Patents Examined by Thomas Dougherty
  • Patent number: 9911911
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: John Keith Schneider, Jack Conway Kitchens, II
  • Patent number: 9905747
    Abstract: A crystal vibration device where a crystal unit is supported on a case substrate in a cantilever manner by first and second conductive adhesive layers. The crystal unit has a length direction and is formed using a rectangular-plate-shaped crystal substrate and A>4.30t+0.16, where A (mm) represents a shorter distance among distances between a central axis of the crystal substrate and end portions of the first and second conductive adhesive layers on a central axis side, and t (?m) represents a thickness of the crystal substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Masaru Asai
  • Patent number: 9903788
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an electroactive polymer member and a first electric terminal and a second electric terminal. The electroactive polymer member has a free portion configured to change position relative to a fixed portion in response to an external stimulus corresponding to at least one of a flow parameter or a fluid parameter. The first electric terminal and the second electric terminal are coupled to the electroactive polymer member. The first electric terminal and the second electric terminal provide an electrical signal in response to the change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Guoming G Zhu, Xiaobo Tan, David Ling-Shun Hung
  • Patent number: 9901957
    Abstract: The vibration producing device includes a driving shaft being placed under slight rapid vibratory movements in its axial direction, a slight rapid vibratory movements producing member coupled with one end of the driving shaft for causing the driving shaft to be vibrated with the slight rapid vibratory movements, a casing for supporting at least either the driving shaft or the slight rapid vibratory movement producing member in such a manner that the driving shaft can be vibrated with the slight rapid vibratory movements in its axial direction, and a weight member to be coupled with the driving shaft in order to permit the weight member to move in its axial direction under the slight rapid vibratory movements of the driving shaft, wherein the casing is vibrated by allowing the weight member to be moved forwards and backwards alternately along the driving shaft in its axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: NEW SHICOH TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Tada, Hiroki Narushima, Yoshitaka Mori
  • Patent number: 9899592
    Abstract: The invention is an actuating drive for deflecting an actuating element using a solid body actuator (2) when an electrical voltage or an alternating magnetic field is applied, to cause a change in length. A housing (1) encloses the solid body actuator to define an interspace (13) in a fluid-tight manner. Furthermore, the solid body actuator includes a hollow duct (6) having one end connected to a first hollow conduit (20) passing through the housing and the other end opening into the interspace (13). The interspace is additionally connected in a fluid-tight manner to a second hollow conduit (21) passing through the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Tobias Melz, Michael Matthias, Holger Hanselka
  • Patent number: 9899987
    Abstract: An active type temperature compensation resonator structure is provided, including a resonant body and a temperature compensation element embedded in the resonant body for a compensation current to pass therethrough. The temperature compensation element has a specified temperature coefficient of resistance that reflects the temperature of the resonant body. The magnitude of the compensated current corresponds to the reflected temperature of the resonant body. With the active type temperature compensation resonator structure, the temperature of the resonant body can be accurately reacted by the specified temperature coefficient of resistance, such that the temperature compensation element, through which the compensated current passes, can dynamically correspond to the temperature of the resonant body and accurately provide the resonant body with temperature compensation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: National Tsing Hua University
    Inventors: Sheng-Shian Li, Ming-Huang Li
  • Patent number: 9899591
    Abstract: There are provided a piezoelectric actuator having reduced noise caused by the vibration of a piezoelectric element is reduced, a piezoelectric vibration apparatus and a portable terminal. A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element which includes a stacked body in which internal electrodes and piezoelectric layers are laminated, and a surface electrode disposed on one main surface of the stacked body so as to be electrically connected to the internal electrodes; and a flexible substrate electrically joined to the surface electrode; and a reinforcing plate fixedly attached to a region of the flexible substrate where the flexible substrate overlaps with the piezoelectric element, the reinforcing plate being provided with a bend portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michiya Murakami
  • Patent number: 9893269
    Abstract: The present invention provides a piezoelectric element that includes a piezoelectric material having first and second surfaces; a common electrode disposed on the first surface; and a plurality of drive phase electrodes, a detection phase electrode, and a non-drive phase electrode disposed on the second surface, the piezoelectric material being sandwiched between the common electrode and the electrodes on the second surface. An absolute value d(1) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material (1) in portions sandwiched between the drive phase electrodes and the common electrode, an absolute value d(2) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material (2) in a portion sandwiched between the detection phase electrode and the common electrode, and an absolute value d(3) of the piezoelectric material (3) in a portion sandwiched between the non-drive phase electrode and the common electrode satisfy d(2)<0.95d(1), d(3)<0.95d(1), and 0.9?d(3)/d(2)?1.1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Ifuku, Tatsuo Furuta, Hiroshi Saito, Makoto Kubota, Satoshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 9893263
    Abstract: In a driver for driving an optical deflector including a mirror, a piezoelectric actuator and a piezoelectric sensor adapted to sense vibrations of the piezoelectric actuator, a saw-tooth voltage generating unit; a combined saw-tooth voltage generating unit; and a control unit, the control unit applies a saw-tooth voltage and its inverted voltage to the piezoelectric actuator; performs a low-pass filtering process using a cut-off frequency upon a sense voltage; calculates a half period of fluctuations included in a low-pass-filtered saw-tooth voltage; combines the low-pass-filtered saw-tooth voltage with a delayed low-pass-filtered saw-tooth voltage; and to applies a combined saw-tooth voltage and its inverted voltage to the piezoelectric actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: STANLEY ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takanori Aimono
  • Patent number: 9893270
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric bulk acoustic wave element by forming a sacrificial layer on a part of a primary surface of a substrate. A piezoelectric film sandwiched between a pair of electrodes is formed on the primary surface of the substrate so as to cover the sacrificial layer, the piezoelectric film being formed from scandium-containing aluminum nitride having a scandium atomic concentration with respect to the total number of scandium atoms and aluminum atoms of more than 24 atomic percent. An etching step of removing the sacrificial layer by etching is performed. Prior to the etching step, a protective film formed from aluminum nitride or scandium-containing aluminum nitride having a lower scandium atomic concentration than that of the piezoelectric film is provided so as to cover at least a part of a portion of the piezoelectric film located in a region in which the sacrificial layer is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoto Araki, Keiichi Umeda
  • Patent number: 9893265
    Abstract: A crystal resonation device that includes a base plate, a cap, a joining material, and a crystal resonator. The cap is provided on the base plate. The cap forms a sealed space with the base plate. The joining material joins the base plate and the cap. The joining material contains a cured material of thermosetting resin. The crystal resonator is provided on the base plate in the sealed space. The joining material is located in an outer side portion of a wall of the cap joined to the joining material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Saito, Toshiyuki Yasugi
  • Patent number: 9887346
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising: —a piezoelectric convertor layer; and —a proximal first piezoresistive layer being in electrical communication with, a first face of the piezoelectric convertor layer, the apparatus being configured such that when the piezoelectric convertor layer is deformed to generate charge, the proximal piezoresistive layer is configured to control the flow of charge from the piezoelectric convertor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Richard White, Alan Colli
  • Patent number: 9887345
    Abstract: A piezo-stack includes a plurality of lateral surfaces and a first passivation layer applied to a first lateral surface. The first passivation layer terminates flush with opposing lateral surfaces that adjoin the first lateral surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Richter, Harald Johannes Kastl, Claus Zumstrull
  • Patent number: 9882512
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element for power generation and a power generation device using the same according to the present invention can maximize an electromotive force generated by the piezoelectric element by converting an external force (a natural force or a load force of a person/vehicle or the like) transferred from the outside into an instantaneous impact force and transferring the impact force to the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Sang-Cheol Bae
  • Patent number: 9879126
    Abstract: The present invention provides a curable organopolysiloxane composition capable of producing a cured article that can be used as a transducer and provided with excellent mechanical characteristics and/or electrical characteristics. The present invention also relates to a novel curable organopolysiloxane composition for transducer use comprising a curable organopolysiloxane composition and a compound having a highly dielectric functional group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: DOW CORNING CORPORATION, DOW CORNING TORAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruhiko Furukawa, Peter Cheshire Hupfield, Hong Sub Kim, Eiji Kitaura, Kent R. Larson, Wataru Nishiumi, Takuya Ogawa, Kouichi Ozaki, Son Thanh Phan, Keiji Wakita
  • Patent number: 9882115
    Abstract: A piezoelectric bimorph actuator with an integral compliant boundary employs a first piezoelectric element, a second piezoelectric element and a composite layer intimately engaged between the first and second piezoelectric elements to form a bimorph actuator. The composite layer extends from a peripheral edge of the piezoelectric elements and has a curved interface portion providing a mount for attachment of the bimorph actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Dan J. Clingman, Esther S. Zidovetzki
  • Patent number: 9881759
    Abstract: A piezoelectronic switch device for radio frequency (RF) applications includes a piezoelectric (PE) material layer and a piezoresistive (PR) material layer separated from one another by at least one electrode, wherein an electrical resistance of the PR material layer is dependent upon an applied voltage across the PE material layer by way of an applied pressure to the PR material layer by the PE material layer; and a conductive, high yield material (C-HYM) comprising a housing that surrounds the PE material layer, the PR material layer and the at least one electrode, the C-HYM configured to mechanically transmit a displacement of the PE material layer to the PR material layer such that applied voltage across the PE material layer causes an expansion thereof and an increase the applied pressure to the PR material layer, thereby causing a decrease in the electrical resistance of the PR material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew W. Copel, Bruce G. Elmegreen, Glenn J. Martyna, Dennis M. Newns, Thomas M. Shaw, Paul M. Solomon
  • Patent number: 9876158
    Abstract: A component suitable for miniaturization and comprising acoustically decoupled functional structures is specified. The component comprises a first functional structure, a first thin-film cover, which covers the first functional structure, and a second functional structure above the thin-film cover. The thin-film cover does not touch the first functional structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: SnapTrack, Inc.
    Inventors: Gudrun Henn, Thomas Metzger
  • Patent number: 9876157
    Abstract: A surface mount type quartz crystal device according to a first aspect of the disclosure includes a ceramic package, a pedestal blank, a quartz-crystal vibrating piece. The pedestal blank is placed within the ceramic package via a conductive adhesive. The quartz-crystal vibrating piece is placed on the pedestal blank. The conductive adhesive is formed along an outer peripheral side of the pedestal blank so as to avoid overlap with the excitation electrode viewed in a normal direction of the excitation electrode. The pedestal blank is formed to avoid a region where a distance from the quartz-crystal vibrating piece is equal to or smaller than a size of a clearance between the pedestal blank and the quartz-crystal vibrating piece at the outer peripheral side, in a region where the excitation electrode faces at the pedestal blank side viewed in the normal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Kanamaru, Takuya Kuwayama, Yasunori Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 9874484
    Abstract: A physical quantity detecting device includes a vibrating element and a charge amplifier. The vibrating element includes a first detection electrode, a second detection electrode, a third detection electrode, and a fourth detection electrode. The first and fourth detection electrodes have the same electrical polarity, the second and third detection electrodes have the same electrical polarity, and the first and second detection electrodes have opposite electrical polarities. The first and fourth detection electrodes are connected to the charge amplifier, and the second and third detection electrodes are connected to the charge amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuta Nishizawa, Keiji Nakagawa, Keiichi Yamaguchi, Atsushi Matsuo, Fumio Ichikawa