With Vibratory Plate Patents (Class 347/70)
  • Patent number: 11964482
    Abstract: The plurality of pressure compartments includes a first pressure compartment and a second pressure compartment located next to the first pressure compartment in the first direction. The plurality of nozzles includes a first nozzle that is in communication with the first pressure compartment and the second pressure compartment in a shared manner. The piezoelectric element includes a first active region where the piezoelectric body is sandwiched between the common electrode and, among the plurality of individual electrodes, a first individual electrode. The first active region is located to span from at least a part of the first pressure compartment to at least a part of the second pressure compartment as viewed in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Motoki Takabe
  • Patent number: 11945220
    Abstract: A liquid dispensing element is provided. The element comprising; a dispensing plate comprising a plurality of orifices; the dispensing plate at least partially defining a fluid flow path; a plurality of piezoelectric transducers each comprising a piston configured to move perpendicular to the dispensing plate between a first position wherein the piston is close to the dispensing plate and a second position wherein the piston is further from the dispensing plate. The movement between the first and second positions results in the ejection of a droplet of fluid via a surface cavitation droplet ejection process such that the diameter of the droplet is less than a diameter of the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Jetronica Limited
    Inventors: Simon Kew, Alan Hudd, Thomas Blythe, Andi Tao, Albert Kocsis
  • Patent number: 11938726
    Abstract: A droplet jetting device comprising a membrane layer defining a pressure chamber that is in fluid communication with a nozzle, the membrane layer carrying, on a membrane that covers the pressure chamber, an actuator for generating pressure waves in a liquid in the pressure chamber, the device further comprising a distribution layer bonded to the membrane layer on the side of the membrane and defining a supply line for supplying the liquid to the pressure chamber, the supply line being connected to the pressure chamber via a restrictor passage extending through the distribution layer in the thickness direction of that layer, and via a window formed in the membrane, characterized in that the restrictor passage has a uniform cross-section, and the membrane window is delimited by a contour that is inwardly offset from the contour of the restrictor passage on the entire periphery of the restrictor passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Igor Shklyarevskiy, Martijn Goedbloed, Youri De Loore, Patrick Brandts, Takahiro Peter Terayama, Sandor Joppen, Bram Pape
  • Patent number: 11884072
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a flow passage substrate which is formed with individual flow passages, the individual flow passages including nozzles and pressure chambers communicated with the nozzles respectively, the pressure chambers being open on a surface of the flow passage substrate; a sealing member which is adhered to the surface via an adhesive and which seals the pressure chambers; and an actuator substrate which has a piezoelectric layer adhered to a surface of the sealing member on a side opposite to the flow passage substrate via an adhesive and individual electrodes formed on a side opposite to the sealing member with respect to the piezoelectric layer. The sealing member is composed of a material different from a material of the piezoelectric layer; and the surface has an adhesion area to which the sealing member is adhered and a non-adhesion area to which the sealing member is not adhered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takaaki Yoshino, Taisuke Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11794474
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: an actuator including a piezoelectric element and a vibrating plate; and a pressure chamber substrate including a pressure chamber whose volume changes when the vibrating plate deforms, in which 0.35×FR1?FR2<1.00×FR1, where one position in a longitudinal direction of the pressure chamber is a first position, another position closer than the first position to an end of the pressure chamber in the longitudinal direction of the pressure chamber is a second position, bending rigidity of the actuator in the thickness direction at the first position is FR1, and bending rigidity of the actuator in the thickness direction at the second position is FR2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Mikoshiba, Motoki Takabe, Jingling Wang
  • Patent number: 11724500
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a liquid ejection head includes a plurality of drive flow paths, a plurality of dummy flow paths, and a plurality of side walls. The drive flow paths connect to liquid ejection nozzles. The dummy flow paths connect to dummy nozzles. The dummy flow paths are adjacent the drive flow paths. The side walls are between the drive flow paths and the dummy flow paths and configured to change volumes of both the drive flow paths and the dummy flow paths in response to drive signals. An acoustic resonance period of liquid in the dummy flow paths is shorter than an acoustic resonance period of the liquid in the drive flow paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ryutaro Kusunoki
  • Patent number: 11579274
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensing module, an ultrasonic sensing device and a control method thereof, and a display device. The ultrasonic sensing module includes a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer, a receiving electrode layer and an emission electrode layer. The first electrode layer is on a first side of the piezoelectric layer; the receiving electrode layer and the emission electrode layer insulated from the receiving electrode layer are on a second side of the piezoelectric layer; and the second side is opposite to the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiufeng Li, Yingming Liu, Haisheng Wang, Xiaoliang Ding, Pengpeng Wang, Yuzhen Guo, Lijun Zhao, Chenyang Zhang, Yaqian Ji, Yanling Han, Peixiao Li
  • Patent number: 11565524
    Abstract: A plurality of wall surfaces that constitute inner walls of the pressure compartment includes a surface of the recessed portion and the first wall surface, and an angle formed by the first surface and the first wall surface is greater than 90° and less than 180°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Aimono, Eiju Hirai, Masao Nakayama, Junichi Karasawa, Yoshihiro Hokari
  • Patent number: 11565523
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus is provided comprising: a liquid ejecting head; and a controller. The liquid ejecting head including: a nozzle from which a liquid is ejected; a first communication passage that is in communication with the first nozzle; a first pressure compartment; a first drive element that changes a pressure of the first pressure compartment; a first passage that connects the first pressure compartment and the first communication passage; a second pressure compartment; a second drive element that changes a pressure of the second pressure compartment; a second passage that connects the second pressure compartment and the first communication passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Toshihiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11565526
    Abstract: A liquid discharging head includes: a first individual channel array constructed of individual channels aligned in a first direction; and a second individual channel array constructed of individual channels aligned in the first direction. The second individual channel array is arranged side by side to the first individual channel array in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. Each of the individual channels includes: a nozzle, at least two pressure chambers communicating with the nozzle and arranged in the first direction, and a connecting channel connecting the nozzle and the at least two pressure chambers. The connecting channel has one end in a third direction communicating with the at least two pressure chambers, and the other end in the third direction communicating with the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taiki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11565517
    Abstract: An information processing device includes a storage portion storing a learned model, a reception portion receiving air pressure information and temperature information at a time of ejecting ink, and a processing portion controlling a pressurization pump based on the received air pressure information and temperature information and the learned model. The learned model is a learned model trained by performing machine learning of a condition of a pressurization force with which a determination that an ejection failure does not occur is made, based on a data set in which the air pressure information in a usage environment of a printing apparatus including a printing head, the temperature information in the usage environment, and pressurization force information about the pressurization pump supplying the ink to the printing head are associated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuaki Sato, Kazunaga Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11485138
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge head, including: a channel unit; a vibration film; and piezoelectric elements. Pressure chambers form pressure chamber pairs arranged in a second direction. Each of the pressure chamber pairs includes a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber that communicate with an identical nozzle via a communication channel Rigidity of a first partition wall separating the first pressure chamber from the second pressure chamber, the first and second pressure chambers being included in each of the pressure chamber pairs, is different from rigidity of a second partition wall separating the first pressure chamber from the second pressure chamber, the first and second pressure chambers being adjacent to each other in the second direction and included in different pressure chamber pairs included in the pressure chamber pairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taiki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11453030
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes an opening portion, vibrating plate covering the opening portion, piezoelectric element overlapping with the opening portion, and a coupling electrode coupled to the piezoelectric element, extended from a position overlapping the opening portion to a position not overlapping the opening portion, and having a line width smaller than a width of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric has a first and second line portion, and a corner portion coupling the first and second line portions, when an intersection point connects a center of gravity of the piezoelectric and the corner portion with a virtual circle inscribed in the outline of the piezoelectric is a first intersection point of a tangent line. The first intersection point with the first and second line portions are a second and third intersection points, the coupling electrode coupled to a corner portion from the second intersection point to the third intersection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chikara Kojima, Koji Ohashi, Hironori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11446928
    Abstract: when one position where a distance in the second direction to the partition wall located at a nearest position in the second direction is long is assumed as a first position, and the other position where the distance is short is assumed as a second position, both the piezoelectric body and the vibration plate are provided at the first position and the second position, and a thickness of the vibration plate at the second position is smaller than a thickness of the vibration plate at the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Motoki Takabe, Eiju Hirai, Hiroaki Okui
  • Patent number: 11397495
    Abstract: A fingerprint identification module and a driving method thereof and an electronic device are provided. In the fingerprint identification module, a receiving electrode layer includes a plurality of receiving electrodes; a first driving electrode layer is arranged at a side of a piezoelectric material layer away from the receiving electrode layer and includes a plurality of first driving electrodes; a second driving electrode layer is arranged at a side of the receiving electrode layer away from the piezoelectric material layer and includes a plurality of second driving electrodes; the plurality of first driving electrodes and the plurality of second driving electrodes form a plurality of driving electrode pairs, and in each driving electrode pair, an orthographic projection of the first driving electrode on the piezoelectric material layer is at least partially overlapped with an orthographic projection of the second driving electrode on the piezoelectric material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yingming Liu, Xiaoliang Ding, Xiufeng Li, Pengpeng Wang
  • Patent number: 11390081
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a fluid ejection die including a first end portion positioned adjacent a first end of the fluid ejection die, and a fluid ejection portion positioned adjacent the first end portion. The fluid ejection die includes a contact pad positioned in the first end portion, and a fluid actuation device positioned in the fluid ejection portion. A carrier is attached to the fluid ejection die. The carrier includes a slot to provide fluid to the fluid actuation device. The slot extends longitudinally along the fluid ejection portion to a first slot end. A length from the first slot end to the first end of the fluid ejection die is less than 1.5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Chien-Hua Chen, Christopher A. Leonard, Anthony M. Fuller
  • Patent number: 11390087
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a supply channel structure and a heater. The supply channel structure has a supply channel configured to allow liquid to flow therefrom to ejection channels that are configured to lead liquid to nozzles aligned in a first direction. The heater is configured to heat liquid. Assuming that a side of the liquid ejection head, in which the nozzles are provided, is defined as a lower side of the liquid ejection head, the heater is disposed above the supply channel structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11349065
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a hybrid structure comprising an effective layer of piezoelectric material having an effective thickness and disposed on a supporting substrate having a substrate thickness and a thermal expansion coefficient lower than that of the effective layer includes: a) a step of providing a bonded structure comprising a piezoelectric material donor substrate and the supporting substrate, b) a first step of thinning the donor substrate to form a thinned layer having an intermediate thickness and disposed on the supporting substrate, the assembly forming a thinned structure; c) a step of heat treating the thinned structure at an annealing temperature; and d) a second step, after step c), of thinning the thinned layer to form the effective layer. The method also comprises, prior to step b), a step a?) of determining a range of intermediate thicknesses that prevent the thinned structure from being damaged during step c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventor: Didier Landru
  • Patent number: 11333933
    Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing an optical element in which an optically-anisotropic layer having a small amount of in-plane unevenness can be prepared, and an optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sato, Yukito Saitoh
  • Patent number: 11331917
    Abstract: the nozzle channel includes a first portion that extends in the first direction and communicates with the first communication channel and a second portion that extends in a third direction crossing the first direction and orthogonal to the second direction and communicates with the first portion, and an angle formed between the first direction and the third direction is larger than 0° and smaller than 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Naganuma, Yuma Fukuzawa, Shotaro Tamai
  • Patent number: 11292255
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device comprises a pressure chamber forming layer, a vibration plate disposed on and connected with the pressure chamber forming layer to form a pressure chamber, and a piezoelectric element disposed on the vibration plate and used for driving the vibration plate to move and thus changing a volume of the pressure chamber, wherein the piezoelectric element is disposed on the vibration plate in such a manner as to cover a portion of the pressure chamber, the piezoelectric element has two opposite ends respectively extending beyond an edge of the pressure chamber and covering the pressure chamber forming layer. The piezoelectric device of the present invention can efficiently actuate the vibration plate, eliminate undesired displacements of the vibration plate in the opposite direction at the edge of the chamber, and provide higher displacement sensitivity to driving voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SAE MAGNETICS (H.K.) LTD.
    Inventors: Wei Xiong, Fei He, Atsushi Iijima
  • Patent number: 11273642
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a diaphragm constituting a portion of a wall surface of a pressure chamber that accommodates a liquid, and a piezoelectric element that vibrates the diaphragm. In the liquid ejecting head, the diaphragm includes a plurality of layers, and the plurality of layers include a compressive film that has compressive stress and a tensile film that has tensile stress. The compressive film and the tensile film are two layers adjacent to each other that have a largest tension difference among the plurality of layers, and an absolute value of the tension difference between the compressive film and the tensile film is 400 [N/m] or smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Mikoshiba, Shiro Yazaki, Toshinao Shinbo, Hitoshi Takaai
  • Patent number: 11248597
    Abstract: A fluid driving device includes a vibration unit, a signal transmission layer, a piezoelectric element, and a plane unit. The signal transmission layer includes a first conductive zone and a second conductive zone. The piezoelectric element includes a first electrode and a second electrode electrically isolated from each other. The first electrode of the piezoelectric element is electrically connected to the first conductive zone of the signal transmission layer, and the second electrode of the piezoelectric element is electrically connected to the second conductive zone of the signal transmission layer. The plane unit has at least one hole. The signal transmission layer, the piezoelectric element, and the plane unit are located at one side of the vibration unit and sequentially stacked with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: KOGE MICRO TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chung-Han Wu, Jun-Yan Huang, Hsin-Cheng Wang
  • Patent number: 11225074
    Abstract: In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a fluidic ejection die is described. The die includes an array of nozzles. Each nozzle includes an ejection chamber, an opening, and a fluid actuator disposed within the ejection chamber. Each nozzle also includes an inlet passage to deliver fluid into the ejection chamber and an outlet passage to deliver fluid out of the ejection chamber. The fluidic ejection die also includes an array of channels divided into inlet channels and outlet channels. Each inlet channel is fluidly connected to a respective plurality of inlet passages and each outlet channel is fluidly connected to a respective plurality of outlet passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Michael W. Cumbie, Chien-Hua Chen
  • Patent number: 11173713
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes a flow passage forming member, an element substrate including a liquid discharge element and a surface on which a conductive member made from a metallic material is disposed, and an intermediate layer made from a resin material and configured to join the flow passage forming member and the surface of the element substrate to each other. The intermediate layer is disposed in a state, separated from the conductive member, where the conductive member is exposed from the intermediate layer. The conductive member is covered with the flow passage forming member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sato, Koichi Ishida, Masaki Oikawa, Yoshinori Misumi, Maki Kato, Yuzuru Ishida, Tsubasa Funabashi
  • Patent number: 11173715
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes: a nozzle plate provided with a nozzle hole that discharges a liquid; a silicon substrate provided with a pressure chamber that is connected with the nozzle hole; a diaphragm provided on the silicon substrate; and a piezoelectric element that is provided on the diaphragm and that changes a volume of the pressure chamber, where: the diaphragm includes a zirconium oxide layer; the zirconium oxide layer has (?111) preferred orientation; and in X-ray diffraction of the diaphragm, a difference between a position of (002) peak of the zirconium oxide layer and a position of (220) peak of the silicon substrate is 13.26° or more and 13.30° or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Harunobu Koike, Takanori Aimono, Masao Nakayama, Motoki Takabe, Koji Sumi, Yasuhiro Itayama
  • Patent number: 11145803
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element substrate is provided. The piezoelectric element substrate includes: a substrate member; a plurality of piezoelectric elements on the substrate member; a plurality of wiring patterns on one side of the substrate member on which the plurality of piezoelectric elements is disposed; and a bonding pattern in a region different from the wiring patterns on the one side of the substrate member. Each of the piezoelectric elements includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric body, and a second electrode. The wiring patterns are connected to the corresponding piezoelectric elements. The bonding pattern is to be bonded to another substrate directly or via an insulating film, and is made of a metal layer having a plurality of slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Shimofuku, Keishi Miwa
  • Patent number: 11123985
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a plurality of first individual channels arranged in a first direction, a first common channel extending in the first direction and communicating with the first individual channels, and a second common channel located below the first common channel and extending in the first direction. The second common channel communicates with the first individual channels. Each of the first individual channels includes one of first nozzles, and one of first pressure chambers that communicate with the respective first nozzles and are located above the first nozzles. The first common channel and the second common channel overlap, in the vertical direction, with each other at a position above the first pressure chambers. Each of the first common channel and the second common channel at least partially overlaps, in the vertical direction, with the first pressure chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taisuke Mizuno, Hideki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11110707
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes first individual channels arranged in a first direction, a first common channel extending in the first direction and communicating with the first individual channels, and a second common channel located below the first common channel and extending in the first direction. The second common channel communicates with the first individual channels. Each of the first individual channels includes one of first nozzles, and one of first pressure chambers that communicate with the respective first nozzles and are located above the first nozzles. The first common channel and the second common channel overlap, in a vertical direction, with each other at a position above the first pressure chambers. The first common channel overlaps, in the vertical direction, with the first pressure chambers. The second common channel does not overlap, in the vertical direction, with the first pressure chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taisuke Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11104133
    Abstract: A liquid discharging head, having a first pressure chamber group, a second pressure chamber group, and a common flow path, is provided. The first pressure chamber group and the second pressure chamber group each have a plurality of pressure chambers arrayed in a first direction. The second pressure chamber group aligns with the first pressure chamber group along a second direction intersecting with the first direction. The common flow path extends in the first direction. The common flow path communicates with each of the pressure chambers belonging to the first pressure chamber group and the second pressure chamber group. The common flow path has a supplying opening at one end thereof and a returning opening at the other end thereof in the first direction. The common flow path is located between the first pressure chamber group and the second pressure chamber group in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Jiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11107971
    Abstract: There is provided a laminated substrate with a piezoelectric thin film, comprising: a substrate; an electrode film formed on the substrate; and a piezoelectric thin film formed on the electrode film, wherein the piezoelectric thin film is made of an alkali niobium oxide represented by a composition formula of (K1?xNax) NbO3 (0<x<1), having a perovskite structure, and oriented preferentially in (001) plane direction, and contains a metallic element selected from a group consisting of Mn and Cu at a concentration of 0.2 at % or more and 0.6 at % or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Kenji Shibata, Kazutoshi Watanabe, Fumimasa Horikiri
  • Patent number: 11075191
    Abstract: A flexible lighting strip comprises a multitude of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and is arranged to bend around at least two, preferably three, linear independent axes. The LEDs are arranged in at least two groups, wherein each group comprises at least two LEDs arranged in an electrical series connection. The groups are arranged in an electrical parallel connection to an anode and cathode track. The groups are arranged in a longitudinal arrangement such that a last LED of a first group is arranged next to the first LED of a second group, and are mechanically coupled via an electrically isolated coupling structure such that a stiffness of the flexible lighting strip between the last LED of the first group and the first LED of the second group is matched to a mechanical stiffness between neighboring LEDs comprised by one of the first or second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: LUMILEDS LLC
    Inventors: Florent Monestier, Christian Kleijnen
  • Patent number: 11072168
    Abstract: A droplet discharge head each includes a first liquid chamber formed on a flow path forming substrate, a nozzle communicating with the first liquid chamber, and a first inflow path for supplying a liquid to the first liquid chamber, and a first actuator that individually changes a pressure in the first liquid chamber, a second actuator that changes pressures in a plurality of first liquid chambers in common, in which an amount of expansion/contraction of the second actuator is larger than that of the first actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Keigo Sugai
  • Patent number: 11059285
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes an actuator and a drive circuit. The actuator is configured to expand and contract a pressure chamber corresponding thereto. The drive circuit is configured to, during a dot formation cycle apply a first discharge pulse to the actuator to cause a first droplet to be discharged from the pressure chamber, and after a predetermined rest period, during which no discharge pulse is applied to the actuator, has elapsed from application of the first discharge pulse, apply a second discharge pulse to the actuator to cause a second droplet to be discharged from the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shota Ito
  • Patent number: 11049688
    Abstract: A charged particle beam irradiation apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an optical column; a stage; a mount supporting the stage; a chamber provided on the mount and supporting the optical column; a detector configured to detect movement of the stage; actuator units each including a curved plate, a piezoelectric element, and a connector connected configured to transmit a first force generated by a change of the curvature of the curved plate to the mount; and an actuator control circuit configured to control the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element of each of the actuator units based on movement information, so that the first force is transmitted from the actuator units to the mount against a second force acting on the mount due to the movement of the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Michihiro Kawaguchi, Kiminobu Akeno, Keita Ideno, Kota Iwasaki, Keisuke Goto, Kiyoshi Nakaso, Shintaro Yamamoto, Hitoshi Matsushita, Ryota Inoue, Yuki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 11020972
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge head including: an individual channel member including individual channel rows; a first common channel member including first common channels and a first partitioning wall, and a damper joined to the first common channel member with adhesive. The damper has first portions that are elastically deformable and overlap with the first common channels and a second portion joined to the first partitioning wall and connected to the first portions. The second portion is thicker than the first portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hideki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10926538
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a diaphragm constituting a portion of a wall surface of a pressure chamber that accommodates a liquid, and a piezoelectric element that vibrates the diaphragm. In the liquid ejecting head, the diaphragm includes a plurality of layers, and d/D?0.25 is satisfied where D is a thickness of the diaphragm and d is a distance between a neutral axis of the diaphragm and an interface between two adjacent layers in which a tension difference is the largest in the plurality of layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Mikoshiba, Shiro Yazaki, Toshinao Shinbo, Hitoshi Takaai
  • Patent number: 10892157
    Abstract: Methods of selectively depositing blocking layers on conductive surfaces over dielectric surfaces are described. In some embodiments, a carboxylic acid is exposed to a substrate to selectively form a blocking layer. In some embodiments, a hydrazide is exposed to a substrate to selectively form a blocking layer. In some embodiments, an alkyl phosphonic acid is exposed to a substrate to selectively form a blocking layer. In some embodiments, the alkyl phosphonic acid is formed in-situ and exposed to the substrate. In some embodiments, a layer is selectively deposited on the dielectric surface after the blocking layer is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Mark Saly, Wenyi Liu
  • Patent number: 10864728
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge head including: a first plate formed with an individual channel which includes a pressure chamber; a second plate; a vibration plate; and a piezoelectric element. The second plate has a pair of communicating channels arranged to sandwich an accommodating space, which accommodates the piezoelectric element, therebetween. A spacing distance between mutually close parts in a pair of inner circumferential surfaces of the pair of communicating channels, respectively, is greater on a side of one ends in the stacking direction of the pair of communicating channels than on a side of the other ends in the stacking direction of the pair of communicating channels, the one ends being close to the individual channel in the stacking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Taisuke Mizuno
  • Patent number: 10850515
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head including a plurality of pressure chambers in communication with nozzles that eject a liquid, a diaphragm that includes layers including a first layer and a second layer and that constitutes wall surfaces of the plurality of pressure chambers, a plurality of piezoelectric elements formed on a first region of the diaphragm, the piezoelectric elements each being formed to correspond to a corresponding one of the pressure chambers, and a barrier layer that is in contact with an interface between the first layer and the second layer in a second region of the diaphragm, the second region surrounding the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takanori Aimono, Masao Nakayama, Motoki Takabe, Hitoshi Takaai
  • Patent number: 10843463
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head that includes a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element, a first wire that extends in a first direction and that electrically couples the first piezoelectric element and a wiring substrate to each other, and a second wire that is adjacent to the first wire in a second direction intersecting the first direction and that extends in the first direction, the second wire electrically coupling the second piezoelectric element and the wiring substrate to each other. A first protrusion is formed on a surface of the first wire in a mounting area to where the wiring substrate is joined, and a second protrusion is formed on a surface of the second wire in the mounting area and at a position different from that of the first protrusion in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Sosuke Yamasaki, Hitoshi Takaai, Yuma Fukuzawa, Yoshinobu Toyama
  • Patent number: 10818834
    Abstract: A mounting structure includes a first substrate which has a first surface on which a functional element is provided, a second substrate that has a second surface facing the first surface, a wiring portion that is provided at a position which is different from a position of the functional element on the first surface, has a third surface facing the second surface, and is electrically connected to the functional element, and a conduction portion that is provided on the second surface, protrudes toward the first surface, and is connected to the third surface so as to be electrically connected to the functional element, in which an area of the third surface is larger than an area of a first end section of the wiring portion on the first substrate side in a plan view which is viewed from a thickness direction of the first substrate and the second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Suzuki, Hiroshi Matsuda, Koji Ohashi
  • Patent number: 10800171
    Abstract: A liquid discharge device includes a nozzle plate including nozzles to discharge liquid; individual liquid chambers communicating with nozzles; a common liquid chamber to supply the liquid to the individual liquid chambers; a circulation channel; a common circulation chamber; a pressure generator to apply pressure to the liquid; and circuitry to apply, to the pressure generator, a predetermined drive waveform in which an electric potential is changed, from a first potential to apply an initial pressure to the liquid, to a second potential, and the second potential is kept to a predetermined timing for liquid discharging. At the predetermined timing, a discharge speed difference, caused when the initial pressure is changed in a case where the predetermined drive waveform is applied with the initial pressure applied to the liquid, is a local minimum. The initial pressure is applied to the liquid in a state without the predetermined drive waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Masaki Taniyama
  • Patent number: 10668724
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes an active portion of a piezoelectric layer interposed between a first electrode and a second electrode is provided independently for each of a first recessed portions, the first electrode forms an individual electrode provided independently for each of the active portions, the second electrode forms a common electrode commonly provided to a plurality of the active portions, in the piezoelectric layer, a second recessed portion which is provided outside the active portion and opens on a side opposite to a substrate is provided, and in a lamination direction of the substrate and the piezoelectric element, a vibration plate has a nitride film as an uppermost layer on the second electrode side at least in a region overlapping a bottom surface of the second recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Motoki Takabe
  • Patent number: 10647117
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric device including a pressure chamber, a piezoelectric element, and a diaphragm disposed between the pressure chamber and the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element is disposed on the diaphragm so as to overlap an inner periphery of the pressure chamber in plan view, and has an inner edge on a center side of the pressure chamber with the inner periphery of the pressure chamber being sandwiched within the piezoelectric element in plan view. A shape of the inner edge of the piezoelectric element is such that in the smallest first rectangle, which includes the inner edge in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tamura, Sayaka Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 10632753
    Abstract: A metal member includes an alloy containing platinum-group metal. An amount of the platinum-group metal in an outermost surface of the metal member is higher than the amount of the platinum-group metal in an interior of the metal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihide Niisato, Kenshiroh Munetomo, Kaname Morita
  • Patent number: 10618279
    Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes: a liquid compartment; a flowing-in passage that is in communication with the liquid compartment through a flowing-in opening, the liquid flowing through the flowing-in passage into the liquid compartment; a nozzle that is in communication with the liquid compartment through a communication opening; a capacity changer that causes the liquid contained in the liquid compartment to be discharged from the nozzle by causing a displacement of an inner wall surface of the liquid component and changing capacity of the liquid compartment; and a flowing-in passage resistance changer that changes capacity of the flowing-in passage to change flow resistance of the flowing-in passage. In the liquid compartment, as viewed from the flowing-in opening, the communication opening is located in front of a center-of-displacement portion, an amount of the displacement of which is largest in the inner wall surface displaced by the capacity changer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Sakai, Takahiro Katakura, Keigo Sugai, Shinichi Nakamura, Junichi Sano
  • Patent number: 10507656
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device used in a liquid ejecting head that ejects a liquid from a nozzle includes a flow-path-forming substrate in which an individual liquid chamber that communicates with the nozzle and a liquid supply chamber that communicates with the individual liquid chamber are formed, a vibration plate formed at a position corresponding to the individual liquid chamber and the liquid supply chamber of the flow-path-forming substrate, a plurality of liquid supply ports formed in the liquid supply chamber, and a piezoelectric element including a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode, the piezoelectric element being formed at a position on the vibration plate corresponding to the individual liquid chamber, where the liquid supply ports are provided so as to penetrate the vibration plate, and where the vibration plate contains zirconium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Nakayama, Motoki Takabe, Eiju Hirai, Shiro Yazaki
  • Patent number: 10449764
    Abstract: A MEMS device includes a first substrate; a second substrate that is disposed laminated on the first substrate; and a functional element that is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, in which the second substrate is smaller than the first substrate, and in planar view, an end portion of the second substrate is disposed inside an end portion of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Eiju Hirai, Yoichi Naganuma, Toshiaki Hamaguchi, Motoki Takabe
  • Patent number: 10369787
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film is formed by adding a donor element to lead zirconate titanate. In the piezoelectric thin film, a molar ratio of lead to a total sum of zirconium and titanium is 105% or higher, and, when positive and negative coercive electric fields in polarization and electric field hysteresis are referred to as Ec (+) and Ec (?), respectively, a value of |Ec (+) |/|Ec (?) | is 0.5 or more and 1.5 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Kenji Mawatari