Patents by Inventor Chikara Kojima

Chikara Kojima 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: 11594671
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a substrate in which an opening section piercing through the substrate in a thickness direction is provided, a vibration plate provided on the substrate to close the opening section, a piezoelectric element provided in a position corresponding to the opening section on a first surface at the opposite side of the substrate side of the vibration plate, and an elastic layer provided in contact with a second surface at the substrate side of the vibration plate at the inner side of the opening section of the substrate. The elastic layer includes a curved surface recessed to the vibration plate side at the opposite side of the vibration plate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki, Chikara Kojima
  • Patent number: 11594670
    Abstract: An MEMS device includes: a first member; a second member forming a sealed space with the first member therebetween; and a third member disposed between the first member and the second member and joined to the first member and the second member, in which the third member has lower rigidity than rigidity of the first member and the second member, and the third member is provided with a communication portion that establishes communication between the sealed space and an external space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Eiji Osawa, Koji Ohashi, Kanechika Kiyose, Tomohiro Sayama, Hironori Suzuki, Katsuhiro Imai, Yasuyuki Matsumoto, Takahiro Kamijo
  • Patent number: 11581478
    Abstract: A mounting structure includes: a first substrate that has a first surface on which a functional element is provided; a wiring portion that is provided at a position, which is different from a position of the functional element on the first surface, and is conductively connected to the functional element; a second substrate that has a second surface that is opposite to the first surface; and a conduction portion that is provided on the second surface, is connected to the wiring portion, and is conductively connected the functional element. The shortest distance between the functional element and the second substrate is longer than the longest distance between the second substrate and a position where the wiring portion is connected to the conduction portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Chikara Kojima, Hiroshi Matsuda, Hironori Suzuki, Shuichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11529649
    Abstract: A piezoelectric film includes a substrate having flexibility, and at least two piezoelectric elements provided to the substrate so as to be arranged at intervals of a first dimension along a first direction, the piezoelectric elements are each configured by stacking a first electrode film, a piezoelectric film made of an inorganic material, and a second electrode film along a thickness direction of the substrate, and an area between the piezoelectric elements adjacent to each other along the first direction forms a vibrational region which can be displaced in the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Hironori Suzuki, Eiji Osawa, Koji Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11532780
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes an element substrate having a first and a second surface at an opposite side of the first surface, including an opening section piercing through the element substrate in a Z direction from the first to second surface, a vibrating plate on the first surface of the element substrate to close the opening section, a plurality of vibration regions extending along an X direction orthogonal to the Z direction on the vibration plate in positions overlapping the opening section, and a plurality of piezoelectric elements to correspond to the plurality of vibration regions of the vibration plate. The opening section includes, on the first surface, a first and second side parallel to the X direction and a third and fourth side coupling end portions in the X direction of the first and second sides at an acute or obtuse angle to the first and the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11453031
    Abstract: An ultrasonic element includes an element substrate including a first surface, a second surface having a front-back relation with the first surface, an opening section piercing through the element substrate from the first surface to the second surface, and a partition wall section surrounding the opening section, a supporting film provided on the first surface of the element substrate to cover the opening section and including a third surface facing the opening section and a fourth surface having a front-back relation with the third surface, a piezoelectric element provided on the fourth surface of the supporting film and disposed in a region overlapping the opening section of the supporting film in a plan view from a film thickness direction extending from the third surface to the fourth surface, a sealing plate provided to be opposed to the fourth surface of the supporting film and joined to the supporting film by an adhesive member via a beam section projecting toward the supporting film, and a wall sectio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventors: Hironori Suzuki, Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Yasuyuki Matsumoto, Katsuhiro Imai
  • Patent number: 11453030
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes an opening portion, vibrating plate covering the opening portion, piezoelectric element overlapping with the opening portion, and a coupling electrode coupled to the piezoelectric element, extended from a position overlapping the opening portion to a position not overlapping the opening portion, and having a line width smaller than a width of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric has a first and second line portion, and a corner portion coupling the first and second line portions, when an intersection point connects a center of gravity of the piezoelectric and the corner portion with a virtual circle inscribed in the outline of the piezoelectric is a first intersection point of a tangent line. The first intersection point with the first and second line portions are a second and third intersection points, the coupling electrode coupled to a corner portion from the second intersection point to the third intersection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11437564
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes a base member including a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface, a vibration plate provided at the first surface of the base member, and a piezoelectric element provided at the vibration plate. The base member includes a hole formed from the first surface to the second surface, and a wall portion surrounding the hole. The vibration plate includes, when viewed in a direction from the first surface toward the second surface, a supporting portion overlapping the wall portion, and a blocking portion that overlaps the hole and blocks the hole. The piezoelectric element is laminated at the blocking portion. The supporting portion has a first Young's modulus. The blocking portion includes a first blocking portion having the first Young's modulus and a second blocking portion having a second Young's modulus smaller than the first Young's modulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11378670
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes nine ultrasonic array units arranged in a grid pattern of three rows and three columns, nine drive bypass wires that input and output drive signals to and from the respective ultrasonic array units, a first common bypass wire to which a common potential is applied, coupled to the eight ultrasonic array units, a second common bypass wire coupled to the ultrasonic array unit to which the first common bypass wire is not coupled, and a third common bypass wire coupling the first and the second common bypass wires. One of the drive bypass wires, the first common bypass wire, and the second common bypass wire is placed between the ultrasonic array units placed adjacent to each other. The third common bypass wire is placed inside of the ultrasonic array unit placed adjacent to the ultrasonic array unit coupled to the second common bypass wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki, Tomohide Onogi
  • Publication number: 20220184661
    Abstract: An ultrasonic element includes a substrate in which an opening is formed, a vibrating plate provided at the substrate, the vibrating plate including a first surface in contact with the substrate, the vibrating plate blocking the opening, a piezoelectric element provided at a second surface on an opposite side from the first surface of the vibrating plate, a protective substrate facing the second surface and protecting the piezoelectric element, and a suppressing unit provided between the protective substrate and the vibrating plate, the suppressing unit being configured to suppress a vibration of the vibrating plate, in which in the piezoelectric element, a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode are stacked in this order from the second surface, and an active part is a part of the vibrating plate where the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode overlap, the suppressing unit is provided around the active part, and a slit is formed in the suppressing unit, in
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventor: Chikara KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20220160331
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a vibrating plate including a first surface that closes an opening provided in a substrate and a second surface in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements is provided, a suppression part configured to suppress a vibration of the vibrating plate, and a first wall and a second wall protruding from the first surface to the opening. When a portion where the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the second electrode overlap each other is an active part of the piezoelectric element, the first wall and the second wall are provided to sandwich the active part in plan view from the stacking direction of the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the second electrode, and the second wall is different from the first wall at least in one of the width, height, length and physical property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Koji OHASHI, Chikara KOJIMA, Makoto FURUHATA, Tomohide ONOGI, Tomohiro SAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220151590
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes: a vibrating plate including a first surface configured to close an opening provided in a substrate and also including a second surface including a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a suppressing portion configured to suppress vibration of the vibrating plate; and a plurality of walls sticking out into the opening from the first surface, in which, when an active portion of a piezoelectric element is set as a portion where a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode overlap, the walls are provided between adjacent active portions in plan view from a direction in which the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode are stacked, and a distance between adjacent walls is longer than a distance between adjacent active portions in a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Chikara KOJIMA, Koji Ohashi, Makoto Furuhata
  • Publication number: 20220112100
    Abstract: A fluid device includes: a flow main body including a side wall along a first axis and configured to flow a fluid from an inflow portion provided at one side of the first axis toward an outflow portion provided at the other side of the first axis; a plate provided at the other side of the first axis of the flow main body and having a first surface intersecting the first axis; a standing wall extending along the first axis from the first surface toward the one side of the first axis and having a length along the first axis shorter than the side wall; and an ultrasonic element disposed at an outer side of a collection region of the plate and configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave along the first axis when the standing wall and a region surrounded by the standing wall on the first surface are defined as the collection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Chikara KOJIMA, Tomohide ONOGI, Kanechika KIYOSE, Mitsuru MIYASAKA
  • Publication number: 20220034782
    Abstract: A fluid device includes: a flow path through which a fluid flows; and an ultrasonic wave transmitter configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave to generate a standing wave to the fluid in the flow path along a first direction orthogonal to a flowing direction of the fluid. The ultrasonic wave transmitter is in contact with the fluid and faces an antinode region corresponding to any antinode in the standing wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Chikara KOJIMA, Tomohide ONOGI, Kanechika KIYOSE, Mitsuru MIYASAKA, Mio SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220034846
    Abstract: A fluid device includes: a flow path through which a fluid flows; and an ultrasonic element configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave to the fluid to generate a standing wave in the fluid in the flow path along a first direction orthogonal to a flowing direction of the fluid. The ultrasonic element includes a vibrator having a fluid contact surface that comes into contact with the fluid, and a piezoelectric element that is provided at the vibrator and that is configured to flexurally vibrate the vibrator in a normal direction of the fluid contact surface. When a thickness of the vibrator in the normal direction is t, a sound velocity of a medium of the fluid is C, an average sound velocity of a longitudinal wave transmitted in the vibrator is C?, a dimension of the flow path in the first direction is L, and a mode order of the standing wave is n, the following expression is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Chikara KOJIMA, Tomohide ONOGI, Kanechika KIYOSE, Mitsuru MIYASAKA, Mio SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220034337
    Abstract: A fluid device includes: a flow path through which a fluid flows; a pressure chamber spaced apart from the flow path in a first direction (Y direction) orthogonal to a flowing direction of the fluid in the flow path; a communication path that is formed along the Y direction and that communicates the flow path with the pressure chamber; and an ultrasonic wave transmitter configured to transmit ultrasonic waves to the fluid in the pressure chamber to generate a standing wave along the Y direction in the flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Chikara KOJIMA, Tomohide ONOGI, Kanechika KIYOSE, Mitsuru MIYASAKA, Mio SASAKI
  • Patent number: 11233188
    Abstract: An ultrasonic wave sensor includes an oscillating plate including a plurality of oscillators, a wall portion provided on the oscillating plate and surrounding the oscillator, a first piezoelectric element provided in the predetermined number of oscillators among the plurality of oscillators, and a second piezoelectric element provided in the oscillator where the first piezoelectric element is not provided. An input and an output of a drive signal are possible to the first piezoelectric element, and the first piezoelectric element is connected to at least another first piezoelectric element in parallel. The second piezoelectric element is electrically insulated from the first piezoelectric element. The second piezoelectric element is disposed between the first piezoelectric elements adjacent in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Chikara Kojima
  • Publication number: 20220016672
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a substrate in which an opening is formed; a vibration plate that is provided on the substrate so as to block the opening; and a piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode that are stacked on an opposite side of the opening of the vibration plate, in which when a direction in which the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode are stacked is a Z direction, and a portion that is completely overlapped by the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode in the Z direction is an active portion, a plurality of active portions are provided so as to face the each opening, and a columnar member is provided between the adjacent active portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventor: Chikara KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20210402435
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes a substrate, a transmitter provided at the substrate and configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave to an object, and a receiver provided at a position different from the transmitter at the substrate and configured to receive an ultrasonic wave reflected by the object. A resonance frequency of the transmitter is higher than a resonance frequency of the receiver. An anti-resonance frequency of the receiver is included in a predetermined frequency band including the resonance frequency of the transmitter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventor: Chikara Kojima
  • Publication number: 20210404889
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element device includes: a substrate including a plurality of vibrating portions having a first vibrating portion and a second vibrating portion; a piezoelectric element group in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements having a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element provided in the plurality of vibrating portions are coupled in parallel to each other; a plurality of load detectors having a first load detector including the first vibrating portion and the first piezoelectric element provided in the first vibrating portion and a second load detector including the second vibrating portion and the second piezoelectric element provided in the second vibrating portion; and a resin layer covering the piezoelectric element group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventor: Chikara KOJIMA