Patents by Inventor Takeo Funakawa

Takeo Funakawa 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: 8687254
    Abstract: An optical filter comprising a first substrate, a first mirror formed on the first substrate, a second substrate coupled to the first substrate, the second substrate including a concave portion, and a second mirror formed on the concave portion and facing the first mirror, wherein the first substrate includes a first portion located on the first mirror, a second portion located around the first portion, a third portion located around the second portion, and a fourth portion located around the third portion, wherein both a thickness of the second portion and a thickness of the fourth portion are equal to or smaller than a thickness of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yuki Hanamura, Takeo Funakawa, Tsukasa Funasaka
  • Patent number: 8581669
    Abstract: A vibrator element includes a base section, vibration arms, and excitation electrodes provided to the respective vibration arms, the excitation electrodes each include a first electrode disposed on a principal surface side of the vibration arm, a second electrode disposed so as to be opposed to the first electrode, and a piezoelectric body extending between the first electrode and the second electrode, and ITO is used as at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takeo Funakawa, Takashi Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20130264913
    Abstract: A sensor element (a vibrator element) includes a base portion; a vibrating arm extended from the base portion; a drive unit that is provided in the vibrating arm and has a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, and a piezoelectric body layer; a wiring having a portion that is drawn from the second electrode layer and is provided along a side surface of the piezoelectric body layer; and a terminal that is provided in the base portion and is electrically connected to the second electrode layer via the wiring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takeo FUNAKAWA
  • Patent number: 8415863
    Abstract: A vibrating piece manufacturing method includes: (a) preparing a supporting body having first and second surfaces, the first and second surfaces defining a thickness while being directed toward opposite directions, the supporting body including a base and a plurality of arms, the arms extending side-by-side in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the thickness from the base, a lower electrode film being disposed on the first surface of each of the arms, a piezoelectric film being disposed on the lower electrode films, at least one upper electrode film being disposed on the piezoelectric film, at least a part of the second surface of each of the arms being an exposed area; and (b) etching the exposed area of the second surface so as to reduce the thickness to reduce flexural rigidity of the arms with respect to the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yamazaki, Tsukasa Funasaka, Takeo Funakawa, Makoto Furuhata
  • Patent number: 8310137
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: three or more resonating arms, each of the resonating arms including; a lower electrode provided on a first surface of the resonating arm, a piezoelectric film formed on the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film, a first wiring line coupled to the lower electrode, and a second wiring line coupled to the upper electrode; and a base to which the resonating arms are connected. In the resonator element, the resonating arm vibrates in a thickness direction of the resonating arm. The resonating arms adjacent to each other vibrate in opposite directions from each other. The first surface is opposed to a second surface in the thickness direction. The second wiring line is drawn out to the second surface through side surfaces of the resonating arm so as to surround the resonating arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishii, Takeo Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20120212109
    Abstract: A vibrating piece manufacturing method includes: (a) preparing a supporting body having first and second surfaces, the first and second surfaces defining a thickness while being directed toward opposite directions, the supporting body including a base and a plurality of arms, the arms extending side-by-side in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the thickness from the base, a lower electrode film being disposed on the first surface of each of the arms, a piezoelectric film being disposed on the lower electrode films, at least one upper electrode film being disposed on the piezoelectric film, at least a part of the second surface of each of the arms being an exposed area; and (b) etching the exposed area of the second surface so as to reduce the thickness to reduce flexural rigidity of the arms with respect to the thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi YAMAZAKI, Tsukasa Funasaka, Takeo Funakawa, Makoto Furuhata
  • Publication number: 20120194283
    Abstract: A vibrator element includes a base section, vibration arms, and excitation electrodes provided to the respective vibration arms, the excitation electrodes each include a first electrode disposed on a principal surface side of the vibration arm, a second electrode disposed so as to be opposed to the first electrode, and a piezoelectric body extending between the first electrode and the second electrode, and ITO is used as at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeo FUNAKAWA, Takashi YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 8191216
    Abstract: A vibrating piece manufacturing method includes: (a) preparing a supporting body having first and second surfaces, the first and second surfaces defining a thickness while being directed toward opposite directions, the supporting body including a base and a plurality of arms, the arms extending side-by-side in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the thickness from the base, a lower electrode film being disposed on the first surface of each of the arms, a piezoelectric film being disposed on the lower electrode films, at least one upper electrode film being disposed on the piezoelectric film, at least a part of the second surface of each of the arms being an exposed area; and (b) etching the exposed area of the second surface so as to reduce the thickness to reduce flexural rigidity of the arms with respect to the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Yamazaki, Tsukasa Funasaka, Takeo Funakawa, Makoto Furuhata
  • Publication number: 20110198969
    Abstract: Deterioration of the Q value caused by the thermoelastic effect is suppressed. Since a first depth of a first groove and a second depth of a second groove are smaller than a distance between a surface including a third surface and a surface including a fourth surface, the first and second grooves do not penetrate between the surface including the third surface and the surface including the fourth surface. In addition, the sum of the first depth of the first groove and the second depth of the second groove is greater than the distance between the third and fourth surfaces, a heat transfer path between a first expandable portion (the first surface) and a second expandable portion (the second surface) cannot be formed as a straight line. As such, the heat transfer path between the first expandable portion (the first surface) and a second expandable portion (the second surface) is made to detour to the first and second grooves and and thus be lengthened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicants: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Furuhata, Takeo Funakawa, Takashi Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20100201223
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: three or more resonating arms, each of the resonating arms including; a lower electrode provided on a first surface of the resonating arm, a piezoelectric film formed on the lower electrode, an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric film, a first wiring line coupled to the lower electrode, and a second wiring line coupled to the upper electrode; and a base to which the resonating arms are connected. In the resonator element, the resonating arm vibrates in a thickness direction of the resonating arm. The resonating arms adjacent to each other vibrate in opposite directions from each other. The first surface is opposed to a second surface in the thickness direction. The second wiring line is drawn out to the second surface through side surfaces of the resonating arm so as to surround the resonating arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicants: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION, SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro ISHII, Takeo FUNAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20100142067
    Abstract: An optical filter comprising a first substrate, a first mirror formed on the first substrate, a second substrate coupled to the first substrate, the second substrate including a concave portion, and a second mirror formed on the concave portion and facing the first mirror, wherein the first substrate includes a first portion located on the first mirror, a second portion located around the first portion, a third portion located around the second portion, and a fourth portion located around the third portion, wherein both a thickness of the second portion and a thickness of the fourth portion are equal to or smaller than a thickness of the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki HANAMURA, Takeo FUNAKAWA, Tsukasa FUNASAKA
  • Publication number: 20090178260
    Abstract: A vibrating piece manufacturing method includes: (a) preparing a supporting body having first and second surfaces, the first and second surfaces defining a thickness while being directed toward opposite directions, the supporting body including a base and a plurality of arms, the arms extending side-by-side in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the thickness from the base, a lower electrode film being disposed on the first surface of each of the arms, a piezoelectric film being disposed on the lower electrode films, at least one upper electrode film being disposed on the piezoelectric film, at least a part of the second surface of each of the arms being an exposed area; and (b) etching the exposed area of the second surface so as to reduce the thickness to reduce flexural rigidity of the arms with respect to the thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Yamazaki, Tsukasa Funasaka, Takeo Funakawa, Makoto Furuhata
  • Patent number: 7439649
    Abstract: An acoustic wave device capable of exhibiting good characteristics for a prolonged period of time and a method of manufacturing an acoustic wave device are provided. An acoustic wave device of the invention includes a piezoelectric body layer having piezoelectricity and one surface, a pair of electrodes for, when electrified, inducing acoustic vibration in the piezoelectric body layer, the electrodes arranged on the one surface of the piezoelectric body layer, and a silicon dioxide layer provided in contact with the piezoelectric body layer and/or the electrodes, the silicon dioxide layer composed of silicon dioxide as its major component, wherein the silicon dioxide layer is formed by performing sputtering with a silicon dioxide target in an atmosphere of an oxygen flow rate ratio of 60% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Fujii, Takeo Funakawa
  • Publication number: 20070296304
    Abstract: An acoustic wave device capable of exhibiting good characteristics for a prolonged period of time and a method of manufacturing an acoustic wave device are provided. An acoustic wave device of the invention includes a piezoelectric body layer having piezoelectricity and one surface, a pair of electrodes for, when electrified, inducing acoustic vibration in the piezoelectric body layer, the electrodes arranged on the one surface of the piezoelectric body layer, and a silicon dioxide layer provided in contact with the piezoelectric body layer and/or the electrodes, the silicon dioxide layer composed of silicon dioxide as its major component, wherein the silicon dioxide layer is formed by performing sputtering with a silicon dioxide target in an atmosphere of an oxygen flow rate ratio of 60% or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Satoshi Fujii, Takeo Funakawa