Patents by Inventor Akinori Yamada

Akinori Yamada has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8427035
    Abstract: A vibration device includes: a vibrating reed including a base having a notch, a plurality of vibrating arms extending from the base, and each including an arm section, a weight section, and a groove section, and a support section, wherein a mechanical resonant frequency f of the vibrating reed is higher than a thermal relaxation frequency f0 of the vibrating reed, and assuming that a closest approach distance between the notch and a crotch section formed between the vibrating arms is a base flexion width Wb, and an arm width of the vibrating arm in a case of replacing a cross-sectional shape of the vibrating arm having a thermoelastic loss equivalent to a thermoelastic loss of the cross-sectional shape and a thickness equal to a thickness of the cross-sectional shape is an effective arm width We, a relationship of Wb>We is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8373333
    Abstract: A resonator element includes at least one resonating arm that vibrates in a torsional mode, wherein the resonating arm includes a structural portion having a first portion disposed in a first direction in a sectional view in the width direction and a second portion connected to the first portion so that the center of gravity departs from the center of gravity of the first portion in the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first portion vibrates in a stretch mode in the length direction of the resonating arm with an application of a voltage, and wherein the second portion does not substantially vibrate in the stretch mode in the length direction of the resonating arm with the application of the voltage or vibrates in a stretch mode with a phase different from that of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8362854
    Abstract: A flexural vibration piece including a vibrator having a first region on which a compressive stress or a tensile stress acts and a second region on which a tensile stress acts when a compressive stress acts on the first region and a compressive stress acts when a tensile stress acts on the first region, and performs flexural vibration in a first plane; and a heat conduction path formed of a material having a thermal conductivity higher than the vibrator and that thermally connects the regions, wherein when m is the number of heat conduction paths, ?th is the thermal resistivity of the heat conduction path, ?v is the thermal resistivity of the vibrator, tv is the thickness of the vibrator in a direction orthogonal to the first plane, and tth is the thickness of the heat conduction path, a relationship of tth?(1/m)×tv×(?th/?v) is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Epson Toyocom Corporation, Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Furuhata, Akinori Yamada, Yuji Hamayama
  • Publication number: 20130015921
    Abstract: A resonator element capable of improving impact resistance is provided. A quartz crystal resonator element is a resonator element formed by etching a Z plate which is cut at predetermined angles with respect to the crystal axes of a quartz crystal. The quartz crystal resonator element includes a base, a pair of resonating arms extending from the base in the Y-axis direction, and a positive X-axis notch and a negative X-axis notch formed by notching the base in the X-axis direction. The positive X-axis notch is formed by notching the base from the negative side of the X axis towards the positive side so that the width of the positive X-axis notch increases as it approaches the outer circumference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori YAMADA, Shuhei YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20130009717
    Abstract: A resonator element capable of improving impact resistance is provided. A quartz crystal resonator element is a resonator element formed by etching a Z plate which is cut at predetermined angles with respect to the crystal axes of a quartz crystal. The quartz crystal resonator element includes a base, a pair of resonating arms extending from the base in the Y-axis direction, and a positive X-axis notch and a negative X-axis notch formed by notching the base in the X-axis direction. The positive X-axis notch is formed by notching the base from the negative side of the X axis towards the positive side so that the width of the positive X-axis notch increases as it approaches the outer circumference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori YAMADA, Shuhei YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 8310317
    Abstract: A vibrating member includes a base portion, a plurality of vibrating arms which extend from one end portion of the base portion, are provided in parallel in a first direction, and extend in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a linking portion which is provided between the base end portions of two adjacent vibrating arms and extends from the other end portion of the base portion, and a support portion which is connected to the base portion through the linking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8294337
    Abstract: A flexural vibration piece includes a base, and a vibrating arms extending therefrom, each pair of vibrating arms has a first groove formed in the extension direction of the vibrating arm in one main surface following the direction in which the pair of vibrating arms are aligned, and a second groove formed side by side to the first groove in another main surface, the sum of the depths of the first and second groove portions is greater than the interval between the one main surface and the other main surface, and a mass portion is provided on each of the pair of vibrating arms, on the one main surface which is the opening side of the first grooves formed toward the outer sides opposite the inner sides on which the vibrating arms face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Kawai, Makoto Furuhata, Akinori Yamada, Yuji Hamayama
  • Patent number: 8283988
    Abstract: A resonator element capable of improving impact resistance is provided. A quartz crystal resonator element is a resonator element formed by etching a Z plate which is cut at predetermined angles with respect to the crystal axes of a quartz crystal. The quartz crystal resonator element includes a base, a pair of resonating arms extending from the base in the Y-axis direction, and a positive X-axis notch and a negative X-axis notch formed by notching the base in the X-axis direction. The positive X-axis notch is formed by notching the base from the negative side of the X axis towards the positive side so that the width of the positive X-axis notch increases as it approaches the outer circumference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akinori Yamada, Shuhei Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120216614
    Abstract: A piezoelectric substrate includes vibrating arms, a base portion to which one end portion of each vibrating arm is connected, spindle portions formed in the other end portion of each vibrating arm, formed to have a large width, and having first groove portions formed therein, and second groove portions that are formed along the resonator center line of each vibrating arm, and flexure-torsional combined resonator is excited. A piezoelectric resonator element has flexural resonator of flexure-torsional combined resonator that is excited as its principal resonator and sets the cutting angle of the piezoelectric substrate, the widths and the depths of the first groove portion and the second groove portion, and the thickness of the vibrating arm such that the frequency-temperature characteristics represent third-order characteristics with respect to the temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanobu MATSUMOTO, Akinori YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8242666
    Abstract: A contour resonator is provided with a vibrating body formed from a flat plate in a square shape, excitation electrodes formed on both front and back surfaces of the vibrating body and regulating a resonance frequency, and temperature characteristic adjustment films formed on surfaces of the excitation electrodes and adjusting a temperature characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Publication number: 20120187803
    Abstract: A flexural vibration element according to a first aspect of the invention includes: a vibration element body composed of a plurality of vibrating arms provided in parallel, a connecting part connecting the vibrating arms, and one central supporting arm extending between the vibrating arras from the connecting part in parallel with the vibrating arms at equal distance from the arms; and a frame body disposed outside the vibration element body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8217556
    Abstract: A flexural vibration element includes: a vibration element body composed of a plurality of vibrating arms provided in parallel, a connecting part connecting the vibrating arms, and one central supporting arm extending between the vibrating arms from the connecting part in parallel with the vibrating arms at equal distance from the arms; and a frame body disposed outside the vibration element body. In the flexural vibration element, the vibration element body is supported by the frame body at an end part, which is opposite to the connecting part, of the central supporting arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Publication number: 20120137775
    Abstract: A piezoelectric substrate includes rod-shaped resonating arms; a base portion that connects one set of end portions of the respective resonating arms; weight portions which are formed on the other end portions of the respective resonating arms and which have a width larger than that of the respective resonating arms; and groove portions which are formed on each of the front and rear surfaces along the center line of vibration of the respective resonating arms. The piezoelectric substrate also includes excitation electrodes which are formed on each of the front and rear surfaces of the respective resonating arms including the inner side of the respective groove portions. A plurality of frequency adjustment slits extending in a straight line form along the longitudinal direction of the respective resonating arms are formed on the respective weight portions so as to penetrate through the front and rear surfaces of the weight portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8183750
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: a resonating body having a first region and a second region, the first region receiving a compression stress or an extension stress by a vibration, the second region receiving an extension stress responding to the compression stress in the first region, or a compression stress responding to the extension stress of the first region; and at least one film layer, on a surface of the resonating body between the first and the second regions, having thermal conductivity higher than thermal conductivity of the resonating body. In the element, the film layer includes a recessed section in which at least one film layer is removed between the first and the second regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8169127
    Abstract: A flexural vibration element includes: a plurality of vibrating arms provided in parallel with each other; a connecting part connecting the vibrating arms; and one central supporting arm extending between the vibrating arms from the connecting part in parallel with the vibrating arms at equal distance from the arms. In the flexural vibration element, the connecting part has a groove formed on each of front and rear surfaces thereof, and the groove is provided in an area of the connecting part in which compressive stress and tensile stress due to flexural vibration of the vibrating arms alternately occur at a vibrating arm side and an opposite side of the vibrating arm side, in a width direction of the vibrating arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8164393
    Abstract: A vibrating reed includes: a base; and a vibrating arm which is extended from one end portion of the base, the vibrating arm having an arm portion which is disposed on the base side, a weight portion which is disposed on a tip side of the arm portion and has a larger width than the arm portion, main surfaces which are respectively disposed on front and back sides of the vibrating arm, side surfaces each of which extends in a longitudinal direction of the vibrating arm to connect the main surfaces on the front and back sides and which are formed so as to face each other, a first groove portion which is a bottomed groove formed at least one of the main surfaces along the longitudinal direction of the vibrating arm, a first excitation electrode which is formed on groove side surfaces each connecting a bottom of the first groove portion with the one main surface, a second excitation electrode which is formed on the both side surfaces, and a projection-in-groove which is disposed on the tip side of a bisector bise
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8134283
    Abstract: A vibrating element includes: a vibrating body having frequency temperature dependency; and a temperature characteristic correcting part provided on a surface of the vibrating body. The temperature characteristic correcting part has a temperature characteristic of at least one of a Young's modulus and a thermal expansion coefficient and is expressed by a temperature characteristic curve which has at least one of an inflection point and an extremal value. In the vibrating element, a temperature of at least one of the inflection point and the extremal value is within an operating temperature range of the vibrating body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akinori Yamada, Katsuo Ishikawa, Shuhei Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20120038251
    Abstract: A flexural vibration element includes: a plurality of vibrating arms provided in parallel with each other; a connecting part connecting the vibrating arms; and one central supporting arm extending between the vibrating arms from the connecting part in parallel with the vibrating arms at equal distance from the arms. In the flexural vibration element, the connecting part has a groove formed on each of front and rear surfaces thereof, and the groove is provided in an area of the connecting part in which compressive stress and tensile stress due to flexural vibration of the vibrating arms alternately occur at a vibrating arm side and an opposite side of the vibrating arm side, in a width direction of the vibrating arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20120007685
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: at least one resonating arm extending, wherein the resonating arm has a mechanical resonance frequency which is higher than a thermal relaxation frequency thereof, the resonating arm has a groove portion, the groove portion includes a bottom portion, a first side surface that extends along the longitudinal direction of the resonating arm and comes into contact with the opened principal surface and the bottom portion, and a second side surface that faces the first side surface with the bottom portion disposed therebetween and comes into contact with the opened principal surface and the bottom portion, and the groove portion has a non-electrode region which extends from a part of the first side surface close to the bottom portion to a part of the second side surface close to the bottom portion and in which no electrode is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20120007684
    Abstract: A crystal resonator element include a pair of resonating arms extending from a base, the resonating arms includes a groove, a slope portion is formed in a connection portion of the resonating arms to the base so that a distance between the groove and the outer edge of each of the resonating arms increases as it approaches the base from the resonating arms, and a non-electrode region which extends over a range of areas from a connection portion connected to a first side surface formed along the longitudinal direction of the groove and a connection portion connected to a second side surface facing the first side surface with a bottom portion disposed there between and in which excitation electrodes are not formed is provided in the groove in at least a part of the bottom portion positioned in the slope portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA