Patents by Inventor Eiju Hirai

Eiju Hirai 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: 10507656
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device used in a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle includes a flow-path-forming substrate in which an individual liquid chamber that communicates with the nozzle and a liquid supply chamber that communicates with the individual liquid chamber are formed, a vibration plate formed at a position corresponding to the individual liquid chamber and the liquid supply chamber of the flow-path-forming substrate, a plurality of liquid supply ports formed in the liquid supply chamber, and a piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode, the piezoelectric element being formed at a position on the vibration plate corresponding to the individual liquid chamber, where the liquid supply ports are provided so as to penetrate the vibration plate, and where the vibration plate contains zirconium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Nakayama, Motoki Takabe, Eiju Hirai, Shiro Yazaki
  • Patent number: 10500853
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device including a pressure chamber, a piezoelectric element, and a vibration plate, in which the piezoelectric element is provided with a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric layer, the vibration plate has a first portion overlapping the piezoelectric element and a second portion having a thickness smaller than that of the first portion and overlapping an inner peripheral surface of a side wall of the pressure chamber, a side surface of the piezoelectric element which intersects the vibration plate has a first surface inclined at a first angle, the vibration plate has a second surface, between the first portion and the second portion, inclined at a second angle smaller than the first angle, and an end portion of the second surface on the side wall side of the pressure chamber overlaps the side wall of the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Nakayama, Eiju Hirai, Naoto Yokoyama, Motoki Takabe, Yoichi Naganuma
  • Patent number: 10479078
    Abstract: A flow path forming substrate in which an individual flow path which communicates with a nozzle opening that discharges liquid is formed; and a communication plate in which a recess portion which configures at least a part of a common flow path that is common to and communicates with the plurality of individual flow paths is provided to be open on a side opposite to the flow path forming substrate, are provided, the recess portion includes a first recess portion, and a second recess portion which is deeper than the first recess portion, the communication plate includes a supply path which is provided to be open on a bottom surface of the first recess portion, communicates with the recess portion and the individual flow path, and becomes a throttle portion that throttles a flow path with respect to the individual flow path, and a communication path which communicates with the individual flow path and the nozzle opening, and in the individual flow path, a throttle portion which throttles the individual flow pat
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunya Fukuda, Motoki Takabe, Eiju Hirai, Akira Miyagishi, Hajime Nakao
  • Patent number: 10464317
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a drive element, a drive circuit that outputs a signal for driving the drive element, and a wiring board. The wiring board is provided with a power supply wire through which power is supplied to the drive circuit, a first drive signal wire through which a first drive signal is supplied to the drive circuit, and a second drive signal wire through which a second drive signal is supplied to the drive circuit and that is not electrically connected to the power supply wire and the first drive signal wire on the wiring board, each of the first drive signal wire and the second drive signal wire is provided with a buried wire that is buried in a groove, and the first drive signal wire and the second drive signal wire are different from each other in number of the buried wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiju Hirai, Motoki Takabe, Daisuke Yamada, Yoichiro Kondo, Shunya Fukuda
  • Patent number: 10464322
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device used in a liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid from a nozzle includes a flow path forming substrate in which an individual liquid chamber that communicates with the nozzle, and a liquid supply chamber that communicates with the individual liquid chamber are formed, a vibration plate formed at a position corresponding to the individual liquid chamber and the liquid supply chamber of the flow path forming substrate, a plurality of liquid supply ports formed in the liquid supply chamber, and a piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode, the piezoelectric element being formed at a position on the vibration plate corresponding to the individual liquid chamber. A metal layer is stacked at a position on the vibration plate corresponding to the liquid supply chamber. The liquid supply ports are provided so as to penetrate the vibration plate and the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Nakayama, Motoki Takabe, Eiju Hirai, Shiro Yazaki
  • Patent number: 10449764
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a first substrate; a second substrate that is disposed laminated on the first substrate; and a functional element that is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, in which the second substrate is smaller than the first substrate, and in planar view, an end portion of the second substrate is disposed inside an end portion of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiju Hirai, Yoichi Naganuma, Toshiaki Hamaguchi, Motoki Takabe
  • Publication number: 20190291432
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a vibration plate, and a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element that vibrate the vibration plate. The first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element include a piezoelectric layer extending between the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element. In a region between the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element in the piezoelectric layer, a first opening portion and a second opening portion are formed in a second direction intersecting a first direction in which the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element are disposed so as to interpose a vibration suppressing portion, which is a portion of the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Naoto YOKOYAMA, Eiju HIRAI, Masao NAKAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20190291429
    Abstract: A liquid discharging head includes a first flow path member comprising a first flow path and a pressure chamber; a second flow path member stacked on the first flow path member and comprising a second flow path; a wiring substrate comprising a connection terminal for electrically connected to a driving element to generate a pressure change in the pressure chamber; and a circulation flow path for circulating the liquid through the pressure chamber. A surface of the first flow path member includes a first region which is stacked on the second flow path member via the wiring substrate and a second region which is stacked on the second flow path member without the wiring substrate. The first flow path and the second flow path are in communication with each other in the second region so as to be the circulation flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Motoki TAKABE, Eiju HIRAI, Yuma FUKUZAWA, Shunya FUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20190283426
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes: a pressure chamber communicating with a nozzle through which liquid is discharged; a piezoelectric element having a lamination structure in which a first electrode, a piezoelectric body layer, and a second electrode are laminated in this order; a vibration plate installed between the first electrode of the piezoelectric element and the pressure chamber; a protective substrate in which an internal space for housing the piezoelectric element is formed; and a lead-out wiring connected to the second electrode, in which a column portion is provided at a position overlapping with the piezoelectric element in the internal space of the protective substrate when viewed in a plan view, and the lead-out wiring is provided on a wall surface of the column portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Osamu TONOMURA, Masao NAKAYAMA, Eiju HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20190263120
    Abstract: In a plan view from a perpendicular direction to a surface of a wiring substrate on which a wiring is provided, a buried wiring, a connection wiring, and a terminal portion of an external wiring are formed at an overlapping position, in which a recessed portion is provided at a position corresponding to the buried wiring on a surface of the connection wiring on an opposite side to the wiring substrate, and in which, in a direction intersecting an extension direction of the wiring on the surface of the wiring substrate on which the wiring is provided, a width of the connection wiring is larger than a width of the buried wiring, a width of the terminal portion of the external wiring is larger than a width of the recessed portion, and the terminal portion is provided across the recessed portion of the connection wiring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Shingo TOMIMATSU, Daisuke YAMADA, Eiju HIRAI, Motoki TAKABE, Shunsuke WATANABE
  • Patent number: 10377134
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a wire that is formed of a conductive portion embedded into a recess opened in a first face of a substrate and a bump electrode that is electrically connected to the wire. A total width, in a second direction intersecting a first direction along which the wire extends on the first face, of an opening of the recess in a connection region where the wire and the bump electrode are electrically connected to each other is narrower than a width, in the second direction, of an opening of the recess in a region outside the connection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Motoki Takabe, Eiju Hirai, Munehide Saimen, Yasuyuki Matsumoto, Shuichi Tanaka, Tsuyoshi Yoda
  • Publication number: 20190184703
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a driving circuit configured to output a driving pulse; and a wiring substrate including a base body portion disposed between a flow path formation portion and the driving circuit, and a signal wiring formed on the base body portion and configured to transmit a driving signal for use in generation of the driving pulse by the driving circuit to the driving circuit from an input terminal. The signal wiring includes a first portion overlapping, in a plan view, at least one coupling terminal included in the driving circuit and coupled to the signal wiring, and a second portion located on the side of the input terminal when seen from the first portion, and the total number of wirings constituting the second portion is larger than the total number of wirings constituting the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Daisuke YAMADA, Eiju HIRAI, Motoki TAKABE, Yoichiro KONDO
  • Publication number: 20190143690
    Abstract: In an MEMS device, in a Z direction that is a direction in which a first core portion, a plurality of first bump wiring, and a plurality of first individual wiring are laminated, a width between the first core portion and a wiring substrate is wider than a maximum particle diameter of solid particles contained in an adhesive, and a width between a first wiring and a second wiring and a width between a third wiring and a fourth wiring are wider than the maximum particle diameter of the solid particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Masashi FUJIOKA, Eiju HIRAI, Isao YANAGISAWA, Ikuya MIYAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20190143691
    Abstract: A MEMS device which includes an adhesive which adheres a first substrate and a second substrate to each other, in which a first space which includes an electrode, an individual electrode, a common electrode, a bump electrode, and a piezoelectric element and which is configured as a closed space which is isolated from an atmosphere by the first substrate, the second substrate, and the adhesive is disposed in a space between the first substrate and the second substrate, and in which a second space which does not include any of the electrode, the individual electrode, the common electrode, the bump electrode, or the piezoelectric element and which communicates with the atmosphere due to a through-hole which penetrates at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate is disposed in the space between the first substrate and the second substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Shohei MIZUTA, Eiju HIRAI, Daisuke YAMADA, Yoichi NAGANUMA, Motoki TAKABE
  • Patent number: 10272686
    Abstract: There is provided an MEMS device in which a first substrate provided with a driving element and a second substrate protecting the driving element are bonded to each other with an adhesive, in which the driving element is formed inside the space surrounded by the adhesive between the first substrate and the second substrate, an open hole which communicates with the space and the outside of the adhesive is formed on the adhesive, and an end of the outside of the open hole is provided to be with an end of the first substrate and an end of the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Naganuma, Shuichi Tanaka, Eiju Hirai, Toshiaki Hamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20190092016
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejecting head including a pressure chamber to accommodate a liquid, a vibration plate, a nozzle to eject the liquid, and a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric body layer, a first electrode disposed on one surface of the piezoelectric body layer, and a second electrode disposed on the other surface of the piezoelectric body layer. The liquid ejecting head further includes wiring connected to the second electrode and extended along a surface direction of the piezoelectric body layer, and does not include a metal layer having the same potential as the first electrode in a first area which is an area positioned between the wiring and the vibration plate and in which the wiring overlaps with none of the second electrode and the piezoelectric body layer in a direction perpendicular to a surface direction of the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Ichiro ASAOKA, Eiju HIRAI, Tsutomu NISHIWAKI, Hiroshi KATO
  • Publication number: 20190077151
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid ejecting head including: a flow path forming substrate in which a plurality of pressure generation chambers are arranged in parallel in a first direction; and a piezoelectric actuator which has a first electrode provided on one surface side of the flow path forming substrate with a vibration plate interposed therebetween, a piezoelectric layer provided on the first electrode, and a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer, in which, in the piezoelectric actuator, an active portion which is obtained by inserting the first electrode and the second electrode of the piezoelectric layer is provided, between the active portions adjacent to each other in the first direction, a groove portion is provided which is provided over the second electrode, the piezoelectric layer, the first electrode, and a portion of the vibration plate in a stacked direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Eiju HIRAI, Motoki TAKABE
  • Publication number: 20190077149
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a flow path forming substrate, a vibration plate that is formed on one surface side of the flow path forming substrate, a plurality of piezoelectric elements that are provided on the vibration plate, a protective substrate that is bonded to the one surface side of the flow path forming substrate and has a flow path, a flow path member that is bonded to a side of the protective substrate opposite to the flow path forming substrate, a drive circuit that is mounted in a space formed so as to be surrounded by the flow path forming substrate, the protective substrate, and the flow path member, a filler that is filled between the drive circuit and the protective substrate, and a protective film that is formed on an inner wall, in which the protective film has an exposure hole exposing a surface of the filler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Masao NAKAYAMA, Shunya FUKUDA, Eiju HIRAI, Shiro YAZAKI, Hajime NAKAO
  • Publication number: 20190077148
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a flow path substrate in which a nozzle through which liquid is ejected, a pressure chamber that communicates with the nozzle and a liquid supply chamber that communicates with the pressure chamber are formed, a vibration plate that is installed on the flow path substrate and overlaps with the pressure chamber and the liquid supply chamber, and a piezoelectric element that is formed on the vibration plate on an opposite side from the pressure chamber, in which a portion of the vibration plate overlapping with the pressure chamber is thinner in a thickness than a portion of the vibration plate overlapping with the liquid supply chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Inventors: Naoto YOKOYAMA, Masao NAKAYAMA, Eiju HIRAI
  • Patent number: 10214015
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a substrate that includes a piezoelectric element formed by stacking a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode and a second electrode such that the piezoelectric layer is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a wiring substrate that includes a driving element providing a signal for driving the piezoelectric element to the substrate. The substrate has an inspection region where a piezoelectric element for inspection which is a portion of the piezoelectric element is disposed. The wiring substrate has an electrode inspection region including an electrode to be inspected that is electrically connected to the piezoelectric element for inspection and is disposed on a surface side opposite to the substrate, and a flexible substrate mounting region which is disposed on the surface side opposite to the substrate, and is connected to a flexible substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsutomo Tsukahara, Motoki Takabe, Eiju Hirai, Yoshihiro Hokari