"u" Or "tuning Fork" Shape Patents (Class 310/370)
  • Patent number: 8866567
    Abstract: A quartz crystal unit has a quartz crystal tuning fork resonator having a thickness within a range of 0.05 mm to 0.18 mm, and at least one groove formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of first and second tuning fork tines so that a length of the at least one groove is within a range of 20% to 78% of an overall length of the resonator and less than 1.29 mm. An electrode is disposed on at least one of a base portion and a surface of the at least one groove so that the electrode of the first tuning fork tine has an electrical polarity opposite to an electrical polarity of the electrode of the second tuning fork tine. The capacitance ratio r2 of a second overtone mode of vibration of the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator is greater than 1500. The quartz crystal tuning fork resonator is housed in a case having an open end, and a lid is connected to the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Piedek Technical Laboratory
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20140290362
    Abstract: A vibrator element has a first vibration mode in which first and second detection portions perform flexural vibration in opposite directions in the opposite phase to first and second driving portions which vibrate in opposite directions according to a Coriolis force, and a second vibration mode in which the first and second detection portions perform flexural vibration in opposite directions in the same phase as the first and second driving portions which vibrate in opposite directions according to a Coriolis force. A ratio r=R2/R1 of equivalent series resistance R2 at the time of the second vibration mode to equivalent series resistance R1 at the time of the first vibration mode is set between 0.15 and 6.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji NAKAGAWA, Ryuta NISHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20140292433
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a base portion and a pair of vibrating arms that are provided integrally with the base portion and extend in a Y-axis direction from a distal end of the base portion. When the lengths of the vibrating arms are set to L and the lengths of hammerheads are set to H, a relation of 0.183?H/L?0.597 is satisfied. When a resonance frequency of a basic vibration mode is set to ?0 and a resonance frequency of a vibration mode different from the basic vibration mode is set to ?1, a relation of (|?0??1|)/?0?0.124 is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Yamada, Shuhei Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20140292435
    Abstract: A resonator includes a resonator element including a base section, vibrating arms extending from the base section, and a support arm disposed between the vibrating arms, a package adapted to support the resonator element, and electrically-conductive adhesives adapted to fix the support arm to the package, the support arm includes a tip portion and a width-decreasing portion having a width smaller than the width of the tip portion, and the electrically-conductive adhesive has contact with at least a part of the width-decreasing portion in a planar view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20140292432
    Abstract: A resonator includes: a resonator element including a base portion, and a pair of vibrating arms which are integrally provided with the base portion, extend in a first direction from the base portion, and are arranged in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a base which supports the resonator element; and a fixing portion which fixes the resonator element with respect to the base, and the resonator element is configured so as to satisfy conditions shown by the following formula (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20140292431
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a quartz crystal substrate having a base, a pair of vibration arms extending from the base, and a support arm located between the vibration arms and extending from the base in the direction in which the vibration arms extend. Each of the vibration arms has an arm portion and a hammer head provided at the front end of the arm portion. The arm portion has a pair of principal surfaces and a groove that has a bottom and opens through each of the principal surfaces. In the invention, the width of each of bank-shaped portions of each of the principal surfaces that are disposed side by side on opposite sides of the groove along the width direction of the vibration arm perpendicular to the longitudinal direction thereof is set at 6 ?m or smaller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8847694
    Abstract: A quartz crystal vibrator element having the weight section is provided with the intermediate weight section formed to have an arm width W1 larger (thicker) than the arm width W of the vibrating arm section and smaller (thinner) than the arm width W2 of the tip weight section, thereby making the intermediate weight section follow the vibration (the amplitude) of the vibrating arm section. Further, the tip weight section formed to have an arm width W2 larger (thicker) than the arm width W1 of the intermediate weight section is provided, thereby making the tip weight section follow the vibration (the amplitude) of the vibrating arm section and the intermediate weight section. Therefore, the vibration characteristics of the vibrating arm section can be stabilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hideo Tanaya
  • Publication number: 20140265736
    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: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20140269220
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating piece including: a pair of vibrating arm sections which has a groove section, respectively; a base section which is disposed between the pair of vibrating arm sections; and a connecting section which connects each base end of the pair of vibrating arm sections and the base section. If a length from a base end to a leading end of the vibrating arm section in a longitudinal direction of the vibrating arm section is Lv, and a length from the base end of the vibrating arm section to an end of the connecting section on the opposite side to the vibrating arm section is Lc, a relationship of Lc/Lv?0.1 is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Masanori TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140254328
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating piece includes: a pair of vibrating arm sections which are disposed at a distance away from each other in a width direction of a base section; the base section to which each base end of the pair of vibrating arm sections is connected; and a support arm section that is connected to the base section between the pair of vibrating arm sections and extends from the base section to the same side as the pair of vibrating arm sections, in which convex sections are formed continuous with side surfaces of roots of the vibrating arm sections and side surfaces of the base section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Masanori TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140253254
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: at least one resonating arm extending, wherein the resonating arm has a mechanical resonance frequency which is higher than a thermal relaxation frequency thereof, the resonating arm has a groove portion, the groove portion includes a bottom portion, a first side surface that extends along the longitudinal direction of the resonating arm and comes into contact with the opened principal surface and the bottom portion, and a second side surface that faces the first side surface with the bottom portion disposed therebetween and comes into contact with the opened principal surface and the bottom portion, and the groove portion has a non-electrode region which extends from a part of the first side surface close to the bottom portion to a part of the second side surface close to the bottom portion and in which no electrode is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20140254329
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating piece is provided including: a pair of vibrating arm sections; a base section which is provided between the pair of vibrating arm sections; and connecting sections which connect base end sections of the pair of vibrating arm sections and a base end section of the base section, in which the vibrating arm sections have bending points and the vibrating arm sections extend in a direction away from the base section from the base end sections of the vibrating arm sections to the bending points, and the vibrating arm sections extend along the base section from the bending points to leading end sections of the vibrating arm sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Masanori TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140251010
    Abstract: In a quartz crystal unit, the unit comprising a quartz crystal resonator having an overall length less than 2.1 mm, and a base portion, and first and second vibrational arms, at least one groove being formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms so that a width of the at least one groove is greater than or equal to a distance in the width direction of the at least one groove measured from an outer edge of the at least one groove to an outer edge of the corresponding one of the first and second vibrational arms and less than 0.07 mm, at least one metal film for adjusting an oscillation frequency of the quartz crystal resonator being disposed on at least one of the opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: PIEDEK TECHNICAL LABORATORY
    Inventor: Hirofumi KAWASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20140253253
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a piezoelectric substrate that includes a vibration portion, and a thick portion which is integrally formed with an outer edge excluding a partial outer edge in an outer edge of the vibration portion and which is thicker than the vibration portion, and a pair of excitation electrodes that are respectively provided on a first main surface and a second main surface of a vibration region which are in front and rear relationships. In addition, the piezoelectric substrate includes first and second beam portions that are provided along a fourth side of the vibration portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Masayuki KIKUSHIMA, Masako TANAKA, Naohisa OBATA, Yukihiro UNNO
  • Patent number: 8823248
    Abstract: A flexural vibration element according to a first aspect of the invention includes: a vibration element body composed of a plurality of vibrating arms provided in parallel, a connecting part connecting the vibrating arms, and one central supporting arms extending between the vibrating arms from the connecting pert in parallel with the vibrating arms at equal distance from the arms and a frame body disposed outside the vibration element body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Publication number: 20140241132
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator is provided in which a piezoelectric vibrating piece is accommodated in a package, the piezoelectric vibrating piece including: a pair of vibrating arm sections; a base section to which each base end of the pair of vibrating arm sections is connected; and a support arm section that is connected to the base section between the pair of vibrating arm sections and extends from the base section to the same side as the vibrating arm sections, in which the piezoelectric vibrating piece is supported within the package in mount sections provided in the support arm section, and in which the mount sections are provided in a region which is defined between a position of which a distance from an end section of the base section opposite to the side where the support arm section is connected to the side of a leading end of the support arm section is 25% of a width dimension of the base section along the width direction and a position of which the distance is 65% of the width dimension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SII CRYSTAL TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventor: Masanori TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140239776
    Abstract: A tuning fork type vibrator element, as a vibrator element, includes a base formed on a plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, a connection portion extending in a first axis direction from the base, with a thickness thereof being smaller than that of the base and a vibrating arm extending in the first axis direction from one end portion of the connection portion, with a thickness thereof being the same as that of the connection portion, in which the vibrating arm performs flexural vibration along a vertical direction with respect to the plane, and in which the connection portion is provided such that a relationship between a length L2 in the first axis direction of the connection portion and a length L1 in the first axis direction of the vibrating arm falls within a range of L1/15?L2?L1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 8816572
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: at least one resonating arm which performs flexural vibration; a base portion connected to an end of the resonating arm; and a tapered portion which is axisymmetrical with respect to a centerline which bisects the width of the resonating arm, and which has a width increasing toward a portion of the tapered portion connected to the base portion from a portion of the tapered portion connected to the resonating arm, wherein assuming that the length and width of the resonating arm are L and W and the length and width of the tapered portion are Lt and Wt, the shape of the tapered portion is controlled to satisfy a taper length occupancy ?=Lt/L and a taper width occupancy ?=2Wt/W.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8816574
    Abstract: A flexural vibration element according to a first aspect of the invention includes: a vibration element body composed of a plurality of vibrating arms provided in parallel, a connecting part connecting the vibrating arms, and one central supporting arm extending between the vibrating arms from the connecting part in parallel with the vibrating arms at equal distance from the arms; and a frame body disposed outside the vibration element body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8816573
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration piece that can ensure good drive level characteristics and a piezoelectric vibrator, oscillator, electronic device and radio-controlled timepiece in which the piezoelectric vibration piece is used are provided. The width of the base-end side of the grooves 5 is narrower than that of the tip side of the grooves 5. The base 4 includes: a mount section 4a on the outer surface of which mount electrodes 12, 13 are formed to mount the piezoelectric vibration piece 1; and an intermediate section 4b that is connected to the mount section 4a and the pair of vibrating arms 3a, 3b so as to be positioned between the mount section 4a and the pair of vibrating arms 3a, 3b, on the outer surface of which leading electrodes 14a, 14b that connect the pair of excitation electrodes 10, 11 and the mount electrodes 12, 13 are formed. The width of the mount section 4a is wider than that of the intermediate section 4b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8806738
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a quartz crystal unit, comprising the steps of forming a quartz crystal tuning fork shape having a quartz crystal tuning fork base, and first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines, a quartz crystal tuning fork resonator having the quartz crystal tuning fork shape, forming at least one groove in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second quartz crystal tuning fork tines, determining each of a length of the at least one groove and an overall length of the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator so that a series resistance R1 of a fundamental mode of vibration of the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator is less than a series resistance R2 of a second overtone mode of vibration thereof, housing the quartz crystal tuning fork resonator in a case, connecting a lid to the case, and disposing a metal or a glass in a through-hole of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Piedek Technical Laboratory
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 8803407
    Abstract: The piezoelectric device comprises a piezoelectric vibrating piece having a base portion, a pair of vibrating arms extending in a specified direction from the base portion, and a pair of connection portions disposed on the pair of the supporting arms; a package having a bottom surface which accommodates the piezoelectric vibrating piece and side faces surrounding the bottom surface, in which a pair of electrode pads corresponding to the connection portions are formed on the bottom surface; and adhesive for bonding the pair of the electrode pads with the pair of connection portions. One electrode pad and the other electrode pad, with adhesive applied to the electrode pads, are shifted with respect to each other in a predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Kawase, Toshiaki Motegi, Shingo Kawanishi
  • Patent number: 8803626
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration reed includes a pair of vibrating arm portions arranged in parallel to each other and a base portion. The base portion is integrally coupled to proximal ends of the pair of the vibrating arm portions in a longitudinal direction that the vibrating arm portions extend. The base portion includes a connecting portion, a mount portion, and a narrow portion between the connecting portion and the mount portion. The base portion further includes a pair of notched portions notched respectively inwardly from both sides of the base portion in the width direction and ribs projecting outwardly in the width direction of the base portion and arranged in the interiors of the notched portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Daishi Arimatsu
  • Publication number: 20140192628
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating piece includes a pair of vibrating arm portions, a base portion which is arranged between a pair of vibrating arm portions, and connecting portions which connect proximal end portions of a pair of vibrating arm portions and a proximal end portion of the base portion. Narrow width portions are provided at the base of the base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Masanori TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140192625
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating piece includes a pair of vibrating arm portions which are arranged with a center axis interposed therebetween, a base portion which is arranged between a pair of vibrating arm portions and fixed to the outside, and a pair of connecting portions which connect proximal end portions of a pair of vibrating arm portions and a proximal end portion of the base portion. The distance between distal end portions of the vibrating arm portions and the center axis is smaller than the distance between the proximal end portions of the vibrating arm portions and the center axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Masanori TAMURA
  • Patent number: 8766515
    Abstract: Deterioration of the Q value caused by the thermoelastic effect is suppressed. Since a first depth of a first groove and a second depth of a second groove are smaller than a distance between a surface including a third surface and a surface including a fourth surface, the first and second grooves do not penetrate between the surface including the third surface and the surface including the fourth surface. In addition, the sum of the first depth of the first groove and the second depth of the second groove is greater than the distance between the third and fourth surfaces, a heat transfer path between a first expandable portion (the first surface) and a second expandable portion (the second surface) cannot be formed as a straight line. As such, the heat transfer path between the first expandable portion (the first surface) and a second expandable portion (the second surface) is made to detour to the first and second grooves and and thus be lengthened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Furuhata, Takeo Funakawa, Takashi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8766516
    Abstract: A unit comprises a quartz crystal resonator having a base portion, and first and second vibrational arms, each of the first and second vibrational arms having opposite main surfaces. At least two grooves are formed in at least one of the opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms so that a distance in the width direction of the at least two grooves measured from an outer edge of the one of the at least two grooves to an outer edge of the other of the at least two grooves is less than 0.05 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Piedek Technical Laboratory
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 8760235
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: at least one resonating arm extending, wherein the resonating arm has a mechanical resonance frequency which is higher than a thermal relaxation frequency thereof, the resonating arm has a groove portion, the groove portion includes a bottom portion, a first side surface that extends along the longitudinal direction of the resonating arm and comes into contact with the opened principal surface and the bottom portion, and a second side surface that faces the first side surface with the bottom portion disposed therebetween and comes into contact with the opened principal surface and the bottom portion, and the groove portion has a non-electrode region which extends from a part of the first side surface close to the bottom portion to a part of the second side surface close to the bottom portion and in which no electrode is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Patent number: 8760041
    Abstract: A resonator element includes: a base portion provided on a plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to the first axis; a vibrating arm extending from the base portion in the first axis direction; and a first mass portion for adjusting a resonance frequency of the vibrating arm, wherein the vibrating arm performs flexural vibration in a direction perpendicular to the plane and has a first surface which contracts or expands with the flexural vibration and a second surface which expands when the first surface contracts and contracts when the first surface expands, and wherein the first mass portion is provided on at least one of the first and second surfaces and approximately at the center of the length of the vibrating arm from a base-side end to a tip end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Kawai
  • Patent number: 8760234
    Abstract: A MEMS vibrator includes: a substrate; a first electrode disposed above the substrate; and a second electrode disposed in a state where at least one portion of the second electrode has a space between the first electrode and the second electrode, and having a beam portion capable of vibrating, in the thickness direction of the substrate, with electrostatic force and a supporting portion supporting one edge of the beam portion and disposed above the substrate, wherein a supporting side face of the supporting portion supporting the one edge has a bending portion which bends in plan view from the thickness direction of the substrate, and the one edge is supported by the supporting side face including the bending portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shogo Inaba
  • Publication number: 20140167870
    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: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8749124
    Abstract: A quartz crystal unit comprises a quartz crystal resonator having an overall length less than 2.1 mm, a base portion, and first and second vibrational arms connected to the base portion. At least one groove is formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms so that a width of the at least one groove formed in the at least one of the opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms is less than a spaced-apart distance between the first and second vibrational arms. The quartz crystal resonator is housed in a case, and a lid being connected to the case to cover an open end of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Piedek Technical Laboratory
    Inventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
  • Patent number: 8749122
    Abstract: Provided are a vacuum package and a method for manufacturing the vacuum package having excellent airtightness and capable of improving mounting strength, and a piezoelectric vibrator, an oscillator, an electronic device, and a radio-controlled timepiece. The package includes a base substrate and a lid substrate bonded to each other, a cavity formed between the base substrate and the lid substrate and configured to be capable of sealing a piezoelectric vibrating reed, and penetration electrodes penetrating through the base substrate in the thickness direction so as to make the inner side of the cavity and the outer side conductive. Portions of the base substrate and the lid substrate in the vicinity of the cavity form bonding regions in which the two substrates are bonded. A notch portion through which the bonding surface of the lid substrate is exposed as seen from the thickness direction of the base substrate is formed on the corner portions of the base substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Aratake
  • Publication number: 20140152153
    Abstract: A piezoelectric substrate includes rod-shaped resonating arms; a base portion that connects one set of end portions of the respective resonating arms; weight portions which are formed on the other end portions of the respective resonating arms and which have a width larger than that of the respective resonating arms; and groove portions which are formed on each of the front and rear surfaces along the center line of vibration of the respective resonating arms. The piezoelectric substrate also includes excitation electrodes which are formed on each of the front and rear surfaces of the respective resonating arms including the inner side of the respective groove portions. A plurality of frequency adjustment slits extending in a straight line form along the longitudinal direction of the respective resonating arms are formed on the respective weight portions so as to penetrate through the front and rear surfaces of the weight portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8736152
    Abstract: An exemplary tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece has a rectangular base having upper and lower main surfaces and a pair of vibrating arms extending longitudinally from the base. The vibrating arms also have the upper and lower main surfaces. Each main surface of each vibrating arm defines a respective vibrating-arm groove extending longitudinally into the base. Each main surface of the base has at least one respective step-side surface situated outboard, in an X-axis direction, of each vibrating-arm groove. Each step-side surface is parallel with the respective vibrating-arm groove. A first electrode is situated on the vibrating-arm grooves of the first vibrating arm and on the at least one respective step-side surface on each main surface. A second electrode is situated on the vibrating-arm grooves of the second vibrating arm and on the at least one respective step-side surface on each main surface. The first and second electrodes are energized with different electrical polarities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Iwai
  • Patent number: 8732938
    Abstract: An improved method of packaging a sensor is provided. The method includes the step of affixing a tuning fork to a platform. The tuning fork includes tines comprising one or more surfaces, with each tine further comprising an electrode and a piezoelectric material. An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is affixed to the platform. Electrical communication between the ASIC and the electrode of each tine is established for providing stimulus to the tuning fork and for receiving a response signal from the tuning fork. A protective layer is applied to cover the platform and a portion of the tuning fork while maintaining a portion of a surface of each tine free from the protective layer such that the surface can displace the fluid in contact therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignees: MEAS France, Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Oleg Kolosov, Leonid Matsiev, John F. Varni, G. Cameron Dales, Olaf Ludtke, Dirk Wullner, Andreas Buhrdorf, Heiko Dobrinski
  • Patent number: 8729780
    Abstract: Piezoelectric vibrating pieces are disclosed that include a base, a pair of vibrating arms, and a pair of supporting arms. The base is fabricated of piezoelectric material. The vibrating arms extend straight from the base in a designated longitudinal direction and having a first thickness. A respective supporting arm extends straight from the base and outboard of each vibrating arm in the designated longitudinal direction. Each supporting arm includes at least a respective second region that has second thickness different from the first thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroki Iwai
  • Patent number: 8723401
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes: a piezoelectric vibrating reed; and a package, wherein the piezoelectric vibrating reed has a vibrating part and first and second supporting arms extending from a base end part, the package has a base, a lid, a cavity defined by the base and the lid, a convex part projecting from the base or the lid into the cavity, a length of the first supporting arm is shorter than a length of the second supporting arm, and the convex part is provided in a range ahead of a leading end of the first vibrating arm in an extension direction of the first supporting arm and at least partially overlapping with the second supporting arm in a length direction of the piezoelectric vibrating reed so as not to overlap with the piezoelectric vibrating reed in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuo Ishikawa, Akitoshi Hara
  • Patent number: 8716922
    Abstract: An exemplary tuning-fork type quartz-crystal vibrating piece includes a base, a pair of vibrating arms, and a connecting electrode electrically connectable to an internal conductive member of a package. The base and vibrating arms are made of a piezoelectric material. The vibrating arms extend in a prescribed direction from the base and have at least one excitation electrode that is electrically connected to the connecting electrode. Each vibrating arm has an upper and a lower axis main surface each defining a respective groove extending in the prescribed direction. Each vibrating arm also has axis edge-side surfaces extending between the first and second axis main surfaces. The excitation electrode includes a surface electrode located inside the grooves on the axis main surfaces of at least one vibrating arm and a side electrode located on the axis edge-side surfaces of the at least one vibrating arm. The surface connecting electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shingo Kawanishi
  • Publication number: 20140118079
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a base portion which includes one end portion and the other end portion opposing the one end portion in a plan view, and a pair of vibrating arms which extend along a first direction from the one end portion of the base portion. The base portion includes a reduced width portion in which a width is gradually decreased along a second direction intersecting the first direction toward a direction side which is separated from the base portion along the first direction, in at least one of the one end portion and the other end portion, and a fixing portion is provided between the one end portion and the other end portion of the base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori YAMADA, Osamu IWAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20140111065
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating strip includes a pair of vibrating arm portions in parallel with a central axis therebetween, and a base portion integrally cantilevering base end portions of the pair of vibrating arm portions in a length direction. Each of the pair of vibrating arm portions has a first groove portion and a second groove portion in a main face, the first groove portion being placed closer to a leading end portion in the length direction of the vibrating arm portions and having a groove width along a width direction orthogonal to the length direction and a thickness direction of the vibrating arm portion. The second groove portion is closer to the base end portion than the first groove portion and has a groove width along the width direction. The groove width ratio of the second groove portion to the first groove portion is between 0.4 and 1.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8692632
    Abstract: A resonator element includes a base portion in which a pair of notches is formed, a pair of resonating arms which is extended in parallel from one end side of a first portion of the base portion. The resonating arm is provided with a bottomed elongated groove which has an opening along at least one principal surface of both principal surfaces and a weight portion which is formed at the tip end side of the resonating arm on the opposite side of a root of the resonating arm attached to the base portion and which has a larger width than on the root side. The weight portion is formed so that the proportion of the length of the weight portion to the length from the root to the tip end side in a longitudinal direction of the resonating arm is within a range of 35% to 41%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Akinori Yamada
  • Publication number: 20140078870
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating piece, a piezoelectric vibrator, an oscillator, an electronic apparatus and a radio timepiece capable of reducing the size while suppressing reduction of rigidity and having excellent vibration characteristics. The piezoelectric vibrating piece includes a pair of vibrating arm portions in parallel to each other, a base portion integrally fixing base end portions of the pair of vibrating arm portions in a length direction, groove portions on main surfaces of the pair of vibrating arm portions and extending along the length direction, where each of the groove portions includes a first groove portion near a tip portion end of the vibrating arm portions and a second groove portion near the base end portion side of the vibrating arm portions with respect to the first groove portion, and the second groove portion is offset in a ?X axis direction with respect to the first groove portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Takashi KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20140077664
    Abstract: A gyro element as a vibrator element fulfills the relationship: |fd?fy1|>|fd?fy2|, where fd is a drive vibrational frequency of first through fourth drive vibration arms, fy1 is a y1-mode vibrational frequency of a y1 mode, in which a base section and the first through fourth drive vibration arms vibrate in the same direction along a first direction (a y-axis direction) in which the first drive vibration arm extends, and fy2 is a y2-mode vibrational frequency of a y2 mode in which the base section vibrates along the first direction and the first through fourth drive vibration arms vibrate along the first direction in an opposite direction to a direction in which the base section vibrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichiro Ogura, Takayuki Kikuchi, Keiichi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8674590
    Abstract: A vibrating piece substrate includes: a plurality of tuning-fork vibrating pieces each having a base portion, and vibration arm portions and support arm portions extending from the base portion; a frame portion; and a plurality of linking portions connecting the frame portion and the plurality of tuning-fork vibrating pieces, wherein the support arm portions extend in the same direction as the direction in which the vibration arm portions extend, and the support arm portions have a length smaller than the vibration arm portions, the tuning-fork vibrating pieces are arranged such that the vibration arm portions of adjacent tuning-fork vibrating pieces sandwich the region of a portion of the frame portion therebetween, measurement pads are formed in the region of the frame portion sandwiched between the vibration arm portions, and wiring lines are formed in the linking portions to provide electric conduction between the tuning-fork vibrating pieces and the measurement pads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 8663487
    Abstract: The invention is directed to the provision of a method for manufacturing a crystal oscillator manufacturing method that can achieve a highly precise fine adjustment without applying unnecessary external force to a crystal oscillator, and that can adjust a plurality of crystal oscillators in a collective manner. More specifically, the invention provides a method for manufacturing a crystal oscillator includes a first etching step for forming a prescribed external shape, an electrode forming step for forming an electrode at least in a portion of a surface of the external shape, a leakage amount measuring step for measuring leakage amount associated with leakage vibration of the external shape, and a second etching step for etching the external shape by an amount that is determined based on a measurement result of the leakage amount measuring step so as to adjust balance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiko Katoh, Tohru Yanagisawa
  • Patent number: 8665032
    Abstract: A flexural mode resonator element includes: a vibration arm extending from a base end toward a tip; a base joined to the vibration arm at the base end; and supporting arms arranged on both sides of the base in a width direction perpendicular to an extending direction of the vibration arm and joined to the base, wherein the base has a reduced cross-section portion disposed along the extending direction of the vibration arm between a joint portion with the vibration arm and a joint portion with the supporting arms, and the reduced cross-section portion is disposed so as to satisfy a relationship 2×W1?L?6×W1 where L is the length of the reduced cross-section portion in the extending direction of the vibration arm, and W1 is the arm width of the vibration arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Tanaya, Yoshiyuki Yamada
  • Publication number: 20140055206
    Abstract: A resonator element capable of improving impact resistance is provided. A quartz crystal resonator element is a resonator element formed by etching a Z plate which is cut at predetermined angles with respect to the crystal axes of a quartz crystal. The quartz crystal resonator element includes a base, a pair of resonating arms extending from the base in the Y-axis direction, and a positive X-axis notch and a negative X-axis notch formed by notching the base in the X-axis direction. The positive X-axis notch is formed by notching the base from the negative side of the X axis towards the positive side so that the width of the positive X-axis notch increases as it approaches the outer circumference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akinori YAMADA, Shuhei YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 8659211
    Abstract: An electro-mechanical transducer is disclosed, which provides a very low frequency wide band response from a bender (or benders) using piezoelectric cantilevers or center mounted free edge disc, providing additive output between the resonant frequencies achieving this response at great depths under equivalent free flooded conditions with additionally improved response with silicone rubber to reduce the acoustic cancellation associated with the dipole mode of vibration of the bender.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Image Acoustics, Inc.
    Inventors: John L. Butler, Alexander L. Butler
  • Patent number: 8653899
    Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator, an oscillator, an electronic device and a ratio timepiece are provided which are capable of increasing a capacitance C0 while achieving miniaturization and cost reduction. The piezoelectric vibrator includes a base substrate, a lid substrate, a piezoelectric vibrating reed on which an excitation electrode is formed, and external electrodes. An electrode pattern for capacitance adjustment, which extends along a routing electrode, is provided extending from a routing electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: SII Crystal Technology Inc.
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Aratake