Including Inertia Type Operator Patents (Class 310/329)
  • Patent number: 12163976
    Abstract: An acceleration transducer defines a rectangular coordinate system with two orthogonal horizontal axes that are both normal to a vertical axis and includes a main body disposed within a housing and defining tangential side faces arranged tangentially to the vertical axis, and a normal side face arranged normally to the vertical axis. A piezoelectric element is secured to one of the tangential side faces, and a seismic mass is secured to the piezoelectric element. A signal output is attached to the housing and includes a signal conductor spaced apart by an assembly gap from a tangential side face that is not attached to the piezoelectric element. The assembly gap extends perpendicularly to the vertical axis. The normal side face includes at least one main body output conductor spanning the assembly gap in a direction perpendicular to the vertical axis and directly contacting the signal conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Marco Laffranchi, Tobias Frommenwiler, David Weber
  • Patent number: 12126280
    Abstract: Disclosed in the present invention is a dual-rotor microfluidic energy capturing and power generating device based on a piezoelectric effect. An inner ring of blades and an outer ring of blades are coaxially and movably sleeved, and rotate relatively. Sheet-like magnetic piezoelectric components and steel magnets are provided in an annular gap between the inner ring of blades and the outer ring of blades. Magnetic piezoelectric components are connected to an inner peripheral surface of the outer ring of blades, the magnetic piezoelectric components are magnetically repulsive to the steel magnets, and the outer sides of the magnetic piezoelectric components are axially arranged. The inner ring of blades and the outer ring of blades rotate relatively to drive the magnetic piezoelectric components and the steel magnets to rotate relatively, and further drive the magnetic piezoelectric components to oscillate to generate mechanical energy which is then converted into electric energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Peng Qian, Bo Feng, Dahai Zhang, Yulin Si, Xiaodong Liu
  • Patent number: 12105112
    Abstract: An acceleration transducer defines a rectangular coordinate system with two orthogonal horizontal axes that are both normal to a vertical axis and includes a main body defining tangential side faces arranged tangentially to the vertical axis, and normal side faces arranged normally to the vertical axis. The transducer includes at least a first piezoelectric element secured to one the three tangential side faces, and exactly one seismic mass is secured to the at least one piezoelectric element, which has a high sensitivity for a shear force exerted by the attached seismic mass along a principal tangential axis and a low sensitivity for a shear force exerted by the attached seismic mass along another one of the three axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Marco Laffranchi, Tobias Frommenwiler, David Weber
  • Patent number: 12075703
    Abstract: Frequency bandwidth of a cantilever beam system can be enhanced using a movable mass having motion in a cavity of a mass attached to cantilever beam, where the motion is transverse to the cantilever beam. In various embodiments, a cantilever beam apparatus includes a cantilever beam, a first mass, and a second mass. The first mass can be attached to the cantilever beam, with the first mass having a cavity arranged transverse to the cantilever beam. The second mass can be disposed in the cavity such that the second mass is movable in the cavity in a direction transverse to the cantilever beam. Apparatus, systems, and methods associated with enhanced frequency bandwidth of cantilever beam using transverse movable mass are applicable in a variety of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: UNM Rainforest Innovations
    Inventors: Nathan Morrow Jackson, Luis Alfredo Rodriguez Milián
  • Patent number: 12055456
    Abstract: Disclosed is A load cell assembly for transferring a load to a transducer, the load cell assembly comprising a contact plate adapted to contact an object generating the load; a transducer adapted to generate an electrical signal proportionate to the load; and a ball component adapted to transfer the load from the contact plate to the transducer; wherein the contact plate, ball component, and transducer are arranged so that the contact plate and transducer are simultaneously in contact with the ball component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: ATLANTIS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Abhishek Agrawal, Andrew Gafford, Ryan Elliott
  • Patent number: 12013301
    Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring system for determining a force and/or a torque on a torque-transmitting shaft, wherein: the measuring system has at least three, in particular at least four, piezoelectric elements each having a preferred direction and each being arranged at different positions about a rotational axis of the shaft in a force flow transmitted via the shaft, said arrangement being such that a force of the force flow acts, in particular exclusively, on the piezoelectric elements; the preferred directions each lie parallel to or in a single plane which is intersected by the rotational axis; and the preferred directions of at least two, in particular at least three, of the piezoelectric elements are oriented neither parallel nor antiparallel to one other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignees: AVL List GmbH, PIEZOCRYST ADVANCED SENSORICS GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Schricker, Franz Dreisiebner, Helmut Kokal, Mario Propst, Michael Hirschler
  • Patent number: 11994437
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a piezoelectric device having at least one piezoelectric element, which has a support plane oriented to a force introduction element, wherein in the event of a thermal loading of the piezoelectric device in the support plane, expansion differences between the piezoelectric element and the force introduction element occur. To compensate for shear loadings, at least one transition element is arranged between the piezoelectric element and the force introduction element, the E-module of which is smaller than the E-module of the piezoelectric element in the support plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: PIEZOCRYST ADVANCED SENSORICS GMBH
    Inventors: Alexander Schricker, Christian Neubauer, Andreas Mayer
  • Patent number: 11965907
    Abstract: An inventive accelerometer includes a proof mass and a pair of vibrating sensors. An excitation-and-detection circuit drives one sensor at resonant frequencies f1 and F1, with f1?F1; a second excitation-and-detection circuit drives the other sensor at resonant frequencies f2 and F2, with f2?F2. The vibrational modes driven at the frequencies f1 and f2 are the same for each sensor; the vibrational modes driven at the frequencies F1 and F2 are the same for each sensor. Compressive or tensile loads oppositely applied by the proof mass to the vibrating sensors cause a difference frequency ?F=F1?F2 to vary monotonically with acceleration of the apparatus along a sensing axis, from which a measurement of acceleration can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: EMCORE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sergey Alexandrovich Zotov, Arvind K. Srivastava
  • Patent number: 11959935
    Abstract: An inventive accelerometer includes a proof mass, vibrating sensors, and an excitation-and-detection circuit. The vibrating sensors are substantially identical, and each exhibits corresponding fundamental and higher-order vibrational modes characterized by corresponding fundamental and higher-order resonant mode frequencies. The excitation-and-detection circuit drives each corresponding vibrating sensor at one of its resonant mode frequencies f1 or f2; the vibrational modes driven at the frequencies f1 and f2 are the same for each sensor. Compressive or tensile loads oppositely applied by the proof mass to the vibrating sensors cause a difference frequency ?f=f1?f2 to vary monotonically with acceleration of the apparatus along the sensing axis. The excitation-and-detection circuit includes at least one low-pass filter with a low-pass cut-off frequency fLP that is less than ?f.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: EMCORE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sergey Alexandrovich Zotov, Arvind K. Srivastava
  • Patent number: 11953514
    Abstract: An inventive accelerometer includes a proof mass and a pair of vibrating sensors. Excitation-and-detection circuits drive vibrational modes of one sensor at resonant frequencies f1, F1, and F?1, and drive those same vibrational modes of the other sensor at resonant frequencies f2, F2, and F?2. Compressive or tensile loads oppositely applied by the proof mass to the vibrating sensors cause difference frequencies ?f=f1?f2, ?F=F1?F2, and ?F?=F?1?F?2 to vary monotonically with acceleration of the apparatus along a sensing axis. A measurement of acceleration can be generated based at least in part on a linear or nonlinear function of one or more or all of f1, f2, F1, F2, F?1, or F?2, and can be generated using a trained neural network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: EMCORE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sergey Alexandrovich Zotov, Arvind K. Srivastava
  • Patent number: 11933681
    Abstract: A force sensor comprising a force sensitive resistor having a common electrode and an electrode array separated by a force sensitive resistor material. The sensor includes a preload structure, where the preload structure imparts a force on the force sensitive resistor material. The sensor may also include a signal conditioning board to read a signal from the electrode array and convert it to a digital output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Lu Li, H. Benjamin Brown, Michael Schwerin, Howie Choset
  • Patent number: 11889765
    Abstract: A MEMS device is provided that includes a semiconductor substrate including a main surface extending perpendicular to a first direction and a side surface extending on a plane parallel to the first direction and to a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. At least one cantilevered member protrudes from the side surface of the semiconductor substrate along a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second directions. The at least one cantilevered member includes a body portion that includes a piezoelectric material. The body portion has a length along the third direction, a height along the first direction and a width along the second direction, and the height is greater than the width. The at least one cantilevered member is configured to vibrate by lateral bending along a direction perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: STMICROELECTRONICS S.r.l.
    Inventors: Gianluca Longoni, Luca Seghizzi
  • Patent number: 11804791
    Abstract: There is provided a vibrational energy harvester comprising: a frame, a flexure assembly coupled to the frame, the flexure assembly comprising a flexure configured to flex in a first direction relative to the frame and a mass fixed to the flexure, wherein when the mass is displaced in the first direction from a rest position, the flexure provides a restoring force on the mass to bring the mass back to the rest position, and a transduction assembly configured to convert movement of the mass and flexure into electrical energy, wherein the frame comprises a cavity positioned so that, if the mass is displaced in the first direction beyond a threshold distance, a portion of the flexure assembly extends into the cavity so that compression or restriction of fluid in the cavity applies an additional force on the flexure assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: 8POWER LIMITED
    Inventors: Ashwin Seshia, Antony Rix, James Horne, Yu Jia
  • Patent number: 11726068
    Abstract: Systems and methods for testing steam traps or other similar devices in a hot water or steam system are described. A tester includes a wand that is handheld that can communicate with a handheld electronic device which in turn can communicate with a central monitor for storing and compiling readings as historical profile data. The wand includes a probe to physically contact the device to acoustically sense the performance of the device. The probe includes a probe tip and a stack of acoustic elements, an electrode, a stack mass, and a head to covert the acoustic signal into an electrical signal. The handheld device includes circuitry to process the information, interact with the user, and transmit information to and from the handheld electronic device and/or the central monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: ARMSTRONG INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventors: Shane Russell, William R. Horton, Glenn T. Leggett, Robert E. Carter, Kurt Armstrong, Thomas Jack Secord, Michael Herman Gaines
  • Patent number: 11726105
    Abstract: A sensor device that senses proper acceleration. The sensor device includes a substrate, a spacer layer supported over a first surface of the substrate, at least a first tapered cantilever beam element having a base and a tip, the base attached to the spacer layer, and which is supported over and spaced from the substrate by the spacer layer. The at least first tapered cantilever beam element tapers in width from the base portion to the tip portion. The at least first cantilever beam element further including at least a first layer comprised of a piezoelectric material, a pair of electrically conductive layers disposed on opposing surfaces of the first layer, and a mass supported at the tip portion of the at least first tapered cantilever beam element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Robert J. Littrell
  • Patent number: 11696509
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a flexible electric generator and methods for fabricating the same. The flexible electric generator comprises a flexible triboelectric layer covering the electrode layer of a flexible piezoelectric generator that enhances output power by combining piezoelectric effect and triboelectric effect. The reliability of the flexible electric generator under bending is also improved due to the presence of the flexible triboelectric layer. The fabrication methods of the disclosed flexible electric generators are simple, thereby enabling large-scale manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Nano and Advanced Materials Institute Limited
    Inventors: Han Wang, Qingyi Yang, Jianjun Song, Kwok Keung Paul Ho, Jifan Li
  • Patent number: 11635537
    Abstract: A seismic sensor assembly can include a housing that defines a longitudinal axis; a sensor; sensor circuitry operatively coupled to the sensor; and overvoltage protection circuitry electrically coupled to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: WESTERNGECO, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Ole Oeverland
  • Patent number: 11621389
    Abstract: Provided is a low frequency vibrating actuator device. The low frequency vibrating actuator device includes a substrate including a pair of connection electrodes, an actuator provided on the pair of connection electrodes to generate vibration, a support provided on the actuator, a vibration membrane provided on the support to vibrate according to the actuator, and a vibrating mass provided on the vibration membrane to vibrate according to the vibration membrane. The actuator includes a plurality of laminated insulating layers and internal electrodes that are alternately laminated between the insulating layers adjacent to each other, and a top surface of the support, which contacts the vibration membrane, has an area that is equal to or less than that of a bottom surface of the support, which contacts the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Kang-Ho Park, Seongdeok Ahn, Jong Tae Lim, Chan Woo Park, Ji-Young Oh
  • Patent number: 11604104
    Abstract: Described herein is a ruggedized microelectromechanical (“MEMS”) force sensor including both piezoresistive and piezoelectric sensing elements and integrated with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (“CMOS”) circuitry on the same chip. The sensor employs piezoresistive strain gauges for static force and piezoelectric strain gauges for dynamic changes in force. Both piezoresistive and piezoelectric sensing elements are electrically connected to integrated circuits provided on the same substrate as the sensing elements. The integrated circuits can be configured to amplify, digitize, calibrate, store, and/or communicate force values electrical terminals to external circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc.
    Inventors: Julius Minglin Tsai, Ryan Diestelhorst, Dan Benjamin
  • Patent number: 11570552
    Abstract: A bone conduction device including an external component, the external component comprising a sound processor and transducer, the transducer configured to generate mechanical forces, and the external component configured for positioning behind a recipient's ear such that the mechanical forces are transmitted from the external component to a recipient's bone to generate a hearing percept via bone conduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventor: John Parker
  • Patent number: 11561479
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electronic system for an accelerometer having a piezoelectric element and a first mechanical resonance frequency, comprising: a) a damping circuit configured to: —receive an acceleration signal from the piezoelectric element; —electronically dampen an amplitude of the first mechanical resonance frequency; and—generate a damped acceleration signal, b) an extender configured to: —receive the damped acceleration signal; —extend the frequency response; and—output an extended damped acceleration signal, wherein the extender is configured to have a first electronic anti-resonance frequency matching the damped first mechanical resonance frequency, and to have a frequency response between the first electronic anti-resonance frequency and a higher second frequency that is substantially opposite to a corresponding frequency response of the combination of the accelerometer and the damping circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hans Butler, Bas Jansen, Cornelius Adrianus Lambertus De Hoon
  • Patent number: 11558029
    Abstract: A SAW device includes a mounting substrate including a mounting surface, a SAW chip mounted on the mounting surface, a dummy chip mounted on the mounting surface, and a resin part covering the acoustic wave chip and the dummy chip. The dummy chip includes an insulating dummy substrate, and one or more dummy terminals which are located on a surface of the dummy substrate on the mounting surface side and are bonded to the mounting surface. The dummy chip configures an open end when electrically viewed from the mounting substrate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Motoki Ito
  • Patent number: 11545959
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonator includes a resonant semiconductor structure, drive electrode, sense electrode and electrically conductive shielding structure. The first drive electrode generates a time-varying electrostatic force that causes the resonant semiconductor structure to resonate mechanically, and the first sense electrode generates a timing signal in response to the mechanical resonance of the resonant semiconductor structure. The electrically conductive shielding structure is disposed between the first drive electrode and the first sense electrode to shield the first sense electrode from electric field lines emanating from the first drive electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: SiTime Corporation
    Inventors: David Raymond Pedersen, Aaron Partridge, Thor Juneau
  • Patent number: 11456409
    Abstract: A micro-vibration sensor and preparation method thereof. The method includes a metal sheet is coated with first curing material, and first curing material is cured into first cured layer; piezoelectric thin film element is attached to edge of first cured layer; one side, attached with piezoelectric thin film element, of first cured layer is vertically placed into second curing material, and second curing material is cured into second cured layer; and metal sheet is removed to obtain micro-vibration sensor. Due to fact that piezoelectric thin film element is arranged at a crack tip, during micro-vibration, stress in stress field of crack tip is rapidly increased due to crack stress deformation, and stress signal is efficiently converted into electric signal; and micro-vibration sensor has characteristics of being low in detection limit and high in accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: JILIN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Zhiwu Han, Kejun Wang, Honglie Song, Junqiu Zhang, Daobing Chen, Linpeng Liu, Binjie Zhang, Tao Sun, Dakai Wang, Changchao Zhang
  • Patent number: 11384722
    Abstract: An electrical connector includes two lateral mounting bush. A knock sensor which delivers data representative of the operation of a fuel injector is integrally overmoulded in one of the mounting bush. The knock sensor includes a piezoelectric member arranged between a base member and a seismic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES IP LIMITED
    Inventor: Divjot Singh
  • Patent number: 11367458
    Abstract: A system includes a microphone unit coupled to a roof of an autonomous vehicle. The microphone unit includes a microphone board having a first opening. The microphone unit also includes a first microphone positioned over the first opening and coupled to the microphone board. The microphone unit further includes an accelerometer. The system also includes a processor coupled to the microphone unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: Waymo LLC
    Inventors: Choon Ping Chng, Cheng-Han Wu
  • Patent number: 11320453
    Abstract: A method includes measuring a first signal from a set of pyroelectric devices at a first temperature and measuring a second signal from a set of piezoelectric devices at a first acceleration. The method also includes measuring a third signal from the set of pyroelectric devices at a second temperature and measuring a fourth signal from the set of piezoelectric devices at a second acceleration. The method further includes adjusting a piezoelectric calibration using the first, second, third, and fourth signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Scott Robert Summerfelt, Benjamin Stassen Cook
  • Patent number: 11317609
    Abstract: An acoustically enhanced collar for monitoring vital signs of a pet animal, may comprise an elastic band having a working surface configured to wrap around a neck of a pet animal and an oppositely faced rear surface, at least one sensor element situated along a circumference of the band and configured to measure at least one bioparameter from the following bioparameters: temperature, heart rate, respiration rate, movement; at least one acoustic concentrator projecting as a bump toward the neck from the working surface on a first side of the at least one sensor element; at least one acoustic concentrator projecting as a bump toward the portion from the working surface on a second side of the at least one sensor element and acoustic balancers projecting from the rear surface at least partly behind the acoustic concentrators. Preferably, the acoustic concentrators and balancers have a base end having an “X”shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: PETPACE LTD.
    Inventors: Avi Menkes, Michael Bukchin
  • Patent number: 11300461
    Abstract: A measuring device for the determination of at least one thermal property of a fluid, for example, the volumetric heat capacity and the thermal conductivity, wherein the measuring device includes a thermal property sensor and an evaluation unit, wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to determine the thermal property from a measurement signal determined by the thermal property sensor, wherein the thermal property sensor includes a heater, a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor, wherein the thermal property sensor includes a mounting plate with an opening, wherein the heater, the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor are arranged above or inside the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: ENDRESS+HAUSER FLOWTEC AG
    Inventor: Anastasios Badarlis
  • Patent number: 11271497
    Abstract: An energy harvester apparatus, system and method. A cantilevered beam resonator includes a cantilever beam and a base defined by the ends of the cantilever beam. The cantilevered beam resonator further includes a piezoelectric transducer composed of one or more piezoelectric components. The piezoelectric transducer is generally mounted beneath the base of the cantilevered beam resonator. In some example embodiments, the piezoelectric component can be configured in a split electrode configuration composed of a single split arrangement or more than one split (e.g., two splits, three splits, four splits, and so on).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Inventors: Burak Aksak, Robert Koven, Serdar Gorumlu
  • Patent number: 11255872
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a piezoelectric acceleration sensor. The piezoelectric acceleration sensor includes: a charge output member comprising a base, a piezoelectric element disposed on the base and a mass, wherein the base includes a supporting portion and a connecting portion disposed on the supporting portion and extending in a first direction, and the piezoelectric element and the mass are sleeved on the connecting portion; a shielding cover sleeved on the connecting portion, wherein the shielding cover is connected to the connecting portion and the supporting portion, the shielding cover forms a shielding space outside a periphery of the connecting portion and above the supporting portion, and the piezoelectric element and the mass are arranged in the shielding space; and a housing coupled with the supporting portion, wherein the housing and the supporting portion form an accommodating space for accommodating the charge output member and the shielding cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: FATRI UNITED TESTING & CONTROL (QUANZHOU) TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongzhong Nie, Wenjie Liu
  • Patent number: 11215483
    Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a frame defining a sensor axis having opposing endplates with axially extending supports. The opposing endplates are connected by a pair of axially extending side beams. A suspended mass is within an interior of the frame suspended from the supports of the frame. A plurality of piezoelectric material layers are operatively connected to sides of respective spacers opposite the frame to damp vibrations of the suspended mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Smith, Alan M. Giles
  • Patent number: 11218090
    Abstract: Disclosed is a piezoelectric inertial drive stage including a piezoelectric inertial driver, a slider and a holder. The driver includes a mounting portion for the mounting on the holder, a friction portion coupling to the slider, a flexure portion between the mounting portion and friction portion, a piezoelectric element with a first end bonded to the mounting portion and a second end bonded to a movement portion, the movement portion transferring the motion of the piezoelectric element to the friction portion to drive the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Thorlabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Renlong Gao, Guocheng Xu, Guobiao Wu
  • Patent number: 11204365
    Abstract: A multi-axis, single mass acceleration sensor includes a three-dimensional frame, a test mass, a plurality of transducers, and a plurality of struts. The test mass may have three principal axes disposed within and spaced apart from the frame. The transducers are mechanically coupled to the frame. The struts are configured to couple to the central mass at each of the three principal axes, respectively, and to couple with respective sets of the transducers, thereby suspending the test mass within the frame. The sensor is thus responsive to translational motion in multiple independent directions and to rotational motion about multiple independent axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: ION Geophysical Corporation
    Inventors: André W. Olivier, Lawrence Philip Behn, Matthew Greco, Cornelis A. M. Faber
  • Patent number: 11162973
    Abstract: A three-axis piezoelectric accelerometer, comprising: a housing, three charge output elements arranged inside the housing, and a connector electrically connected to the three charge output elements, wherein the three charge output elements are respectively used for detecting vibrations in directions along X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis which are perpendicular to each other in pairs. The charge output element comprises: a support comprising a connecting part; a piezoelectric element being an annular structural body, wherein the piezoelectric element is connected to the connecting part in a sheathed manner and is provided with a first deformation groove penetrating a side wall of the piezoelectric element to disconnect the piezoelectric element in a circumferential direction; and a mass block being an annular structural body, wherein the mass block is connected to the piezoelectric element in the sheathed manner, and the piezoelectric element is in interference fit with the connecting part and the mass block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: FATRI UNIED TESTING & CONTROL (QUANZHOU) TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongzhong Nie, Chuan Nie
  • Patent number: 11109831
    Abstract: An ultrasound patch includes one or more transmit and receive piezoelectric transducer elements. In some embodiments, the transducer elements are positioned on a ramp on a patient pad of the patch that is configured to fit within an anatomic space between the trachea and the sternocleidomastoid muscle to orient the transducer elements toward a carotid artery. In some embodiments, a flexible phased array transducer includes a number of pillar piezoelectric elements joined by a flexible adhesive with metal electrodes deposited thereon. The phased array transducer is mounted to a flexible circuit board that allows the transducer to bend and conform to a subject's anatomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: 1929803 Ontario Corp, (o/a FloSonics Medical)
    Inventors: Joseph Eibl, Jon-Emile S. Kenny, Christine Demore, Chelsea Munding, Jeremy Brown, Aaron Boyes
  • Patent number: 11067595
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a piezoelectric acceleration sensor including a charge output element, a casing, a cable assembly and a connector. The casing is snap-fitted to a supporting portion of a base of the charge output element, and forms a receiving space for receiving the charge output element, the piezoelectric, and the mass block with the supporting portion. The cable assembly is connected to the supporting portion. The connector is connected to an end of the cable assembly facing away from the supporting portion, and is insulated from the cable assembly. One end of either of a first lead and a second lead of the cable assembly is electrically connected to the piezoelectric element, while the other end of the first lead is electrically connected to a conductive terminal of the connector and the other end of the second lead is electrically connected to a housing of the connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: FATRI UNITED TESTING & CONTROL (QUANZHOU) TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongzhong Nie, Ying Gao
  • Patent number: 10989732
    Abstract: Wireless piezoelectric accelerometers and systems are provided. A wireless piezoelectric accelerometer may comprise a piezoelectric sensing element configured to sense mechanical acceleration and produce an electrical charge signal in response of the sensed mechanical acceleration, a signal processing module (SPM) configured to convert the electrical charge signal into a voltage signal, and process and digitize the voltage signal, and a wireless module configured to modulate and transmit the digitized voltage signal as wireless signals. The piezoelectric sensing element, the SPM and the wireless module are packaged in a casing. The casing comprises a metallic shielding chamber configured to enclose the piezoelectric sensing element. The casing further comprises a non-metallic portion located in relative to the wireless module to allow transmission of the wireless signals. Corresponding wireless piezoelectric accelerometer systems are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH
    Inventors: Kui Yao, Zhiyuan Shen, Chin Yaw Tan, Yi Fan Chen, Lei Zhang
  • Patent number: 10925573
    Abstract: A metallic diaphragm disk incorporating a piezoelectric material bonded thereto and operatively coupled to a base rim of a housing provides for closing an open-ended cavity at the first end of the housing. In one aspect, plastic film adhesively bonded to at least one of an outer rim of the housing or an outer-facing surface of the disk provides for receiving an adhesive acoustic interface material to provide for coupling the housing to the skin of a test subject. In another aspect, an outer-facing surface of a base portion of the housing provides for receiving an adhesive acoustic interface material to provide for coupling the housing to the skin of a test subject, at least one inertial mass is operatively coupled to a central portion of the metallic diaphragm disk, and the opening in the first end of the housing is closed with a cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: AusculSciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Simon Martin, Steven P. Morton, Mark W. Armstrong, Robert J. Griffin, Sergey A. Telenkov, Brady Laska, Anthony Dewar, Camilla Jastrzebski
  • Patent number: 10763423
    Abstract: A microelectro-mechanical system (MEMS) device includes a support structure formed of printed circuit board (PCB) materials; and a piezoelectric transducer formed at the support structure. Further, a MEMS assembly is described which shows such a MEMS device mounted at a component carrier. Furthermore, a method for manufacturing such a MEMS device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: AT&S Austria Technologie & Systemtechnik Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jonathan Silvano De Sousa, Nick Renaud-Bezot
  • Patent number: 10725480
    Abstract: A device to determine integrity of a surface includes an exterior housing to contain and protect a plurality of components. The components include an accelerometer to measure a change in acceleration of the device, a microcontroller to monitor measurement data from the accelerometer and determine the integrity of the surface based on the measurement data. A communication circuit transmits or displays information regarding the integrity of the surface from microcontroller. A battery powers the plurality of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
    Inventor: William Bosworth
  • Patent number: 10666167
    Abstract: A piezoelectric unit includes a piezoelectric element that expands and contracts in a first direction, a drive shaft connected with a first end surface of the piezoelectric element, a weight connected with a second end surface of the piezoelectric element, a protection member covering at least a part of the piezoelectric element, the drive shaft, and the weight, and a movable member engaged with the drive shaft. An inner wall surface of the protection member includes a weight position regulating portion that regulates a position of the weight, an element position regulating portion that regulates a position of the piezoelectric element, and a shaft position regulating portion that regulates a position of the drive shaft. An outer wall surface of the protection member has a movable member regulating portion that prevents the movable member from approaching the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakazu Okunogi, Tatsuya Taki
  • Patent number: 10587208
    Abstract: An elastomeric triboelectric generator housing structured for incorporation into a wheel for a vehicle is provided. The housing includes a least one cavity having a pair of opposed walls, and a triboelectric generator incorporated into the at least one cavity. The at least one cavity is structured to actuate responsive to application of at least one force to the housing along an axis extending through the at least one cavity and between a central axis of the housing and a circumference of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Songtao Wu, Chi-Ming Wang, Khoa Vo, Debasish Banerjee, Ercan Mehmet Dede
  • Patent number: 10554152
    Abstract: A self-powered piezoelectric energy harvesting microsystem device has CMOS integrated circuit elements, contacts and interconnections formed at a proof mass portion of a die region of a semiconductor wafer. Piezoelectric energy harvesting unit components connected to the integrated circuit elements are formed at a thinned beam portion of the die region that connects the proof mass portion for vibration relative to a surrounding anchor frame portion. A battery provided on the proof mass portion connects to the integrated circuit elements. In a cantilever architectural example, the battery is advantageously located at a distal end of the proof mass portion, opposite the joinder with frame portion via the beam portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Cuiling Gong, Jianbai Jenn Wang
  • Patent number: 10539585
    Abstract: An automotive component assembly comprises an input circuit portion for a sensor and a component portion. The input circuit portion is aligned with the component portion in a desired assembly position. A pocket is at least partially defined by the component portion to receive the input circuit portion and a clamping force retains the input circuit portion between a first layer and a second layer of the component portion forming the pocket. An overmold material is applied to retain the input circuit portion and the component portion to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Gaetan Vich
  • Patent number: 10458873
    Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a sensor assembly and an evaluation unit. The; sensor assembly includes a sensor and an electrode arrangement. The sensor is configured to generate signals under the action of a pressure profile. The electrode arrangement is configured to transmit the signals to the evaluation unit. The evaluation unit includes an electric circuit board. The electric circuit board includes a base material that is electrically insulating with a specific volume resistance that is at least equal to 1015 ?cm at room temperature. The electric circuit board includes a high temperature region facing the sensor assembly and a normal temperature region that faces away from the sensor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Kistler Holding AG
    Inventors: Reinhold Buck, Martin Giger, Urs Niedermann, Philip Graf
  • Patent number: 10378934
    Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a frame defining a sensor axis having opposing endplates with axially extending supports. The opposing endplates are connected by a pair of axially extending side beams. A suspended mass is within an interior of the frame suspended from the supports of the frame. A plurality of piezoelectric material layers are operatively connected to sides of respective spacers opposite the frame to damp vibrations of the suspended mass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Smith, Alan M. Giles
  • Patent number: 10361356
    Abstract: An energy harvesting unit comprising: a package formed by a base and a lid, the package including a sealed interior volume and an exterior; a ledge formed in the sealed interior volume with a first cavity above and a second cavity below the ledge; a plurality of inner electrical contacts formed on the ledge; a plurality of outer electrical contacts formed on the exterior of the package wherein the outer electrical contacts are electrically connected to the inner electrical contacts through the package; and, a piezo-electric member in electrical communication with the inner electrical contacts and coupled to the ledge on a first side of the package and spanning across the cavity and coupled to the ledge on an opposite side of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: MEGGITT A/S
    Inventors: Tomasz Zawada, Ruichao Xu, Michele Guizzetti, Louise Møller Borregaard, Erling Ringgaard
  • Patent number: 10361643
    Abstract: A base end of a flexible plate-like structure body (111) having a first attribute is fixed to a pedestal (310) and a leading end thereof is connected to a connector between different attributes (112). Base end of a flexible plate-like structure body (113, 114) having a second attribute is connected to the connector between different attributes (112) and leading end thereof is given as free ends. Weight body (211, 212, 213) is connected to the lower surface of the connector between different attributes (112) and the leading-end lower surface of the plate-like structure body (113, 114) having the second attribute. When vibration energy is applied to the pedestal (310), the weight body (211, 212, 213) undergoes vibration, resulting in deformation of each of the plate-like structure bodies (111, 113, 114). The deformation energy is taken out by a charge generating element (400) such as a piezoelectric element to generate electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: WACOH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Okada, Miho Okada
  • Patent number: 10297744
    Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic plate which is slightly deformed by firing, includes a plate-shaped substrate, and an electronic component. The piezoelectric ceramic plate has a pair of main surfaces, a pair of opposing first side surfaces, and a pair of opposing second side surfaces. The pair of first side surfaces are baked surfaces, and the distance between the pair of first side surfaces measured at the center in the longitudinal direction is denoted by Lc and the distance between the pair of first side surfaces measured at ends in the longitudinal direction is denoted by Le. The ratio of the difference ?L between Le and Lc to Lc (?L/Lc) is 1.0% or less. The piezoelectric ceramic plate is suitably used as a piezoelectric ceramic plate having an area of each of the main surfaces of 360 mm2 or more and a thickness of 150 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Fukuoka, Tomonori Eguchi, Hitoshi Nakakubo