Patents by Inventor Kenichi Kotani
Kenichi Kotani 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: 10502328Abstract: A valve includes a lower valve housing, a diaphragm, and an upper valve housing. A top surface of a piezoelectric pump is bonded to a bottom surface of the lower valve housing. A circular hole portion is provided in a central portion of a region of the diaphragm that opposes a projecting portion of the lower valve housing. The diaphragm is bonded to the upper valve housing and the lower valve housing, and a divided interior of a valve housing configures a first lower valve chamber, a second lower valve chamber, a first upper valve chamber, and a second upper valve chamber. A groove is located in a wall portion of the upper valve housing that opposes the diaphragm in the first upper valve chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2019Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenichi Kotani, Takenobu Maeda, Atsuhiko Hirata
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Publication number: 20190145530Abstract: A valve includes a lower valve housing, a diaphragm, and an upper valve housing. A top surface of a piezoelectric pump is bonded to a bottom surface of the lower valve housing. A circular hole portion is provided in a central portion of a region of the diaphragm that opposes a projecting portion of the lower valve housing. The diaphragm is bonded to the upper valve housing and the lower valve housing, and a divided interior of a valve housing configures a first lower valve chamber, a second lower valve chamber, a first upper valve chamber, and a second upper valve chamber. A groove is located in a wall portion of the upper valve housing that opposes the diaphragm in the first upper valve chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2019Publication date: May 16, 2019Inventors: Kenichi KOTANI, Takenobu MAEDA, Atsuhiko HIRATA
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Patent number: 10221951Abstract: A valve includes a lower valve housing, a diaphragm, and an upper valve housing. A top surface of a piezoelectric pump is bonded to a bottom surface of the lower valve housing. A circular hole portion is provided in a central portion of a region of the diaphragm that opposes a projecting portion of the lower valve housing. The diaphragm is bonded to the upper valve housing and the lower valve housing, and a divided interior of a valve housing configures a first lower valve chamber, a second lower valve chamber, a first upper valve chamber, and a second upper valve chamber. A groove is located in a wall portion of the upper valve housing that opposes the diaphragm in the first upper valve chamber.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2018Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenichi Kotani, Takenobu Maeda, Atsuhiko Hirata
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Publication number: 20180202562Abstract: A valve includes a lower valve housing, a diaphragm, and an upper valve housing. A top surface of a piezoelectric pump is bonded to a bottom surface of the lower valve housing. A circular hole portion is provided in a central portion of a region of the diaphragm that opposes a projecting portion of the lower valve housing. The diaphragm is bonded to the upper valve housing and the lower valve housing, and a divided interior of a valve housing configures a first lower valve chamber, a second lower valve chamber, a first upper valve chamber, and a second upper valve chamber. A groove is located in a wall portion of the upper valve housing that opposes the diaphragm in the first upper valve chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2018Publication date: July 19, 2018Inventors: Kenichi KOTANI, Takenobu MAEDA, Atsuhiko HIRATA
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Patent number: 9951879Abstract: A valve includes a lower valve housing, a diaphragm, and an upper valve housing. A top surface of a piezoelectric pump is bonded to a bottom surface of the lower valve housing. A circular hole portion is provided in a central portion of a region of the diaphragm that opposes a projecting portion of the lower valve housing. The diaphragm is bonded to the upper valve housing and the lower valve housing, and a divided interior of a valve housing configures a first lower valve chamber, a second lower valve chamber, a first upper valve chamber, and a second upper valve chamber. A groove is located in a wall portion of the upper valve housing that opposes the diaphragm in the first upper valve chamber.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2017Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Kotani, Takenobu Maeda, Atsuhiko Hirata
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Publication number: 20170191572Abstract: A valve includes a lower valve housing, a diaphragm, and an upper valve housing. A top surface of a piezoelectric pump is bonded to a bottom surface of the lower valve housing. A circular hole portion is provided in a central portion of a region of the diaphragm that opposes a projecting portion of the lower valve housing. The diaphragm is bonded to the upper valve housing and the lower valve housing, and a divided interior of a valve housing configures a first lower valve chamber, a second lower valve chamber, a first upper valve chamber, and a second upper valve chamber. A groove is located in a wall portion of the upper valve housing that opposes the diaphragm in the first upper valve chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2017Publication date: July 6, 2017Inventors: Kenichi KOTANI, Takenobu MAEDA, Atsuhiko HIRATA
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Publication number: 20170158173Abstract: A driving device is provided that can suppress power consumption, and is excellent in response characteristics, and also capable of appropriately adjusting a revolving angle of a target member. According to an exemplary design, the device includes a rotational shaft supported by a housing and is capable of revolving in each of a positive and counter rotation direction about a Z-axis. Shape memory alloys formed in a wire-like shape apply an external force acting in the positive rotation direction to the rotational shaft by heat shrinkage. A bias spring applies an external force acting in the counter rotation direction to the rotational shaft. Moreover, a wiper is displaced following the rotation of the rotational shaft. A power supply system including power supply terminals, a relay member, relay terminals, and lead wires separately supplies power to three or more mutually different positions of the shape memory alloys.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2017Publication date: June 8, 2017Inventor: Kenichi Kotani
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Patent number: 9631730Abstract: A valve includes a lower valve housing, a diaphragm, and an upper valve housing. A top surface of a piezoelectric pump is bonded to a bottom surface of the lower valve housing. A circular hole portion is provided in a central portion of a region of the diaphragm that opposes a projecting portion of the lower valve housing. The diaphragm is bonded to the upper valve housing and the lower valve housing, and a divided interior of a valve housing configures a first lower valve chamber, a second lower valve chamber, a first upper valve chamber, and a second upper valve chamber. A groove is located in a wall portion of the upper valve housing that opposes the diaphragm in the first upper valve chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2014Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenichi Kotani, Takenobu Maeda, Atsuhiko Hirata
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Publication number: 20160315564Abstract: A rotary shaft supported by a housing so as to be capable of rotating in a forward rotation direction and a reverse rotation direction. A shape-memory alloy member having a wire-like shape urges, by thermally contracting, the rotary shaft by applying an external force in the forward rotation direction. A bias spring urges the rotary shaft by applying an external force in the reverse rotation direction. A wiper is displaced along with rotation of the rotary shaft. The shape-memory alloy member is arranged such that, when a thermal contraction force is divided into a first partial thermal contraction force in the forward rotation direction and a second partial thermal contraction force in a length direction of the rotary shaft, the first partial thermal contraction force is larger than the second partial thermal contraction force.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventor: Kenichi Kotani
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Publication number: 20150034847Abstract: A valve includes a lower valve housing, a diaphragm, and an upper valve housing. A top surface of a piezoelectric pump is bonded to a bottom surface of the lower valve housing. A circular hole portion is provided in a central portion of a region of the diaphragm that opposes a projecting portion of the lower valve housing. The diaphragm is bonded to the upper valve housing and the lower valve housing, and a divided interior of a valve housing configures a first lower valve chamber, a second lower valve chamber, a first upper valve chamber, and a second upper valve chamber. A groove is located in a wall portion of the upper valve housing that opposes the diaphragm in the first upper valve chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2014Publication date: February 5, 2015Inventors: Kenichi KOTANI, Takenobu MAEDA, Atsuhiko HIRATA
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Publication number: 20110127459Abstract: In a microvalve, a valve seat includes a cylinder portion that includes a through hole in a central portion thereof, and a flange portion that is provided around an axial end of the cylinder portion and that has a thick seal portion on a periphery of the flange portion. The cylinder portion is disposed in an opening of a valve housing with a gap ? therebetween, and the seal portion is able to move away from the seal surface provided around the opening and away from the displacement member. In an open state, at least one of a flow path through the through hole and a flow path through the gap between the cylinder portion and the opening is open, and in a closed state, the seal portion is sandwiched between the displacement member and the seal surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2010Publication date: June 2, 2011Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Kenichi Kotani
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Patent number: 6987347Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator component includes an energy-trapped piezoelectric resonator utilizing a third order harmonic wave of thickness longitudinal vibration and including a piezoelectric substrate having first and second major surfaces and polarized in a direction of thickness between the first and second major surfaces, and first and second vibrating electrodes opposed to each other with the piezoelectric substrate interposed therebetween, and first and second casing substrates respectively laminated on the first and second major surfaces of the piezoelectric resonator so that cavities are arranged so as not to interfere with vibration of a vibration section where the first and second vibrating electrodes face each other through the piezoelectric substrate. The first and second vibrating electrodes are dimensioned so that the difference between the peak values of the phases of S0 and S1 modes of the fundamental wave of the thickness longitudinal vibration falls within a range of about ±5 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2004Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masakazu Yoshio, Kenichi Kotani, Mitsuhiro Yamada
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Patent number: 6987346Abstract: An energy trap type piezoelectric resonator component includes a piezoelectric resonator using a third overtone of a thickness longitudinal vibration. The piezoelectric resonator includes a piezoelectric substrate, and first and second vibrating electrodes, having an elliptical shape, and respectively arranged on portions of first and second major surfaces of the piezoelectric substrate such that the first and second vibrating electrodes face each other with the piezoelectric substrate interposed therebetween. A flattening ratio “a/b” of a minor axis diameter “b” to a major axis diameter “a” of the elliptical shape is within a range of from about 1.2 to about 1.45. The resonator is thus compact, effectively controls the fundamental wave of the thickness longitudinal vibration as a spurious wave, is relatively free from area restraints of the electrode and dimensional constraints, and meets a variety of frequency requirements in a wide range.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2004Date of Patent: January 17, 2006Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mitsuhiro Yamada, Masakazu Yoshio, Kenichi Kotani
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Patent number: 6865090Abstract: An outer coating substrate for an electronic component is constructed to be calcined at a low temperature, and greatly decreases the cost thereof while greatly improving the dimensional precision of the substrate. The outer coating substrate for an electronic component includes a multi-layered substrate including a first material layer that is sintered in a liquid phase and a second material layer that is not sintered at the sintering temperature of the first material layer. The first and second material layers are laminated, and calcined at the calcining temperature of the first material layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2002Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaya Wajima, Tsuneo Amano, Kenichi Kotani, Kenichi Sakai
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Patent number: 6839243Abstract: An electronic component includes a laminate having a structure in which an element substrate and a sealing substrate are bonded to each other through an adhesive layer, a terminal electrode is arranged on the element substrate so as to be exposed at an end surface of the laminate, an outside electrode is disposed on the outer surface of the sealing substrate, the terminal electrode and the outside electrode are electrically connected to each other through an end surface electrode disposed on the end surface of the laminate, and the thickness of the end surface electrode is between about one half of the thickness of the adhesive layer and about five times of the thickness thereof.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2003Date of Patent: January 4, 2005Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Kotani, Masaya Wajima
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Publication number: 20040251779Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator component includes an energy-trapped piezoelectric resonator utilizing a third order harmonic wave of thickness longitudinal vibration and including a piezoelectric substrate having first and second major surfaces and polarized in a direction of thickness between the first and second major surfaces, and first and second vibrating electrodes opposed to each other with the piezoelectric substrate interposed therebetween, and first and second casing substrates respectively laminated on the first and second major surfaces of the piezoelectric resonator so that cavities are arranged so as not to interfere with vibration of a vibration section where the first and second vibrating electrodes face each other through the piezoelectric substrate. The first and second vibrating electrodes are dimensioned so that the difference between the peak values of the phases of S0 and S1 modes of the fundamental wave of the thickness longitudinal vibration falls within a range of about ±5 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2004Publication date: December 16, 2004Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masakazu Yoshio, Kenichi Kotani, Mitsuhiro Yamada
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Publication number: 20040245892Abstract: An energy trap type piezoelectric resonator component includes a piezoelectric resonator using a third overtone of a thickness longitudinal vibration. The piezoelectric resonator includes a piezoelectric substrate, and first and second vibrating electrodes, having an elliptical shape, and respectively arranged on portions of first and second major surfaces of the piezoelectric substrate such that the first and second vibrating electrodes face each other with the piezoelectric substrate interposed therebetween. A flattening ratio “a/b” of a minor axis diameter “b” to a major axis diameter “a” of the elliptical shape is within a range of from about 1.2 to about 1.45. The resonator is thus compact, effectively controls the fundamental wave of the thickness longitudinal vibration as a spurious wave, is relatively free from area restraints of the electrode and dimensional constraints, and meets a variety of frequency requirements in a wide range.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., LtdInventors: Mitsuhiro Yamada, Masakazu Yoshio, Kenichi Kotani
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Patent number: 6744179Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator includes a piezoelectric resonating element, and a first exterior substrate and a second exterior substrate, laminated over and under, respectively, the piezoelectric resonating element. In the piezoelectric resonator, the first exterior substrate and the second exterior substrate each include a multilayer substrate having at least one layer of an internal electrode.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2000Date of Patent: June 1, 2004Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaya Wajima, Kenichi Kotani
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Publication number: 20030161122Abstract: An electronic component includes a laminate having a structure in which an element substrate and a sealing substrate are bonded to each other through an adhesive layer, a terminal electrode is arranged on the element substrate so as to be exposed at an end surface of the laminate, an outside electrode is disposed on the outer surface of the sealing substrate, the terminal electrode and the outside electrode are electrically connected to each other through an end surface electrode disposed on the end surface of the laminate, and the thickness of the end surface electrode is between about one half of the thickness of the adhesive layer and about five times of the thickness thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2003Publication date: August 28, 2003Inventors: Kenichi Kotani, Masaya Wajima
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Patent number: 6459048Abstract: A surface-mount electronic component includes a terminal electrode film that is formed by various film-forming processes on the surface of a main unit of the surface-mount electronic component. A lead-in terminal extends from an internal electrode and is arranged in the surface-mount electronic component so as to extend up to the surface of the main unit for establishing electrical connection between the internal electrode and the terminal electrode film. In the surface-mount electronic component, the lead-in terminal of the internal electrode extends to at least one of the surfaces of the main unit, except a surface-mount surface of the main unit and the surface that is opposite to the surface-mount surface. An exposed portion of the lead-in terminal is coated by at least one of the terminal electrode film and a protective film.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2000Date of Patent: October 1, 2002Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Sakai, Kenichi Kotani