Rectangular Plate Patents (Class 310/368)
  • Patent number: 11790686
    Abstract: A composite piezoelectric element and an electronic device having the same are disclosed, in which the composite piezoelectric element includes insulating films and piezoelectric bodies, which are alternately arranged, wherein the piezoelectric bodies may be categorized into general piezoelectric bodies used as at least one of a haptic actuator, a speaker actuator and a receiver actuator, and a finger scan recognition piezoelectric body for finger scan recognition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: LG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: YuSeon Kho, Yong-Su Ham, YongWoo Lee
  • Patent number: 11533042
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to MEMS resonators. An exemplary MEMS resonator comprises a resonator beam having a length and a width. The length can be an integer multiple of the width. The integer multiple can be at least two. The resonator is configured to resonate at a frequency upon application of an input signal. The TCF of this resonator can be made close to zero, thus providing a temperature stable resonator. The exemplary MEMS resonator thereby has the advantages of high Q, low polarization voltage, low motional impedance and temperature stability of low frequency resonators while being able resonate at high frequencies of 30 MHz to 30 GHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Anosh Daruwalla, Farrokh Ayazi
  • Patent number: 11495727
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: a substrate; and an electrode that includes a first conductive layer provided on a surface of the substrate, and a second conductive layer, provided on the opposite side to the first conductive layer on the substrate side, which is disposed within an outer edge of the first conductive layer when seen in a plan view from a direction perpendicular to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Fujihara, Kazuhisa Hatanaka, Matsutaro Naito
  • Patent number: 11489512
    Abstract: A vibrator is provided that includes a substrate having a major surface defined in width and length directions and one or more electrodes formed at least in a substantial entire region of the major surface of the substrate in the length direction, and that performs, as main vibration, expansion-contraction vibration along the width direction in accordance with a voltage applied to the electrodes. Moreover, a holder surrounds at least a portion of the vibrator; and a holding arm connects the vibrator to the holder. Moreover, the vibrator has a width Wo in the width direction positioned at an end in the length direction and includes, to have a width Wm differing from the width Wo and positioned between a pair of ends opposing in the length direction, a variant portion at least one or more locations that is in a shape recessed or projecting in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshio Nishimura, Ville Kaajakari
  • Patent number: 11474126
    Abstract: A high precision rotation sensor comprises an inertial mass suspended from a base wherein the mass is responsive to rotational inputs that apply loads to load-sensitive resonators whose changes in resonant frequency are related to the applied loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: QUARTZ SEISMIC SENSORS, INC.
    Inventors: Jerome M. Paros, Krishna Venkateswara
  • Patent number: 10686425
    Abstract: Bulk acoustic wave (BAW) resonators having convex surfaces, and methods of forming the same are disclosed. An example BAW resonator includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer formed on the first electrode, the piezoelectric layer having a convex surface, and a second electrode formed on the convex surface. An example integrated circuit (IC) package includes a BAW resonator disposed in the IC package, the BAW resonator including a piezoelectric layer having a convex surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Ting-Ta Yen
  • Patent number: 10170684
    Abstract: A tuning fork type crystal blank includes a base part, a pair of vibrating parts which extend from the base part parallel with each other, an auxiliary part including a support part located on one side of an alignment direction of the pair of vibrating parts relative to the base part and pair of vibrating parts and extending parallel with the pair of vibrating parts, and a holding part which is located on the opposite side to the pair of vibrating parts relative to the base part and connects the base part and the support part. When viewed in a planar view direction perpendicular to the alignment direction and to the direction in which the pair of vibrating parts extend, cut away part is formed in a side surface of the auxiliary part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Oga
  • Patent number: 10103710
    Abstract: A resonator includes a resonator element including a substrate gradually increasing in thickness from an outer edge toward a center, excitation electrodes respectively disposed on both principal surfaces of the substrate, and a pair of electrode pads electrically connected to the excitation electrodes, disposed on at least one of the both principal surfaces, and disposed on one end side of the substrate, and a second substrate as a base, the pair of electrode pads are bonded to the second substrate via respective first bonding members, two places of the other end of the substrate on the opposite side to the one end are bonded to the second substrate via respective second bonding members, and a distance S1 between the two first bonding members, and a distance S2 between the two second bonding members fulfill S1<S2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Matsugi, Kazuki Funatsu
  • Patent number: 9461617
    Abstract: A vibrator element includes: a base portion; and a vibrating arm extending from the base portion, the vibrating arm including a piezoelectric film that contains Cu at a crystal grain boundary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Yamazaki, Osamu Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9237627
    Abstract: Short circuit failures and open circuit failures of light-emitting elements used for the backlight in an LCD panel can be reliably and easily detected. The voltage at the node between each series-connected light-emitting element array and a drive circuit is detected as a monitored voltage. A maximum detector detects the highest and a minimum detector detects the lowest of these monitored voltages. Short circuit or open circuit failure of a light-emitting element is detected by comparing the voltage difference between the maximum detector output and the minimum detector output with a specific reference voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Takata, Shinichiro Kataoka, Yasunori Yamamoto, Tsukasa Kawahara, Ryuji Ueda, Daisuke Itou
  • Patent number: 9035538
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating piece includes an excitation unit in a rectangular shape, a framing portion, a connecting portion, and a protrusion. The excitation unit includes a pair of excitation electrodes on the pair of principal surfaces, a first side that extends in a first direction, and a second side that extends in a second direction. The second side is longer than the first side. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The connecting portion connects the first side of the excitation unit to the framing portion. The connecting portion is thinner than the framing portion. The protrusion protrudes in the thickness direction in at least one of the connecting portion and a region between the connecting portion and the excitation electrode. The length of the protrusion in the first direction is equal to or longer than a length of the connecting portion in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takumi Ariji, Takehiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9035709
    Abstract: A vibration element includes a piezoelectric substrate including a vibrating section and a thick section having a thickness larger than that of the vibrating section. The thick section includes a first thick section provided along a first outer edge of the vibrating section, a second thick section provided along a second outer edge, and a third thick section provided along another first outer edge. An inclined outer edge section that intersects with each of an X axis and a Z? axis is provided in a tip section of the piezoelectric substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Kikushima, Masako Tanaka, Naohisa Obata, Yukihiro Unno
  • Patent number: 8994252
    Abstract: An AT-cut quartz plate having chamfered ridge portions and an almost rectangular shape in planar view, wherein a resonance frequency is equal to or larger than 7 MHz and equal to or smaller than 9 MHz, lengths of long and short sides of the rectangular shape are equal to or larger than 1.5 mm and equal to or smaller than 2.4 mm, and equal to or larger than a frequency difference between primary vibration and sub-vibration is equal to or larger than 975 kHz and equal to or smaller than 1,015 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventor: Kentaro Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8970316
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonating element includes a piezoelectric substrate that includes a rectangular vibrating section and a thick section integrally formed with the vibrating section, excitation electrodes, and lead electrodes. The thick section includes a first thick section and a second thick section of which one end is formed continuous to the first thick section. The first thick section includes a first inclined section of which the thickness changes and a first thick section main body of a quadrangle column shape, and at least one slit is provided in the first thick section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Osamu Ishii
  • Patent number: 8941445
    Abstract: A piezoelectric module includes a piezoelectric package and a circuit component package. The piezoelectric module includes a thermoset resin with solder particles interposed between a whole circumference of the opening end surface of the second depressed portion including the plurality of connecting terminals of the circuit component package and the outer bottom surface of the first depressed portion of the piezoelectric package. The plurality of external terminals of the piezoelectric package and the plurality of connecting terminals of the circuit component package are electrically connected by metal bonding. The whole circumference of the opening end surface of the second depressed portion of the circuit component package and the outer bottom surface of the first depressed portion of the piezoelectric package are bonded by melting and hardening of the thermoset resin that constitutes the thermoset resin with solder particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenori Harima, Fumio Asamura
  • Publication number: 20140354116
    Abstract: This invention pertains to piezoelectric actuators made of single crystal active elements which not only exhibit uniform and superior displacement in the axial direction but also of lower cost to produce than full single crystal ring or tube actuators. Said multi-stake actuator is made up of multiple longitudinal (d33) or transverse (d3i or d32) mode piezoelectric single crystal active elements, bonded together by epoxy with the aid of shaped edge- and top and bottom washer-stiffeners which are configured to suit various application needs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: MICROFINE MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES PTY LTD
    Inventors: Yuexue Xia, Huilin Nelly Goh, Dian-Hua Lin
  • Patent number: 8896184
    Abstract: A piezoelectric MEMS microphone comprising a multi-layer sensor that includes at least one piezoelectric layer between two electrode layers, with the sensor being dimensioned such that it provides a near maximized ratio of output energy to sensor area, as determined by an optimization parameter that accounts for input pressure, bandwidth, and characteristics of the piezoelectric and electrode materials. The sensor can be formed from single or stacked cantilevered beams separated from each other by a small gap, or can be a stress-relieved diaphragm that is formed by deposition onto a silicon substrate, with the diaphragm then being stress relieved by substantial detachment of the diaphragm from the substrate, and then followed by reattachment of the now stress relieved diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: The Regents of The University of Michigan
    Inventors: Karl Grosh, Robert J. Littrell
  • Patent number: 8890631
    Abstract: A crystal oscillator and manufacturing method thereof are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lexvu Opto Microelectronics Technology (Shanghai) Ltd
    Inventor: Jianhong Mao
  • Patent number: 8847469
    Abstract: In a composite substrate, a back surface of a piezoelectric substrate and a front surface of a support substrate are bonded to each other with an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer includes a swelling portion at an outer peripheral area thereof, and the piezoelectric substrate is bonded to the support substrate in an area excluding the swelling portion 16a. Accordingly, air bubbles do not easily enter between the swelling portion of the adhesive layer and the piezoelectric substrate, and separations caused by the air bubbles can be prevented. As a result, the support substrate and the piezoelectric substrate can be reliably bonded to each other with the adhesive layer including the swelling portion in the outer peripheral area thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshinao Nakahara
  • Patent number: 8836441
    Abstract: A surface mount piezoelectric oscillator includes a piezoelectric resonator with a container main body, a plurality of external terminals, a mounting board with an IC chip, a plurality of connecting terminals, and a solder ball. The solder ball bonds the plurality of external terminals and the plurality of connecting terminals by melting and hardening. The solder bonding portion has approximately a circular shape with approximately a same size as a size of the connecting terminal of the mounting board. The solder ball placed on the connecting terminal of the mounting board is melted, self-aligned, and hardened so as to form a solder fillet of nearly axial symmetry. The solder fillet bridges between the both electrodes and bonds the connecting terminal of the mounting board and the solder bonding portion of the external terminal of the piezoelectric resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hidenori Harima
  • Patent number: 8791766
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonating element includes a piezoelectric substrate having a rectangular vibrating portion and a thick-walled portion, excitation electrodes and, and lead electrodes. The thick-walled portion includes a fourth thick-walled portion, a third thick-walled portion, a first thick-walled portion, and a second thick-walled portion. The third thick-walled portion includes a third slope portion and a third thick-walled body, and at least one slit is formed in the third thick-walled portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Ishii, Shiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 8766514
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator element includes a piezoelectric substrate formed of an AT-cut quartz crystal substrate in which the thickness direction thereof is a direction parallel to the Y? axis; and excitation electrodes disposed so as to face vibrating regions on both front and rear principal surfaces of the piezoelectric substrate. The piezoelectric substrate includes a rectangular excitation portion in which sides parallel to the X axis are long sides thereof, and sides parallel to the Z? axis are short sides thereof; and a peripheral portion having a smaller thickness than the excitation portion and formed around the excitation portion. Each of side surfaces of the excitation portion extending in a direction parallel to the X axis is present in one plane, and each of side surfaces of the excitation portion extending in a direction parallel to the Z? axis has a step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Il, Kenji Komine, Matsutaro Naito
  • Patent number: 8736150
    Abstract: Mechanical resonating structures and related methods are described. The mechanical resonating structures may provide improved efficiency over conventional resonating structures. Some of the structures have lengths and widths and are designed to vibrate in a direction approximately parallel to either the length or width. They may have boundaries bounding the length and width dimensions, which may substantially align with nodes or anti-nodes of vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Sand 9, Inc.
    Inventors: Jan H. Kuypers, David M. Chen, Guiti Zolfagharkhani, Alexei Gaidarzhy
  • Patent number: 8729777
    Abstract: A piezoelectric crystal unit includes a package including a concave portion; a piezoelectric element having a protruding electrode and disposed within the package; and an electrically conductive adhesive contained in the concave portion. The piezoelectric element is fixed to the package with the protruding electrode embedded in the concave portion of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Hajime Kubota, Masayuki Itoh, Masakazu Kishi
  • Publication number: 20130307377
    Abstract: A vibrating element includes: an element plate that has a vibrating portion that performs thickness-shear vibration, a peripheral portion that is integrally formed with the vibrating portion, and a protruding portion that is provided at the peripheral portion; and an excitation electrode that is provided at the vibrating portion. When a side length of the vibrating portion is Mx, when a side length of the excitation electrode is Ex, and when a wavelength of flexure vibrations of the element plate is ?, the relationship of (Mx?Ex)/2=?/2, and Mx/2={(A/2)+(¼)}? (where, A is a positive integer) is satisfied, and when a length of the protruding portion is Dx, and when a distance between the vibrating portion and the protruding portion is Sx, the relationship of Dx=?/2)×m, and (?/2)×n?0.1??Sx?(?/2)×n+0.1? (where m and n are positive integers) is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Go YAMASHITA, Kenji KOMINE, Shiro MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 8558627
    Abstract: Provided is a surface mount crystal oscillator and a substrate sheet to prevent a decrease in a frequency variable amount by reducing electrostatic capacitance of the crystal oscillator. The surface mount crystal oscillator and the substrate sheet are each configured such that one end of a crystal holding terminal is connected to a corner terminal, and another end of the crystal holding terminal is formed from a center of a short side to be shorter than the one end so as to form an area in which no pattern is formed, and a pattern of a GND terminal is formed on that portion of a rear surface of a substrate which is opposed to the area in which no pattern is formed, so that the pattern (a crystal-mounted pattern) of the crystal holding terminal and the pattern of the GND terminal are not opposed to each other across the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masashi Sato
  • Publication number: 20130241363
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a resonator element includes a process of forming a mesa substrate by disposing a first mask on a principal surface located on a +Y?-axis side of the quartz crystal substrate, disposing a second mask on a principal surface located on a ?Y?-axis side so as to be located at a position shifted toward a +Z?-axis side from the first mask, and etching the quartz crystal substrate via the first and second masks, the mesa substrate including a vibrating section including a first protruding section protruding toward the +Y?-axis side from the quartz crystal substrate and a second protruding section protruding toward the ?Y?-axis side, and a small-thickness section disposed along an outer edge of the vibrating section and having a thickness smaller than a thickness of the vibrating section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junji KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8531088
    Abstract: A piezoelectric MEMS microphone comprising a multi-layer sensor that includes at least one piezoelectric layer between two electrode layers, with the sensor being dimensioned such that it provides a near maximized ratio of output energy to sensor area, as determined by an optimization parameter that accounts for input pressure, bandwidth, and characteristics of the piezoelectric and electrode materials. The sensor can be formed from single or stacked cantilevered beams separated from each other by a small gap, or can be a stress-relieved diaphragm that is formed by deposition onto a silicon substrate, with the diaphragm then being stress relieved by substantial detachment of the diaphragm from the substrate, and then followed by reattachment of the now stress relieved diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: The Regents of The University of Michigan
    Inventors: Karl Grosh, Robert J. Littrell
  • Patent number: 8497747
    Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEM) filter is disclosed which has a plurality of lattice networks formed on a substrate and electrically connected together in parallel. Each lattice network has a series resonant frequency and a shunt resonant frequency provided by one or more contour-mode resonators in the lattice network. Different types of contour-mode resonators including single input, single output resonators, differential resonators, balun resonators, and ring resonators can be used in MEM filter. The MEM filter can have a center frequency in the range of 10 MHz-10 GHz, with a filter bandwidth of up to about 1% when all of the lattice networks have the same series resonant frequency and the same shunt resonant frequency. The filter bandwidth can be increased up to about 5% by using unique series and shunt resonant frequencies for the lattice networks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Wojciechowski, Roy H. Olsson, III, Maryam Ziaei-Moayyed
  • Patent number: 8456252
    Abstract: A dual in-situ mixing approach for extended tuning range of resonators. In one embodiment, a dual in-situ mixing device tunes an input radio-frequency (RF) signal using a first mixer, a resonator body, and a second mixer. In one embodiment, the first mixer is coupled to receive the input RF signal and a local oscillator signal. The resonator body receives the output of the first mixer, and the second mixer is coupled to receive the output of the resonator body and the local oscillator signal to provide a tuned output RF signal as a function of the frequency of local oscillator signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Emmanuel P. Quevy
  • Patent number: 8446078
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of connecting mechanical resonating structures to a body are described. Multi-element anchors may include a flexible portion that flexes when the mechanical resonating structure vibrates. The flexible portion may have a length related to the resonance frequency of the mechanical resonating structures. Some of the multi-element anchors include elements that are oriented perpendicularly to each other. MEMS incorporating such structures are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Sand 9, Inc.
    Inventors: Behraad Bahreyni, David M. Chen, Alexei Gaidarzhy, Guiti Zolfagharkhani, Pritiraj Mohanty, Klaus Juergen Schoepf
  • Patent number: 8441176
    Abstract: Mechanical resonating structures and related methods are described. The mechanical resonating structures may provide improved efficiency over conventional resonating structures. Some of the structures have lengths and widths and are designed to vibrate in a direction approximately parallel to either the length or width. They may have boundaries bounding the length and width dimensions, which may substantially align with nodes or anti-nodes of vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Sand 9, Inc.
    Inventors: Jan H. Kuypers, David M. Chen, Guiti Zolfagharkhani, Alexei Gaidarzhy
  • Publication number: 20130106249
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating piece includes an excitation unit in a rectangular shape, a framing portion, a connecting portion, and a protrusion. The excitation unit includes a pair of excitation electrodes on the pair of principal surfaces, a first side that extends in a first direction, and a second side that extends in a second direction. The second side is longer than the first side. The second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The connecting portion connects the first side of the excitation unit to the framing portion. The connecting portion is thinner than the framing portion. The protrusion protrudes in the thickness direction in at least one of the connecting portion and a region between the connecting portion and the excitation electrode. The length of the protrusion in the first direction is equal to or longer than a length of the connecting portion in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 8405286
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a mesa-type AT-cut quartz-crystal vibrating piece, in which amount of the vibrating unit is adjusted to appropriate amount, in order to inhibit unnecessary vibration and to prevent degradation. The mesa-type AT-cut quartz-crystal vibrating piece (30) for vibrating piece vibrates at 38.400 MHz comprises a rectangular excitation unit (31), a peripheral region (32) formed in periphery of the excitation unit and thinner than the excitation unit. The thickness difference h (?m) between one principal surface of the excitation unit and the adjacent peripheral region is obtained by the following equation: h=(0.2×Mx)?143 The length of the x-axis direction of the crystallographic X-axis is Mx (?m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Shimao, Manabu Ishikawa, Hiroyuki Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20130043960
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonating element includes a piezoelectric substrate having a rectangular vibrating portion and a thick-walled portion, excitation electrodes and, and lead electrodes. The thick-walled portion includes a fourth thick-walled portion, a third thick-walled portion, a first thick-walled portion, and a second thick-walled portion. The third thick-walled portion includes a third slope portion and a third thick-walled body, and at least one slit is formed in the third thick-walled portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu ISHII, Shiro MURAKAMI
  • Patent number: 8378555
    Abstract: An electromechanical conversion element having high connection reliability and an actuator equipped with the electromechanical conversion element. The electromechanical conversion element includes: a displacement part capable of expanding and contracting by application of voltage and having electrode forming faces and an adhesion face which are disposed adjacent to each other; and external electrodes on the electrode forming faces, in which lead electrodes for applying voltage to the displacement part are bonded to bonding regions provided in the external electrodes, and a driven member capable of being driven by the expansion and contraction of the displacement part is bonded to the adhesion face by an adhesive. The electromechanical conversion element further includes bleed flow blocking parts on the electrode forming faces at points closer to the adhesion face than ends of the bonding regions located on the same side as the adhesion face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignees: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Tadashi Yoda, Toshio Nishimura, Masanaga Nishikawa, Yasuhiro Okamoto, Tomoyuki Yuasa
  • Patent number: 8373513
    Abstract: The resonator comprises an oscillating element and first and second excitation electrodes of the oscillating element. An AC signal generator is connected to the first and second excitation electrodes and delivers first and second signals of the same amplitudes and in antiphase on the first and second electrodes. A first DC voltage source is connected to a third electrode. A second DC voltage source is connected to a fourth electrode. An additional electrode is electrically connected to the oscillating element. A signal representative of oscillation of the oscillating element is provided by the additional electrode formed by an anchoring point of the oscillating element and biased by a third DC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives
    Inventors: Julien Arcamone, Eric Colinet
  • Patent number: 8373333
    Abstract: A resonator element includes at least one resonating arm that vibrates in a torsional mode, wherein the resonating arm includes a structural portion having a first portion disposed in a first direction in a sectional view in the width direction and a second portion connected to the first portion so that the center of gravity departs from the center of gravity of the first portion in the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first portion vibrates in a stretch mode in the length direction of the resonating arm with an application of a voltage, and wherein the second portion does not substantially vibrate in the stretch mode in the length direction of the resonating arm with the application of the voltage or vibrates in a stretch mode with a phase different from that of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Publication number: 20130009521
    Abstract: An AT-cut quartz plate having chamfered ridge portions and an almost rectangular shape in planar view, wherein a resonance frequency is equal to or larger than 7 MHz and equal to or smaller than 9 MHz, lengths of long and short sides of the rectangular shape are equal to or larger than 1.5 mm and equal to or smaller than 2.4 mm, and equal to or larger than a frequency difference between primary vibration and sub-vibration is equal to or larger than 975 kHz and equal to or smaller than 1,015 kHz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventor: Kentaro NAKANISHI
  • Patent number: 8350633
    Abstract: Periodic signal generators include an oscillator circuit, which is configured to generate a first periodic signal at an output thereof, and a piezoelectric-based microelectromechanical resonator. The resonator is configured to generate a second periodic signal at a first electrode thereof, which is electrically coupled to the oscillator circuit. A variable impedance circuit is provided, which is electrically coupled to a second electrode of the piezoelectric-based microelectromechanical resonator. The variable impedance circuit is configured to passively modify a frequency of the second periodic signal by changing an induced electromechanical stiffness in at least a portion of the piezoelectric-based microelectromechanical resonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: The Board of Regents for Oklahoma State University
    Inventors: Reza Abdolvand, Mohsen Shahmohammadi Ghahsareh, Mohammad J. Modarres-Zadeh
  • Patent number: 8299689
    Abstract: A quartz crystal resonator element includes an AT-cut quartz crystal substrate, the substrate having edges parallel to each of a Z? axis obtained by rotating a Z? axis in a range of ?120° to +60° about a Y? axis and an X? axis perpendicular to the Z? axis when an angle formed by rotating a +Z? axis in a direction of a +X axis about the Y? axis is a positive rotation angle; a thin section that forms a resonating section; and a thick section adjacent to the resonating section, the thin section and the thick section being formed on the quartz crystal substrate by wet etching. The thin section is formed either on a main surface of the substrate corresponding to a +Y?-axis side or on a main surface of the substrate corresponding to a ?Y?-axis side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Ryoichi Yasuike
  • Patent number: 8278798
    Abstract: An object is to provide a crystal device that uses a mesa-structure crystal piece in which frequency adjustment is possible. A configuration is such that in a crystal device having: a crystal piece having a thick portion and a thin portion, with an excitation electrode formed on both main faces of the thick portion, and a lead out electrode electrically connected to the excitation electrode, formed on an end portion; a container main body having a concavity for accommodating the crystal piece; and a cover that is connected to an open end face of the container main body and hermetically seals the crystal piece, a frequency adjustment metal film which is electrically isolated from the excitation electrode and made independent, is formed on the thin portion of the crystal piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryoichi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 8246545
    Abstract: A phased array ultrasound transducer is made from a plurality of independently excitable elements that are arranged in a row in the azimuthal direction, configured so that azimuthal aiming of an outgoing ultrasound beam is controlled by timing the excitation of the elements. The geometry of the elements is configured to focus the outgoing beam in the elevation direction so as to improve the images of target regions located at or about a particular radial distance. In some embodiments, this is accomplished by forming each element from a plurality of subelements that are stacked in the elevation direction, with the subelements of any given element all (a) wired together and (b) positioned at about the same distance from a substantially rod-shaped focal region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Imacor Inc.
    Inventors: Harold M. Hastings, Scott L. Roth
  • Patent number: 8222797
    Abstract: An information converter has at least two material layers having polygonal base surfaces, which are connected to each other in a shear-rigid way, wherein at least in one material layer a change of length can be induced. The polygonal base surface has at least two different interior angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heinrich-Jochen Blume, Bernhard Gottlieb, Andreas Kappel, Robert Wolfgang Kissel, Karl-Heinz Mittenbühler, Tim Schwebel, Carsten Wallenhauer
  • Patent number: 8196843
    Abstract: A multi-layer piezoelectric element having higher durability which experience less decrease in the amount of displacement even when operated continuously over a long period of time under a high pressure and a high voltage is provided. The multi-layer piezoelectric element comprises a plurality of piezoelectric layers and a plurality of internal electrode layers, wherein the piezoelectric layers and the internal electrode layers are stacked alternately one on another, and at least one of the plurality of internal electrode layers contains at least one nitride, titanium nitride or zirconium nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignees: Kyocera Corporation, Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Takami Sakamoto, Masahiro Inagaki, Harald-Johannes Kastl, Carsten Schuh, Bernhard Doellgast, Atsushi Ochi
  • Patent number: 8183745
    Abstract: An example ultrasound device, such as a transducer array, includes a plurality of ultrasound transducers, each ultrasound transducer having a first electrode, a second electrode, a thin piezoelectric film located between the electrodes, and a substrate supporting the plurality of ultrasound transducers. In some examples, the electrode separation is less than 10 microns, facilitating lower voltage operation than conventional ultrasound transducers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Susan Trolier-McKinstry, Thomas N. Jackson, Kyusun Choi, Richard L. Tutwiler, In Soo Kim, Hyun Soo Kim, Sung Kyu Park, Ioanna G. Mina
  • Patent number: 8174170
    Abstract: Mechanical resonating structures and related methods are described. The mechanical resonating structures may provide improved efficiency over conventional resonating structures. Some of the structures have lengths and widths and are designed to vibrate in a direction approximately parallel to either the length or width. They may have boundaries bounding the length and width dimensions, which may substantially align with nodes or anti-nodes of vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Sand 9, Inc.
    Inventors: Jan H. Kuypers, David M. Chen, Guiti Zolfagharkhani, Alexei Gaidarzhy
  • Patent number: 8098001
    Abstract: A component has a substrate and a compensation layer. A lower face of the substrate is mechanically firmly connected to the compensation layer. The lower face of the substrate and the upper face of the compensation layer have a topography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: EPCOS AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Pahl, Hans Krueger, Werner Ruile
  • Patent number: 8058940
    Abstract: A dual in-situ mixing approach for extended tuning range of resonators. In one embodiment, a dual in-situ mixing device tunes an input radio-frequency (RF) signal using a first mixer, a resonator body, and a second mixer. In one embodiment, the first mixer is coupled to receive the input RF signal and a local oscillator signal. The resonator body receives the output of the first mixer, and the second mixer is coupled to receive the output of the resonator body and the local oscillator signal to provide a tuned output RF signal as a function of the frequency of local oscillator signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Inc.
    Inventor: Emmanuel P. Quevy
  • Patent number: 8026652
    Abstract: A quartz crystal resonator element includes an AT-cut quartz crystal substrate, the substrate having edges parallel to each of a Z? axis obtained by rotating a Z? axis in a range of ?120° to +60° about a Y? axis and an X? axis perpendicular to the Z? axis when an angle formed by rotating a +Z? axis in a direction of a +X axis about the Y? axis is a positive rotation angle; a thin section that forms a resonating section; and a thick section adjacent to the resonating section, the thin section and the thick section being formed on the quartz crystal substrate by wet etching. The thin section is formed either on a main surface of the substrate corresponding to a +Y?-axis side or on a main surface of the substrate corresponding to a ?Y?-axis side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Epson Toyocom Corporation
    Inventor: Ryoichi Yasuike