Patents by Inventor Satoshi Era
Satoshi Era 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: 11205977Abstract: A power generating element according to the present invention includes: a support frame formed in a frame shape in plan view; a vibrating body provided inside the support frame; a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion that supports the vibrating body on the support frame; and a charge generating element to generate a charge at the time of displacement of the vibrating body. The support frame includes a first frame portion arranged on a first side with respect to the vibrating body and includes a second frame portion arranged on a second side opposite to the first side with respect to the vibrating body. The first bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the first frame portion. The second bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the second frame portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2017Date of Patent: December 21, 2021Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada, Satoshi Era
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Patent number: 11085836Abstract: A force sensor according to the present invention includes: an annular deformable body arranged to surround an origin O when viewed in the Z-axis direction and configured to generate elastic deformation by application of one of a force and a moment; and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating one of the applied force and the moment on the basis of the elastic deformation generated in the deformable body.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2017Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era
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Patent number: 11088637Abstract: The power generation efficiency is to be enhanced by converting vibration energy including various direction components into electric energy without waste. A cantilever structure is adopted, in which a first plate-like bridge portion (120) and a second plate-like bridge portion (130) extend in a shape of a letter U from a fixing-portion (110) fixed to the device housing (200) and a weight body (150) is connected to the end. On the upper surface of the cantilever structure, a common lower layer electrode (E00), a layered piezoelectric element (300) and discrete upper layer electrodes (Ex1 to Ez4) are formed. The upper layer electrodes (Ez1 to Ez4) disposed on a center line (Lx, Ly) of each plate-like bridge portion take out charge generated in the piezoelectric element (300) due to deflection caused by the Z-axis direction vibration of the weight body (150).Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Miho Okada
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Publication number: 20200256750Abstract: A force sensor according to the present invention includes a closed loop shaped deformable body and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating an applied force or a moment on the basis of elastic deformation generated in the deformable body. The deformable body includes at least two fixed portions, at least two force receiving portions adjacent to the fixed portion in a closed loop shaped path of the deformable body, and a deformable portion positioned between the fixed portion and the force receiving portion adjacent to each other in the closed loop shaped path. The deformable portion includes: a main curved portion having a curved main curved surface; a fixed portion-side curved portion connecting the main curved portion to the corresponding fixed portion and having a fixed portion-side curved surface; and a force receiving portion-side curved portion connecting the main curved portion to the corresponding force receiving portion and having a force receiving portion-side curved surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2018Publication date: August 13, 2020Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Satoshi ERA
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Publication number: 20200240854Abstract: A force sensor according to the present invention includes: an annular deformable body arranged to surround an origin O when viewed in the Z-axis direction and configured to generate elastic deformation by application of one of a force and a moment; and a detection circuit that outputs an electric signal indicating one of the applied force and the moment on the basis of the elastic deformation generated in the deformable body.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2017Publication date: July 30, 2020Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Satoshi ERA
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Patent number: 10627296Abstract: A capacitive force sensor that is inexpensive but highly sensitive, and is hardly affected by temperature changes and in-phase noise in the use environment. A force sensor includes: a deformable body having a force receiving portion and a fixed portion; a displacement body that is connected to the deformable body, and is displaced by elastic deformation caused in the deformable body; and a detection circuit that detects an applied force, in accordance with the displacement caused in the displacement body.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2019Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Miho Okada
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Patent number: 10571346Abstract: A force sensor includes: a deformable body having a force receiving portion and a fixed portion; a displacement body configured to generate a displacement by elastic deformation generated in the deformable body; and a detection circuit configured to detect an applied force on the basis of the displacement generated in the displacement body, in which the deformable body includes: a tilting portion arranged between the force receiving portion and the fixed portion; a first deformable portion that connects the force receiving portion and the tilting portion; and a second deformable portion that connects the fixed portion and the tilting portion, the displacement body includes a displacement portion connected to the tilting portion and separated from the fixed portion, the detection circuit includes a first displacement sensor and a second displacement sensor arranged in the displacement portion, and the detection circuit outputs a first electric signal indicating an applied force on the basis of a detection valuType: GrantFiled: January 9, 2018Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada, Satoshi Era
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Patent number: 10488280Abstract: A capacitive force sensor that is inexpensive but highly sensitive, and hardly affected by temperature changes and in-phase noise in the use environment is provided. a capacitive force sensor that is inexpensive but highly sensitive, and is hardly affected by temperature changes and in-phase noise in the use environment. A force sensor includes: a deformable body having a force receiving portion and a fixed portion; a displacement body that is connected to the deformable body, and is displaced by elastic deformation caused in the deformable body; and a detection circuit that detects an applied force, in accordance with the displacement caused in the displacement body. The deformable body includes a tilting portion that has a longitudinal direction and is disposed between the force receiving portion and the fixed portion. The displacement body includes displacement portions that are connected to the tilting portion and are displaced by tilting movement of the tilting portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2018Date of Patent: November 26, 2019Assignee: Tri-Force Management CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Miho Okada
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Patent number: 10481391Abstract: Actuators (140), which are a pair of members, are disposed one on either side of a movable frame (120) in the X-axis direction, and oscillate the movable frame (120) about the X axis in relation to a fixed frame (110) by deformation caused by stretching and contracting of piezoelectric elements. Actuators (150), which are a pair of members, are disposed one on either side of a mirror (130) in the Y-axis direction, and oscillate the mirror (130) about the Y axis in relation to the movable frame (120) by deformation caused by stretching and contracting of the piezoelectric elements. The length of each actuator (140) extending in the Y-axis direction is longer than a distance between an inner side of the fixed frame (110) to which the actuator (140) is connected and the middle point of an outer side of the movable frame (120) in the Y-axis direction.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2016Date of Patent: November 19, 2019Assignee: DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenji Ogata, Shinya Sakamoto, Yoshifumi Ikeda, Shogo Kurogi, Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era
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Patent number: 10473917Abstract: A mirror with a reflective layer formed thereon is supported within a frame-shaped support by two U-shaped arms. A plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q1, Q2), and a plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q3, Q4). A pair of piezoelectric elements (E11, E12) disposed along a longitudinal axis (L1) on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E20) disposed along the longitudinal axis (L2) on the upper surface of an inside bridge. Similarly, a pair of piezoelectric elements (E31, E32) disposed on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E40) disposed on the upper surface of an inside bridge. When a positive drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E11, E20, E31, E40) and a negative drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E12, E32), the mirror is displaced efficiently.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2016Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Shinya Sakamoto, Yoshifumi Ikeda, Shogo Kurogi, Kenji Ogata
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Publication number: 20190323904Abstract: The present invention is to provide a capacitive force sensor that is inexpensive but highly sensitive, and is hardly affected by temperature changes and in-phase noise in the use environment. A force sensor 100c includes: a deformable body 10 having a force receiving portion 14 and a fixed portion 15; a displacement body 20 that is connected to the deformable body 10, and is displaced by elastic deformation caused in the deformable body 10; and a detection circuit 40 that detects an applied force, in accordance with the displacement caused in the displacement body 20. The deformable body 10 includes a tilting portion 13 that has a longitudinal direction 1 and is disposed between the force receiving portion 14 and the fixed portion 15. The displacement body 20 includes displacement portions D1 and D2 that are connected to the tilting portion 13 and are displaced by tilting movement of the tilting portion 13.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2019Publication date: October 24, 2019Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Satoshi ERA, Miho OKADA
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Publication number: 20190212215Abstract: A force sensor includes: a deformable body having a force receiving portion and a fixed portion; a displacement body configured to generate a displacement by elastic deformation generated in the deformable body; and a detection circuit configured to detect an applied force on the basis of the displacement generated in the displacement body, in which the deformable body includes: a tilting portion arranged between the force receiving portion and the fixed portion; a first deformable portion that connects the force receiving portion and the tilting portion; and a second deformable portion that connects the fixed portion and the tilting portion, the displacement body includes a displacement portion connected to the tilting portion and separated from the fixed portion, the detection circuit includes a first displacement sensor and a second displacement sensor arranged in the displacement portion, and the detection circuit outputs a first electric signal indicating an applied force on the basis of a detection valuType: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2018Publication date: July 11, 2019Applicant: Tri-Force Management CorporationInventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Miho OKADA, Satoshi ERA
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Publication number: 20190199243Abstract: The power generation efficiency is to be enhanced by converting vibration energy including various direction components into electric energy without waste. A cantilever structure is adopted, in which a first plate-like bridge portion (120) and a second plate-like bridge portion (130) extend in a shape of a letter U from a fixing-portion (110) fixed to the device housing (200) and a weight body (150) is connected to the end. On the upper surface of the cantilever structure, a common lower layer electrode (E00), a layered piezoelectric element (300) and discrete upper layer electrodes (Ex1 to Ez4) are formed. The upper layer electrodes (Ez1 to Ez4) disposed on a center line (Lx, Ly) of each plate-like bridge portion take out charge generated in the piezoelectric element (300) due to deflection caused by the Z-axis direction vibration of the weight body (150).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2018Publication date: June 27, 2019Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATONInventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Satoshi Era, Miho Okada
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Publication number: 20190190405Abstract: A power generating element according to the present invention includes: a support frame formed in a frame shape in plan view; a vibrating body provided inside the support frame; a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion that supports the vibrating body on the support frame; and a charge generating element to generate a charge at the time of displacement of the vibrating body. The support frame includes a first frame portion arranged on a first side with respect to the vibrating body and includes a second frame portion arranged on a second side opposite to the first side with respect to the vibrating body. The first bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the first frame portion. The second bridge portion couples the vibrating body with the second frame portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2017Publication date: June 20, 2019Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Miho OKADA, Satoshi ERA
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Publication number: 20190094086Abstract: The present invention is to provide a capacitive force sensor that is inexpensive but highly sensitive, and is hardly affected by temperature changes and in-phase noise in the use environment. A force sensor 100c includes: a deformable body 10 having a force receiving portion 14 and a fixed portion 15; a displacement body 20 that is connected to the deformable body 10, and is displaced by elastic deformation caused in the deformable body 10; and a detection circuit 40 that detects an applied force, in accordance with the displacement caused in the displacement body 20. The deformable body 10 includes a tilting portion 13 that has a longitudinal direction I and is disposed between the force receiving portion 14 and the fixed portion 15. The displacement body 20 includes displacement portions D1 and D2 that are connected to the tilting portion 13 and are displaced by tilting movement of the tilting portion 13.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Applicant: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro OKADA, Satoshi ERA, Miho OKADA
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Patent number: 10209151Abstract: An inner support member, a detection deformable body, and a ring-shaped outer support member are disposed sequentially from the inside to the outside around a Z axis as a central axis. Inner surfaces in the vicinity of inner support points of the detection deformable body connect to outer surfaces of the inner support member via inner connecting members, and outer surfaces in the vicinity of outer support points of the detection deformable body connect to inner surfaces of the outer support member via outer connecting members. When a torque acts in the clockwise direction on the outer support member (130) while the inner support member is fixed, detection parts are displaced outwardly, and detection parts are displaced inwardly. These displacements are detected electrically as changes in capacitance values of four capacitor elements including opposing electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignees: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Nobuhiro Nagamoto, Takahito Kamiudo, Kazuto Akiba
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Patent number: 10177689Abstract: The power generation efficiency is to be enhanced by converting vibration energy including various direction components into electric energy without waste. A cantilever structure is adopted, in which a first plate-like bridge portion (120) and a second plate-like bridge portion (130) extend in a shape of a letter U from a fixing-portion (110) fixed to the device housing (200) and a weight body (150) is connected to the end. On the upper surface of the cantilever structure, a common lower layer electrode (E00), a layered piezoelectric element (300) and discrete upper layer electrodes (Ex1 to Ez4) are formed. The upper layer electrodes (Ez1 to Ez4) disposed on a center line (Lx, Ly) of each plate-like bridge portion take out charge generated in the piezoelectric element (300) due to deflection caused by the Z-axis direction vibration of the weight body (150).Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2014Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Miho Okada
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Publication number: 20180209860Abstract: An inner support member, a detection deformable body, and a ring-shaped outer support member are disposed sequentially from the inside to the outside around a Z axis as a central axis. Inner surfaces in the vicinity of inner support points of the detection deformable body connect to outer surfaces of the inner support member via inner connecting members, and outer surfaces in the vicinity of outer support points of the detection deformable body connect to inner surfaces of the outer support member via outer connecting members. When a torque acts in the clockwise direction on the outer support member (130) while the inner support member is fixed, detection parts are displaced outwardly, and detection parts are displaced inwardly. These displacements are detected electrically as changes in capacitance values of four capacitor elements including opposing electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2016Publication date: July 26, 2018Applicants: TRI-FORCE MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, DAI-ICHI SEIKO CO., LTD.Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Nobuhiro Nagamoto, Takahito Kamiudo, Kazuto Akiba
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Publication number: 20180172982Abstract: A mirror with a reflective layer formed thereon is supported within a frame-shaped support by two U-shaped arms. A plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q1, Q2), and a plate-like arm connects fixation points (Q3, Q4). A pair of piezoelectric elements (E11, E12) disposed along a longitudinal axis (L1) on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E20) disposed along the longitudinal axis (L2) on the upper surface of an inside bridge. Similarly, a pair of piezoelectric elements (E31, E32) disposed on an upper surface of an outside bridge of the arm, and a single piezoelectric element (E40) disposed on the upper surface of an inside bridge. When a positive drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E11, E20, E31, E40) and a negative drive signal is applied to the piezoelectric elements (E12, E32), the mirror is displaced efficiently.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2016Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era, Shinya Sakamoto, Yoshifumi Ikeda, Shogo Kurogi, Kenji Ogata
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Publication number: 20180157031Abstract: Actuators (140), which are a pair of members, are disposed one on either side of a movable frame (120) in the X-axis direction, and oscillate the movable frame (120) about the X axis in relation to a fixed frame (110) by deformation caused by stretching and contracting of piezoelectric elements. Actuators (150), which are a pair of members, are disposed one on either side of a mirror (130) in the Y-axis direction, and oscillate the mirror (130) about the Y axis in relation to the movable frame (120) by deformation caused by stretching and contracting of the piezoelectric elements. The length of each actuator (140) extending in the Y-axis direction is longer than a distance between an inner side of the fixed frame (110) to which the actuator (140) is connected and the middle point of an outer side of the movable frame (120) in the Y-axis direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2016Publication date: June 7, 2018Inventors: Kenji Ogata, Shinya Sakamoto, Yoshifumi Ikeda, Shogo Kurogi, Kazuhiro Okada, Satoshi Era