Patents by Inventor Kunio EBIHARA

Kunio EBIHARA 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).

  • Piezoelectric actuator, piezoelectric valve, and method of manufacturing piezoelectric actuator
    Patent number: 11982368
    Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric actuator that can reduce a risk of air leakage due to weakening of pressing force of a valve element against a valve seat surface and airtightness. The piezoelectric actuator is used for a piezoelectric valve that opens and closes a valve utilizing displacement of a laminated piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric actuator includes: a valve element; a laminated piezoelectric element that generates a driving force, required for operation of the valve element, as a displacement; and a displacement enlargement mechanism that enlarges a displacement of a laminated piezoelectric element and causes the enlarged displacement to act on the valve element. In the piezoelectric actuator, a surface of the valve element to be in contact with a valve seat of the piezoelectric valve is made flat and smooth in a state in which a tensile load is applied to the laminated piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignees: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Ito, Tadashi Matsushita, Toshiro Higuchi, Sze Keat Chee, Kunio Ebihara, Toshitada Hirata
  • PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR, PIEZOELECTRIC VALVE, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING PIEZOELECTRIC ACTUATOR
    Publication number: 20220316617
    Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric actuator that can reduce a risk of air leakage due to weakening of pressing force of a valve element against a valve seat surface and airtightness. The piezoelectric actuator is used for a piezoelectric valve that opens and closes a valve utilizing displacement of a laminated piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric actuator includes: a valve element; a laminated piezoelectric element that generates a driving force, required for operation of the valve element, as a displacement; and a displacement enlargement mechanism that enlarges a displacement of a laminated piezoelectric element and causes the enlarged displacement to act on the valve element. In the piezoelectric actuator, a surface of the valve element to be in contact with a valve seat of the piezoelectric valve is made flat and smooth in a state in which a tensile load is applied to the laminated piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicants: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Tadashi MATSUSHITA, Toshiro HIGUCHI, Sze Keat CHEE, Kunio EBIHARA, Toshitada HIRATA