"u" Or "tuning Fork" Shape Patents (Class 310/370)
  • Patent number: 12156475
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a substrate having opening portions, a vibrating plate provided to overlap with the substrate and having a plurality of vibrating regions overlapping with the opening portions in a plan view as seen from a thickness direction of the substrate, piezoelectric elements provided in the vibrating regions, and bypass wires provided outside of the vibrating regions of the vibrating plate and electrically coupled to the plurality of piezoelectric elements, wherein slits penetrating the bypass wires in the thickness direction are provided in the bypass wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2024
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki, Kanechika Kiyose, Katsuhiro Imai, Yasuyuki Matsumoto, Takahiro Kamijo
  • Patent number: 12074585
    Abstract: The disclosed technology generally relates to quartz crystal devices and more particularly to quartz crystal devices configured to vibrate in torsional mode. In one aspect, a quartz crystal device configured for temperature sensing comprises a fork-shaped quartz crystal comprising a pair of elongate tines laterally extending from a base region in a horizontal lengthwise direction of the fork-shaped quartz crystal, wherein each of the tines has formed on one or both of opposing sides thereof a pair of vertically recessed groove structures laterally elongated in the horizontal lengthwise direction, wherein the pair of groove structures are separated in a horizontal widthwise direction by a line structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Statek Corporation
    Inventors: Yue Fang, Jian Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 11979135
    Abstract: A resonator is provided that includes a vibration part and a mass addition portion. The vibration part includes a piezoelectric film, an upper electrode, and a lower electrode. The upper electrode and the lower electrode are disposed on opposite sides with the piezoelectric film therebetween. The amount of displacement of the vibration part is greater in a region corresponding to at least part of the mass addition portion than in any other region. The mass addition portion has an inclined surface that slopes in such a manner that the mass addition portion has end regions and a central region thinner than at least one of the end regions when the vibration part is viewed in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Mori
  • Patent number: 11875000
    Abstract: The invention relates to a haptic feedback device comprising a support which can be vibrated and of which a first face is coated with at least one layer for detecting the position of a user's finger. The device includes electromechanical actuators which are aligned along an edge of the support or the layer and which are capable of making the support and the layer vibrate at an ultrasonic resonance frequency. The support comprises on the second face thereof a set of stiffeners distributed over the whole of said second face and configured to make it more difficult to bend the support along an axis perpendicular to the stiffeners, the stiffeners being designed to produce an axial and uniform vibration mode for the support, all the antinodes of which are of substantially equal amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: HAP2U
    Inventor: Matthieu Rupin
  • Patent number: 11876503
    Abstract: A resonance device that includes a lower cover, an upper cover joined to the lower cover, a resonator having vibrating arms that bend and vibrate in a vibration space between the lower cover and the upper cover, and particles attached to tip portions of the vibrating arms. When a median size of the particle is defined as D50, a specific gravity of the particle is defined as A, and a resonant frequency of the resonator is defined as X, D50?189/(X×?A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Goto, Keisuke Takeyama
  • Patent number: 11843984
    Abstract: A mobile computing device including: a wireless communications interface configured to connect to a home access point; a controller configured to: control the wireless communications interface to initiate a scan for foreign access points and select a new access point from among the foreign access points; when the scan is complete, control the wireless communications interface to return to the home access point and initiate a home channel dwell time; control the wireless communications interface to receive data packets from the home access point during the home channel dwell time; and in response to a predefined criterion being met, control the wireless communications interface to connect to the new access point prior to expiry of the home channel dwell time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Mahesh Kumar Edar, Venkata Aneel Kumar Inuganti, Darpan Majumder, Surya Kantha Rao Kandoti, Naga Babu Parsi, Kishore Kumar Pathankanur, Sateesh V. Angadi, Mahendiran Balasubramaniyam
  • Patent number: 11750173
    Abstract: A resonance device includes a resonator, an upper lid, and a lower lid. The resonator includes a vibration portion, a frame, and holding arms. The vibration portion includes a base and a plurality of vibration arms. The lower lid has a protruding portion protruding between two adjacent vibration arms, the protruding portion has an insulating film, the vibration arms have a weight portion that has a conductive film formed on the insulating film, and in a direction in which the plurality of vibration arms extend, a first distance between the weight portion of any one of the two adjacent vibration arms and the holding portion is less than a second distance between the weight portion and the protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryota Kawai, Keisuke Takeyama, Yuichi Goto
  • Patent number: 11722111
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric resonator unit that includes preparing a piezoelectric resonator having a piezoelectric element, a pair of excitation electrodes respectively disposed on a first main surface and a second main surface of the piezoelectric element so as to face each other with the piezoelectric element therebetween, and a pair of connection electrodes that are respectively electrically connected to the pair of excitation electrodes; electrically connecting the pair of connection electrodes to a pair of electrode pads on a third main surface of a base member using an electroconductive holding member so as to excitably hold the piezoelectric resonator on the third main surface of the base member; and attaching an electroconductive material, which is scattered from an electroconductive member, to a surface of the electroconductive holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11662204
    Abstract: A vibrator device includes a vibrating body having a first surface, a package having a second surface opposed to the first surface of the vibrating body, a circuit board provided to the package so as to be opposed to the first surface of the vibrating body, a plurality of coupling electrodes provided to the first surface of the vibrating body, a first coupling line provided to the second surface of the package, a second coupling line provided to the circuit board, and a bonding material electrically coupling the coupling electrode and the first coupling line to each other, wherein the vibrating body has a protrusion protruding toward the package farther than the coupling electrode at the first surface side, and the protrusion has contact with the second surface of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiichiro Ogura, Keiichi Yamaguchi, Ryuta Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 11368141
    Abstract: A resonator is provided that includes a base, and three or more vibrating arms each including a first and second electrodes and a piezoelectric film disposed therebetween and having a top surface facing the first electrode. The piezoelectric film vibrates in a predetermined vibration mode when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes. Moreover, the three or more vibrating arms include two first arms each located on an outermost side in a direction in which the three or more vibrating arms are arranged and that vibrate in a same phase, and one or more second arms disposed between the two first arms. Each first arm is greater in mass than each second arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Inoue, Ryota Kawai
  • Patent number: 11342901
    Abstract: An AT-cut crystal resonator plate includes: a vibrating part having a rectangular shape in plan view that is disposed on a center of the AT-cut crystal resonator plate and that has excitation electrodes respectively formed on a first and a second main surfaces; a cut-out part having a rectangular shape in plan view that is formed along an outer periphery of the vibrating part; an external frame part having a rectangular shape in plan view that is formed along an outer periphery of the cut-out part; and a connecting part that connects the vibrating part to the external frame part and that extends, in a Z? axis direction of the vibrating part, from one end part of a side of the vibrating part along an X axis direction. The connecting part includes wide parts whose widths gradually increase only toward the external frame part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinari Morimoto, Ryota Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 11326881
    Abstract: A vibrator device includes a vibrator having a first and second electrode, and a circuit device having a drive circuit adapted to drive the vibrator, and an output circuit adapted to output a monitor signal corresponding to a vibration characteristic of the vibrator while driven by the drive circuit. The circuit device includes a first terminal electrically connected to the first electrode, and from which an output signal from the drive circuit to the vibrator is output, a second terminal electrically connected to the second electrode, and to which an input signal from the vibrator to the drive circuit is input, a third terminal electrically separated from the first electrode and the second electrode, and a monitor terminal from which the monitor signal is output. The vibrator is supported on an active surface side of the circuit device using conductive bumps respectively to the first, second, and third terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kiya
  • Patent number: 11283422
    Abstract: A resonator that includes a substrate, an insulating film that is formed on the substrate, and vibration regions each of which is formed on the insulating film and includes lower electrodes that are formed on the insulating film, a piezoelectric film that is formed on the lower electrodes, and an upper electrode that is formed on the piezoelectric film. At least one lower electrode of the lower electrodes that are formed on the insulating film has an electric potential that differs from an electric potential of another lower electrode such that at least one vibration region vibrates in antiphase with another vibration region. Moreover, a package seals a resonator and includes the substrate, the insulating film, and the vibration regions and includes a ground terminal for grounding the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wakana Hirota, Toshio Nishimura, Ville Kaajakari
  • Patent number: 11228259
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an energy harvester, including: a base; an electromagnetic coil fixed in the base; a disk-shaped stator magnet fixed at the center of the base; a friction plate fixing ring fixed on the base; at least one friction plate unit fixed on an inner side surface of the friction plate fixing ring; a disk-shaped rotor magnet whose bottom is in contact with the electromagnetic coil, wherein the disk-shaped rotor magnet is attracted and held to the disk-shaped stator magnet, and an outer surface of the disk-shaped rotor magnet is tangent to an outer surface of the disk-shaped stator magnet; and an annular friction plate fixed on the disk-shaped rotor magnet, wherein the annular friction plate and a friction plate are made of materials with different polarities. The foregoing energy harvester has a simple structure and high electrical energy output efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: SOOCHOW UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Tao Chen, Zhan Yang, Huicong Liu, Lining Sun
  • Patent number: 11196407
    Abstract: A resonator is provided that includes a vibrating portion including a three or more vibrating arms each having a fixed end and a free end, with at least two of the vibrating arms configured to bend out of plane in different phases, and a base having a front end connected to the fixed end of each vibrating arm and a rear end opposite from the front end. Moreover, a frame is disposed at least partially around the vibrating portion, a holding arm is provided between the vibrating portion and the holding portion and includes a first end connected to the base and a second end connected to the frame, and a plurality of holes disposed in the vibrating portion. Moreover, the plurality of holes are each formed in a region between any one pair of adjacent two of the plurality of vibrating arms in the base portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryota Kawai, Yoshihisa Inoue, Ville Kaajakari
  • Patent number: 11146239
    Abstract: The invention relates to a piezoelectric resonator, which comprises a base and at least two vibrating arms (3) extending from the base, at least two grooves (4a, 4b) being formed opposite each other on part of the length of the arms and on upper and lower faces of the arms. The depth of the groove on the upper face is less than 30% of the total thickness of each arm and the depth of the groove on the lower face is more than 50% of the total thickness of each arm, or reversely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Micro Crystal SA
    Inventors: Silvio Dalla Piazza, Felix Staub
  • Patent number: 11025222
    Abstract: A vibration element includes a base and a vibrating arm extending from the base. The vibrating arm includes an arm positioned between the base and a weight. A weight film is disposed on the weight. The weight has a first principal surface and a second principal surface in a front and back relationship with respect to a center plane of the arm. A center of gravity of the weight is located between the first principal surface and the center plane of the arm. A center of gravity of the weight film is located between the second principal surface and the center plane of the arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventors: Seiichiro Ogura, Keiichi Yamaguchi, Masahiro Oshio, Takashi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11011695
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration device includes an element mounting member provided with a recessed part, a vibration element held in the recessed part, and a lid closing the recessed part. The element mounting member includes an insulating base body including an inner bottom surface of the recessed part and an inner circumferential surface of the recessed part surrounding the inner bottom surface, a pair of signal terminals which are located on an outer surface of the base body and are electrically connected to the vibration element, a GND terminal which is located on the outer surface of the base body, and a shield film which is superposed on the inner circumferential surface of the recessed part and is electrically connected to the GND terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Eiji Kimura
  • Patent number: 10966160
    Abstract: A radio node may transmit a signal using a transmit power. Then, the radio node may adjust the transmit power within a range of values. The adjustment may include reducing the transmit power when a spatial received signal strength indication (RSSI) metric of the radio node is greater than a first threshold value and a coverage criterion is met. Note that the spatial RSSI metric of the radio node may correspond to a set of temporal RSSI metrics of the radio node received from neighboring radio nodes. Moreover, the coverage criterion may be that less than a portion of RSSI measurements of the radio node associated with electronic devices, which are communicatively attached with the radio node, is less than a second threshold value. Alternatively, the adjustment may include increasing the transmit power when the spatial RSSI metric is less than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Utsaw Kumar, Shailender Potharaju, Paul Petrus
  • Patent number: 10749496
    Abstract: A resonator is provided having a first electrode and a second electrode; and a piezoelectric film that is disposed between the first and second electrodes, has an upper surface opposing the first electrode, and that vibrates in a predetermined vibration mode when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes. Moreover, the resonator includes a protective film made of an insulator and disposed opposing the upper surface of the piezoelectric film with the first electrode interposed therebetween. Furthermore, a conductive film made of a conductor is provided that is disposed opposing the upper surface of the piezoelectric film with the protective film interposed therebetween, where the conductive film is electrically connected to any one of the first and second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro Yoshii, Yuichi Goto, Keisuke Takeyama, Toshio Nishimura, Shungo Morinaga, Ryota Kawai, Yoshihisa Inoue
  • Patent number: 10716071
    Abstract: A radio node may transmit a signal using a transmit power. Then, the radio node may adjust the transmit power within a range of values. The adjustment may include reducing the transmit power when a spatial received signal strength indication (RSSI) metric of the radio node is greater than a first threshold value and a coverage criterion is met. Note that the spatial RSSI metric of the radio node may correspond to a set of temporal RSSI metrics of the radio node received from neighboring radio nodes. Moreover, the coverage criterion may be that less than a portion of RSSI measurements of the radio node associated with electronic devices, which are communicatively attached with the radio node, is less than a second threshold value. Alternatively, the adjustment may include increasing the transmit power when the spatial RSSI metric is less than the first threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Utsaw Kumar, Shailender Potharaju, Paul Petrus
  • Patent number: 10673404
    Abstract: A resonator includes a vibration portion with a base and a plurality of vibration arms each having a fixed end and a free end with the fixed end being connected to the base. Each of the plurality of vibration arms includes a piezoelectric thin film and an electrode stacked on the piezoelectric thin film. Moreover, a width of each of the plurality of vibration arms increases from the fixed end toward the free end. In addition, a width of the electrode of each of the plurality of vibration arms increases from the fixed end towards the free end of the vibration arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Wakana Hirota
  • Patent number: 10659006
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: a base portion including a first end surface that faces a first direction and a second end surface that faces a direction opposite to the first direction, a first vibrating arm that is provided integrally with the base portion and is connected to the first end surface; and a second vibrating arm that is provided integrally with the base portion along the first vibrating arm and is connected to the first end surface. When the shortest distance between the first end surface and the second end surface is Wb and an effective width between the shortest distance Wb and the base portion is We, 0.81?Wb/We?1.70 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Yamada, Shuhei Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10608558
    Abstract: There is provided a wafer making it possible to stably break off the piezoelectric vibrator element. The wafer includes a piezoelectric vibrator element, a frame part, and a connection part adapted to connect the piezoelectric vibrator element and the frame part to each other, and the connection part is provided with a guide part adapted to guide force, which is applied to the connection part from one surface side in the thickness direction of the connection part when breaking off the piezoelectric vibrator element from the frame part at the connection part, to at least one side in the width direction of the connection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: SII CRYSTAL TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Naoya Ichimura
  • Patent number: 10594259
    Abstract: A resonator comprising a base portion, first and second vibrational arms, and a frame having first, second, third and fourth frame portions, the first and second frame portions extending in a common direction with the vibrational arms, third frame portion being connected to the base portion, the first frame portion being connected to the second frame portion through the third and fourth frame portions, each of the vibrational arms having a first vibrational portion including a first width and a first length, and a second vibrational portion including a second width greater the first width and a second length less than the first length, a groove being formed in at least one of main surfaces of each vibrational arm, and a spaced-apart distance between the second vibrational portions being less than a spaced-apart distance between the first frame portion and the first vibrational portion of the first vibrational arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: PIEDEK TECHNICAL LABORATORY
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 10581402
    Abstract: A piezoelectric quartz tuning fork resonator having a pair of tines formed from a common quartz plate, with a middle electrode and two outer electrodes being disposed at or on top and bottom surfaces of each of the pair of tines and interconnected such that the outer electrodes at or on the top and bottom surfaces of a first one of the pair of tines are connected in common with the middle electrodes on the top and bottom surfaces of a second one of the pair of tines and further interconnected such that the outer electrodes at or on the top and bottom surfaces of the second one of the pair of tines are connected in common with the middle electrodes on the top and bottom surfaces of the first one of the pair of tines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: HRL Laboratories, LLC
    Inventor: Randall L. Kubena
  • Patent number: 10326427
    Abstract: A resonator includes: a resonator element that includes a base portion and a resonating arm; and a base. When n is one natural number of 2 or greater and j is 1 or greater and a natural number which is less than or equal to n, the resonator element performs resonations with n inherent resonation modes. In a relationship between arbitrary integers kj and resonance frequencies fj corresponding to the n inherent resonation modes, respectively, when f1 represents the resonance frequency of the main resonation of the resonator element and a normalized frequency difference ?f is defined by ? ? ? f ? ( ? j = 2 n ? ? k j ? f j - k 1 - f 1 ) / f 1 , a relationship of |?f|?0.03 is satisfied. The arbitrary integers kj satisfy relationships of 3??j=1n|kj|?10 and n??j=1n|kj|. A ratio of an amount of a change in the resonance frequency of the main resonation, to excitation power that electrically excites the main resonation, is 20 [ppm/?W] or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 10222212
    Abstract: A vibrator element includes a drive arm. The drive arm includes an upper surface, a lower surface, a groove opened to the upper surface, and a groove opened to the lower surface. The upper surface is disposed to be deviated by L1 on a +X axis side from the lower surface. The groove is disposed to be deviated by L2 on the +X axis side from the groove. L1 and L2 satisfy a relation of L2/L1>0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keiji Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10190928
    Abstract: A flexible sensor that includes a printed circuit board (PCB), a capacitive structure on the PCB, and mechanical coupling sites. The PCB includes a slot extending from an outer edge of the PCB to an inner portion of the PCB, and the slot defines a first edge and a second edge facing the first edge. The first and second edges are separated by a gap when the PCB is in an unflexed state. The slot is configured to permit the PCB to flex so as to vary a relative position of the first edge with respect to the second edge. The capacitive structure on the PCB includes a first edge electrode on a portion of the first edge of the PCB, and a second edge electrode on a portion of a second edge of PCB. The second edge electrode is aligned with the first edge electrode across the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventor: Alexander Shai Shafer
  • Patent number: 10181836
    Abstract: A quartz crystal resonator element includes: a base portion and a pair of vibrating arms which extend from a first end portion of the base portion along a Y-axis direction. The base portion includes a second end portion provided on the opposite side to a first end portion in the Y-axis direction. The base portion is provided with a protrusion in at least one of a third end portion and a fourth end portion which respectively connect both ends of the first end portion and both ends of the second end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 10132631
    Abstract: An angular velocity sensor includes a first substrate having first and second surfaces, a vibrating member disposed on the first substrate and including a drive piece capable of vibrating along the first substrate, a second substrate disposed on the first surface side, a first drive piece control electrode, a first drive piece auxiliary electrode, and a first drive piece control circuit applying a voltage to the first drive piece auxiliary electrode. The first drive piece control circuit adjusts, based on the capacitance generated between the first drive piece control electrode and the first drive piece auxiliary electrode, the voltage to be applied to the first drive piece auxiliary electrode to maintain a constant distance between the first drive piece control electrode and the first drive piece auxiliary electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Minekazu Sakai, Naoki Yoshida, Kiyomasa Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 10128778
    Abstract: An energy harvester is provided. The energy harvester includes a housing, a permanent magnet that is disposed within the housing, and a mass body that has a relative position to the permanent magnet changed by a translational motion within the housing by vibration energy from the exterior and that is formed of a magnetic substance. Further, a piezoelectric body generates electricity while elastically supporting vibration with respect to the housing of the permanent magnet by the translational motion of the mass body and an induction coil is disposed within the housing to generate induction electricity based on the vibration of the permanent magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Il Seon Yoo
  • Patent number: 10088314
    Abstract: A gyro element includes a base section, vibrating arms connected to the base section, driving piezoelectric elements disposed on the vibrating arms and causing a flexural vibration in the drive vibration mode of X-axis in-phase and Z-axis inverse-phase, and detecting piezoelectric elements disposed on the vibrating arms and adapted to detect the angular velocity around the detection axis, and in a case of making the vibrating arms flexurally vibrate in the drive vibration mode, signals having respective phases reverse to each other are generated in the detecting piezoelectric elements, and in a case in which the angular velocity is applied while making the vibrating arms flexurally vibrate in the drive vibration mode, signals having respective phases the same as each other are generated in the detecting piezoelectric elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Keiji Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 10014801
    Abstract: A rectifier circuit rectifies power generation voltage of a piezoelectric element to generate DC voltage and supplies the power generation voltage to a load. Upon termination of a process started upon reception of the DC voltage supplied from the rectifier circuit, the load sets a discharge switch to a conduction state using an output port signal. The electric charge remaining in the piezoelectric element is reset to zero by the discharge switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chikahiro Horiguchi, Kohei Takahashi
  • Patent number: 10008961
    Abstract: A power generating device is disclosed that includes a power generating unit, an inductor, a switch connected to the inductor in series, and a control circuit. The power generating unit includes a piezoelectric element, and upper and lower electrodes disposed on surfaces of the piezoelectric element. The inductor is electrically connected to the electrodes in parallel, with the inductor and a capacitance component constituting a resonance circuit. The control circuit has a driving mode in which it controls the switch to an ON state in synchronism with the voltage generated in the piezoelectric element becoming a peak value. Further, in a rest mode, the control circuit controls the switch to be in an OFF state when the voltage generated in the piezoelectric element has the peak value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kanjuro Makihara, Hitoshi Sakaguchi, Chikahiro Horiguchi
  • Patent number: 9952071
    Abstract: A sensor unit includes a sensor module including a first plane and a second plane that crosses the first plane, and an armor body configured to house the sensor module. The armor body includes a first reference inner plane for positioning the first plane of the sensor module, a first reference outer plane parallel to the first reference inner plane and provided on an outer surface of the first reference inner plane, a second reference inner plane for positioning the second plane of the sensor module, and a second reference outer plane parallel to the second reference inner plane and provided on an outer surface of the second reference inner plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Mikimoto Jin, Tsutomu Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9866199
    Abstract: A vibrating device having tuning fork arms extending in a first direction that are joined to a base portion and are arranged side by side in an second direction. Each of the tuning fork arms has a structure that a silicon oxide layer is laminated on a Si layer made of a degenerate semiconductor, and that an excitation portion is provided on the silicon oxide layer. When a total thickness of the Si layer is denoted by T1, a total thickness of the silicon oxide layer is denoted by T2, and the temperature coefficient of resonant frequency (TCF) when the silicon oxide layer is not provided on the Si layer is denoted by x, a thickness ratio T2/(T1+T2) is within a range of (?0.0002x2?0.0136x+0.0014)±0.05.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshio Nishimura, Takashi Hase, Keisuke Takeyama, Hiroaki Kaida, Keiichi Umeda, Takehiko Kishi, Hiroshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 9786718
    Abstract: An integrated circuit system, structure and/or component is provided that includes an integrated electrical power source in a form of a unique, environmentally-friendly energy harvesting element or component. The energy harvesting component provides a mechanism for generating autonomous renewable energy, or a renewable energy supplement, in the integrated circuit system, structure and/or component. The energy harvesting element includes a first conductor layer, a low work function layer, a dielectric layer, and a second conductor layer that are particularly configured to promote electron migration from the low work function layer, through the dielectric layer, to the facing surface of the second conductor layer in a manner that develops an electric potential between the first conductor layer and the second conductor layer. An energy harvesting component includes a plurality of energy harvesting elements electrically connected to one another to increase a power output of the electric harvesting component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Face International Corporation
    Inventor: Clark D Boyd
  • Patent number: 9748467
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator element is more stably bonded to reduce the displacement with respect to an external force. The piezoelectric vibrator element is provided with a pair of vibrating arm parts extending from a base, and support arm parts extending from the base on both outer sides of the vibrating arm parts in parallel thereto. Further, the piezoelectric vibrator element is bonded on a mounting part in the package with the pair of support arm parts to thereby be fixedly held. Two or more bonding regions of each of the support arm parts are disposed in the longitudinal direction. In the longitudinal direction, the bonding region on the base side is disposed on the base side of the centroid of the piezoelectric vibrator element. Thus, the length from the bonding point to the tip of the vibrating arm part can be shortened, and the displacement at the tip of the vibrating arm part can be reduced with respect to an impact from the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SII CRYSTAL TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9705472
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: a base portion including a first end surface that faces a first direction and a second end surface that faces a direction opposite to the first direction, a first vibrating arm that is provided integrally with the base portion and is connected to the first end surface; and a second vibrating arm that is provided integrally with the base portion along the first vibrating arm and is connected to the first end surface. When the shortest distance between the first end surface and the second end surface is Wb and an effective width between the shortest distance Wb and the base portion is We, 0.81?Wb/We?1.70 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Yamada, Shuhei Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9654083
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a base portion and a pair of vibrating arms that are provided integrally with the base portion, are aligned in an X-axis direction, and extend in a Y-axis direction from the base portion. Each of the vibrating arms includes an arm portion and a wide hammerhead that is located on the free end side of the arm portion and has a greater length in the X-axis direction than the arm portion. Assuming that the length of the vibrating arm in the Y-axis direction is L and the length of the hammerhead in the Y-axis direction is H, the relationship of 1.2%<H/L<30.0% is satisfied. Assuming that the length of the arm portion in the X-axis direction is W1 and the length of the hammerhead in the X-axis direction is W2, the relationship of 1.5?W2/W1?10.0 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 9590588
    Abstract: A pair of vibrating arm portions are disposed lined up in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction and are configured such that base end sides thereof in the first direction are fixed to a base portion. A pair of inclined surfaces are formed on both sides in the second direction on the base end side of the vibrating arm portion so that a width of the vibrating arm portion in the second direction is gradually widened from the distal end side to the base end side. A length of a region, having the pair of inclined surfaces formed therein, in the first direction is set to equal to or greater than 0.25 times and equal to or less than 0.5 times of a total length of the vibrating arm portion from the base end to the distal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: SII CRYSTAL TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Takashi Kobayashi, Naoya Ichimura
  • Patent number: 9584094
    Abstract: A pair of vibrating arms are arranged side by side in a second direction crossing the first direction, base end sides of which in the first direction are fixed to the base, a pair of inclined surfaces are formed in both sides of the base end of the vibrating arm in the second direction, an end portion in the base end side of an inner inclined surface is connected to an end surface in the tip end side of the base, and an end portion in the base end side of an outer inclined surface is connected to an end surface of the base in the second direction, and the base-end side end portion of the outer inclined surface is arranged closer to the tip end side than the base-end side end portion of the inner inclined surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: SII CRYSTAL TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Naoya Ichimura
  • Patent number: 9548719
    Abstract: A tuning fork type piezoelectric vibration piece 2 includes a base portion 25 in which a piezoelectric vibration substrate has a connection area with an external element, and a pair of leg portions 21, 22 projecting from a first end face of the base portion. The pair of leg portions has vibrating portions 212, 222 equipped with drive electrodes, wide weight portions 211, 221 formed at tip ends of the vibrating portions, and connecting portions 213, 223 between the vibrating portions and the weight portions. The connecting portions have widening sections whose width increases exponentially from the vibrating portions to the weight portions. The length of the widening sections is greater than their width. The weight portions have constant-width parts whose width is fixed from their connecting positions with the connecting portions. The weight portions are free of drive electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: DAISHINKU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Sakamoto, Satoru Ishino, Tomo Fujii
  • Patent number: 9548718
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration piece includes: a base portion; a pair of vibration arm portions which extends in a first (+Y) direction from the base portion, and is arranged separately in a second (X) direction intersecting with the first (+Y) direction; and a support arm portion which extends in the first (+Y) direction from the base portion. The support arm portion, includes a first arm portion formed such that a width which is a length along the second (X) direction is gradually narrowed towards a tip end portion side of the support arm portion, and a second arm portion which extends in the first (+Y) direction from the first arm portion and is formed such that the width is broadened towards the tip end portion side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: SII CRYSTAL TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9534895
    Abstract: A vibrating element includes a vibration portion including a first main surface, a second main surface, a first side surface, and a second side surface, and extending in a first direction. The vibration portion includes a first groove formed in the first main surface and a second groove formed in the second main surface, and in a plan view seen from a direction perpendicular to the first main surface, the first groove and the second groove are provided to shift in opposite directions from each other, in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Ishii, Takayuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9534894
    Abstract: In order to provide a resonator element having high production efficiency and low impedance in a small size, the resonator element includes a base portion, and a driving arm which extends from the base portion and includes a through hole, in which the driving arm vibrates along an in-plane direction, and includes a plurality of broad portions of which a width in the in-plane direction is broad and a plurality of narrow portions of which a width in the in-plane direction is narrow which alternate with each other, and the through hole is disposed in the broad portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Fumio Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 9509277
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator has a piezoelectric vibrating reed mounted on an upper layer base substrate through a conductive adhesive, in which the piezoelectric vibrating reed includes a first vibrating arm and a second vibrating arm extending along a first direction and arranged side by side in a second direction, a base supporting the first vibrating arm and the second vibrating arm and a first support arm and a second support arm positioned in the outer side of the first vibrating arm and the second vibrating arm in the second direction and bonded to the upper layer base substrate, in which an extrusion amount of the conductive adhesive in the inner side of the first support arm and the second support arm is smaller than an extrusion amount of the conductive adhesive in the outer side of the first support arm and the second support arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SII CRYSTAL TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9455683
    Abstract: The present invention presents a piezoelectric piece for a piezoelectric vibrator and a manufacturing method thereof. The piezoelectric piece for a piezoelectric vibrator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: a base; and a vibrating arm connected to the base and having a groove formed therein. Here, one surface inside the groove includes: a first slope extended from an upper portion of the groove in a lower direction so as to have a first angle; and a second slope extended from a lower portion of the first slope in a lower direction so as to have a second angle that is greater than the first angle, and a rate of a depth of the first slope for a depth of the groove is greater than or equal to 0.5 and less than or equal to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Je-Hong Kyoung, Ho-Phil Jung, Tae-Joon Park, Won Han, Sung-Wook Kim
  • Patent number: 9425768
    Abstract: A resonator element has a base part, vibrating arms having first principal surfaces and second principal surfaces in front-rear relationships with each other and extending from the base part, and side surfaces connected to the first principal surfaces and the second principal surfaces on ends of the vibrating arms, and the side surfaces are slopes having tilts with respect to perpendicular lines of the first principal surfaces or the second principal surfaces and provided from the first principal surfaces to the second principal surfaces, and crystal faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Yamada, Shuhei Yoshida