Patents by Inventor Shiro Yazaki

Shiro Yazaki 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: 9022533
    Abstract: A flow channel substrate includes pressure chambers, and the pressure chambers communicate with nozzle openings. Piezoelectric elements located on either side of the flow channel substrate include a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode. The piezoelectric layer contains lead, titanium, and zirconium. The second electrode includes a first layer on the piezoelectric layer side and a second layer on the side of the first layer opposite the piezoelectric layer. The second electrode also includes projections. The projections are aggregates of the lead originating in the piezoelectric layer, and the projections stick out of the surface of the second electrode opposite the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Yazaki, Takahiro Kamijo, Toshihiro Shimizu, Motoki Takabe
  • Patent number: 9016839
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a pressure generation chamber communicating with a nozzle. The head includes a piezoelectric element having a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, provided on the first electrode, a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer, and a third electrode provided on the second electrode. The third electrode is provided on the second electrode to cover a region that faces the pressure generation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiro Yazaki
  • Patent number: 8991985
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid jet head includes depositing a lower electrode film on a passage forming substrate and patterning the lower electrode film into a predetermined pattern, forming a piezoelectric layer on the passage forming substrate, forming an intermediate film made of a conductive material on the piezoelectric layer, forming a protective film on the intermediate film and, using the protective film as a mask, patterning by etching the piezoelectric layer together with the intermediate film into a predetermined pattern, peeling off the protective film, and depositing an upper electrode film on the passage forming substrate and patterning the upper electrode film into a predetermined pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Yazaki, Setsuya Iwashita, Eiju Hirai, Tsutomu Nishiwaki
  • Publication number: 20150085024
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a substrate in which a pressure generating chamber that communicates with a nozzle opening is formed; and a piezoelectric element having a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode that is formed on a surface of the piezoelectric layer on a side of the substrate so as to correspond to the pressure generating chamber, and a second electrode that is formed on a surface of the piezoelectric layer opposite to the side on which the first electrode is formed so as to extend over a plurality of the pressure generating chambers, wherein the second electrode is formed to extend to an outside of the pressure generating chamber in a longitudinal direction of the pressure generating chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Eiju HIRAI, Shiro YAZAKI, Koji SUMI, Motoki TAKABE, Jiro KATO, Hiroshi ITO, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Takahiro KAMIJO, Tatsuro TORIMOTO, Chikara KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20150052715
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode, in which unevenness on one surface of the piezoelectric layer is formed by forming an oxidizable metal layer on the one surface of the piezoelectric layer; aggregating the metal layer by thermal oxidation; and performing isotropic etching on the metal layer aggregated on the one surface of the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Motoki TAKABE, Takahiro KAMIJO, Tatsuro TORIMOTO, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Shiro YAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20140292949
    Abstract: A piezoelectric layer is integrally formed in such a way that opening portions of a plurality of pressure chambers in a flow channel forming member are covered. In a region that corresponds to a position between adjacent pressure chambers in the piezoelectric layer, a hollow that penetrates the piezoelectric layer or that has a relatively thin thickness in the piezoelectric layer is formed along the sides of the opening of each of the pressure chambers. The hollow is formed to avoid a region along a corner of the pressure chamber in the region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shiro YAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20140267508
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a passage-forming substrate provided with a pressure-generating chamber communicating with a nozzle orifice for ejecting a liquid and includes a piezoelectric element including a diaphragm disposed on the passage-forming substrate, a first electrode disposed on the diaphragm, a piezoelectric layer disposed on the first electrode, and second electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer. The diaphragm includes a metal oxide layer of a metal oxide formed by a gas-phase method and a zirconium oxide layer of zirconium oxide formed by a liquid-phase method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji OHASHI, Shiro YAZAKI, Eiju HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20140267511
    Abstract: A flow channel substrate includes pressure chambers, and the pressure chambers communicate with nozzle openings. Piezoelectric elements located on either side of the flow channel substrate include a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode. The piezoelectric layer contains lead, titanium, and zirconium. The second electrode includes a first layer on the piezoelectric layer side and a second layer on the side of the first layer opposite the piezoelectric layer. The second electrode also includes projections. The projections are aggregates of the lead originating in the piezoelectric layer, and the projections stick out of the surface of the second electrode opposite the piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shiro YAZAKI, Takahiro KAMIJO, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Motoki TAKABE
  • Publication number: 20140210916
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a substrate in which a pressure generating chamber that communicates with a nozzle opening is formed; and a piezoelectric element having a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode that is formed on a surface of the piezoelectric layer on a side of the substrate so as to correspond to the pressure generating chamber, and a second electrode that is formed on a surface of the piezoelectric layer opposite to the side on which the first electrode is formed so as to extend over a plurality of the pressure generating chambers, wherein the second electrode is formed to extend to an outside of the pressure generating chamber in a longitudinal direction of the pressure generating chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiju HIRAI, Shiro YAZAKI, Koji SUMI, Motoki TAKABE, Jiro KATO, Hiroshi ITO, Toshihiro SHIMIZU, Takahiro KAMIJO, Tatsuro TORIMOTO, Chikara KOJIMA
  • Patent number: 8727510
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a substrate in which a pressure generating chamber that communicates with a nozzle opening is formed; and a piezoelectric element having a piezoelectric layer, a first electrode that is formed on a surface of the piezoelectric layer on a side of the substrate so as to correspond to the pressure generating chamber, and a second electrode that is formed on a surface of the piezoelectric layer opposite to the side on which the first electrode is formed so as to extend over a plurality of the pressure generating chambers, wherein the second electrode is formed to extend to an outside of the pressure generating chamber in a longitudinal direction of the pressure generating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiju Hirai, Shiro Yazaki, Koji Sumi, Motoki Takabe, Jiro Kato, Hiroshi Ito, Toshihiro Shimizu, Takahiro Kamijo, Tatsuro Torimoto, Chikara Kojima
  • Publication number: 20140132676
    Abstract: A first electrode is on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer is on the first electrode, and a second electrode is on the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer has an active section and an inactive section. The active section is located between the first electrode and the second electrode, and at least one of its ends is defined by the second electrode. The inactive section is thinner than the active section and extends outside the end of the second electrode that defines the active section. The active section and the inactive section are continuous with a slope therebetween. The second electrode has compressive stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson corporation
    Inventor: Shiro Yazaki
  • Publication number: 20140118447
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a plurality of individual electrodes, a piezoelectric layer formed on each of individual electrodes, and a common electrode which is formed on the piezoelectric layer and is an electrode common to the individual electrodes. Further, a protection film covering a region, which is not covered by the common electrode on the individual electrode, is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro YAZAKI, Takahiro KAMIJO, Tatsuro TORIMOTO, Motoki TAKABE
  • Publication number: 20140078215
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid jet head includes depositing a lower electrode film on a passage forming substrate and patterning the lower electrode film into a predetermined pattern, forming a piezoelectric layer on the passage forming substrate, forming an intermediate film made of a conductive material on the piezoelectric layer, forming a protective film on the intermediate film and, using the protective film as a mask, patterning by etching the piezoelectric layer together with the intermediate film into a predetermined pattern, peeling off the protective film, and depositing an upper electrode film on the passage forming substrate and patterning the upper electrode film into a predetermined pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Yazaki, Setsuya Iwashita, Eiju Hirai, Tsutomu Nishiwaki
  • Publication number: 20140071206
    Abstract: A lower electrode 60 in a region opposite each of pressure generation chambers 12 is formed to have a width smaller than the width of the corresponding pressure generation chamber 12, and an upper surface and an end surface of the lower electrode 60 in a region corresponding to each of the pressure generation chambers 12 is covered with a piezoelectric material layer 70. An end surface of the piezoelectric material layer 70 forms a slope surface sloping downward toward the outside, an upper surface and an end surface of the piezoelectric material layer 70 in the region opposite each of the pressure generation chambers 12 are covered with an upper electrode 80, and a distance D1 between the upper surface of the lower electrode 60 and the upper surface of the piezoelectric material layer 70 and a distance D2 between the end surface of the lower electrode 60 and the end surface of the piezoelectric material layer 70 satisfy the relationship D2?D1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiro YAZAKI
  • Patent number: 8651627
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a plurality of individual electrodes, a piezoelectric layer formed on each of individual electrodes, and a common electrode which is formed on the piezoelectric layer and is an electrode common to the individual electrodes. Further, a protection film covering a region, which is not covered by the common electrode on the individual electrode, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Yazaki, Takahiro Kamijo, Tatsuro Torimoto, Motoki Takabe
  • Publication number: 20140043401
    Abstract: Piezoelectric elements constituted by lower electrodes, piezoelectric layers, and an upper electrode are extended from positions corresponding to openings of pressure chambers to outer positions beyond opening edges of the pressure chambers. The piezoelectric layers have exposure portions on the extended portions and the exposure portions of the piezoelectric layers are covered by an adhesive between an actuator unit and a sealing plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuro Torimoto, Takahiro Kamijo, Motoki Takabe, Shiro Yazaki
  • Patent number: 8613498
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a liquid jet head includes depositing a lower electrode film on a passage forming substrate and patterning the lower electrode film into a predetermined pattern, forming a piezoelectric layer on the passage forming substrate, forming an intermediate film made of a conductive material on the piezoelectric layer, forming a protective film on the intermediate film and, using the protective film as a mask, patterning by etching the piezoelectric layer together with the intermediate film into a predetermined pattern, peeling off the protective film, and depositing an upper electrode film on the passage forming substrate and patterning the upper electrode film into a predetermined pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Yazaki, Setsuya Iwashita, Eiju Hirai, Tsutomu Nishiwaki
  • Patent number: 8608292
    Abstract: A lower electrode 60 in a region opposite each of pressure generation chambers 12 is formed to have a width smaller than the width of the corresponding pressure generation chamber 12, and an upper surface and an end surface of the lower electrode 60 in a region corresponding to each of the pressure generation chambers 12 is covered with a piezoelectric material layer 70. An end surface of the piezoelectric material layer 70 forms a slope surface sloping downward toward the outside, an upper surface and an end surface of the piezoelectric material layer 70 in the region opposite each of the pressure generation chambers 12 are covered with an upper electrode 80, and a distance D1 between the upper surface of the lower electrode 60 and the upper surface of the piezoelectric material layer 70 and a distance D2 between the end surface of the lower electrode 60 and the end surface of the piezoelectric material layer 70 satisfy the relationship D2?D1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiro Yazaki
  • Patent number: 8579417
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a piezoelectric element having a first electrode provided above a flow path forming substrate in which pressure generation chambers are formed, a piezoelectric body layer provided so as to correspond to each pressure generation chamber, and a second electrode provided above the piezoelectric body layer, wherein the first electrode, which is formed in the region facing the region where the piezoelectric body layer is formed, includes a first electrically-conductive layer, and a second electrically-conductive layer, which is made of a material having a smaller Young's modulus than that of the first electrically-conductive layer and is formed closer to the flow path forming substrate than the first electrically-conductive layer; and the first electrode, which is formed in the region facing the region where the piezoelectric body layer is not formed, has a surface constituted of the second electrically-conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiro Yazaki
  • Publication number: 20130265371
    Abstract: A third electrode is provided on a second electrode configuring a piezoelectric element by covering a region facing a pressure generation chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shiro YAZAKI