Patents by Inventor Seiichi Nishihara

Seiichi Nishihara 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: 9536669
    Abstract: In a method of forming a plating layer for an external terminal electrode by applying, for example, copper plating to an end surface of a component main body with respective ends of internal electrodes exposed, and then applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more in order to improve the adhesion strength and moisture resistance of the external terminal electrode, the plating layer may be partially melted to decrease the bonding strength of the plating layer. In the step of applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more to a component main body with plating layers formed thereon, the average rate of temperature increase from room temperature to the temperature of about 1000° C. or more is set to about 100° C./minute or more. This average rate of temperature increase maintains a moderate eutectic state in the plating layer and ensures a sufficient bonding strength of the plating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Motoki, Syunsuke Takeuchi, Makoto Ogawa, Seiichi Nishihara, Kenichi Kawasaki, Shuji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9418790
    Abstract: A multilayer ceramic electronic component including thin external terminal electrodes each having a superior bonding force to a ceramic base body is provided. In order to form the external terminal electrodes, after Cu plating films are deposited on exposed portions of internal electrodes by direct plating on a ceramic base body, a Cu liquid phase, an O2-containing liquid phase, and a Cu solid phase are generated between the Cu plating film and the ceramic base body by a heat treatment, so that Cu oxides are dispersed in the Cu plating film, at least near an interface with the ceramic base body. Since the Cu oxides function as an adhesive, a bonding force of the Cu plating film to the ceramic base body can be increased, and hence the external terminal electrode having a superior bonding force to the ceramic base body can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Takeuchi, Kenichi Kawasaki, Akihiro Motoki, Makoto Ogawa, Shuji Matsumoto, Seiichi Nishihara
  • Publication number: 20150325374
    Abstract: In a method of forming a plating layer for an external terminal electrode by applying, for example, copper plating to an end surface of a component main body with respective ends of internal electrodes exposed, and then applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more in order to improve the adhesion strength and moisture resistance of the external terminal electrode, the plating layer may be partially melted to decrease the bonding strength of the plating layer. In the step of applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more to a component main body with plating layers formed thereon, the average rate of temperature increase from room temperature to the temperature of about 1000° C. or more is set to about 100° C./minute or more. This average rate of temperature increase maintains a moderate eutectic state in the plating layer and ensures a sufficient bonding strength of the plating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Akihiro MOTOKI, Syunsuke TAKEUCHI, Makoto OGAWA, Seiichi NISHIHARA, Kenichi KAWASAKI, Shuji MATSUMOTO
  • Patent number: 9123469
    Abstract: In a method of forming a plating layer for an external terminal electrode by applying, for example, copper plating to an end surface of a component main body with respective ends of internal electrodes exposed, and then applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more in order to improve the adhesion strength and moisture resistance of the external terminal electrode, the plating layer may be partially melted to decrease the bonding strength of the plating layer. In the step of applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more to a component main body with plating layers formed thereon, the average rate of temperature increase from room temperature to the temperature of about 1000° C. or more is set to about 100° C./minute or more. This average rate of temperature increase maintains a moderate eutectic state in the plating layer and ensures a sufficient bonding strength of the plating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Motoki, Syunsuke Takeuchi, Makoto Ogawa, Seiichi Nishihara, Kenichi Kawasaki, Shuji Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8547683
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a laminated ceramic electronic component, after a plating layer for an external terminal electrode is formed by applying copper plating to an end surface of a component main body at which respective ends of a plurality of internal electrodes primarily including nickel are exposed, when a heat treatment at a temperature of about 800° C. or more is applied in order to improve adhesion strength and resistance to moisture of the external terminal electrode, voids may occur in the plating layer. The step of applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 800° C. or more to a component main body with plating layers formed thereon includes not only a step of maintaining a top temperature of about 1000° C. or more but also a step of maintaining a temperature of about 600° C. to 900° C. at least once before the step of maintaining the top temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahito Saruban, Makoto Ogawa, Toshiyuki Iwanaga, Seiichi Matsumoto, Akihiro Motoki, Shunsuke Takeuchi, Seiichi Nishihara, Kenichi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 8254081
    Abstract: In a laminated ceramic electronic component in which, by directly carrying out a plating process on an outer surface of a component main body, an external electrode is formed thereon, an attempt is made to improve the adhesion strength between a plated film forming the external electrode and the component main body. A brazing material containing Ti is applied to at least one portion of a surface on which external electrodes of a component main body is formed, and by baking this brazing material, a metal layer containing Ti is formed. Moreover, the external electrodes are formed by a plating process so as to coat at least the metal layer, and a heating process is then carried out so as to cause counter diffusion between the metal layer and the plated film that is to form the external electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Nishihara, Shuji Matsumoto, Akihiro Motoki, Makoto Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20120183682
    Abstract: A multilayer ceramic electronic component including thin external terminal electrodes each having a superior bonding force to a ceramic base body is provided. In order to form the external terminal electrodes, after Cu plating films are deposited on exposed portions of internal electrodes by direct plating on a ceramic base body, a Cu liquid phase, an O2-containing liquid phase, and a Cu solid phase are generated between the Cu plating film and the ceramic base body by a heat treatment, so that Cu oxides are dispersed in the Cu plating film, at least near an interface with the ceramic base body. Since the Cu oxides function as an adhesive, a bonding force of the Cu plating film to the ceramic base body can be increased, and hence the external terminal electrode having a superior bonding force to the ceramic base body can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Takeuchi, Kenichi Kawasaki, Akihiro Motoki, Makoto Ogawa, Shuji Matsumoto, Seiichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8194391
    Abstract: A multilayer ceramic electronic component including thin external terminal electrodes each having a superior bonding force to a ceramic base body is provided. In order to form the external terminal electrodes, after Cu plating films are deposited on exposed portions of internal electrodes by direct plating on a ceramic base body, a Cu liquid phase, an O2-containing liquid phase, and a Cu solid phase are generated between the Cu plating film and the ceramic base body by a heat treatment, so that Cu oxides are dispersed in the Cu plating film, at least near an interface with the ceramic base body. Since the Cu oxides function as an adhesive, a bonding force of the Cu plating film to the ceramic base body can be increased, and hence the external terminal electrode having a superior bonding force to the ceramic base body can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Takeuchi, Kenichi Kawasaki, Akihiro Motoki, Makoto Ogawa, Shuji Matsumoto, Seiichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8077445
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a monolithic ceramic electronic component includes a plating substep of depositing precipitates primarily composed of a specific metal on an end of each of internal electrodes exposed at a predetermined surface of a laminate and growing the precipitates to coalesce into a continuous plated layer, wherein the specific metal is different from that of the internal electrodes, and the same or substantially the same metal that defines the internal electrodes is distributed throughout the plated layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Iwanaga, Akihiro Motoki, Makoto Ogawa, Kenichi Kawasaki, Shunsuke Takeuchi, Seiichi Nishihara, Shuji Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20110256309
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a monolithic ceramic electronic component includes a plating substep of depositing precipitates primarily composed of a specific metal on an end of each of internal electrodes exposed at a predetermined surface of a laminate and growing the precipitates to coalesce into a continuous plated layer, wherein the specific metal is different from that of the internal electrodes, and the same or substantially the same metal that defines the internal electrodes is distributed throughout the plated layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki IWANAGA, Akihiro MOTOKI, Makoto OGAWA, Kenichi KAWASAKI, Shunsuki TAKEUCHI, Seiichi NISHIHARA, Shuji MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20110234045
    Abstract: In a method of forming a plating layer for an external terminal electrode by applying, for example, copper plating to an end surface of a component main body with respective ends of internal electrodes exposed, and then applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more in order to improve the adhesion strength and moisture resistance of the external terminal electrode, the plating layer may be partially melted to decrease the bonding strength of the plating layer. In the step of applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 1000° C. or more to a component main body with plating layers formed thereon, the average rate of temperature increase from room temperature to the temperature of about 1000° C. or more is set to about 100° C./minute or more. This average rate of temperature increase maintains a moderate eutectic state in the plating layer and ensures a sufficient bonding strength of the plating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro MOTOKI, Syunsuke TAKEUCHI, Makoto OGAWA, Seiichi NISHIHARA, Kenichi KAWASAKI, Shuji MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20100328843
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a laminated ceramic electronic component, after a plating layer for an external terminal electrode is formed by applying copper plating to an end surface of a component main body at which respective ends of a plurality of internal electrodes primarily including nickel are exposed, when a heat treatment at a temperature of about 800° C. or more is applied in order to improve adhesion strength and resistance to moisture of the external terminal electrode, voids may occur in the plating layer. The step of applying a heat treatment at a temperature of about 800° C. or more to a component main body with plating layers formed thereon includes not only a step of maintaining a top temperature of about 1000° C. or more but also a step of maintaining a temperature of about 600° C. to 900° C. at least once before the step of maintaining the top temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahito SARUBAN, Makoto OGAWA, Toshiyuki IWANAGA, Seiichi MATSUMOTO, Akihiro MOTOKI, Shunsuke TAKEUCHI, Seiichi NISHIHARA, Kenichi KAWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20100128412
    Abstract: In a laminated ceramic electronic component in which, by directly carrying out a plating process on an outer surface of a component main body, an external electrode is formed thereon, an attempt is made to improve the adhesion strength between a plated film forming the external electrode and the component main body. A brazing material containing Ti is applied to at least one portion of a surface on which external electrodes of a component main body is formed, and by baking this brazing material, a metal layer containing Ti is formed. Moreover, the external electrodes are formed by a plating process so as to coat at least the metal layer, and a heating process is then carried out so as to cause counter diffusion between the metal layer and the plated film that is to form the external electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi NISHIHARA, Shuji MATSUMOTO, Akihiro MOTOKI, Makoto OGAWA
  • Publication number: 20100020464
    Abstract: A method for producing a multilayer ceramic electronic component includes a plating step including depositing a plating material on the ends of internal electrodes exposed at a predetermined surface of a laminate to form plating deposits primarily composed of a specific metal and growing the plating deposits so as to connect the plating deposits to each other to form a continuous plated layer. The specific metal primarily defining the plated layer is different from a metal defining the internal electrodes. The same or substantially the same metal as the metal defining the internal electrodes is present throughout the plated layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki IWANAGA, Akihiro MOTOKI, Makoto OGAWA, Kenichi KAWASAKI, Shunsuke TAKEUCHI, Seiichi NISHIHARA, Shuji MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20090280319
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a monolithic ceramic electronic component includes a plating substep of depositing precipitates primarily composed of a specific metal on an end of each of internal electrodes exposed at a predetermined surface of a laminate and growing the precipitates to coalesce into a continuous plated layer, wherein the specific metal is different from that of the internal electrodes, and the same or substantially the same metal that defines the internal electrodes is distributed throughout the plated layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki IWANAGA, Akihiro MOTOKI, Makoto OGAWA, Kenichi KAWASAKI, Shunsuke TAKEUCHI, Seiichi NISHIHARA, Shuji MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20090161293
    Abstract: A multilayer ceramic electronic component including thin external terminal electrodes each having a superior bonding force to a ceramic base body is provided. In order to form the external terminal electrodes, after Cu plating films are deposited on exposed portions of internal electrodes by direct plating on a ceramic base body, a Cu liquid phase, an O2-containing liquid phase, and a Cu solid phase are generated between the Cu plating film and the ceramic base body by a heat treatment, so that Cu oxides are dispersed in the Cu plating film, at least near an interface with the ceramic base body. Since the Cu oxides function as an adhesive, a bonding force of the Cu plating film to the ceramic base body can be increased, and hence the external terminal electrode having a superior bonding force to the ceramic base body can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Takeuchi, Kenichi Kawasaki, Akihiro Motoki, Makoto Ogawa, Shuji Matsumoto, Seiichi Nishihara