Patents by Inventor Tomio Ono
Tomio Ono 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: 11898991Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inspection device includes a transmitter configured to transmit a first ultrasonic wave, a receiver on which the first ultrasonic wave is incident, and a receiving-side waveguide located between the receiver and an inspection position. The receiver is configured to output a signal corresponding to the incident first ultrasonic wave. The inspection position is between the transmitter and the receiver. The first ultrasonic wave passes through the receiving-side waveguide. An inspection object passes through the inspection position along a second direction crossing a first direction. The first direction is from the transmitter toward the receiver. The receiving-side waveguide includes at least one of a first structure or a second structure. In the first structure, the receiving-side waveguide includes a tubular member and an inner member. The inner member is located inside the tubular member. In the second structure, the receiving-side waveguide includes a tubular member.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Yutaka Nakai, Tomio Ono, Noriko Yamamoto, Kazuhiro Itsumi
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Patent number: 11867665Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic probe includes a first member and a first vibrating element. The first member includes at least one selected from the group consisting of metal and ceramic. The first vibrating element includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer provided between the first electrode and the first member, and a second electrode provided between the piezoelectric layer and the first member and being in contact with the first member.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Tomio Ono, Norihiko Tanaka, Tomonori Abe
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Patent number: 11726066Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inspection device includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a supporter. The transmitter is configured to transmit a first ultrasonic wave including burst waves having a first period Tp. The receiver on which the first ultrasonic wave is incident is configured to output a signal corresponding to the incident first ultrasonic wave. The supporter is provided between the transmitter and the receiver. The supporter is configured to support an inspection object. The first period Tp (s), a distance Dx (m), and a velocity vx (m/s) satisfy 2Dx/((n+1)·vx)<Tp<2Dx/(n·vx). n is 1 or 2. The distance Dx is a shorter distance of first and second distances. The first distance is a distance along a first direction between the transmitter and the supporter. The second distance is a distance along the first direction between the supporter and the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2021Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Yutaka Nakai, Tomio Ono, Noriko Yamamoto, Kazuhiro Itsumi
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Patent number: 11703479Abstract: According to an embodiment, an inspection device includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a processor. The transmitter transmits a first ultrasonic wave including burst waves of a first period. The first ultrasonic wave is incident on an inspection object between the transmitter and the receiver. The first ultrasonic wave passed through the inspection object is incident on the receiver. The receiver outputs a signal corresponding to the first ultrasonic wave. The processor obtains the signal and performs a first operation. The first operation includes deriving first and second signal values from the signal, and inspecting the inspection object based on at least one of the first signal values and at least one of the second signal values. The first signal values correspond to maximum values of the signal in each of first periods The second signal values correspond to maximum values of the signal in each of second periods.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2022Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Yutaka Nakai, Tomio Ono
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Patent number: 11701687Abstract: According to one embodiment, a drive circuit includes a first circuit part. The first circuit part includes a first detecting part, a second detecting part, a first circuit, and a second circuit. The first detecting part is configured to detect a first piezoelectric element current flowing in a first piezoelectric element, and output a first detection signal corresponding to the first piezoelectric element current. The second detecting part is configured to detect a first capacitance element current flowing in a first capacitance element, and output a second detection signal corresponding to the first capacitance element current. The first circuit includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal. The first circuit is configured to apply a first drive signal to the first piezoelectric element and the first capacitance element. The second circuit is configured to supply a first differential signal to the second input terminal.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2021Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Tomio Ono, Yutaka Nakai
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Patent number: 11692819Abstract: A sensor includes a first element part having a first member and a first element. The first member is a acoustic tubular waveguide and extends along a first direction. The acoustic tubular waveguide includes a first opening and a second opening. A direction from the second opening toward the first opening is along the first direction. The first element includes a vibratile first membrane, and a first supporter supporting the first membrane. The second opening is between the first opening and the first membrane in the first direction. The sensor may be a Piezoelectric Micro electro mechanical systems Ultrasonic Transducer and may be used for inspecting paper and/or resin including detecting thickness of a fed through banknote and/or the presence of foreign matter thereon such as tape. An optical element may alternatively measure the vibration of a membrane from acoustic through transmission instead of an acoustic receiver.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2020Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Kazuhiro Itsumi, Tomio Ono, Yutaka Nakai, Noriko Yamamoto, Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Akiko Hirao, Yasuharu Hosono, Mitsunaga Saito
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Patent number: 11656202Abstract: A sonic inspection device of an embodiment includes: a sonic probe which includes a vibrator having at least one of functions of transmitting a sound wave and of receiving a sound wave and which has a sonic function surface functioning as at least one of surfaces for transmitting the sound wave and for receiving the sound wave; a contact member including a couplant and a sheet member, the couplant being in contact with the sonic function surface of the sonic probe directly or through an intermediate member and containing at least an elastomer, and the sheet member being in contact with the couplant and having a plurality of holes; and a loading mechanism which applies/removes a load to/from the contact member. The sheet member has a thickness of not less than 0.15 times nor more than 0.35 times a wavelength ? of the sound wave propagated in the couplant.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2021Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ENERGY SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Akiko Hirao, Noriko Yamamoto, Tomio Ono
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Publication number: 20230079884Abstract: A sonic inspection device according to an embodiment includes: a sonic probe that includes a transducer configured to perform at least one of transmitting a sound wave and receiving a sound wave and has a sonic function surface constituting at least one of a transmitting surface of the sound wave and a receiving surface of the sound wave; a contact member that includes a couplant and a sheet-shaped member, the couplant having a first surface, which is in contact with the sonic function surface of the sonic probe directly or while interposing an intermediate member, and a second surface on an opposite side of the first surface, and containing an elastomer, and the sheet-shaped member laminated with the couplant to be in contact with the second surface and containing a polymer; and a loading mechanism configured to apply a load to the contact member.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2022Publication date: March 16, 2023Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ENERGY SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Noriko YAMAMOTO, Akiko HIRAO, Tomio ONO, Yutaka NAKAI, Tsuyoshi KOBAYASHI
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Publication number: 20230076916Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic probe includes a first member and a first vibrating element. The first member includes at least one selected from the group consisting of metal and ceramic. The first vibrating element includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer provided between the first electrode and the first member, and a second electrode provided between the piezoelectric layer and the first member and being in contact with the first member.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Tsuyoshi KOBAYASHI, Tomio ONO, Norihiko TANAKA, Tomonori ABE
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Publication number: 20230075106Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic probe includes a first vibrating element and a second vibrating element. The first vibrating element is configured to vibrate at a first peak frequency. An intensity of a vibration of the first vibrating element is highest at the first peak frequency. The second vibrating element is configured to vibrate at a second peak frequency lower than the first peak frequency. An intensity of a vibration of the second vibrating element is highest at the second peak frequency.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Tsuyoshi KOBAYASHI, Tomio ONO, Norihiko TANAKA, Tomonori ABE
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Publication number: 20230054123Abstract: According to an embodiment, an inspection device includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a processor. The transmitter transmits a first ultrasonic wave including burst waves of a first period. The first ultrasonic wave is incident on an inspection object between the transmitter and the receiver. The first ultrasonic wave passed through the inspection object is incident on the receiver. The receiver outputs a signal corresponding to the first ultrasonic wave. The processor obtains the signal and performs a first operation. The first operation includes deriving first and second signal values from the signal, and inspecting the inspection object based on at least one of the first signal values and at least one of the second signal values. The first signal values correspond to maximum values of the signal in each of first periods The second signal values correspond to maximum values of the signal in each of second periods.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2022Publication date: February 23, 2023Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Yutaka NAKAI, Tomio ONO
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Patent number: 11448622Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic device includes an ultrasonic transmitter. The ultrasonic transmitter includes a first element, a second element, and a driver. The first element is flexing-vibratable at a first resonant frequency. The second element is flexing-vibratable at a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency. The driver is configured to supply a first electrical signal to the first element and to supply a second electrical signal to the second element. The first electrical signal includes a first signal having the first resonant frequency. The second electrical signal includes a second signal having the second resonant frequency.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2019Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Kazuhiro Itsumi, Yasuharu Hosono, Tomio Ono, Mitsunaga Saito
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Publication number: 20220291173Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inspection device includes a transmitter configured to transmit a first ultrasonic wave, a receiver on which the first ultrasonic wave is incident, and a receiving-side waveguide located between the receiver and an inspection position. The receiver is configured to output a signal corresponding to the incident first ultrasonic wave. The inspection position is between the transmitter and the receiver. The first ultrasonic wave passes through the receiving-side waveguide. An inspection object passes through the inspection position along a second direction crossing a first direction. The first direction is from the transmitter toward the receiver. The receiving-side waveguide includes at least one of a first structure or a second structure. In the first structure, the receiving-side waveguide includes a tubular member and an inner member. The inner member is located inside the tubular member. In the second structure, the receiving-side waveguide includes a tubular member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2021Publication date: September 15, 2022Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Yutaka NAKAI, Tomio ONO, Noriko YAMAMOTO, Kazuhiro ITSUMI
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Publication number: 20220291174Abstract: A sonic inspection device of an embodiment includes: a sonic probe which includes a vibrator having at least one of functions of transmitting a sound wave and of receiving a sound wave and which has a sonic function surface functioning as at least one of surfaces for transmitting the sound wave and for receiving the sound wave; a contact member including a couplant and a sheet member, the couplant being in contact with the sonic function surface of the sonic probe directly or through an intermediate member and containing at least an elastomer, and the sheet member being in contact with the couplant and having a plurality of holes; and a loading mechanism which applies/removes a load to/from the contact member. The sheet member has a thickness of not less than 0.15 times nor more than 0.35 times a wavelength ? of the sound wave propagated in the couplant.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2021Publication date: September 15, 2022Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ENERGY SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Akiko HIRAO, Noriko YAMAMOTO, Tomio ONO
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Patent number: 11322676Abstract: A multilayer ultrasonic transducer of an embodiment includes: a plurality of stacked oscillators; external electrodes disposed on outer exposed surfaces of two oscillators disposed in the outermost layers out of the plurality of oscillators; and a plurality of internal electrodes each disposed between two of the plurality of oscillators. There are provided electrode regions in which the plurality of internal electrodes are arranged such that the number of layers of the internal electrodes in a direction in which the oscillators are stacked gradiently increases from an inner region toward an outer peripheral region of the plurality of oscillators, and ultrasonic waves emitted from the plurality of oscillators are focused toward at least the inner region.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2018Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Noriko Yamamoto, Yasuharu Hosono, Mitsunaga Saito, Kazuhiro Itsumi, Akiko Hirao, Tomio Ono
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Patent number: 11318497Abstract: An ultrasonic inspection device according to an embodiment includes: an ultrasonic transducer which includes at least one oscillator group having a plurality of oscillators in a plurality of regions, each region disposing at least one oscillator; a selector which selects at least one region having one or more of the oscillators to be driven from among the plurality of regions; and a driver which individually drives one or more of the oscillators of the at least one region being selected.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2019Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Tomio Ono, Yasuharu Hosono
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Publication number: 20220062949Abstract: According to one embodiment, a drive circuit includes a first circuit part. The first circuit part includes a first detecting part, a second detecting part, a first circuit, and a second circuit. The first detecting part is configured to detect a first piezoelectric element current flowing in a first piezoelectric element, and output a first detection signal corresponding to the first piezoelectric element current. The second detecting part is configured to detect a first capacitance element current flowing in a first capacitance element, and output a second detection signal corresponding to the first capacitance element current. The first circuit includes a first input terminal and a second input terminal. The first circuit is configured to apply a first drive signal to the first piezoelectric element and the first capacitance element. The second circuit is configured to supply a first differential signal to the second input terminal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2021Publication date: March 3, 2022Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Tomio ONO, Yutaka NAKAI
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Publication number: 20220065820Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inspection device includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a supporter. The transmitter is configured to transmit a first ultrasonic wave including burst waves having a first period Tp. The receiver on which the first ultrasonic wave is incident is configured to output a signal corresponding to the incident first ultrasonic wave. The supporter is provided between the transmitter and the receiver. The supporter is configured to support an inspection object. The first period Tp (s), a distance Dx (m), and a velocity vx (m/s) satisfy 2Dx/((n+1)·vx)<Tp<2Dx/(n·vx). n is 1 or 2. The distance Dx is a shorter distance of first and second distances. The first distance is a distance along a first direction between the transmitter and the supporter. The second distance is a distance along the first direction between the supporter and the receiver.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2021Publication date: March 3, 2022Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATIONInventors: Yutaka NAKAI, Tomio ONO, Noriko YAMAMOTO, Kazuhiro ITSUMI
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Patent number: 11207712Abstract: A sonic device in an embodiment includes a sonic transducer unit and a sonic propagation unit. The sonic transducer unit performs at least one of transmitting and receiving a sonic wave, and has a sonic function surface to configure at least one of a wave transmitting surface and a wave receiving surface. The sonic propagation unit includes: a substrate having a pair of electrodes; an electroadhesive element expressing body including a resin crosslinked body arranged on the substrate, and particles dispersed in the resin crosslinked body; and a power supply to apply voltage to the pair of electrodes. The sonic propagation unit is provided on the sonic function surface of the sonic transducer unit, and the electroadhesive element expressing body in the sonic propagation unit comes into contact with a test object.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2019Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBAInventors: Akiko Hirao, Tomio Ono, Yasuharu Hosono, Tsuyoshi Kobayashi, Mitsunaga Saito
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Patent number: 11192140Abstract: According to one embodiment, a transducer includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, a first piezoelectric portion, and a second piezoelectric portion. A resistor and an inductor are connected to the second electrode. The first piezoelectric portion is provided between the first electrode and the third electrode. The second piezoelectric portion is provided between the second electrode and the third electrode. A ratio of the absolute value of a difference between a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency to the first resonant frequency is 0.29 or less. The first resonant frequency is mechanical. The first resonant frequency is of the first piezoelectric portion and the second piezoelectric portion. The second resonant frequency is of a parallel resonant circuit. The parallel resonant circuit includes an electrostatic capacitance, the inductor, and the resistor. The electrostatic capacitance is between the second electrode and the third electrode.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Tomio Ono, Kazuhiro Itsumi