Patents Issued in June 21, 2007
  • Publication number: 20070138871
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a power converter includes a first switch in a main power loop for delivering power to a first load. A second switch in an auxiliary power loop delivers power to a second load. The power converter system further includes means for providing zero voltage switching (ZVS) conditions for both the first and second switches during operation of the power converter system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventor: Vladimir Khasiev
  • Publication number: 20070138872
    Abstract: The present invention is an energy generating system which uses an advanced aqueous-electrolyte energy storage system in conjunction with a commercial available primary source of power and a backup fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Julie Willets, Jerry Meyers, Larry Johnson
  • Publication number: 20070138873
    Abstract: A circuit breaker configuration contains a number of circuit breakers each to be connected via lines to a system component of a power distribution system and a plurality of control buttons with a respective one of the control buttons connected to a respective one of the circuit breakers. The respective control button for the respective circuit breaker passes through a control panel and is actuated from a front side of the control panel. A coupling element accessible from the front side of the control panel is provided for an interchange of diagnosis data and/or parametrization data. The coupling element is associated with the circuit breakers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Michael Naumann, Markus Miklis, Peter Meckler, Patric Gross
  • Publication number: 20070138874
    Abstract: A three-state switch includes a first input terminal, a first output terminal, a second output terminal, a pole, a first throw, a second throw, and a third throw. The first input terminal is for receiving a first signal. The first output terminal is coupled to the first input terminal, and for outputting a second signal. The second output terminal is for outputting a third signal. The first throw is for contacting with the pole to have the three-state switch output the second signal, and not output the third signal. The second throw is for contacting with the pole to have the three-state switch not output the second signal and the third signal. The third throw is for contacting with the pole to have the three-state switch output the second signal and the third signal. When the pole is suspended, the first output terminal outputs the second signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Xiang-Jian Kong
  • Publication number: 20070138875
    Abstract: The area to which this invention pertains is the creation of electric energy from the force of gravity. Through the use of electromagnetic generators and a gravity drive system consisting of two opposite rotating weights and an electric motor to create cheap, affordable, abundant, pollution free electricity. This is the idea on which the the invention is built on. But what must also be considered is how this idea will be implemented and it's effects on the relationship between countries and on the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventor: Moses Ewart Hall
  • Publication number: 20070138876
    Abstract: An electrical machine is described, having a stationary main element as stator and a rotating main element as rotor, of which one main element having a magnetic yoke and poles, of a predefined number of poles, projecting radially from the former, is made of SMC material and carries a pole winding on each pole. To achieve cost-effective manufacturing of the main element, the main element is assembled from at least two modules that are axially adjacent, rigidly connected to one another, and produced from SMC material, each module having a yoke part, closed in on itself, of the magnetic yoke having an equal number of divisions of poles attached thereto in one piece, which corresponds to a fraction of the number of poles determined by the number of modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Steven-Andrew Evans, Barrie Mecrow, Alan Jack
  • Publication number: 20070138877
    Abstract: A connecting device (1) is used to mechanically connect a motor housing (2) of a motor (5) to a transmission housing (3) of a transmission (7). The motor (5) acts on the transmission (7) via a motor shaft (6). The connecting device (1) has a connecting element (15, 26), which can connect the motor housing (2) indirectly to the transmission housing (3). The connecting element (15, 26) is embodied so that when the motor housing (2) moves relative to the transmission housing (3) in a rotating fashion around an axis (25) predetermined by the motor shaft (6), the connecting element (15, 26) can be at least partially deformed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Jochen Moench, Christof Bernauer
  • Publication number: 20070138878
    Abstract: A system is provided for cooling a stator coil of a rotating machine. In one embodiment, and by way of example only, the system includes a stator core, a radial core opening, and a sleeve. The stator core has an axially extending slot formed therein, an outer circumferential surface, and an inner circumferential surface. The radial core opening extends from the stator core outer circumferential surface to the axially extending slot. The sleeve is disposed within the axial slot and configured to surround the stator coil. The sleeve has a cooling fluid supply port formed therein that is aligned with the radial core opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Edward Down, Wayne Pearson, Mingzhou Xu
  • Publication number: 20070138879
    Abstract: The vehicle-use alternator includes a cooling fan rotating in one with a rotating shaft thereof to generate cooling air diffusing substantially in a radial direction of the rotating shaft, to thereby cool a stator thereof. A housing thereof rotatably supporting the rotating shaft and housing the rotor is provided with a plurality of supporting members circumferentially spaced on a periphery thereof to which the stator is secured, and a plurality of ribs formed on the periphery which are circumferentially arranged between the supporting members so as to form a plurality of cooling air discharge windows circumferentially arranged on the periphery. The ribs are inclined towards a downstream side with respect to a rotational direction of the rotor, and shaped that their inclination angles towards the downstream side between two adjacent ones of the supporting members reduce with increasing distance from a closer one of the two adjacent ones of the supporting members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshihisa Aoshima
  • Publication number: 20070138880
    Abstract: A controller estimates a motor position. The controller includes a driver and an injector. The driver generates a fundamental control signal. The injector generates a position carrier voltage that superimposed on the fundamental control signal. The injector alters the magnitude of the carrier voltage signal in response to the corresponding amplitude of the fundamental control signal. In a disclosed example, the injector increases the carrier voltage signal magnitude as the fundamental control current signal approaches a zero crossing. The injector then gradually decreases the carrier voltage signal magnitude as the fundamental control current signal magnitude increases from zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Charles Romenesko, Vijay Maddali
  • Publication number: 20070138881
    Abstract: In fixing the rotor holder and the torque transmission member, a lower surface projection is arranged at the lower surface of the torque transmission member, and thermal deformation is performed with the lower surface projection inserted into the plate-like portion pass through hole formed in the rotor holder. The inner peripheral surface corresponding to the position in the axial direction where the center pass through hole of the torque transmission member is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical projection of the rotor holder does not contact the outer peripheral surface of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki ICHIZAKI
  • Publication number: 20070138882
    Abstract: A feed cable to a motor is electrically connected to an internal conductor of a terminal block by a contact, by a mating structure of a male connector and a female connector. To the tip of varnish-treated motor winding, a flexible bus bar that is a flexible member is connected. By electrically connecting the motor winding to the internal conductor via the flexible bus bar with high flexibility, the feed cable and the motor winding are electrically connected. The component tolerance can be absorbed by deformation of the flexible bus bar, and the motor module can be fastened to the terminal block unforcedly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsukashima, Takamasa Takeuchi, Kazumoto Konda, Sho Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20070138883
    Abstract: A coupling mechanism for coupling a coil wounded around a stator of a motor assembly to a circuit pattern of a printed circuit board, includes a plurality of connecting pins for electrically connecting the coil to the circuit pattern of the printed circuit board. The coil is indirectly connected to the circuit pattern through said one or more connecting pins. Further, the connecting pins are fixed at the PCB to be protruded outward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: DAEWOO ELECTRONICS Corporation
    Inventor: Gyu-Hong Cho
  • Publication number: 20070138884
    Abstract: An electrical motor includes a sleeve, a rotational assembly located in the sleeve, and a shaft rotatably mounted about an axis extending longitudinally through the sleeve. The motor also includes an endcap, and a brake mechanism located about the axis of the shaft, the brake mechanism including a spring and a first bushing, wherein the spring forces the first bushing against the endcap to create a static frictional torque between the first bushing and the endcap when the motor is in an off state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: McMillan Electric Company
    Inventors: Douglas McMillan, David Dahlen
  • Publication number: 20070138885
    Abstract: A windshield wiper device for vehicles. The invention provides that the armature shaft (5) of the electromotive drive (2) be positioned so that it is not displaceable, and that the adjusting device (20) include an armature plate (21) for transferring the blocking element (16) from its blocked position to its released position, which armature plate is adjustable via the magnetic adjusting force of the energized electromotive drive (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Claus Fleischer, Achim Hawighorst
  • Publication number: 20070138886
    Abstract: An apparatus for converting rotational motion into radial motion may include a motor, and arm assembly, and, optionally, a panel. The motor may include two coaxial rotors and a motion generator coupled to the rotors. The arm assembly may include first and second arm attached at their proximal ends to the first and second rotors, respectively. The optional panel may be attached to the distal ends of the arms. The distal ends of the arms may be spatially fixed with respect to one another but rotatable with respect to one another, so that counter-rotation of the rotors can cause both distal ends and the panel, if present, to move radially away from the rotors' axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Hermano Krebs, Lorenzo Masia
  • Publication number: 20070138887
    Abstract: An electromechanical module for a four wheeled vehicle 15, wherein said electromechanical module comprises two electric motors 2 and 3 each adapted to be mechanically coupled to a corresponding one of the two wheels 4 and 5 disposed on a common axle of the vehicle. Moreover, said electromechanical module comprises a control unit 8, two power electronic units 6 and 7 and electrical connections 8a, 8b, 6a and 7a to electrically connect the control unit 8 to each of said power electronic units 6 and 7 as well as to connect each of said power electronic units 6 and 7 to a corresponding one of said two electric motors 2 and 3. The electromechanical module according to the present invention allows transfer of electrical power between said two electric motors 2 and 3, thus allowing mechanical torque to be transferred between said two wheels 4 and 5, resulting in the traction capability and the driving performance of the vehicle being improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Andrea Tonoli, Stefano Carabelli, Andrea Festini, Marcello Chiaberge, Fabio Cavalli
  • Publication number: 20070138888
    Abstract: Electromechanical systems utilizing suspended conducting nanometer-scale beams are provided and may be used in applications, such as, motors, generators, pumps, fans, compressors, propulsion systems, transmitters, receivers, heat engines, heat pumps, magnetic field sensors, kinetic energy storage devices and accelerometers. Such nanometer-scale beams may be provided as, for example, single molecules, single crystal filaments, or nanotubes. When suspended by both ends, these nanometer-scale beams may be caused to rotate about their line of suspension, similar to the motion of a jumprope (or a rotating whip), via electromagnetic or electrostatic forces. This motion may be used, for example, to accelerate molecules of a working substance in a preferred direction, generate electricity from the motion of a working substance molecules, or generate electromagnetic signals. Means of transmitting and controlling currents through these beams are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Joseph Pinkerton, John Harlan
  • Publication number: 20070138889
    Abstract: A rotor (1) of an electrical machine (10), having at least one permanent magnet (3), which is embodied as a hollow cylinder (5) and which has axial contact faces (20) that cooperate with corresponding axial clamping faces (22) of at least one retaining element (4), with which element the permanent magnet (3) is secured to the rotor (1), in which at least one of the clamping faces (22) has a knurling (46) extending in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Klaus Maldener, Andreas Wehrle, Gerd Walter
  • Publication number: 20070138890
    Abstract: A DC motor assembly includes a rotary shaft, a rotor core surrounding the rotary shaft while maintaining a specific gap from each other, a plurality of magnets arranged on an periphery surface of the rotor core, and a fixing member for fixedly engaging the magnets and the rotor core with the rotary shaft. The fixing member includes a pair of cap plates which are fixed around the rotary shaft at an upper end part and a lower end part of both of the rotor core and the magnets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: DAEWOO ELECTRONICS Corporation
    Inventor: Changbum Yu
  • Publication number: 20070138891
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a motor includes a rotor core having an outer surface and a plurality of magnets engaging the outer surface of the rotor core. Each magnet has an inner surface shaped to conform to the outer surface of the rotor core. An aluminum sleeve receives the magnets and core, and the sleeve includes integrally formed ribs extending inwardly from an inner surface of the sleeve to the core. The ribs define cavities therebetween for receiving the magnets. Methods of making the assembly are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventor: Dennis Hurst
  • Publication number: 20070138892
    Abstract: An interior permanent magnet electric motor. A lobed rotor comprising composite slots and non-composite slots radially spaced from its longitudinal axis of rotation extending parallel to the axis. Ferrite magnets are positioned in both the composite and non-composite slots and neo magnets are positioned in the composite slots only.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: EMERSON ELECTRIC CO.
    Inventor: Gary E. Horst
  • Publication number: 20070138893
    Abstract: A rotor includes a rotor core which has a central portion and a circumferential portion, wherein a shaft hole is formed at the central portion, a plurality of conductor mounting holes are formed along the circumferential portion, a plurality of conductors are inserted into the conductor mounting holes, respectively, and a multiplicity of magnet mounting holes are arranged around the shaft hole along at least one radial direction from the shaft hole; and at least one permanent magnet selectively mounted into at least one corresponding magnet mounting hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: DAEWOO ELECTRONICS Corporation
    Inventor: Sung Son
  • Publication number: 20070138894
    Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a rotor core which has a central portion and a circumferential portion, wherein a shaft hole is formed at the central portion, and a plurality of conductors are arranged along the circumferential portion; a multiplicity of permanent magnets provided at a portion of the rotor core around the shaft hole; and at least one first ripple-reduction conductor formed at a polar switchover region of the rotor core, the polar switchover region being positioned between two opposite poles of two adjacent permanent magnets, so that a polar switchover of an induction voltage induced in the rotor core is alleviated to reduce a torque ripple phenomenon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: DAEWOO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nam-Chul Shin
  • Publication number: 20070138895
    Abstract: A stator assembly is provided for a multi-phase motor. The stator assembly includes a stator with a plurality of teeth and a plurality of slots defined between the teeth. In addition, the stator assembly includes a plurality of windings representing respective phases of the multi-phase motor. The windings are wound within the slots and around the teeth to define respective magnetic poles. Further, each slot includes no more than a single turn or small number of turns of any given one of the plurality of windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Charles DeLair, Christopher Owan
  • Publication number: 20070138896
    Abstract: This invention relates to electromechanical field, and particularly relates to improvement of a reluctance machine, and provides an outer magnetic circuit bias magnet reluctance machine with permanent magnet. The reluctance machine is made up of a housing for supporting the machine, a stator, a rotor and permanent magnets. The stator at least consists of a pair of unit constructions. The permanent magnets are placed in magnetic circuit that is made up of the housing for supporting the machine made of magnetic material and the stator. And the stator suits with an inner rotor or an outer rotor, a cup rotor, a disk rotor or a toothed rack rotor. This invention can increase sufficiently utility factor off material, depress cost, and have more application, and the ratio off performance and price of the reluctance machine is obviously higher than that of a synchronous machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventor: Zhengfeng Zhu
  • Publication number: 20070138897
    Abstract: A DC motor with an armature coil for generating rotational torque capable of improving motor efficiency and generated torque while achieving size and thickness reductions, comprising magnets 23A to 23D and armature coils 31A to 31C, 32A to 32C, wherein, for example, a magnet portion is used as a rotor 12. A stator 13 at an armature coil portion comprises an inner coil group formed by arranging, parallel with each other, hollow inner coil bodies 31A to 31C on peripheral side surfaces of a magnet yoke 22 and the magnets 23A to 23D as a virtual disc by a prescribed quantity and an outer coil group formed by arranging, parallel with each other, a prescribed number of hollow outer coil bodies 32A to 32C while covering the inner coil group. The peripheral side surface of the inner coil group is made externally flush with the peripheral side surface of the outer coil group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Kabushikki Kaisya Asaba
    Inventors: Keisuke Asaba, Takehiro Sekine
  • Publication number: 20070138898
    Abstract: A synchronous motor with permanent-magnet rotor, of the type comprising a stator with corresponding windings and a rotor arranged between pole shoes formed by the stator. The stator is constituted by two C-shaped ferromagnetic bodies whose ends form two pairs of pole shoes. Respective spools with windings are arranged along the ferromagnetic bodies. The two pairs of pole shoes are angularly mutually offset so that two pole shoes, each belonging to a distinct ferromagnetic body, are internal with respect to the angular configuration thus formed and the other two pole shoes are external with respect to the same angular configuration. The external pole shoes have a same axial height and wrap around a same axial portion of the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventor: Andrea Prosdocimi
  • Publication number: 20070138899
    Abstract: A method and a device, respectively, for detecting the amount of wear on the carbon brush drive system of an electrically commutated d.c. motor which is used, for example, in the form of a pump motor in a motor vehicle. The d.c. motor is driven by at least two carbon brushes and includes means for detecting the generative follow-up voltage. The amount of wear on at least one carbon brush is derived from the time behavior of the generative motor voltage and displayed to the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Andre Bollwerk, Wolfgang Reeb, Reiner Fellmeth
  • Publication number: 20070138900
    Abstract: 2m sets (m being a natural number of 2 or more; and m=2 in embodiments) of teeth (31b to 34b) and 2m?1 slots (41, 42, 43) are disposed alternately in an axial direction; those of windings (36, 37, 38) accommodated in the slots (41, 42, 43), which are each accommodated in the slots (41, 42, 43) spaced apart by m from each other, are connected in line, so that exciting directions are opposite; and phases of magnetic fluxes passed through the teeth (31b to 34b) are displaced by 360°/2m from one another. Therefore, a thin and high-powered claw pole motor can be produced by disusing a portion of the winding which does not contribute to a torque (i.e., a crossover portion) and commonly using a magnetic path in each phase through return passes (31a to 34a). Moreover, a magnetic circuit of a wave winding motor is formed and hence, the output torque can be increased, as compared with a salient pole concentrated winding motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Imai, Shin Aoki, Hiroyuki Kikuchi, Masahiro Seki, Tadanobu Takahashi, Shigeru Tajima
  • Publication number: 20070138901
    Abstract: A stepping motor includes a rotor having a cylindrical permanent magnet, ring-shaped first and second yoke units that are arranged so as to be mutually stacked along an axis of the rotor, and a pair of lid members that enclose the first and second yoke units and support the rotor so as to be rotatable around the axis. Each of the first and second yoke units includes a ring-shaped exciting coil, an outer yoke that includes an outer cylindrical section that accommodates therein the exciting coil, a back face section, and magnetic pole teeth, and an inner yoke that is combined with the outer yoke and includes a ring-shaped ring section formed around the axis, and magnetic pole teeth that are arranged at fixed intervals while alternating at equal intervals in a noncontacting state with respect to the magnetic pole teeth of the outer yoke. The first and second yoke units are stacked while the back face sections thereof are in a mutual surface contact state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicants: SEIKO INSTRUMENTS, INC., ASIA OPTICAL CO., LTD
    Inventor: Zhou Bin
  • Publication number: 20070138902
    Abstract: The present invention relates to motors each having a rotor with a metal rotor frame, a metal rotation shaft, and a rotation shaft supporting member connected between the rotor frame and the rotation shaft for transmission of a rotating power from the rotor to the rotation shaft, and, more particularly, to a motor in which the rotation shaft supporting member is constructed of a metal and an insulating material, for insulating the rotation shaft from the rotor frame while enhancing a structural strength of the rotation shaft supporting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONIC INC.
    Inventors: Ingeun Ahn, Yong Park, Youn Jung, Dongwoo Kang
  • Publication number: 20070138903
    Abstract: A rotor assembly of a brushless motor is provided herein, which contains an axle, a rotor encircling the axle coaxially, and a layered structure therebetween tightly joining the rotor and the axle together. The layered structure contains an inner cladding, a plastic member, and an outer cladding, arranged coaxially in this order around the axle. The plastic member, due to its flexibility, functions as a cushion between the rotor and the axle to absorb both the noise and the vibration of the rotor. As such, the present invention achieves a silent brushless motor without imposing any constraint on the motor's rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventor: Chao-Pi Chang
  • Publication number: 20070138904
    Abstract: A flat-type single phase brushless direct current (BLDC) motor includes a rotor rotatably fixed to a shaft and having a permanent magnet attached to a lower side thereof; a stator plate installed below the rotor; a plurality of stator cores installed on the stator plate to face the permanent magnet, the stator cores including soft magnetic powder and arranged to be asymmetric with respect to a rotation radial direction of the rotor so as to determine a rotational direction of the rotor; and a multiplicity of coils each being wounded around corresponding one of the stator cores to form a magnetic field toward the permanent magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: DAEWOO ELECTRONICS Corporation
    Inventor: Jin Chae
  • Publication number: 20070138905
    Abstract: A composition of matter having multiple layers of different conductors separated by thin layers of dielectric materials has a high piezoelectric coefficient when the conductors are metals having a significant difference in work function and the dielectric materials have a low elastic modulus when the metal layers are connected to form a capacitive circuit. Alternatively, when the conductors are semi-conductors they should have a significant difference in Fermi levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: PHYSICAL LOGIC AG
    Inventors: Noel Axelrod, Amir Lichtenstein, Eran Ofek, Vered Pardo-Yissar
  • Publication number: 20070138906
    Abstract: The method of manufacturing a piezoelectric actuator includes the steps of: forming a first metal oxide film which contains at least one element of aluminum, zirconium and silicon and has a film thickness of not less than 0.1 ?m and not greater than 3.5 ?m, on a first surface of a main substrate containing iron; forming a piezoelectric element including a piezoelectric body formed by a thin film formation method, on the first metal oxide film formed on the first surface of the main substrate; and calcining the piezoelectric body by carrying out heat treatment at a temperature of not less than 400° C., in a state where the piezoelectric element has been formed on the first metal oxide film formed on the first surface of the main substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventor: Ryuji Tsukamoto
  • Publication number: 20070138907
    Abstract: A surface acoustic wave element includes a piezoelectric substrate, an IDT composed of a pair of first and second comb-like electrodes, formed around a center of the piezoelectric substrate, and formed on a surface of the surface acoustic wave element, and a pair of first and second terminals electrically connected to the IDT, formed at central and peripheral areas of the piezoelectric substrate, respectively, in which a package is bonded with an adhesive to a surface of the surface acoustic wave element, opposite to the surface formed with the IDT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takehiko Shindo
  • Publication number: 20070138908
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for matching impedance magnitude and impedance phase for an acoustic-wave transducer load and an RF power source. The acoustic-wave transducer load has a load impedance magnitude and phase. The RF power source has a source impedance magnitude and phase. In one embodiment of the invention, a transformer matches the source and load impedance magnitudes. A capacitor, connected in series with the transformer, matches the source impedance phase to the load impedance phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Roman Gouk, Steven Verhaverbeke
  • Publication number: 20070138909
    Abstract: A piezoelectric bimorph cantilever is used for determining physical parameters in a gaseous or liquid environment. The sensor works as a driven and damped oscillator. Contrary to common cantilever sensor systems, the piezoelectric film of the bimorph cantilever acts as both a sensor and an actuator. Using at least two resonance mode of the bimorph cantilever, at least two physical parameters can be measured simultaneously in a gas or a liquid. An optimized piezoelectric cantilever and a method to produce the cantilever are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicants: INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICROELEKTRONICA CENTRUM (IMEC), UNIVERSITEIT HASSELT
    Inventors: Vincent Mortet, Rainer Petersen
  • Publication number: 20070138910
    Abstract: A method of moving a body (23) comprising: coupling a plurality of piezoelectric motors (31, 32) to the body by pressing a coupling region (48) of each of the motors to a surface of the body; controlling at least one of the motors to apply a force parallel (53) to the surface to move the body; and simultaneously controlling at least one of the motors so that its coupling region executes only vibrations that are substantially perpendicular (51) to the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Nanomotion Ltd.
    Inventors: Ze'ev Ganor, Moshe De Levy, Nir Karasikov
  • Publication number: 20070138911
    Abstract: An acoustic driver assembly that is adjustably coupled to a cavitation chamber is provided. The cavitation chamber can be selected from any of a variety of cavitation chamber configurations including spherical, cylindrical, and rectangular chambers. The acoustic driver assembly includes a head mass, a tail mass, and at least one transducer. A portion of the head mass of the acoustic driver assembly passes through an acoustic driver port located within a portion of the cavitation chamber. The head mass is sealed to the inside of the acoustic driver port with at least one o-ring, static packing seal, or dynamic packing seal. The tail mass is either rigidly coupled to the cavitation chamber or non-rigidly coupled to the cavitation chamber. Compressible members can be used to further minimize the dampening effects associated with coupling the tail mass to the cavitation chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Impulse Devices Inc.
    Inventors: Ross Tessien, Daniel Phillips
  • Publication number: 20070138912
    Abstract: A cavitation chamber separated into two volumes by a gas-tight and liquid-tight seal, the seal formed by the combination of a rigid acoustic reflector and a flexible member, is provided. The rigid reflector improves the cavitation characteristics of the chamber while the flexible member insures that the reflector can move during the cavitation process. One of the two chamber volumes is filled, or at least partially filled, with cavitation fluid while the other chamber volume remains devoid of cavitation fluid during system operation. A conduit couples a region above the liquid free surface in one cavitation volume to the second, unfilled chamber volume, thus preventing the reflector from being subjected to undue pressures. An acoustic driver, such as a ring of piezoelectric material, is coupled to the chamber and used to drive cavitation within the cavitation fluid contained within the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Impulse Devices Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Satterwhite
  • Publication number: 20070138913
    Abstract: In a lever-arm displacement-increasing device, two lever arms are joined at one end. The other end of one of the lever arms is connected to a fixed portion that supports the rear end of an actuator element, and the other end of the other lever arm is connected to a rigid connecting portion connected to the front end of the actuator element. The displacement force of the actuator element is transmitted to the lever arms through the connecting portion, and is further transmitted to a joint between the lever arms. The joint functions as an output displacing portion. The joint changes the displacing direction of the actuator element to a direction orthogonal thereto, and produces a displacement larger than the displacement of the actuator element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Ohashi, Masaru Uryu
  • Publication number: 20070138914
    Abstract: The invention relates a wiring structure of a vibrator and a piezoelectric pump. On the basis of the recognition that it is difficult to obtain sufficient reliability of connecting parts with a conductive adhesive material only while attention is paid to using the conductive adhesive material instead of soldering, a wiring structure is obtained in which a connecting terminal and a film-like electrode are adhered to each other by a conductive adhesive material, and a pressing member which applies a force in a direction in which the connecting terminal is pressed against the film-like electrode is caused to abut on the connecting terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Ishikawa, Satoshi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20070138915
    Abstract: A piezoelectric micro-disruptor capable of disrupting a blockage both mechanically and vibrationally is presented. The micro-disruptor includes a rotor, a stator disposed about and contacting the rotor, a cutting element, and a flexible guide wire. In one embodiment, the stator is composed of a flexible cylinder with at least two piezoelectric elements attached thereto. Piezoelectric elements are electroded, wired to power leads within the flexible guide wire, and poled to function as an actuator. Expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric elements causes the flexible cylinder to wobble, thus driving the rotor and cutting element in a rotary fashion. In another embodiment, the stator is a piezoelectric cylinder with at least two electrodes attached separately thereto so as to contact and rotate a rotor assembly. Piezoelectric elements and cylinder are electrically driven so as to vibrate the stator, rotor, and cutting element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Maureen Mulvihill, Kenji Uchino, Gareth Knowles, Robert Harbaugh
  • Publication number: 20070138916
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a piezoelectric resonator and an electronic element mounted horizontally on an upper surface of a substrate, and the electronic element being lower in height than the piezoelectric resonator. The entire upper surface side of the substrate is covered with resin in a manner that the upper surface of the piezoelectric resonator is exposed outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yugo Koyama
  • Publication number: 20070138917
    Abstract: Composite materials comprising ferroelastic ceramic particulates dispersed in a metal matrix are capable of vibration damping. When the ferroelastic ceramic particulates are subjected to stress, such as the cyclic stress experienced during vibration of the material, internal stresses in the ceramic cause the material to deform via twinning, domain rotation or domain motion thereby dissipating the vibrational energy. The ferroelastic ceramic particulates may also act as reinforcements to improve the mechanical properties of the composites. The composite materials may be used in various structural components in vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, buildings and tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Jeffrey Schultz, Ted Asare, Ben Poquette, Stephen Kampe
  • Publication number: 20070138918
    Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic containing a primary component having a composition represented by Ag1-x-yLixKy)NbO3 (in which 0.075?x<0.4 and 0.03?y<0.3) and at least one metal oxide of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Bi in an amount of 0.01 to 10 parts by weight in the form of MO2 (in which M indicates Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Bi) to 100 parts by weight of the primary component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukako Takahashi, Toshikazu Takeda
  • Publication number: 20070138919
    Abstract: A small, thin, light piezoelectric transformer capable of large-capacity output is provided at low cost. In piezoelectric transformers adjacent to each other in the row direction, a lower electrode extends in the column direction in a supporting substrate, so as to connect a plurality of piezoelectric transformers arranged in the column direction. Referring to FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) as well, the piezoelectric substrates of the piezoelectric transformers adjacent to each other in the row direction are connected via the lower electrode or an upper electrode wire that collectively connects the piezoelectric transformers arranged in the column direction. Meanwhile, the piezoelectric substrates of the piezoelectric transformers adjacent to each other in the column direction are connected via a right electrode wire or a left electrode wire that collectively connects the piezoelectric transformers arranged in the row direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ohki, Yasuhiro Tsukada
  • Publication number: 20070138920
    Abstract: A rugged mobile device housing is provided for protecting a component (e.g., a liquid crystal display, a keyboard, a printed circuit board, or the like) and includes one or more first structures comprising a first material provided in a region of the housing capable of withstanding deflection, wherein the first material is an elastomer, and one or more second structures bonded to the first structure, wherein the second structure is a high-stiffness plastic. In one embodiment, the first material is a high-stiffness elastomer and the second material is a long glass fiber filled thermoplastic (“LGF” plastic). In one embodiment, the first structure is located at a corner of the housing and the second structure is located in the middle of the housing. In another embodiment, the first structure is located in the center of the housing and the second structures are located at the ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Timothy Austin, Vikram Bhargava, Thomas Wulff