Abstract: A touch panel capable of detecting a pen and a finger, capable of corresponding to multi-touch, capable of detecting pressing force, and capable of reducing the use amount of a transparent electrode as much as possible. The touch panel has a piezoelectric sheet of poly-L-lactic acid having a predetermined stretching axial direction, electrodes that are opposed to each other and formed on the piezoelectric sheet do not cover the entire surface of the piezoelectric sheet and are formed so that they are discretely distributed in plural positions. The piezoelectric sheet is brought into the condition that tension is imparted in directions not coincident with the stretching axial direction.

Abstract: A touch panel having a structure in which first capacitance detection conductors, a first insulating layer, second capacitance detection conductors, a second insulating layer, a shied conductor, a third insulating layer, and backside wiring conductors are disposed in this order in a thickness direction. The second capacitance detection conductors and the backside wiring conductors are connected through conductors formed near ends of the second capacitance detection conductors in a longitudinal direction. The first capacitance detection conductors are extracted to a predetermined side by first extraction conductors, and the second capacitance detection conductors are extracted to the predetermined side by the through conductors, the backside wiring conductors, and second extraction conductors.

Abstract: A touch panel that includes a dielectric film and a piezoelectric film. A first capacitance detection electrode is disposed on an upper main surface of the dielectric film, a second capacitance detection electrode and a first piezoelectric voltage detection electrode are disposed between a lower main surface of the dielectric film and an upper main surface of the piezoelectric film, and a second piezoelectric voltage detection electrode is disposed on a lower main surface of the piezoelectric film. The first capacitance detection electrode includes plural sub-electrodes extending in a first direction, the second capacitance detection electrode includes plural sub-electrodes extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the first piezoelectric voltage detection electrode includes plural sub-electrodes disposed between the plural sub-electrodes.

Abstract: A touch panel having a piezoelectric sensor and an electrostatic sensor that are integrally formed. The piezoelectric sensor is connected to a displacement detector and a sound emission amplifier through a relay switch. A controller performs switch control on the relay switch. The piezoelectric sensor emits sound while the sound emission amplifier and the piezoelectric sensor are connected to each other by the relay switch. When the operation input is detected through the electrostatic sensor and the touch position detector, the controller performs the switch control on the relay switch to connect the piezoelectric sensor to the displacement detector. A detection voltage is input from the piezoelectric sensor to the displacement detector to also detect the pressing amount.

Abstract: A sensor device that includes a film composed of, for example, PLLA; and electrodes for extracting an output voltage from the PLLA film. The electrodes are located on main surfaces of the PLLA film such that the electrodes face each other with at least a portion of the PLLA film being interposed therebetween. The PLLA film has a first side which is fixed, and a second side which is opposite to the first side and is a movable portion. Each of the electrodes is configured to extract an output voltage resulting from an effect of piezoelectric constant d14 provided by shear deformation caused by displacement of the movable portion in a direction parallel to the main surfaces of the PLLA film, whereby an operation involving friction or the like can be sensed.

Abstract: A touch panel that includes a molecule oriented polylactic acid film having a first principal plane and a second principal plane. The polylactic acid film is constructed to generate a voltage when the polylactic acid film is deformed to have a concave shape on the first principal plane and a convex shape on the second principal plane. An electrode is arranged adjacent at least one of the first principal plane and the second principal plane of the polylactic acid film so as to detect the voltage.

Abstract: A specific region of a polylactic acid sheet is heated by a microwave. To allow the polylactic acid sheet to exhibit piezoelectricity in the thickness direction of the polylactic acid sheet, a high voltage is applied to the heated polylactic acid sheet in the thickness direction of the polylactic acid sheet, and thereby the screw axes of at least a part of the polylactic acid molecules are relatively aligned with the thickness direction. Then the polylactic acid sheet is rapidly cooled, and thereby the polylactic acid molecules are immobilized. The same step is executed for other regions of the polylactic acid sheet, and thereby piezoelectricity is imparted to a wide area of the polylactic acid sheet in the thickness direction. The resultant piezoelectric sheet is capable of exhibiting a high piezoelectricity in the thickness direction.

Abstract: A pressing force sensor that includes an expandable and contractible film, pressing force detecting resistor membranes formed on a portion of a main surface of the film, and a support disposed along the main surface of the film. The support is provided with recesses or holes with openings located in areas where the pressing force detecting resistor membranes on the main surface of the film are located. In the pressing force sensor, when a pressing force is exerted on the main surface of the film, the film is expanded with a pressing force detecting resistor membrane. As a result, the pressing force detecting resistor membrane is deformed, and a change in resistance value of the pressing force detecting resistor membrane corresponding to the deformation is detected.

Abstract: A plane-type speaker where, on one of the main surfaces of an exciter film, there are placed piezoelectric films which are expanded and contracted by sound-releasing driving signals applied thereto. An oscillation plate is secured to the excited film through frame members. The oscillation plate has a flat-plate shape and is secured to the exciter film while having a warped shape such that it is gradually spaced further away from the exciter film, with decreasing distance from the secured ends to a center area, when viewed at a side surface. This realizes a state where the exciter film is pulled outwardly with respect to the secured ends due to bending stresses therein. If sound-releasing driving signals are applied to the piezoelectric films in this state, the exciter film contracts and expands along with the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric films, thereby causing the oscillation plate to oscillate.

Abstract: A plane-type speaker where, on one of the main surfaces of an exciter film, there are placed piezoelectric films which are expanded and contracted by sound-releasing driving signals applied thereto. An oscillation plate is secured to the excited film through frame members. The oscillation plate has a flat-plate shape and is secured to the exciter film while having a warped shape such that it is gradually spaced further away from the exciter film, with decreasing distance from the secured ends to a center area, when viewed at a side surface. This realizes a state where the exciter film is pulled outwardly with respect to the secured ends due to bending stresses therein. If sound-releasing driving signals are applied to the piezoelectric films in this state, the exciter film contracts and expands along with the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric films, thereby causing the oscillation plate to oscillate.

Abstract: A cryopump system includes: a plurality of cryopumps connected to a common roughing pump in a rough line and provided with a plurality of rough valves in the rough line, respectively; and a controller configured to control each of the rough valves for regenerating a corresponding one of the plurality of cryopumps. A delay time is set between closing of an open one of the plurality of rough valves and opening of a closed one of the plurality of rough valves. The controller applies the delay time uniformly upon closing of each of the rough valves.

Abstract: A cryopump system includes: a plurality of cryopumps connected to a common roughing pump and provided with a plurality of rough valves, respectively; and a controller configured to control each of the rough valves for regenerating a corresponding one of the plurality of cryopumps. A delay time is set between closing of an open one of the plurality of rough valves and opening of a closed one of the plurality of rough valves.

Abstract: An operation input device has a housing including a concave portion in which an information display device is accommodated. A piezoelectric element of a flat film shape and a control IC connected to the piezoelectric element are built in a base portion of the housing. The control IC is connected to a device IC of the information display device. When a user's finger touches an attachment region of the piezoelectric element in the base portion of the housing, a detection signal corresponding to the touch position and a pressing amount is outputted from the piezoelectric element. The control IC generates operation information based on the detection signal, and outputs the operation information to the device IC of the information display device. The device IC shows display corresponding to the operation information.

Abstract: A pressing force sensor that includes a flat membrane piezoelectric element and a support. The flat membrane piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric sheet having a piezoelectric constant d14. A first electrode is formed on a first main surface of the piezoelectric sheet and a second electrode is formed on a second main surface thereof. Long directions of the first electrode and the second electrode and a uniaxial stretching direction of the piezoelectric sheet form an angle of 45°. An opening portion having an elliptical section is formed on the support. The flat membrane piezoelectric element abuts the opening portion of the support. The support and the flat membrane piezoelectric element are disposed such that the opening portion is included within an area of the second electrode.

Abstract: A touch type input terminal that includes a base substrate, a piezoelectric sensor and an electrostatic sensor which are flat membrane-shaped, respectively. The electrostatic sensor includes a plurality of segment electrodes on a first main surface of a base film and a plurality of common electrodes on a second main surface. The piezoelectric sensor includes a piezoelectric film formed of PLLA drawn uniaxially. Displacement detecting electrodes are formed on a third main surface of the piezoelectric film so as to divide the third main surface into four portions. Displacement detecting electrodes are formed on a fourth main surface of the piezoelectric film so as to be opposed to the displacement detecting electrodes on the third main surface.

Abstract: A piezoelectric speaker that includes a configuration in which a first piezoelectric speaker and a second piezoelectric speaker are respectively arranged adjacent primary surfaces of a plate-shaped base member. The first piezoelectric speaker and the second piezoelectric speaker have the same arrangement, and respective individual piezoelectric elements thereof are arranged so as to correspond to each other when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the primary surfaces of the base member. The first and second piezoelectric speakers include a piezoelectric polymer sheet and electrode patterns of substantially the same shape on both surfaces of the polymer sheet. According to this arrangement, plural individual piezoelectric elements are aligned with each other. A single type of acoustic driving signal is supplied to these plural individual piezoelectric elements in a synchronized manner.

Abstract: A touch type operation input device capable of accurately detecting pressing force with which an operator presses is provided. The touch type operation input device includes a touch panel including a piezoelectric sensor and a touch sensor, and a pressing force detection unit. Until the pressing force detection unit detects a position detection signal given by the touch sensor, the pressing force detection unit causes a reference voltage of the pressing force detection to follow an output voltage of the piezoelectric sensor to be the same as the output voltage of the piezoelectric sensor. When the pressing force detection unit obtains the position detection signal given by the touch sensor, the pressing force detection unit fixes the reference voltage. The pressing force detection unit calculates a pressing force detection voltage from the difference between the output voltage and the fixed reference voltage, and detects the pressing force.

Abstract: A displacement detection device includes a piezoelectric sensor. The piezoelectric sensor is provided with a piezoelectric sheet on both principal surfaces of which detection electrodes are formed. When stress is applied to the piezoelectric sensor, charge is generated, and an output voltage in accordance with this generated charge is detected in a DC voltage detector. A controller measures this output voltage at a predetermined time interval. Every time the controller measures the output voltage, the controller makes a short-circuit control of a switch, and causes the charge generated in the piezoelectric sensor to be released. The controller can thereby detect an amount of change in output voltage generated at the predetermined time interval in accordance with an amount of displacement of the piezoelectric sensor. By sequentially integrating this, the controller can accurately detect the amount of displacement of the piezoelectric sensor which changes across measurement timings.

Abstract: A touch panel that includes a flat membrane-like piezoelectric film provided with a first principal surface and a second principal surface which are opposed to each other. The touch panel includes first and second capacitance detection sub-electrodes on the first principal surface and the second principal surface of the piezoelectric film. The first and second capacitance detection sub-electrodes detect a touched position. The touch panel includes first and second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrodes on the first principal surface and the second principal surface of the piezoelectric film. The first and second piezoelectric voltage detection sub-electrodes detect a piezoelectric voltage according to an amount pressed into the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: A piezoelectric speaker that includes a configuration in which a first piezoelectric speaker and a second piezoelectric speaker are respectively arranged adjacent primary surfaces of a plate-shaped base member. The first piezoelectric speaker and the second piezoelectric speaker have the same arrangement, and respective individual piezoelectric elements thereof are arranged so as to correspond to each other when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the primary surfaces of the base member. The first and second piezoelectric speakers include a piezoelectric polymer sheet and electrode patterns of substantially the same shape on both surfaces of the polymer sheet. According to this arrangement, plural individual piezoelectric elements are aligned with each other. A single type of acoustic driving signal is supplied to these plural individual piezoelectric elements in a synchronized manner.