Patents by Inventor Kanjuro Makihara

Kanjuro Makihara 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).

  • Power generating device
    Patent number: 10008961
    Abstract: A power generating device is disclosed that includes a power generating unit, an inductor, a switch connected to the inductor in series, and a control circuit. The power generating unit includes a piezoelectric element, and upper and lower electrodes disposed on surfaces of the piezoelectric element. The inductor is electrically connected to the electrodes in parallel, with the inductor and a capacitance component constituting a resonance circuit. The control circuit has a driving mode in which it controls the switch to an ON state in synchronism with the voltage generated in the piezoelectric element becoming a peak value. Further, in a rest mode, the control circuit controls the switch to be in an OFF state when the voltage generated in the piezoelectric element has the peak value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kanjuro Makihara, Hitoshi Sakaguchi, Chikahiro Horiguchi
  • POWER GENERATING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20160156284
    Abstract: A power generating device is disclosed that includes a power generating unit, an inductor, a switch connected to the inductor in series, and a control circuit. The power generating unit includes a piezoelectric element, and upper and lower electrodes disposed on surfaces of the piezoelectric element. The inductor is electrically connected to the electrodes in parallel, with the inductor and a capacitance component constituting a resonance circuit. The control circuit has a driving mode in which it controls the switch to an ON state in synchronism with the voltage generated in the piezoelectric element becoming a peak value. Further, in a rest mode, the control circuit controls the switch to be in an OFF state when the voltage generated in the piezoelectric element has the peak value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Kanjuro Makihara, Hitoshi Sakaguchi, Chikahiro Horiguchi