Patents by Inventor Harunobu KOIKE
Harunobu KOIKE 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).
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Patent number: 11938731Abstract: A substrate, a diaphragm, and a piezoelectric actuator are laminated in this order in a first direction, the diaphragm includes a first layer containing silicon as a constituent element, a second layer disposed between the first layer and the piezoelectric actuator, and containing any one or both of at least one metal element selected from the group made of chromium, titanium, aluminum, tantalum, hafnium, and iridium, and silicon nitride, as a constituent element, and a third layer disposed between the second layer and the piezoelectric actuator and containing zirconium as a constituent element, and a fourth layer containing any one or both of at least one metal element selected from the group made of chromium, titanium, aluminum, tantalum, hafnium, and iridium, and silicon nitride, as a constituent element is provided on the third layer on a piezoelectric actuator side.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Harunobu Koike, Masao Nakayama, Toshihiro Shimizu, Yasushi Yamazaki, Osamu Tonomura, Tatsuo Sawasaki, Chihiro Nishi
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Patent number: 11858270Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes: a piezoelectric body; an vibration plate to be vibrated by a drive of the piezoelectric body; and a pressure chamber substrate including a pressure chamber which applies a pressure to a liquid by an vibration of the vibration plate; the pressure chamber substrate, the vibration plate, and the piezoelectric body are laminated in this order; and the vibration plate includes: a first layer containing silicon as a constituent element, a second layer which is disposed between the first layer and the piezoelectric body and which contains as a constituent element, a metal element selected from chromium, titanium, and aluminum, and a third layer which is disposed between the second layer and the piezoelectric body and which contains zirconium as a constituent element.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2021Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Toshihiro Shimizu, Harunobu Koike, Takanori Aimono, Masao Nakayama, Tatsuo Sawasaki, Chihiro Nishi, Noritaka Mochizuki, Yasushi Yamazaki, Osamu Tonomura
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Publication number: 20230382113Abstract: A vibration plate includes a first layer containing silicon as a constituent element, a second layer containing a metal element other than zirconium as a constituent element, and a third layer containing zirconium as a constituent element. When a region of the vibration plate that overlaps with the pressure chamber and overlaps with the first electrode, the piezoelectric body layer, and the second electrode is an active region, and a region of the vibration plate that overlaps with the pressure chamber and does not overlap with the first electrode, the piezoelectric body layer, and the second electrode is an inactive region, the vibration plate has the first layer, the second layer, and the third layer in the active region, and has the first layer and the second layer and does not have the third layer in at least part of the inactive region.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Harunobu KOIKE, Takashi AOKI
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Patent number: 11827019Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a flow path forming substrate in which a pressure chamber in communication with a nozzle is formed, a diaphragm formed on the flow path forming substrate, and a piezoelectric actuator including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode that are formed on the diaphragm. In the liquid ejecting head, a center portion of the diaphragm is not provided with an active portion, which is a portion where the piezoelectric layer is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a protective film that covers the diaphragm is formed in the center portion, and compressive stress of the protective film is larger than that of the diaphragm.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Inventors: Harunobu Koike, Shunsuke Yoshida
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Patent number: 11801678Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a substrate, a diaphragm; and a piezoelectric actuator, in which the substrate, the diaphragm, and the piezoelectric actuator are laminated in this order in a first direction, the diaphragm includes a first layer containing silicon as a constituent element, a third layer disposed between the first layer and the piezoelectric actuator and containing zirconium as a constituent element, and a second layer disposed between the first layer and the third layer and containing at least one impurity element selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metalloid, and a semiconductor other than silicon and zirconium, as a constituent element, and the impurity element diffuses into the third layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2022Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Harunobu Koike, Tatsuo Sawasaki
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Publication number: 20230339229Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a piezoelectric element and a vibrating plate configured to vibrate in response to actuation of the piezoelectric element, the vibrating plate including a first layer that contains SiO2 and a second layer that contains ZrO2 and that is stacked on the first layer. The second layer contains a first impurity element different from Zr, and the concentration of the first impurity element at an interface in contact with the first layer in the second layer is higher than the concentration of the first impurity element in an internal region that is included in the second layer and that is contiguous from the interface to the surface of the second layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Inventors: Harunobu KOIKE, Tatsuo SAWASAKI, Masao NAKAYAMA, Chihiro NISHI, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Yasushi YAMAZAKI
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Patent number: 11766864Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a piezoelectric element and a vibrating plate configured to vibrate in response to actuation of the piezoelectric element, the vibrating plate including a first layer that contains SiO2 and a second layer that contains ZrO2 and that is stacked on the first layer. The second layer contains a first impurity element different from Zr, and the concentration of the first impurity element at an interface in contact with the first layer in the second layer is higher than the concentration of the first impurity element in an internal region that is included in the second layer and that is contiguous from the interface to the surface of the second layer.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2021Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Harunobu Koike, Tatsuo Sawasaki, Masao Nakayama, Chihiro Nishi, Toshihiro Shimizu, Yasushi Yamazaki
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Patent number: 11701885Abstract: The interface region may include a region in which first intensity is higher than second intensity and in which the first intensity is higher than third intensity, where a degree of orientation of the (?211) crystal face of the second layer is denoted as the first intensity, the degree of orientation of the (?111) crystal face of the second layer is denoted as the second intensity, and the degree of orientation of the (002) crystal face of the second layer is denoted as the third intensity. The surface-layer region may include a region in which the first intensity is higher than the third intensity and in which the second intensity is higher than the third intensity.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2021Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Harunobu Koike, Masao Nakayama, Toshihiro Shimizu, Yasushi Yamazaki
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Patent number: 11571891Abstract: A recording head includes a pressure chamber and a piezoelectric actuator configured to change a volume of the pressure chamber. The piezoelectric actuator includes a vibration plate forming one wall surface of the pressure chamber, a lower electrode formed on the vibration plate, a piezoelectric body formed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric body and the vibration plate. When viewed from a ±Z direction orthogonal to the vibration plate, the lower electrode and the piezoelectric body do not overlap a central portion of the pressure chamber, when viewed from the ±Z direction, the lower electrode, the piezoelectric body, and the upper electrode overlap an end portion of the pressure chamber, and when viewed from the ±Z direction, the upper electrode overlaps the central portion of the pressure chamber.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2021Date of Patent: February 7, 2023Inventors: Harunobu Koike, Koji Sumi, Masao Nakayama
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Publication number: 20220363057Abstract: The diaphragm includes a first layer containing silicon as a constituent element, a third layer disposed between the first layer and the piezoelectric actuator and containing zirconium as a constituent element, and a second layer disposed between the first layer and the third layer and containing at least one selected from the group consisting of a metal other than iron, silicon, and zirconium, a metalloid, and a semiconductor, as a constituent element, in the second layer and the third layer, a position with a highest concentration of impurities other than the constituent elements of the second layer and the third layer is in the second layer, a position with a highest concentration of zirconium is in the third layer, and a position with a highest concentration of silicon is in the first layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Inventors: Harunobu KOIKE, Tatsuo SAWASAKI, Masao NAKAYAMA, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Chihiro NISHI
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Publication number: 20220363058Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a substrate, a diaphragm; and a piezoelectric actuator, in which the substrate, the diaphragm, and the piezoelectric actuator are laminated in this order in a first direction, the diaphragm includes a first layer containing silicon as a constituent element, a third layer disposed between the first layer and the piezoelectric actuator and containing zirconium as a constituent element, and a second layer disposed between the first layer and the third layer and containing at least one impurity element selected from the group consisting of a metal, a metalloid, and a semiconductor other than silicon and zirconium, as a constituent element, and the impurity element diffuses into the third layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2022Publication date: November 17, 2022Inventors: Harunobu KOIKE, Tatsuo SAWASAKI
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Publication number: 20220324231Abstract: A substrate having a recessed portion, a diaphragm, and a piezoelectric actuator are provided, the diaphragm includes a first layer containing silicon as a constituent element, and a third layer disposed between the first layer and the piezoelectric actuator and containing zirconium as a constituent element, and a laminated side surface of the first layer and the third layer is covered with a moisture-resistant protective film containing at least one selected from the group made of oxide, nitride, metal, and diamond-like carbon.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Inventors: Harunobu KOIKE, Tatsuo SAWASAKI, Masao NAKAYAMA, Toshihiro SHIMIZU
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Publication number: 20220314621Abstract: A substrate, a diaphragm, and a piezoelectric actuator are laminated in this order in a first direction, the diaphragm includes a first layer containing silicon as a constituent element, a second layer disposed between the first layer and the piezoelectric actuator, and containing any one or both of at least one metal element selected from the group made of chromium, titanium, aluminum, tantalum, hafnium, and iridium, and silicon nitride, as a constituent element, and a third layer disposed between the second layer and the piezoelectric actuator and containing zirconium as a constituent element, and a fourth layer containing any one or both of at least one metal element selected from the group made of chromium, titanium, aluminum, tantalum, hafnium, and iridium, and silicon nitride, as a constituent element is provided on the third layer on a piezoelectric actuator side.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: Harunobu KOIKE, Masao NAKAYAMA, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Yasushi YAMAZAKI, Osamu TONOMURA, Tatsuo SAWASAKI, Chihiro NISHI
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Publication number: 20220297430Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a flow path forming substrate in which a pressure chamber in communication with a nozzle is formed, a diaphragm formed on the flow path forming substrate, and a piezoelectric actuator including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode that are formed on the diaphragm. In the liquid ejecting head, a center portion of the diaphragm is not provided with an active portion, which is a portion where the piezoelectric layer is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a protective film that covers the diaphragm is formed in the center portion, and compressive stress of the protective film is larger than that of the diaphragm.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2022Publication date: September 22, 2022Inventors: Harunobu KOIKE, Shunsuke YOSHIDA
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Publication number: 20220263010Abstract: A method for producing a piezoelectric actuator including forming a vibration plate, forming a first electrode on the vibration plate, forming a piezoelectric layer on the first electrode, and forming a second electrode on the piezoelectric layer, wherein the forming the vibration plate has a single layer forming step including forming a metal layer containing zirconium by a gas phase method, and forming a metal oxide layer by firing the metal layer, the single layer forming step is repeated, thereby forming the vibration plate in which the metal oxide layers are stacked, and the metal oxide layer has a thickness less than 200 nm.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2022Publication date: August 18, 2022Inventors: Harunobu KOIKE, Takanori AIMONO, Masao NAKAYAMA, Motoki TAKABE, Koji SUMI, Yasuhiro ITAYAMA, Toshihiro SHIMIZU
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Patent number: 11376850Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a flow path forming substrate in which a pressure chamber in communication with a nozzle is formed, a diaphragm formed on the flow path forming substrate, and a piezoelectric actuator including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode that are formed on the diaphragm. In the liquid ejecting head, a center portion of the diaphragm is not provided with an active portion, which is a portion where the piezoelectric layer is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, a protective film that covers the diaphragm is formed in the center portion, and compressive stress of the protective film is larger than that of the diaphragm.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2020Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Inventors: Harunobu Koike, Shunsuke Yoshida
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Patent number: 11331916Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a flow path forming substrate in which a pressure chamber is formed, a diaphragm, and a piezoelectric actuator. The piezoelectric actuator includes an active portion in which a piezoelectric layer is interposed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The active portion, in plan view, overlaps at least a portion of the pressure chamber and is provided so as to extend to an outside of the pressure chamber. The pressure chamber is formed so that, the closer to the piezoelectric actuator in a layered direction of the flow path forming substrate and the diaphragm, a width of the pressure chamber in a direction intersecting the layered direction becomes smaller.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2020Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Inventors: Harunobu Koike, Masao Nakayama, Toshihiro Shimizu
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Patent number: 11309483Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric element including a first electrode provided above a substrate, a piezoelectric layer including a plurality of crystal grains containing potassium, sodium, and niobium and provided above the first electrode, and a second electrode provided above the piezoelectric layer. An atom concentration NK1 (atm %) of potassium contained in grain boundaries of the crystal grains and an atom concentration NK2 (atm %) of potassium contained in the crystal grains satisfy a relationship of 1.0<NK1/NK2?2.4.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2019Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Inventors: Harunobu Koike, Koichi Morozumi
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Publication number: 20220097374Abstract: The interface region may include a region in which first intensity is higher than second intensity and in which the first intensity is higher than third intensity, where a degree of orientation of the (?211) crystal face of the second layer is denoted as the first intensity, the degree of orientation of the (?111) crystal face of the second layer is denoted as the second intensity, and the degree of orientation of the (002) crystal face of the second layer is denoted as the third intensity. The surface-layer region may include a region in which the first intensity is higher than the third intensity and in which the second intensity is higher than the third intensity.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: Harunobu KOIKE, Masao NAKAYAMA, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Yasushi YAMAZAKI
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Publication number: 20220097371Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a piezoelectric element and a vibrating plate configured to vibrate in response to actuation of the piezoelectric element, the vibrating plate including a first layer that contains SiO2 and a second layer that contains ZrO2 and that is stacked on the first layer. The second layer contains a first impurity element different from Zr, and the concentration of the first impurity element at an interface in contact with the first layer in the second layer is higher than the concentration of the first impurity element in an internal region that is included in the second layer and that is contiguous from the interface to the surface of the second layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: Harunobu Koike, Tatsuo Sawasaki, Masao Nakayama, Chihiro Nishi, Toshihiro Shimizu, Yasushi Yamazaki