"u" Or "tuning Fork" Shape Patents (Class 310/370)
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Publication number: 20100171397Abstract: A flexural vibration element 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. In the flexural vibration element, the vibration element body is supported by the frame body at an end part, which is opposite to the connecting part, of the central supporting arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2009Publication date: July 8, 2010Applicant: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATIONInventor: Akinori YAMADA
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Publication number: 20100164331Abstract: A flexural vibration element includes: a plurality of vibrating arms provided in parallel with each other; 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. In the flexural vibration element, the connecting part has a groove formed on each of front and rear surfaces thereof, and the groove is provided in an area of the connecting part in which compressive stress and tensile stress due to flexural vibration of the vibrating arms alternately occur at a vibrating arm side and an opposite side of the vibrating arm side, in a width direction of the vibrating arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2009Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicant: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATIONInventor: Akinori YAMADA
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Publication number: 20100164332Abstract: Piezoelectric vibrating pieces are disclosed that include a base portion and first and second vibrating arms extending in a longitudinal direction from the base portion. Each vibrating arm has first and second main surfaces, a first groove on the first main surface, and a second groove on the second main surface. The grooves extend in the longitudinal. By adjusting the length and shapes of at least the first grooves relative to each other, the rigidity of the vibrating arms can be balanced and adverse effects of deformed regions between the vibrating arms caused by anomalous etching can be reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2009Publication date: July 1, 2010Inventor: Shingo Kawanishi
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Publication number: 20100164328Abstract: Piezoelectric frames are disclosed that include a tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece. The vibrating piece has at least a pair of vibrating arms that extend in a longitudinal direction (e.g., Y-direction) from a first end edge of a piezoelectric base, and at least one excitation electrode on the pair of vibrating arms. Respective supporting arms extend in the longitudinal direction, outboard of each vibrating arm. The vibrating piece is surrounded by and attached to a frame portion also made of piezoelectric material. A pair of connecting portions connects the supporting arms to the frame portion. The connecting portions extend from respective supporting arms to the frame portion in a direction that intersects the longitudinal direction. The connecting portions are connected to the frame portion at designated locations that are more than 50% of the designated length of the vibrating piece from the second end edge of the base.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2009Publication date: July 1, 2010Inventor: Hiroki Iwai
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Publication number: 20100156237Abstract: A tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece (20) is comprised of a base portion (23) comprising a piezoelectric material, a pair of vibrating arms (21) extends parallel from the base portion with a first thickness, a excitation electrode film (33, 34) formed on the vibrating arms, a pair of tuning portions (28) formed at the distal ends of the vibrating arms (21) with a second thickness which is less than the first thickness; and a metal film (18) formed on at least one surface o the tuning portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2009Publication date: June 24, 2010Applicant: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ryoichi ICHIKAWA, Hiroki IWAI, Yoshiaki AMANO
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Publication number: 20100156246Abstract: Piezoelectric frames are disclosed that include a tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating portion having a pair of vibrating arms extending from a base portion in a first direction (Y-direction). The vibrating arms have a first width W1. A respective excitation electrode is formed on each vibrating arm. Supporting arms extend from the base portion in the first direction, outboard of respective vibrating arms. The supporting arms have a second width W2. A respective connecting arm extends from each supporting arm in a second direction that crosses the first direction. An outer frame connects to the connecting arms, has a side extending in the first direction with a third width W3, and has another side extending in the second direction with a fourth width W4. The second width W2 is 1.4 times smaller than the first width W1.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2009Publication date: June 24, 2010Inventor: Hiroki Iwai
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Publication number: 20100148634Abstract: Piezoelectric devices are disclosed that include a chip plate sandwiched between a lid plate and a base plate. The chip plate includes a tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece surrounded by an outer frame. The lid plate includes a concavity on its inner major surface, and the base plate includes a concavity on its inner major surface. The lid plate, chip plate, and base plate are bonded together to form a package containing the piezoelectric vibrating piece. The tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece includes a base having an X-direction width and at least pair of vibrating arms extending from the base in a Y-direction. The tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece is coupled to the outer frame by supporting arms extending in the Y-direction outboard of the vibrating arms. The concavity of the lid plate includes at least one base-movement “buffer” extending in the X-direction at a location corresponding to the base of the vibrating piece.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2009Publication date: June 17, 2010Inventor: Ryoichi Ichikawa
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Patent number: 7723901Abstract: A vibrating gyrosensor includes a support substrate on which a wiring pattern having a plurality of lands is formed, and a vibrating element mounted on a surface of the support substrate. The vibrating element includes a base part having a mounting surface on which a plurality of terminals, and a vibrator part integrally projected in a cantilever manner from one of the sides of the base part and having a substrate-facing surface coplanar with the mounting surface of the base part. The vibrator part has a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode layer, which are formed on the substrate-facing surface in that order. Furthermore, a reinforcing part is formed at the base end of the vibrator part so that the sectional area of the vibrator part gradually increases toward the base part.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2006Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Teruo Inaguma, Junichi Honda, Koji Suzuki, Kazuo Takahashi, Eiji Nakashio
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Patent number: 7723905Abstract: A vibrating gyrosensor includes a support substrate on which a wiring pattern having lands is formed. A vibrating element is mounted on a surface of the support substrate. The vibrating element includes a base part having a mounting surface on which a number of terminals connectable to the lands is formed. A vibrator part integrally projects from a side of the base part and has a substrate-facing surface coplanar with the mounting surface of the base part. The vibrator part has a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode layer which are laminated on the substrate-facing surface. The vibrator part vibrates when an AC signal is applied between the first and second electrode layers. The central electric field strength of the AC signal is set at a position shifting to the positive direction from the center of a hysteresis loop of the piezoelectric layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2008Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kazuo Takahashi, Teruo Inaguma, Junichi Honda, Koji Suzuki, Shigeto Watanabe, Shin Sasaki, Eiji Nakashio, Manabu Aizawa
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Patent number: 7723904Abstract: An electronic apparatus comprises a display portion and at least one oscillating circuit comprising an amplifier, at least one resistor, a plurality of capacitors, and a unit having a case and a resonator. The resonator is vibratable in a flexural mode and has first and second vibrational arms, and at least one groove is formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms, and at least one mounting arm protrudes from the base portion and extends in a common direction with at least one of the first and second vibrational arms. An output signal of the at least one oscillating circuit comprising the resonator is a clock signal for use in operation of the electronic apparatus to display time information at the display portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2008Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: Piedek Technical LaboratoryInventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
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Publication number: 20100117490Abstract: To provide a piezoelectric resonator in which a casing houses a tuning-fork piezoelectric resonator element and whose failure occurrence caused when shavings of adjustment films scatter and adhere to excitation electrodes is prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2009Publication date: May 13, 2010Applicant: NIHON DEMPA KOGYO CO., LTD.Inventor: Takehiro Takahashi
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Publication number: 20100117492Abstract: In a unit comprising a quartz crystal resonator, a case having a mounting portion, and a lid connected to the case, the quartz crystal resonator having a base portion, and first and second vibrational arms connected to the base portion, at least one groove being formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms, at least one mounting arm being connected to the base portion having a length L1 less than 0.5 mm and extending in a common direction with at least one of the first and second vibrational arms, the at least one mounting arm being mounted on the mounting portion of the case.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2010Publication date: May 13, 2010Inventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
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Patent number: 7714484Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator includes a piezoelectric resonator element having a base portion and a resonating arm extending from the base portion, a package including a bottom to which the piezoelectric resonator element is fixed and a frame wall that surrounds the bottom and having an opening above the bottom, and a lid for closing the opening of the package. In this piezoelectric resonator, the lid includes a main body having a through-hole formed therein, a flange formed to surround a periphery of the main body and to be thinner than the main body, and an optically transparent member located in the through-hole. The flange has a joining portion with an upper end surface of the frame wall, and the main body projects in a direction from the flange to the bottom in a thickness direction. Also, the through-hole is at a position displaced in a first direction approaching a first end of the main body from a center of the main body.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2008Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Epson Toyocom CorporationInventors: Akitoshi Hara, Katsuo Ishikawa, Yukihiro Tonegawa
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Patent number: 7714486Abstract: The present invention provides an angular velocity sensor in which higher sensitivity for sensors is available even with a smaller base portion. The angular velocity sensor includes a fixed portion fixed to the top surface of a sensor element supporting portion of a casing, an upper detection arm and a lower detection arm, each of them being connected to the fixed portion on sides opposite to each other and extending along a plane parallel to the top surface of the sensor element supporting portion, and a pair of upper vibration arms connected to the fixed portion in such a manner as to form a pair of arms with the upper detection arm in between and extending in a direction parallel to the extending direction of the upper detection arm.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2008Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: TDK CorporationInventors: Kenichi Tochi, Tatsuo Namikawa, Ken Unno, Takao Noguchi
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Publication number: 20100096955Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration piece includes a base made of a piezoelectric material; a plurality of vibration arms which is integrally formed with the base and extends in parallel; elongate grooves which are formed along longitudinal directions of the vibration arms; and excitation electrodes which include inner electrodes disposed in the elongate grooves and side electrodes disposed in side surfaces facing the inner electrodes, wherein widening portions in which the widths of the vibration arms are widened toward the base at a joint between the vibration arms of the base are formed, and the side electrodes are led to principal surfaces and side surfaces of the widening portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2009Publication date: April 22, 2010Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventor: Yoshiyuki YAMADA
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Publication number: 20100096953Abstract: An exemplary piezoelectric vibrating piece comprises a base formed of a piezoelectric material; and a pair of vibrating arms extending from one end of the base in a designated direction; wherein the vibrating arm comprises an arm portion in which only the inner side slopes as it becomes narrower to the distal end and a hammer-head portion that is formed wider than the arm portion at the distal end of the vibrating arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2009Publication date: April 22, 2010Inventor: Yu Iwai
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Publication number: 20100096954Abstract: Piezoelectric vibrating pieces are disclosed that have a base and a pair of vibrating arms extending from one end of the base in a designated direction. A respective groove is defined in each of the upper and lower surfaces of each vibrating arm. The grooves extend in the designated direction and have a first width. Each groove includes a respective rib feature having a second width that is narrower than the first width. A piezoelectric frame includes the piezoelectric device and an outer frame surrounding the device. A piezoelectric device includes the piezoelectric vibrating piece or piezoelectric frame, a lid, and a base.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2009Publication date: April 22, 2010Inventors: Shingo Kawanishi, Masahiro Yoshimatsu
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Publication number: 20100084949Abstract: Tuning-fork-type crystal vibrating pieces are disclosed that have a base and a pair of vibrating arms extending from one side of the base in a designated longitudinal direction. A root portion is situated between the vibrating arms, and includes a first taper surface. Extending outboard of the vibrating arms from respective sides of the base are respective supporting arms that extend in the designated direction. Between each supporting arm and the respective vibrating arm is a respective supporting-arm root portion. Each supporting-arm root portion has a second taper surface in the thickness direction of the base.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2009Publication date: April 8, 2010Inventor: Ryoichi Ichikawa
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Patent number: 7690095Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing a quartz piece which can suppress the deterioration of the CI and the temperature characteristic failure by forming the end surface of the quartz piece perpendicularly. A method for manufacturing a quartz piece that has a shape having two sides facing each other from a quartz substrate, includes the steps of: forming an etching mask provided with an opening area for forming the outside shape along one side out of the two sides which face each other, and provided with no opening area on the other side out of the two sides facing each other, on one surface side of the quartz substrate; and forming an etching mask provided with an opening area for forming an outside shape along the other side out of the two sides which face each other, and provided with no opening area on the one side, on the other surface side of the quartz substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2007Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takehiro Takahashi
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Publication number: 20100079040Abstract: An exemplary piezoelectric vibrating device has a lid plate, a chip plate including a tuning-fork type vibrating piece surrounded by an outer frame, and a package base arranged where the chip plate is sandwiched between the lid plate and package base, and the three layers are bonded together. The tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece is connected to the outer frame by supporting arms. A base-movement buffer having a predetermined height in the X-direction extends from the inner edge surface of the outer frame toward a side edge of the base. The base-movement buffer has a height in the X-direction that is proportional to the length from the base-movement buffer to a point at which the tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece is coupled to the outer frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2009Publication date: April 1, 2010Inventors: Hiroki IWAI, Yu IWAI, Hiroshi UEHARA
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Publication number: 20100079036Abstract: An exemplary tuning-fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece has at least a pair of vibrating arms extending from one end of a base portion in a certain longitudinal direction (e.g., Y-direction). Supporting arms extend from respective side edges of the base, outboard of the vibrating arms in the certain direction. The supporting arms have respective mounting regions near their distal tips. Each supporting arm progressively narrows from its proximal end, coupled to the respective side edge of the base, to its respective mounting region. The progressive narrowing can be via one or more constrictions along the length of the supporting arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2009Publication date: April 1, 2010Inventor: Hiroki Iwai
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Publication number: 20100072862Abstract: Inertial sensor having a body with first and second cavities on opposite sides thereof, a sensing element in the first cavity, electronic circuitry in the second cavity, electrical conductors interconnecting the sensing element and the circuitry, and leads connected electrically to the circuitry and extending from the body for mounting the sensor and making connections with the circuitry.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2008Publication date: March 25, 2010Applicant: CUSTOM SENSORS & TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: William Paul Berger, Mark Andrew Collins, Michael Thomas Frazee, Thad W. (Marc) Smith, Robert Albert Anderson, Stuart John Knowles, Victor Dragotti
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Patent number: 7673511Abstract: A vibration gyro having a high accuracy, no vibration leak, and high S/N. The width of a detection leg of a resonator used in the vibration gyro is less than ? of the width of drive legs. The length of the detection leg is larger than the length of the drive legs. As a result, the distance between the detection electrodes is decreased by comparison with the conventional vibration gyro and, therefore, the detection signal is increased and S/N is raised. Furthermore, increasing the leg length brings the natural vibration frequency of out-of-plane vibration of the drive legs close to the natural vibration frequency of the detection leg, providing good coupling and reducing vibration leak to the support section. As a result, Q is increased and S/N is accordingly further increased.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2006Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventor: Izumi Yamamoto
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Patent number: 7673512Abstract: An angular velocity sensor includes a base portion, three arm portions that extend as one piece from the base portion to an approximately same direction, a piezoelectric film formed on one surface of each of the arm portions, drive electrodes for excitation formed on the piezoelectric films of at least two outer arm portions, and detection electrodes for angular velocity detection formed on the piezoelectric film of at least a center arm portion. Among the three arm portions, the two outer arm portions are excited in phase, and the center arm portion is excited in opposite phase with the two outer arm portions. The drive electrodes excite the arm portions in a first direction vertical to surfaces on which the piezoelectric films are formed. The detection electrodes detect a vibration in a second direction parallel to the surfaces on which the piezoelectric films of the arm portions are formed.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kazuo Takahashi, Junichi Honda, Teruo Inaguma
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Patent number: 7675224Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric vibrating reed, including: a base formed of a piezoelectric material and having a predetermined length; a plurality of vibrating arms extended from one side of the base; a support arm extended in a width direction from the other side spaced apart from the one side of the base by a predetermined interval and extended outside the vibrating arms in the same direction as the vibrating arms; and a cut portion formed of the piezoelectric material reduced in its width direction at a location closer to the vibrating arms than a connection portion where the support arms are connected to the base as one body, wherein a through-hole is also disposed at a location closer to the vibrating arms than the connection portion where the support arms are connected to the base as one body.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2006Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Hideo Tanaya
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Publication number: 20100050769Abstract: An angular velocity sensor includes vibrators, an internal circuit that drives the vibrators to detect an angular velocity signal, a circuit substrate on which components such as an IC and a passive component defining the internal circuit are disposed, and electrically connects the vibrators and the components, and a cap that covers a surface of the circuit substrate and encloses the vibrators and internal circuit. An output signal processed by the internal circuit is output from an external electrode provided on the back surface of the circuit substrate. Vibrator inspection electrodes are provided on the back surface of the circuit substrate, and the vibrator inspection electrodes are electrically connected to surface electrodes of the vibrators. Thus, electrical characteristics of the vibrators can be directly measured after assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2009Publication date: March 4, 2010Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kosuke Watanabe, Keiichi Okano
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Publication number: 20100050768Abstract: A tuning fork-type piezoelectric vibrator includes a substantially rectangular plate-shaped base to be supported by a circuit substrate and two pillar-shaped legs. The base includes a substantially rectangular plate-shaped junction arranged to be connected to the circuit substrate, and a body disposed between the junction and the two legs. In order for the difference between the resonant frequency in the drive mode of the tuning fork-type piezoelectric vibrator and the resonant frequency in in-plane, in-phase mode thereof to be at least about 1 kHz, the base and two legs are configured so that the product of the length of the body divided by the substantial width of the body minus the width of the legs and the resonant frequency in drive mode is at least about 60×103.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2009Publication date: March 4, 2010Applicant: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Koji TAKEYAMA
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Patent number: 7659798Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration piece includes a base made of a piezoelectric material; a plurality of vibration arms which is integrally formed with the base and extends in parallel; elongate grooves which are formed along longitudinal directions of the vibration arms; and excitation electrodes which include inner electrodes disposed in the elongate grooves and side electrodes disposed in side surfaces facing the inner electrodes, wherein widening portions in which the widths of the vibration arms are widened toward the base at a joint between the vibration arms of the base are formed, and the side electrodes are led to principal surfaces and side surfaces of the widening portions.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2006Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Yoshiyuki Yamada
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Publication number: 20100013360Abstract: The invention relates to a silicon resonator (10) of the tuning-fork type in which the linear frequency drift depending on the temperature is compensated. The resonator includes a silicon base (14), a plurality of parallel arms (11, 12, 13) capable of vibrating and actuator (18, 21, 22), wherein the arms include a silicon layer provided between two layers of silicon oxide having a thickness, relative to that of the silicon layer, such that it ensures the first-order compensation of the resonator thermal drift.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2007Publication date: January 21, 2010Applicant: CSEM Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique SaInventors: Jacek Baborowski, Claude Bourgeois, Marc-Alexandre Bubois, David Ruffieux
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Patent number: 7626318Abstract: The tuning fork resonator (1) includes a base (4) from which first and second parallel vibrating arms (2, 3) extend, carrying a set of excitation electrodes (5, 6) for vibrating the arms at a fundamental frequency. Grooves (7, 8) are formed on at least one of the top or bottom surfaces of each of said arms. The vibrating arms have a generally tapered shape, and are extended by an enlarged flipper shaped portion (9, 10) which forms the free end of each arm. The groove (7, 8) is extended in the direction of the free end of an arm to beyond the start of the flipper (9, 10) so as to increase said first motional capacitance of the resonator for the fundamental frequency, to decrease said second motional capacitance of the resonator for the partial frequency and to ensure better distribution of mechanical stress along the vibrating arms and to increase shock resistance.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2008Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: ETA SA Manufacture Horlogère SuisseInventors: Silvio Dalla Piazza, Bruno Studer, Felix Staub
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Publication number: 20090289530Abstract: Piezoelectric vibrating pieces are disclosed. An exemplary piece includes a base and at least a pair of vibrating arms connected to the base. The vibrating arms extend from one end of the base in a first direction. A vibrating root portion is situated between the vibrating arms. A pair of supporting arms extend, outboard of the vibrating arms, in the first direction from the one end of the base. Respective supporting root portions are situated between each vibrating arm and its outboard supporting arm, at the same position (denoted, e.g., K1, K2) in the first direction of the vibrating root portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2009Publication date: November 26, 2009Inventor: Shingo KAWANISHI
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Publication number: 20090289531Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a piezoelectric resonator. The resonator can have a base defining at least a first base portion and a second base portion and two or more vibrating arms projecting from the first base portion, the first vibrating arm being substantially parallel to the second vibrating arm. The resonator can define a generally planar first main surface and a generally planar second main surface defined by the base and the first and second vibrating arms wherein the first main surface is generally parallel to the second main surface. At least one groove can be formed in at least one of the first and second main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrating arms. The resonator can further have at least one vibration isolation arm projecting from the base, the vibration isolation arm being approximately perpendicular to the two or more vibrating arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2009Publication date: November 26, 2009Inventors: YUE FANG, SHIH CHUANG
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Publication number: 20090257320Abstract: An electronic apparatus comprises a display portion and at least one oscillating circuit comprising an amplifier, at least one resistor, a plurality of capacitors, and a unit having a case and a resonator. The resonator is vibratable in a flexural mode and has first and second vibrational arms, and at least one groove is formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms, and at least one mounting arm protrudes from the base portion and extends in a common direction with at least one of the first and second vibrational arms. An output signal of the at least one oscillating circuit comprising the resonator is a clock signal for use in operation of the electronic apparatus to display time information at the display portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2008Publication date: October 15, 2009Inventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
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Patent number: 7596851Abstract: The shape of a crotch portion of a tuning fork of a quartz piece is controlled such that main surfaces of two sheets of original plates, which are made of quartz crystal and the main surfaces thereof are orthogonal to the direction of the Z axis, which is a crystal axis, are bonded so that the plus/minus directions of the X axis, which is another crystal axis, are made in a reverse relation to each other to form a quartz substrate, and masks for forming the outer shape, through which the surfaces of the quartz substrate are exposed, are formed on both front and back surfaces of the quartz substrate in a manner that the mask follows along the outer shape of the quartz piece and the width direction of the outer shape agrees with the X axis, and the quartz substrate is etched to form the outer shape of the quartz piece.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2007Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takehiro Takahashi
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Publication number: 20090236950Abstract: There is disclosed a manufacturing method of a tuning-fork type quartz crystal resonator, in which a simple step can just be added to the existing manufacturing process to prevent generation of short-circuit at a crotch portion and largely improve yield. On a quartz crystal wafer, a metal film is formed on a quartz crystal substrate processed into a tuning-fork form by evaporation or sputtering, the metal film is patterned into desired electrode and wiring line shapes by photolithography/etching, and then a crotch portion 30 is irradiated with laser from a direction substantially vertical to a wafer surface to remove a non-etched metal film portion in the manufacturing method of the tuning-fork type quartz crystal resonator.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2009Publication date: September 24, 2009Inventor: Ryoichi Ichikawa
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Patent number: 7592741Abstract: A piezoelectric device comprises: a piezoelectric resonator element having a base, a plurality of oscillating arms paralleled each other and extended from the base, a plurality of supporting arms extended from the base and in parallel with the side surface of each of the plurality of oscillating arms so as to sandwich the plurality of oscillating arms, a groove formed in at least one of a front surface and a back surface of each of the plurality of oscillating arms and an end weight layer formed in at least one of the front surface and the back surface near to an end portion of each of the plurality of oscillating arms; a package storing the piezoelectric resonator element within a containable recess and being air-tightly sealed by a lid; a bottom surface recess rimmed in the bottom surface of the containable recess; and a connecting pad formed as a protrusion in an region that is connected with the plurality of supporting arms in the bottom surface of the containable recess.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2007Date of Patent: September 22, 2009Assignee: Epson Toyocom CorporationInventors: Hideo Tanaya, Katsumi Kuroda, Kazuya Hirasawa
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Patent number: 7589458Abstract: To provide a quartz crystal vibrator, an oscillator and an electronic apparatus capable of preventing a bonding electrode from being corroded and easily maintaining soundness of the bonding electrode over a long period of time, a quartz crystal vibrator is provided with a quartz crystal vibrating plate formed by surrounding a quartz crystal vibrating piece by a frame-like portion, a hermetically closed vessel including a lid member and a base member in a plate-like shape for interposing the quartz crystal vibrating plate in a thickness direction, bonding electrodes provided between the lid member and the quartz crystal vibrating plate and between the base member and the quartz crystal vibrating plate and electrically connected to an inner electrode, and a protecting film for protecting the bonding electrode, provided with a recess portion recessed to an inner side of the hermetically closed vessel from an outer edge portion between the lid member and the quartz crystal vibrating plate and an outer edge portioType: GrantFiled: January 27, 2009Date of Patent: September 15, 2009Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.Inventor: Kiyoshi Aratake
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Patent number: 7584661Abstract: A tuning fork gyro sensor includes a tuning fork vibrator and a casing. The tuning fork vibrator includes a pair of arms that extend parallel, a base that supports the pair of arms, and supporting members that are arranged on both faces of the base such that the supporting members are positioned at the equal distances from both the pair of arms, and that project from the both faces of the base, the both faces being perpendicular to both a direction in which the pair of arms extend and a direction in which the pair of arms are aligned. The casing is hollow to house and support the tuning fork vibrator by supporting the supporting members.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2007Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventor: Shigeo Matsunuma
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Publication number: 20090218917Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration element having a favorable drive level characteristic for miniaturization, and a piezoelectric oscillator. The piezoelectric vibration element includes a base made of a piezoelectric material, a plurality of vibration arms extended from the base, a long groove formed along a longitudinal direction of a main surface of each of the plurality of vibration arms, and an exciting electrode provided inside the long groove. A center position in a width dimension of the long groove is decentered in a minus X-axis direction from a center position of an arm width dimension.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2009Publication date: September 3, 2009Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventor: Hideo Tanaya
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Patent number: 7581297Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator has an airtight terminal comprised of a lead terminal and a piezoelectric member. The lead terminal has an inner lead portion and an outer lead portion. The piezoelectric member has an exciting electrode and a mount electrode disposed on a surface of the piezoelectric member. A plasma arc electrode is connected to a power supply for generating a plasma arc discharge. To bond together the inner lead portion of the lead terminal to the mount electrode of the piezoelectric member, the outer lead portion is connected to an output terminal of the power supply and the plasma arc electrode is positioned at a vicinity of a bonding portion for bonding together the inner lead portion and the mount electrode. A voltage is applied between the inner lead portion and the plasma arc electrode to generate a plasma arc discharge.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2006Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.Inventors: Masayuki Sato, Seigo Fukuchi, Atsushi Tomisaki
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Publication number: 20090212668Abstract: To achieve small-sized formation by shortening a total length after ensuring a length of a base portion capable of sufficiently reducing vibration leakage, there is provided a piezoelectric vibrating piece 2 including a piezoelectric plate 10 including a pair of vibrating arm portions 11, 12 arranged in parallel with each other in a state of being extended in one direction from base ends to front ends, and a base portion 13 having connecting portions 13a respectively connected to the pair of vibrating arm portions at middle positions from the base ends to the front ends for integrally supporting the pair of vibrating arm portions by way of the connecting portions, exciting electrodes 20, 21 respectively formed on outer surfaces of the pair of vibrating arm portions for vibrating the pair of vibrating arm portions when a drive voltage is applied thereto, a pair of mount electrodes 22, 23 formed on an outer surface of the base portion and electrically connected respectively to the pair of exciting electrodes, iType: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2009Publication date: August 27, 2009Inventor: Takeshi Sugiyama
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Patent number: 7570126Abstract: A tuning fork type piezoelectric vibrating piece, comprising: a base unit having a base electrode for an external connection; a fork shaped arm unit extending from the base unit; a groove portion at least on a surface or a rear surface of the arm unit; a groove electrode on the groove portion; a side surface electrode on the arm unit without the groove portion; a first electrode connecting the base unit and the side surface electrode or the groove electrode; a second electrode connecting the groove electrode and the side surface electrode; and a side surface electrode set at a predetermined distance from the bottom of the fork part of the base unit. The piezoelectric vibrating piece may be packaged with a base electrode connected to an external output terminal. The piezoelectric oscillator may have an amplifier circuit and a feedback circuit with a resonant element determining the resonant frequency.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2007Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Nihon Dempa Kogyo Co., Ltd.Inventor: Takehiro Takahashi
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Publication number: 20090189491Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrating reed includes a piezoelectric plate having a pair of vibrating arms provided parallel to each other, a base portion to integrally fix the pair of vibrating arms at a base end side thereof, and groove portions formed on both principal surfaces of the pair of vibrating arms in a constant length from base end portions toward tip end portions of the vibrating arms, and an electrode film formed of a base metal layer and a finishing metal layer laminated on outer surfaces of the piezoelectric plate and configured to vibrate the pair of vibrating arms when a predetermined voltage is applied thereon. The finishing metal layer of the electrode film is removed either partially or entirely at least in regions from the base end portions to the tip end portions of the vibrating arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2008Publication date: July 30, 2009Inventor: Takashi Kobayashi
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Patent number: 7562557Abstract: A flexural resonator includes a piezoelectric material. At least a portion of an electrode having a first surface and a second surface is embedded in the piezoelectric material such that the piezoelectric material is disposed over and in electronic association with the first and second surfaces of the electrode.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2005Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: MEAS FranceInventors: James Bennett, Oleg Kolosov, Leonid Matsiev
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Patent number: 7564326Abstract: An electronic apparatus comprises at least one quartz crystal oscillator comprised of a quartz crystal oscillating circuit having a quartz crystal resonator, an amplifier, at least one resistor, and capacitors. The quartz crystal resonator comprises a quartz crystal tuning fork resonator having a quartz crystal tuning fork base, quartz crystal tuning fork tines connected to the quartz crystal tuning fork base, and at least one groove formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of the quartz crystal tuning fork tines. A length of the at least one groove formed in at least one of the opposite main surfaces of the quartz crystal tuning fork tines is within a range of 40% to 80% of a length of the quartz crystal tuning fork tines.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2007Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Piedek Technical LaboratoryInventor: Hirofumi Kawashima
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Patent number: 7557667Abstract: An angular rate sensor includes a tuning-fork oscillator, a support portion, an oscillation absorption portion and a mounting portion. The tuning-fork oscillator has a base and arm portions extending from the base. The support portion supports the base of the tuning-fork oscillator at a front face thereof. The oscillation absorption portion is provided on a back face of the support portion opposite to the front face. The mounting portion mounts the support portion through the oscillation absorption portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2007Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Tamagawa Seiki Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshinobu Hosokawa, Kazuhiro Ota, Hiroshi Tanaka, Masanori Yachi, Hiroaki Takagi
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Patent number: 7557493Abstract: A vibrator module includes a frame having an outer frame and an inner frame. A vibrator unit is formed inside the inner frame. The frame and the vibrator unit are formed of a piezoelectric ceramic or the like as one piece. On one side of the vibrator unit, an IC is mounted so that a hollow portion is provided between the vibrator unit and the IC. The periphery of the IC is filled with a resin material. On the other side of the vibrator unit, a top cover serving as a sealing material is mounted so that a hollow portion is provided between the vibrator unit and the top cover.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2008Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsumi Fujimoto
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Publication number: 20090167118Abstract: Piezoelectric vibrating pieces are disclosed made of a piezoelectric material to be mounted in a package. A representative piece includes a base formed of a piezoelectric material, having first and second ends, extending between the ends in a length direction, and having a designated width. The piece includes at least a pair of vibrating arms extending in the length direction from one end of the base, and a pair of supporting arms extending partially in a width direction from between the first and second ends of the base. The supporting arms further extend in the length direction outboard of the base and vibrating arms, and include an adhesive region at the tips of the supporting arms. The adhesive regions are used for mounting the piece to a package. Whereas the tips of the supporting arms do not extend beyond the tips of the vibrating arms, the axial length of supporting arms is greater than the length of the vibrating arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2008Publication date: July 2, 2009Inventors: Masahiro Yoshimatsu, Hiroki Iwai
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Publication number: 20090160295Abstract: A piezoelectric oscillator which can conduct fine trimming adjustment and adjust frequencies highly precisely, particularly with no use of an expensive laser trimming apparatus with a small spot diameter, and a method of the same are provided. The method includes: a first step wherein a first spot train is formed on a mass adjustment film at a pitch smaller than the diameter of a film removal spot matched with the spot diameter of laser, and a second step wherein a train space to the first spot train is adjusted in accordance with the target frequency of a tuning fork crystal vibrating piece to form a second train and after, and these steps are in turn conducted, whereby fine trimming adjustment is performed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2008Publication date: June 25, 2009Inventors: Mitsuo Iwatate, Yoshifumi Nishino
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Patent number: 7550905Abstract: A piezoelectric vibration element having a favorable drive level characteristic for miniaturization, and a piezoelectric oscillator. The piezoelectric vibration element includes a base made of a piezoelectric material, a plurality of vibration arms extended from the base, a long groove formed along a longitudinal direction of a main surface of each of the plurality of vibration arms, and an exciting electrode provided inside the long groove. A center position in a width dimension of the long groove is decentered in a minus X-axis direction from a center position of an arm width dimension.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2006Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Hideo Tanaya