Patents by Inventor Hidehiro Inaba

Hidehiro Inaba 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: 7207207
    Abstract: A knock sensor of the invention includes a base having a cylindrical part mounted on a vibration generating part and a flange part, an annular piezoelectric element fitted to the cylindrical part and for converting a knocking vibration of the vibration generating part into an electric signal to detect it, electrodes respectively provided to be in contact with both surfaces of the piezoelectric element, terminal plates disposed to be in contact with the respective electrodes and for extracting an output of the piezoelectric element to outside, and a hold unit for pressure holding the piezoelectric element, the electrodes and the terminal plates to the flange part, in which a conductive adhesive material having an almost equal thickness to the electrode is provided on a portion of the piezoelectric element which is not in contact with the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Fuji Ceramics Corporation
    Inventors: Harumasa Shibata, Akito Yokoi, Keizo Miyake, Hidehiro Inaba
  • Publication number: 20060090543
    Abstract: A knock sensor of the invention includes a base having a cylindrical part mounted on a vibration generating part and a flange part, an annular piezoelectric element fitted to the cylindrical part and for converting a knocking vibration of the vibration generating part into an electric signal to detect it, electrodes respectively provided to be in contact with both surfaces of the piezoelectric element, terminal plates disposed to be in contact with the respective electrodes and for extracting an output of the piezoelectric element to outside, and a hold unit for pressure holding the piezoelectric element, the electrodes and the terminal plates to the flange part, in which the electrodes are provided to be in partial contact with the piezoelectric element, and an electric insulating material having an almost equal thickness to the electrode is provided on a portion of the piezoelectric element which is not in contact with the electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Harumasa Shibata, Akito Yokoi, Keizo Miyake, Hidehiro Inaba
  • Patent number: 7007544
    Abstract: A knock sensor of the invention includes a base having a cylindrical part mounted on a vibration generating part and a flange part, an annular piezoelectric element fitted to the cylindrical part and for converting a knocking vibration of the vibration generating part into an electric signal to detect it, electrodes respectively provided to be in contact with both surfaces of the piezoelectric element, terminal plates disposed to be in contact with the respective electrodes and for extracting an output of the piezoelectric element to outside, and a hold unit for pressure holding the piezoelectric element, the electrodes and the terminal plates to the flange part, in which the electrodes are provided to be in partial contact with the piezoelectric element, and an electric insulating material having an almost equal thickness to the electrode is provided on a portion of the piezoelectric element which is not in contact with the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Fuji Ceramics Corporation
    Inventors: Harumasa Shibata, Akito Yokoi, Keizo Miyake, Hidehiro Inaba
  • Publication number: 20050229678
    Abstract: A knock sensor of the invention includes a base having a cylindrical part mounted on a vibration generating part and a flange part, an annular piezoelectric element fitted to the cylindrical part and for converting a knocking vibration of the vibration generating part into an electric signal to detect it, electrodes respectively provided to be in contact with both surfaces of the piezoelectric element, terminal plates disposed to be in contact with the respective electrodes and for extracting an output of the piezoelectric element to outside, and a hold unit for pressure holding the piezoelectric element, the electrodes and the terminal plates to the flange part, in which the electrodes are provided to be in partial contact with the piezoelectric element, and an electric insulating material having an almost equal thickness to the electrode is provided on a portion of the piezoelectric element which is not in contact with the electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Harumasa Shibata, Akito Yokoi, Keizo Miyake, Hidehiro Inaba
  • Patent number: 5703295
    Abstract: A vibration sensing apparatus including an acceleration sensor 2 for outputting a sensing signal corresponding to a vibrating acceleration, a level discriminator 3 for generating an output when the output level of the signal from the acceleration sensor 2 exceeds a preset reference level, a display unit 4 for displaying the output of the level discriminator 3, a piezoelectric ceramic power generating unit 5 using piezoelectric ceramics for generating a charge when it is subjected to vibration, and a conversion unit 6 for converting the charge generated by the piezoelectric ceramic power generating unit 5 into DC power, the DC power being supplied to the level discriminator and to the display unit as power to be consumed by them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignees: NKK Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Fuji Ceramics
    Inventors: Naruo Ishida, Yoshio Saijyo, Shingo Arakawa, Kimiaki Watanabe, Hidehiro Inaba