Patents by Inventor Koji Ohashi

Koji Ohashi 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: 11453030
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes an opening portion, vibrating plate covering the opening portion, piezoelectric element overlapping with the opening portion, and a coupling electrode coupled to the piezoelectric element, extended from a position overlapping the opening portion to a position not overlapping the opening portion, and having a line width smaller than a width of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric has a first and second line portion, and a corner portion coupling the first and second line portions, when an intersection point connects a center of gravity of the piezoelectric and the corner portion with a virtual circle inscribed in the outline of the piezoelectric is a first intersection point of a tangent line. The first intersection point with the first and second line portions are a second and third intersection points, the coupling electrode coupled to a corner portion from the second intersection point to the third intersection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11453031
    Abstract: An ultrasonic element includes an element substrate including a first surface, a second surface having a front-back relation with the first surface, an opening section piercing through the element substrate from the first surface to the second surface, and a partition wall section surrounding the opening section, a supporting film provided on the first surface of the element substrate to cover the opening section and including a third surface facing the opening section and a fourth surface having a front-back relation with the third surface, a piezoelectric element provided on the fourth surface of the supporting film and disposed in a region overlapping the opening section of the supporting film in a plan view from a film thickness direction extending from the third surface to the fourth surface, a sealing plate provided to be opposed to the fourth surface of the supporting film and joined to the supporting film by an adhesive member via a beam section projecting toward the supporting film, and a wall sectio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Inventors: Hironori Suzuki, Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Yasuyuki Matsumoto, Katsuhiro Imai
  • Patent number: 11437564
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes a base member including a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface, a vibration plate provided at the first surface of the base member, and a piezoelectric element provided at the vibration plate. The base member includes a hole formed from the first surface to the second surface, and a wall portion surrounding the hole. The vibration plate includes, when viewed in a direction from the first surface toward the second surface, a supporting portion overlapping the wall portion, and a blocking portion that overlaps the hole and blocks the hole. The piezoelectric element is laminated at the blocking portion. The supporting portion has a first Young's modulus. The blocking portion includes a first blocking portion having the first Young's modulus and a second blocking portion having a second Young's modulus smaller than the first Young's modulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11397254
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface having a front and back relationship with the first surface, and provided with an opening penetrating the second surface from the first surface; a vibration film provided over the first surface of the substrate so as to close the opening; a vibration element provided at a position overlapping the opening in the vibration film; and a sound absorbing portion provided over the second surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11378670
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes nine ultrasonic array units arranged in a grid pattern of three rows and three columns, nine drive bypass wires that input and output drive signals to and from the respective ultrasonic array units, a first common bypass wire to which a common potential is applied, coupled to the eight ultrasonic array units, a second common bypass wire coupled to the ultrasonic array unit to which the first common bypass wire is not coupled, and a third common bypass wire coupling the first and the second common bypass wires. One of the drive bypass wires, the first common bypass wire, and the second common bypass wire is placed between the ultrasonic array units placed adjacent to each other. The third common bypass wire is placed inside of the ultrasonic array unit placed adjacent to the ultrasonic array unit coupled to the second common bypass wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki, Tomohide Onogi
  • Publication number: 20220160331
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a vibrating plate including a first surface that closes an opening provided in a substrate and a second surface in which a plurality of piezoelectric elements is provided, a suppression part configured to suppress a vibration of the vibrating plate, and a first wall and a second wall protruding from the first surface to the opening. When a portion where the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the second electrode overlap each other is an active part of the piezoelectric element, the first wall and the second wall are provided to sandwich the active part in plan view from the stacking direction of the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the second electrode, and the second wall is different from the first wall at least in one of the width, height, length and physical property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Koji OHASHI, Chikara KOJIMA, Makoto FURUHATA, Tomohide ONOGI, Tomohiro SAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220151590
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes: a vibrating plate including a first surface configured to close an opening provided in a substrate and also including a second surface including a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a suppressing portion configured to suppress vibration of the vibrating plate; and a plurality of walls sticking out into the opening from the first surface, in which, when an active portion of a piezoelectric element is set as a portion where a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode overlap, the walls are provided between adjacent active portions in plan view from a direction in which the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode are stacked, and a distance between adjacent walls is longer than a distance between adjacent active portions in a plane perpendicular to the stacking direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Chikara KOJIMA, Koji Ohashi, Makoto Furuhata
  • Publication number: 20220126112
    Abstract: To prove an optical probe that can illuminate an entire desired region at one time, even in a narrow space. An optical probe including: a linear light guide to guide light from a light source device; a planar emitter to be connected to a tip portion of the linear light guide, to emit the light; a reflective surface provided in a part of the planar emitter, to reflect the light having entered the planar emitter; and an emitting surface provided so as to face the reflective surface, to allow the light reflected by the reflective surface to be emitted from a region of the reflective surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: SANTEN PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru KAMIKATANO, Komei OKABE, Yukie KOYAMA, Koji OHASHI
  • Patent number: 11233188
    Abstract: An ultrasonic wave sensor includes an oscillating plate including a plurality of oscillators, a wall portion provided on the oscillating plate and surrounding the oscillator, a first piezoelectric element provided in the predetermined number of oscillators among the plurality of oscillators, and a second piezoelectric element provided in the oscillator where the first piezoelectric element is not provided. An input and an output of a drive signal are possible to the first piezoelectric element, and the first piezoelectric element is connected to at least another first piezoelectric element in parallel. The second piezoelectric element is electrically insulated from the first piezoelectric element. The second piezoelectric element is disposed between the first piezoelectric elements adjacent in one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Chikara Kojima
  • Publication number: 20210387552
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a lower member, a frame member, and a link member connected to the lower member and the frame member. The link member includes a first circular hole portion connected to the lower member so as to pivot about an axis in a width direction of a vehicle, a second circular hole portion connected to the frame member, a main body of plate shape in which the first circular hole portion and the second circular hole portion are formed, a flange projecting from the main body in a direction crossing the main body, a recess formed to bring the flange closer to an imaginary straight line connecting a center of the first circular hole portion with a center of the second circular hole portion, and an offset portion formed to shift the main body in a thickness direction of the main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji OHASHI
  • Patent number: 11179748
    Abstract: A mounting structure includes a first substrate that has a first surface on which a functional element is provided, a wiring that is provided at a position which is different from a position of the functional element on the first surface, and is connected to the functional element, a second substrate that has a second surface facing the first surface, and a conductor that is provided on the second surface, and is connected to the wiring and the functional element, in which the shortest distance between the functional element and the second substrate is longer than a distance between a position where the wiring is connected to the conductor, and the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Chikara Kojima, Hiroshi Matsuda, Hironori Suzuki, Shuichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11152559
    Abstract: A supporting film is provided on an opening and a wall of a substrate. A piezoelectric film is provided on a first region of the supporting film corresponding to the opening and a second region of the supporting film corresponding to the wall. The thickness of the piezoelectric film at the second region is smaller than that of the piezoelectric film provided at the first region. Therefore, vibration of the piezoelectric film in the first region is large, and vibration of the piezoelectric film in the second region is small. This alleviates disadvantages such as a loss of the vibration characteristics of a piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi
  • Patent number: 11085816
    Abstract: An ultrasonic wave sensor includes an oscillating plate including a plurality of oscillators, a wall portion provided on the oscillating plate and surrounding the oscillator, and a piezoelectric element provided on each of the plurality of oscillators. In the oscillating plate, a plurality of piezoelectric elements are electrically connected in plan view as viewed from a thickness direction, and a first area where an input and an output of a drive signal to the piezoelectric element are possible and a second area which is provided on an outer side of the first area and where the piezoelectric element is electrically insulated from the piezoelectric element disposed in the first area are included. In the second area, a distance between the adjacent oscillators is reduced as separated from the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Chikara Kojima
  • Publication number: 20210220874
    Abstract: Provided is an ultrasonic device including a substrate and a vibration plate provided on the substrate and having one or more vibrators configured to generate an ultrasonic wave by vibration. The vibration plate has a movable portion provided with the vibrator and configured to vibrate accompanying with the vibration of the vibrator, and a fixed portion fixed to the substrate. A vibration frequency of a reflected wave based on a wave transmitted from the movable portion and received by the movable portion is outside a vibration frequency band region of the vibrator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Chikara KOJIMA, Koji OHASHI, Tomohiro SAYAMA, Seiji IZUO, Kanechika KIYOSE
  • Publication number: 20210184099
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode layer. The first electrode layer, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode layer are stacked in sequence on one another. The first electrode layer has a first part overlapping the piezoelectric layer in a plan view, and a second part at least partially separated from the first part and not overlapping the piezoelectric layer in the plan view. The second electrode layer has a third part overlapping the piezoelectric layer in the plan view, and a fourth part separated from the third part. The fourth part is in contact with the first part and the second part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventor: Koji OHASHI
  • Patent number: 11018291
    Abstract: An ultrasonic device includes a vibration portion, a first electrode, a piezoelectric body, and a second electrode which are laminated in this order in a laminate direction, in which an outer circumferential edge of the first electrode is larger than an outer circumferential edge of the piezoelectric body in a plan view across the laminate direction, in which the piezoelectric body includes an active portion that is provided in the vibration portion, and an extraction portion that is connected to the active portion and is provided over the inside and the outside of the vibration portion, in which a width dimension of the extraction portion is smaller than a width dimension of the active portion, and in which the second electrode is provided on the active portion and the extraction portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hikaru Iwai, Kanechika Kiyose
  • Patent number: 11005026
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric body layer, and a second electrode layer laminated in this order, and a conductive layer that is located from the first electrode layer to the piezoelectric body layer, in which the piezoelectric body layer includes a first portion overlapping the second electrode layer, a second portion overlapping the conductive layer, and a third portion not overlapping the second electrode layer and the conductive layer, in a plan view which is viewed from a laminate direction of the first electrode layer, the piezoelectric body layer, and the second electrode layer, and in which a thickness of at least a part of the third portion is smaller than a thickness of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Inventor: Koji Ohashi
  • Patent number: 10991871
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric element main body as a laminated body of a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer disposed on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer disposed on the piezoelectric layer, and a metal layer disposed on the second electrode layer via an insulating layer, the piezoelectric layer extends from an inner side of at least a part of an overlapping part of an outer peripheral edge of the second electrode layer overlapping an outer peripheral edge of the piezoelectric element main body to an outer side, and the metal layer and the insulating layer extend from an inner side of at least a part of the overlapping part to an outer side to overlap the piezoelectric layer on an outer side of an outer peripheral edge of the second electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Chikara Kojima
  • Patent number: 10971673
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element has a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer on the first electrode layer, a second electrode layer on the piezoelectric layer, a third electrode layer on part of the second electrode layer and including third metal, and an insulating layer covering at least a part of the piezoelectric layer not provided with the second electrode layer and having an aperture exposing a part of the second electrode layer. The second electrode layer has a first layer including first metal and a second layer including second metal on the first layer. The second layer is exposed in the aperture. A difference in standard redox potential between the second metal and the third metal is smaller than a difference in standard redox potential between the first metal and the third metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Ohashi, Takahiro Kamijo, Katsuhiro Imai, Takumi Yamaoka, Chikara Kojima
  • Patent number: 10964877
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode layer. The first electrode layer, the piezoelectric layer, and the second electrode layer are stacked in sequence on one another. The first electrode layer has a first part overlapping the piezoelectric layer in a plan view, and a second part at least partially separated from the first part and not overlapping the piezoelectric layer in the plan view. The second electrode layer has a third part overlapping the piezoelectric layer in the plan view, and a fourth part separated from the third part. The fourth part is in contact with the first part and the second part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Inventor: Koji Ohashi