number: 6429575
    Abstract: A device for transmitting ultrasonic energy to a liquid or pasty medium, comprising an alternating current generator (23) intended to operate in a frequency range of 1 to 100 kHz, a magnetostrictive or piezoelectric transceiver (12) capable of producing under the generator output AC voltage longitudinal high frequency mechanical vibrations, a waveguide (27) in the form of a cylindrical rod capable of being stimulated by said transceiver for generating longitudinal harmonic vibrations, and a cavity resonator (17) acoustically coupled with the waveguide and in a tubular form for converting said longitudinal harmonic vibrations into transversal vibrations relative to the longitudinal axis (14), the wave power of which can be injected into the medium to be submitted to sonicating. Said cavity resonator (11) is designed in such a way the resonance requirement is met both for the longitudinal and transversal self-vibrations of its envelope (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Tech Sonic Gesellschaft fur Ultraschall-Technologie m.b.H.
    Inventors: Vladimir Abramov, Oleg Abramov
  • Patent number: 6424079
    Abstract: A piezoelectric power generator, particularly for use in a flowing fluid stream, comprises an elongated, flexible central layer of a dielectric material having, spaced axially along opposite sides thereof, a plurality of separate piezoelectric elements each formed from a portion of a continuous layer of a piezoelectric layer extending along each opposite side of the central layer sandwiched between a pair of electrodes unique to each piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Ocean Power Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles B. Carroll
  • Patent number: 6424076
    Abstract: A method of driving a plurality of actuators comprising the steps of providing a plurality of actuators and a controller having drive output signals for driving said plurality of actuators. At least one multiplexer is provided between said controller and said plurality of actuators and driving said actuators using said controller drive output signals by causing said actuators to be energized and deenergized by mutiplexing through said multiplexer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: The B. F. Goodrich Company
    Inventor: Sarma N. Gullapalli
  • Patent number: 6424081
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a piezoelectric layer formed of an ordered Langasite structure compound having the formula A3BC3D2E14, wherein A is calcium, B is niobium or tantalum, C is gallium, D is silicon, and E is oxygen. At least one electrode is connected to the piezoelectric layer and may be configured to define a device, such as a SAW resonator or filter, or a BAW resonator or filter. The ordered Langasite structure compound may have a substantially perfectly ordered structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Crystal Photonics, Incorporated
    Inventors: Bruce H. T. Chai, Mitch M. C. Chou, Haihong Qiu, Shen Jen
  • Patent number: 6417603
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric transformer provided with node point recognition patterns for visually indicating respective node points, at which external electrical connection of input and output electrodes is made, thereby allowing the external electrical connection of the input and output electrodes to be easily achieved in a manual wire soldering process, while allowing the wire soldering process to be automatically carried out irrespective of the size of the piezoelectric transformer. The piezoelectric transformer, which includes a piezoelectric member, an input electrode, an output electrode, and a ground electrode, the electrodes being printed on the piezoelectric member, further includes a plurality of node point recognition patterns extending radially about the center of each of the electrodes while being spaced apart from the center of the electrode by a desired radial distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Sun Kim, Nak-Cheol Sung
  • Patent number: 6414417
    Abstract: A laminated piezoelectric actuator comprising external electrodes formed on the side surfaces of an actuator body constituted by plural piezoelectric layers and plural internal electrode layers alternatingly laminated in the direction of height, external electrodes connecting the ends of said internal electrode layers, the internal electrode layers neighboring one another with the piezoelectric layers sandwiched among them of one side constituting first electrode layers and the internal electrode layers of the other side constituting second electrode layers, wherein the external electrodes include a first external electrode connecting the ends of the first electrode layers, and a second external electrode connecting the ends of the second electrode layers and is formed on a side surface of the actuator body different from the side surface on where the first external electrode is formed, insulating blocks are arranged between the first external electrode and the ends of the second electrode layers, and between
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotaka Tsuyoshi, Hideki Uchimura, Shigenobu Nakamura, Susumu Ono
  • Patent number: 6414418
    Abstract: The invention relates to a piezoelectric actuator, in particular for actuating control valves or injection valves in motor vehicles, having an actuator body in the form of a multilayered laminate made up of stacked layers of piezoelectric material with intervening metallic or electrically conductive layers that function as electrodes, which, in alternating fashion, electrically contact common electrode strips disposed on the circumference in the longitudinal direction of the actuator body, and having electrical connecting conductors which, in order to supply the operating voltage to the piezoelectric actuator, electrically contact the respective common electrode strips. On at least one end face remote from the valve, the actuator body has a covering layer made of piezoelectrically inactive ceramic material and the connecting conductors electrically contact the common electrode strips only in the vicinity of this covering layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Friedrich Boecking
  • Patent number: 6411009
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator has at least two piezoelectric actuator elements connected in series with each other mechanically and electrically and form a half bridge in an amplifier bridge circuit having a further half bridge formed by two series connected electronic switches which are operated or clocked by a control circuit such as a pulse modulator circuit for periodically energizing the piezoelectric actuators in push-pull fashion. A choke (22) is connected between the junction point (JP1) of the two piezoelectric actuators and the junction point (JP2) between the two electronic switches (23, 24) for assuring a loss free reverse charging of the two piezoelectric actuators functioning as electrical capacitors in the energizing bridge circuit (21). The choke 22 functions as an energy storage and the stored energy is used in the push-pull charging of the capacitors (19, 20) formed by the piezoelectric elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH
    Inventor: Peter Jaenker
  • Patent number: 6411016
    Abstract: A structure comprises a piezoelectric ceramics plate formed by two plate-shaped piezoelectric ceramics elements which are layered and joined to each other with inverse polarization, in which electricity is generated by beating one or both surface of the piezoelectric ceramics plate. Therefore, an excellent generating efficiency is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: USC Co., Limited
    Inventors: Mikio Umeda, Yasuhiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 6411018
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator, for example for actuating a mechanical component, is proposed, which has a multilayered structure of piezoelectric layers and internal electrodes (2, 3) disposed between them. As a conductive surface, a first external electrode (6) is mounted on a respective side surface and is contacted by the respective internal electrodes (2, 3). An elastic contact is used to supply electrical voltage by means of connections (4, 5; 15) to a second net-like or woven cloth-like external electrode (7), which is disposed on the first external electrode (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Rudolf Heinz
  • Patent number: 6411010
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator has a base and a movable body disposed over a surface of the base for undergoing movement relative thereto. The movable body has a frame and at least one cantilever having a first end integrally connected to the frame and a second free end. A piezoelectric element is disposed on the cantilever for undergoing expansion and contraction movement in response to application of an alternating voltage to bring the second free end of the cantilever into and out of contact with the surface of the base to thereby move the movable body relative to the surface of the base. Spring members are connected to the frame of the movable body for regulating a direction of movement of the movable body relative to the surface of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Yoko Suzuki, Kazuo Tani, Satoshi Watanabe, Tatsuru Sato
  • Patent number: 6407484
    Abstract: A self contained device for harvesting electrical energy from linear and rotary motion has a sensor with amplifiers for tensile stretching of a piezoelectric body with magnification of the applied force. The piezoelectric body is a monolithic plate with surface electrodes covering its top and bottom surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Rockwell Technologies Inc
    Inventors: John R. Oliver, Ratnakar R. Neurgaonkar, Alex P. Moffatt, Mohsen Khoshnevisan, Jeffrey Glenn Nelson
  • Patent number: 6400125
    Abstract: A device for regulating the voltage at which an automobile battery is charged by an alternator, having a control circuit and a power circuit, as well as an external management unit connected to the control circuit in order to transmit different regulation parameters to it, the power circuit also being connected to the external management unit and including means enabling it to generate by itself an excitation signal when the management unit delivers a control signal, the control circuit being activated to emit an excitation signal only when it detects the start of rotation of the alternator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Jean-Marie Pierret, Raymond Rechdan
  • Patent number: 6396194
    Abstract: An ultrasonic motor has a vibrating body polarized in a given direction. The vibrating body comprises a first piezoelectric body and a second piezoelectric body laminated to the first piezoelectric body in a preselected direction generally parallel to the polarized direction. Each of the first piezoelectric body and the second piezoelectric body has a first polarized portion and a second polarized portion. The first polarized portion of the first piezoelectric body is aligned in the preselected direction with the second polarized portion of the second piezoelectric body. The second polarized portion of the first piezoelectric body is aligned in the preselected direction with the first polarized portion of the second piezoelectric body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Akihiro Iino, Masao Kasuga, Makoto Suzuki, Kenji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6392329
    Abstract: A piezoelectrically actuated vibratory motor comprises actuators that are mounted “vertically” with their edges attached to top and bottom mounting members. An oscillating voltage applied to the actuators causes them to contract and expand to move the attached mounting members in a direction essentially parallel to the faces of the actuators. The force transmitted to the mounting members at the edges of actuators is greater than the typical force taken at the center of a face of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Face International Corp.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Bryant, Glenn F. Rogers, Jr., Samuel A. Face, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6384513
    Abstract: The conductor pattern on an ultrasonic motor lead board is prevented from being stripped off an ultrasonic motor lead board main body. An ultrasonic motor support member 124 for an ultrasonic motor 130 is firmly fixed on an ultrasonic motor shaft 132. A piezoelectric element 802 is firmly fixed to an ultrasonic stator main body 122b. The ultrasonic stator 122 is firmly fixed on the ultrasonic motor shaft 132. An ultrasonic motor lead board 136 is firmly fixed onto a backside of the ultrasonic motor support member 124. A conductor pattern 136b at its tip portion 136e and a conductor pattern 136b at its tip portion 136f are respectively welded to electrodes 803a, 803b of the piezoelectric element 802. An ultrasonic rotor 134 is arranged rotatable relative to the ultrasonic motor shaft 132. A pressurizing spring 138 puts the ultrasonic rotor 134 in pressure contact with the ultrasonic stator 122.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Oono, Takayuki Satodate