Plural Piezoelectric Laminate Patents (Class 347/72)
  • Patent number: 11957059
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrical component for a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device, in particular, but not limited to, an electromechanical actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: XAAR TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew Vella, Peter Mardilovich
  • Patent number: 11813618
    Abstract: The invention provides a monolithic integrated mesh device for atomization or pumping of a fluid or liquid comprising a plurality of apertures and a piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric material is bonded to the mesh device at an atomic scale. In one embodiment the monolithic micro-fabricated device of the invention includes piezoelectric material that eliminates the need for expensive assembly process and improves reliability. This also has advantage of requiring lower operating voltage and less complicated circuitry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: University College Cork—National University of Ireland
    Inventors: Nathan Jackson, Alan Mathewson, Zbigniew Olszewski
  • Patent number: 11751847
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a single element ultrasound transducer. In one embodiment, the ultrasound transducer comprises a front face, a back face parallel to the front face, a piezoelectric layer having a top surface electrically coupled to the signal pad and a bottom surface electrically coupled to the ground pad. In this way, the transducer can work robustly and may be automatically mounted to an imaging probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Flavien Daloz, Jason Barrett, Edouard Da Cruz, Jean Pierre Malacrida
  • Patent number: 11329214
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a vibration portion, a support portion that is integrally configured with the vibration portion and supports the vibration portion, and a piezoelectric element that is disposed on the vibration portion. The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric film including columnar crystal grains extending in a thickness direction. When a thickness of the piezoelectric film is referred to as T [?m] and an average diameter of the crystal grains in the width direction is referred to as D [?m], T/D is within a range of 10 to 100. The thickness T of the piezoelectric film is larger than or equal to 2 ?m. A standard deviation of diameters of the crystal grains in the width direction is less than or equal to 1.8 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventors: Tomokazu Kobayashi, Mitsumi Kishida, Akio Konishi
  • Patent number: 11313877
    Abstract: A MEMS includes, in part, a parallel plate capacitor, a proofmass adapted to be displaced by a first distance from a rest state in response to a first voltage applied to the capacitor, and a piezoelectric material adapted to generate a second voltage in response to an external force applied to the MEMS. The second voltage causes the MEMS to transition from a standby mode to an active mode of operation. The proofmass is displaced by a second distance in response to the external force thereby causing the piezoelectric material to generate the second voltage. A spring couples the proofmass to the piezoelectric material, and a transistor turns on in response to the second voltage thereby causing the MEMS to transition to the active mode of operation. The proofmass returns to the rest state when the MEMS is in the active mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Kionix, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Hocking
  • Patent number: 11225076
    Abstract: A liquid discharge head includes: a piezoelectric body including piezoelectric layers stacked in a stacking direction, the piezoelectric body including a first end and a second end that are separated in a first direction orthogonal to the stacking direction of the piezoelectric layers; individual electrodes positioned in a first plane orthogonal to the stacking direction; a first common electrode formed in a second plane that is orthogonal to the stacking direction and of which position in the stacking direction is different from a position of a neutral plane of the piezoelectric body in the staking direction and a position of the first plane in the staking direction; and a trace positioned in a third plane of which position in the stacking direction is different from a position of the first plane, the position of the second plane, and the position of the neutral plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Aiba, Keiji Kura
  • Patent number: 11020973
    Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric device including: a substrate (10) on which a plurality of recesses (12) are provided; a vibrating plate (50) which is provided on one surface side of the substrate; and a piezoelectric element (300) which is provided over the vibrating plate (50) and on which a first electrode (60), a piezoelectric layer (70), and a second electrode (80) are laminated from the substrate (10) side, in which the first electrode (60) is formed to have a first width which is smaller than a dimension of the recess in a parallel arrangement direction in the parallel arrangement direction of at least one recess (12), and the piezoelectric layer (70) is extended to the outer side of the first electrode (60) in the parallel arrangement direction and has a second width which is greater than the first width and smaller than a width of the recess (12) in the parallel arrangement direction, the vibrating plate (50) contains a zirconium oxide layer (52), and when an area of the zirconium oxide layer (52) corres
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Nakayama, Yasuhiro Itayama, Naoto Yokoyama, Eiju Hirai, Motoki Takabe
  • Patent number: 10977610
    Abstract: A mobile device and method for determining power tool attendance. The mobile device and method are able to generate a list of power tools that are missing based on being outside of communication range with the mobile device. For example, the mobile device includes a short-range transceiver, a memory, and a processor coupled to the memory and the short-range transceiver. The processor is configured to receive a list of a first plurality of power tools and receive, via a user interface, a selection to detect nearby tools. The processor is also configured to receive, via the short-range transceiver, identification signals from a second plurality of power tools and determine that a subset of the first plurality of power tools is missing based on the identification signals. The processor is further configured to generate an indication that the subset of the first plurality of power tools is missing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Matson, Christian Coulis
  • Patent number: 10814627
    Abstract: There is provided a liquid discharge head including: a piezoelectric body, a common electrode, a bypass trace, and a plurality of individual electrodes. The piezoelectric body is provided with: a first through hole extending in a stacking direction between a conductive layer constructing the piezoelectric body and a first extending portion of the common electrode, and a second through hole extending in the stacking direction between the conductive layer and the first extending portion. The conductive layer and the first extending portion are electrically connected to each other by a conductive material arranged in the first and second through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Aiba, Keiji Kura
  • Patent number: 10790437
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric body having a main phase configured by lead zirconate titanate and a heterogenous phase configured by a different component to lead zirconate titanate, and a pair of electrodes provided on the piezoelectric body. The piezoelectric body has a surface region within 10 ?m of a surface, and an inner region more than 10 ?m from the surface. A surface area coverage of the heterogenous phase in a cross section of the surface region is at least 0.75% greater than a surface area coverage of the heterogenous phase in a cross section of the inner region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Uetani, Tomohiko Hibino, Akifumi Morishita
  • Patent number: 10596581
    Abstract: An actuator includes a diaphragm, a lower electrode on the diaphragm, an electromechanical transducer film on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode on the electromechanical transducer film. The diaphragm includes a first silicon oxide film having a thickness of 0.5 ?m or more, a silicon layer on the first silicon oxide film, a thickness of which is 3 ?m or more, and a second silicon oxide film on the silicon layer, a thickness of which is 0.5 ?m or more. A volume resistivity of the silicon layer is 103 ?·cm or more and 106 ?·cm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Mizukami
  • Patent number: 10596821
    Abstract: A rocker valve includes a number of rails to transitionally connect an arm of a spring to the rocker valve such that the arm of the spring transitions across the rocker valve to actuate the rocker valve, a first side of the rocker valve to selectively engage with a valve seat based on a position of the arm of the spring relative to the first side of the rocker valve, and a number of pivot arms to pivot the rocker valve between a closed position and an open position such that the first side of the rocker valve selectively engages with the valve seat to regulate pressure inside a print head assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Paul Mark Haines, Mark A. Devries, John L. Taylor
  • Patent number: 10500860
    Abstract: An actuator device includes an actuator substrate having actuators, individual conductors electrically connected with the actuators respectively, and dummy conductors; and a bonding member bonded to a surface of the actuator substrate provided with the individual conductors and the dummy conductors. The individual conductors are aligned in an alignment direction to form a first row and a second row arranged in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the alignment direction. In a first end portion of the actuator substrate on one side in the alignment direction, first individual conductors are aligned in the alignment direction without intervening second individual conductors therebetween. In a second end portion of the actuator substrate on the other side in the alignment direction, the second individual conductors are aligned in the alignment direction without intervening the first individual conductors therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taisuke Mizuno, Hideki Hayashi, Keita Hirai, Yuichi Ito
  • Patent number: 10355196
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer formed of a first piezoelectric film which is formed on the first electrode and which includes potassium, sodium, and niobium and a plurality of second piezoelectric films which are formed on the first piezoelectric film and which include potassium, sodium, and niobium, and a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer, in which the piezoelectric layer is a stack of a plurality of piezoelectric films, the first piezoelectric film has a thickness of 30 nm to 70 nm, a concentration of sodium in each of the piezoelectric films is along a gradient in the film thickness direction with the first electrode side being high and the second electrode side being low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Sakai, Kazuya Kitada, Koji Sumi
  • Patent number: 10226922
    Abstract: An ink jet head includes a substrate having a pressure chamber formed therein, the pressure chamber being in communication with a nozzle through which ink is to be discharged, a first plate that is deformable to change a volume of the pressure chamber, and a second plate between the first plate and the pressure chamber, that stretches in response to an electric signal applied thereto. The second plate contracts in an in-plane direction to cause the first plate to deform and thereby the volume of the pressure chamber to be enlarged, when the electric signal is applied, and the second plate returns to an original shape thereof to cause the first plate to return to an original shape thereof and thereby the volume of the pressure chamber to return to an original volume thereof, when the electric signal is no longer applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryutaro Kusunoki, Shuhei Yokoyama, Meng Fei Wong
  • Patent number: 10190045
    Abstract: A nano-composite structure comprises of an amorphous matrix with embedded nano-crystallites. The nano-crystallites are precipitated from the amorphous matrix via heat treatment of a solution mixture of metal salts or metalorganic compounds to an appropriate temperature range and with a suitable duration, or heating of a mixture of non-crystalline compounds. The nano-crystallites are self-assembled in the amorphous matrix without forming agglomerates or distinguished grain boundaries. The nano-composite structure can be used for transparent display, transparent optical ceramics, protection armor, nuclear protection, pulsed power, high voltage electronics, high energy storage system and high power microwave systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Inventors: Xiaomei Guo, Kewen Kevin Li, Yingyin Kevin Zou, Hua Jiang
  • Patent number: 9773963
    Abstract: A connection method includes softening a resin film of a thermosetting resin by heating an element electrode of a piezoelectric body and a substrate electrode of a flexible cable to be connected to the piezoelectric body with the element electrode and the substrate electrode being pressed into contact with each other via the resin film; partially pushing out the molten resin film from an opposing position of the element electrode and the substrate electrode so as to bring a solder layer provided on the substrate electrode into contact with the element electrode; curing the resin film and melting solder in the solder layer by further raising a heating temperature; discharging excess solder in a direction defined by the cured resin film; and then solidifying the solder in the solder layer so as to solder the element electrode and the substrate electrode together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunobu Irie, Futoshi Ohtsuka, Takeshi Kita, Motoi Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 9716446
    Abstract: A self-powered piezoelectric energy harvesting microsystem device has CMOS integrated circuit elements, contacts and interconnections formed at a proof mass portion of a die region of a semiconductor wafer. Piezoelectric energy harvesting unit components connected to the integrated circuit elements are formed at a thinned beam portion of the die region that connects the proof mass portion for vibration relative to a surrounding anchor frame portion. A battery provided on the proof mass portion connects to the integrated circuit elements. In a cantilever architectural example, the battery is advantageously located at a distal end of the proof mass portion, opposite the joinder with frame portion via the beam portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Cuiling Gong, Jianbai Jenn Wang
  • Patent number: 9701118
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus is provided, including a liquid discharge head including: an upper substrate, a plurality of piezoelectric elements, an intermediate substrate, a lower substrate and a plurality of individual traces arranged on the upper substrate and extending toward the contacts arranged on the one end side in the second direction from the plurality of piezoelectric elements respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kyohei Naito, Shohei Koide, Jiro Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9656467
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric actuator including: a plurality of piezoelectric elements forming first and second piezoelectric element rows, and including first, second electrodes and piezoelectric portion; an electrode conductive portion; a contact section; a plurality of drive wires; and conductive wires. A part of the drive wires corresponding to the piezoelectric elements of the second piezoelectric element row are extended toward the contact section while passing between two adjacent piezoelectric elements of the first piezoelectric element row which are adjacent in the first direction. The conductive wires are arranged between two adjacent piezoelectric elements of the second piezoelectric element row, each of the conductive wires is conducted, at two locations thereof apart in the second direction, with the electrode conductive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toru Kakiuchi, Hideki Hayashi, Keita Hirai, Atsushi Hirota
  • Patent number: 9634231
    Abstract: A MEMS switch has fixed support, a plate-shaped flexible beam having at least one end immovably supported by the fixed support and having an extending movable surface, a movable electric contact disposed on the movable surface of the flexible beam, a fixed electric contact facing the movable electric contact and disposed at a fixed position relative to the fixed support, first piezoelectric driver disposed above the movable surface of the flexible beam, extending from a portion above the fixed support towards the movable electric contact, and capable of displacing the movable electric contact towards the fixed electric contact by voltage driving, and second piezoelectric driver disposed at least on the movable surface of the flexible beam and capable of so driving a movable part of the flexible beam by voltage driving that the movable electric contact is separated from the fixed electric contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Osamu Toyoda, Takeaki Shimanouchi
  • Patent number: 9466779
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes one piezoelectric layer, a common electrode disposed on the lower surface of the piezoelectric layer and individual electrodes disposed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric layer. In the piezoelectric layer, a plurality of metal patterns arranged at regular intervals in the conveyance direction and in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction and overlapping with pressure chambers are provided substantially at the central part in the direction of the thickness. The metal patterns are not electrically continuous with each other and not electrically continuous with other parts. The metal patterns situated outermost in the conveyance direction are disposed so as to cross the edge of the pressure chamber. Some metal patterns overlap with the individual electrode and the other metal patterns do not overlap with the individual electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takamasa Usui, Yasuhiro Sekiguchi, Tomohiro Nodsu
  • Patent number: 9272517
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid discharge head that causes less deviation in a discharge direction of a liquid from a direction orthogonal to a discharge hole surface, and a recording device using the liquid discharge head. The liquid discharge head of the present invention includes a discharge hole, a discharge hole surface having an opening of the discharge hole, a pressurizing chamber, and a flow channel connecting the discharge hole and the pressurizing chamber. The flow channel includes a nozzle part and a partial flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kawamura, Daisuke Hozumi, Wataru Ikeuchi, Kenichi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 9248649
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid ejecting head which ejects liquid from nozzle holes by changing a pressure in a liquid flow path in a pressure chamber. The liquid ejecting head includes a flow path member which is formed of ceramic, and in which the pressure chamber is formed; and a piezoelectric element which includes at least a first piezoelectric layer which is formed of ceramic. The first piezoelectric layer of the piezoelectric element is bonded to the flow path member, and the first piezoelectric layer faces the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Nakao, Shunsuke Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9233540
    Abstract: A printing apparatus includes: a flow channel plate including, a pressure chamber, a nozzle including an outlet through which ink contained in the pressure chamber is ejected, and a trench disposed around the nozzle, and the outlet extending into the trench; a piezoelectric actuator configured to provide a change in pressure to eject the ink contained in the pressure chamber; and an electrostatic actuator configured to provide an electrostatic driving force to the ink contained in the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young-ki Hong, Sung-gyu Kang, Jae-woo Chung, Seung-ho Lee, Joong-hyuk Kim, Yong-wan Jin
  • Patent number: 9150018
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head that ejects liquid includes a flow path member that includes a plurality of pressure chambers through which the liquid flows, pressure generation elements that include active parts arranged at positions corresponding to the pressure chambers and a common electrode for generating a common potential to the respective pressure chambers, and a conductive member that is electrically connected to the common electrode on the flow path member at the side to which the pressure generation elements are fixed and lowers resistance of the common electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hajime Nakao
  • Patent number: 9144967
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator has a satisfactory electrical connection of a common electrode and a surface electrode without increasing the size of the piezoelectric actuator, as well as a liquid discharge head and a recording device. The piezoelectric actuator includes: a ceramic substrate which is long in one direction and includes a vibrating plate, a common electrode disposed on the vibrating plate and a piezoelectric ceramic layer disposed on the common electrode and having a plurality of first through holes connected to the common electrode; a plurality of individual electrodes disposed in a region of the piezoelectric ceramic layer opposed to the common electrode; and a plurality of first surface electrodes respectively disposed inside a plurality of the first through holes in the piezoelectric ceramic layer and on a circumference of a plurality of the first through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Kobayashi, Takahiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9144975
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element having a piezoelectric layer and electrodes. The piezoelectric layer is 3 ?m or less in thickness. The piezoelectric layer is made of a piezoelectric material containing a perovskite compound including bismuth manganate ferrate and barium titanate. The piezoelectric layer is preferentially oriented with the (110) plane. A full width at half maximum of the X-ray diffraction peak attributed to the (110) plane is 0.24° or more and 0.28° or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuaki Hamada
  • Patent number: 9079400
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ink jet head includes an ink pressure chamber, a nozzle hole, a vibrating plate, an actuator, and electrodes. The ink pressure chamber stores ink which is discharged through the nozzle hole. The vibrating plate is formed to surround the nozzle hole. The actuator drives the vibrating plate. The electrodes are formed to be axially symmetrical with respect to the nozzle hole and drive the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryutaro Kusunoki, Chiaki Tanuma, Shuhei Yokoyama, Ryuichi Arai
  • Patent number: 8998387
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of working a small recess portion. In the method, prior to press-forming small recess portions arrayed in a row by pressing a predetermined number of pieces of aligned male dies to a metal base plate, the metal base plate is previously formed with a highly rigid portion at a predetermined portion at a vicinity of an imaginary line extending in a row direction along end portions of predicted press portions to which the respective male dies are pressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ogawa, Koichi Saito, Nagamitsu Takashima, Katsunori Ono
  • Patent number: 8998390
    Abstract: Provided is an NBT-BT lead-free piezoelectric film having a high crystalline orientation and a high piezoelectric constant. The present invention is a piezoelectric film comprising a NaxM1-x layer and a (Bi, Na)TiO3—BaTiO3 layer. The (Bi, Na) TiO3—BaTiO3 layer is formed on the NaxM1-x layer, where M represents Pt, Ir, or PtIr and x represents a value of not less than 0.002 and not more than 0.02. Both of the NaxM1-x layer and the (Bi, Na) TiO3—BaTiO3 layer have a (001) orientation only, a (110) orientation only, or a (111) orientation only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takakiyo Harigai, Yoshiaki Tanaka, Hideaki Adachi, Eiji Fujii
  • Patent number: 8985745
    Abstract: A liquid jet head includes an actuator portion having a first recessed portion, a second recessed portion, sidewalls made of a piezoelectric material and forming grooves provided between and communicating with respective ones of the first and second recessed portions, drive electrodes provided on respective ones of the sidewalls, and electrode terminals for transmitting a drive signal to respective ones of the drive electrodes. A cover plate has a first liquid chamber communicating with the first recessed portion for supplying liquid to the grooves and having a second liquid chamber communicating with the second recessed portion for discharging liquid from the grooves. A nozzle plate has nozzles communicating with respective ones of the grooves for ejecting liquid supplied to the grooves due to deformation of the sidewalls upon transmission of a drive signal by the electrode terminals to respective ones of the drive electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: SII Printek Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Koseki
  • Publication number: 20150062257
    Abstract: A sodium niobate powder includes sodium niobate particles having a shape of a cuboid and having a side average length of 0.1 ?m or more and 100 ?m or less, wherein at least one face of each of the sodium niobate particles is a (100) plane in the pseudocubic notation and a moisture content of the sodium niobate powder is 0.15 mass % or less. A method for producing a ceramic using the sodium niobate powder is provided. A method for producing a sodium niobate powder includes a step of holding an aqueous alkali dispersion liquid containing a niobium component and a sodium component at a pressure exceeding 0.1 MPa, a step of isolating a solid matter from the aqueous dispersion liquid after the holding, and a step of heat treating the solid matter at 500° C. to 700° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoaki Masubuchi, Toshiaki Aiba, Toshihiro Ifuku, Makoto Kubota, Takayuki Watanabe, Tatsuo Furuta, Jumpei Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8939556
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a flexible membrane, an adhesive layer, a piezoelectric material layer, and first and second electrically conductive layers. The adhesive layer and the piezoelectric material layer include edge regions and central regions. A surface of the edge region of the piezoelectric material layer is coplanar with a surface of the edge region of the adhesive layer. The first electrically conductive layer is between the piezoelectric material layer and the adhesive layer such that a surface of the first electrically conductive layer is coplanar with the surface of the edge region of the piezoelectric material layer and the surface of the edge region of the adhesive layer. The second electrically conductive layer is over the surface of the edge region of the piezoelectric material layer, the surface of the edge region of the adhesive layer, the surface of the first electrically conductive layer, and the flexible membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Pollard, Tsuyoshi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8919932
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a channel plate, a diaphragm member, and a piezoelectric member. The channel plate includes a separate liquid chamber, a fluid resistance portion, and a liquid introducing portion. The diaphragm member has a thin layer and a thick layer. The thin layer forms a wall face of each of the separate liquid chamber, the resistance portion, and the introducing portion and includes a vibration area facing the separate liquid chamber. The piezoelectric member is arranged to deform the vibration area and has a portion opposing the introducing portion. The thin layer has a thin portion forming the wall face of the introducing portion. The thick layer has a thick portion formed along the longitudinal direction of the separate liquid chamber on a first face opposite a second face opposing the introducing portion. In a plan view, the thin portion is divided by the thick portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Yoshida, Hiroomi Yokomaku
  • Patent number: 8911062
    Abstract: A liquid-jet head includes a channel plate forming an individual liquid chamber in communication with nozzles configured to eject liquid drops, a wall surface member forming a wall surface of the individual liquid chamber, and a drive unit disposed on the wall surface member side and configured to generate a pressure applied to a drive region inside the individual liquid chamber. In the liquid-jet head, a fluid resistance part is formed by disposing an island part in a liquid supply channel configured to supply a liquid to the individual liquid channel, and the island part includes a gradient part on the channel plate side, at least a part of the gradient part being formed such that the part of the gradient part faces the drive region inside the individual liquid chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kuwata, Kunihiro Yamanaka, Satoru Tobita
  • Patent number: 8899729
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a vibration plate which is joined to a flow passage unit to cover a pressure chamber formed in the flow passage unit, a piezoelectric layer arranged on the vibration plate, a first electrode arranged on the piezoelectric layer to face the pressure chamber, a second electrode arranged on the piezoelectric layer while being opposed to the first electrode, and a third area arranged in the remaining area of the piezoelectric layer opposed to the pressure chamber. A first portion of the piezoelectric layer interposed by the first and second electrodes is polarized in parallel to the thickness direction. A second portion of the piezoelectric layer disposed between the first and third electrodes in the plane direction, is polarized in parallel to the plane direction. Accordingly, there are provided the piezoelectric actuator having a high driving efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroto Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8888255
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a cantilever membrane. A thin film sheet is affixed to one side of the cantilever membrane to bend the membrane in multiple directions in response to an electric field induced within the thin film sheet. A plurality of coplanar electrodes disposed on the thin film sheet are interdigitated in relation to one another to generate the electric field during application of a voltage across interdigitated electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Peter Mardilovich, Haggai Karlinski, Kurt Ulmer
  • Patent number: 8882245
    Abstract: An inkjet head includes a substrate, a piezoelectric member provided on the substrate and having predetermined length, plural pressure chamber grooves provided on the piezoelectric member in a longitudinal direction, opposed walls forming the pressure chamber grooves being configured to function as driving elements that eject ink, a chamber groove provided along the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric member, the chamber groove being formed on the substrate continuously to a slope of the piezoelectric member, an insulating member provided in the chamber groove, a wire through which a signal for driving the walls of the pressure chamber grooves passes, the wire being formed on the substrate and the insulating member, a cover member opposed to the substrate and configured to cover the piezoelectric member and the chamber groove, and plural nozzles configured to pierce through the cover member, respectively communicate with the pressure chamber grooves, and discharge the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 8876262
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes actuators configured to pressurize ink. The actuators include piezoelectric elements provided on an insulating layer, first electrodes electrically connected to the piezoelectric elements, and second electrodes connected to the piezoelectric elements and configured to hold the piezoelectric elements in cooperation with the first electrodes. The first electrodes of all the actuators are electrically connected to a common first energization pattern. The second electrodes of all the actuators are individually electrically connected to second energization patterns. The first energization pattern and the second energization patterns are separated from each other without overlapping each other on the insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryuichi Arai, Chiaki Tanuma, Ryutaro Kusunoki, Shuhei Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8870353
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes a pressure generation chamber which fluidly communicates with a nozzle opening through which liquid is discharged, a pressure generation unit which causes pressure change on liquid in the pressure generation chamber, a manifold which serves as a liquid chamber common to a plurality of the pressure generation chambers, a flexible film which is configured to cover the manifold so as to absorb a pressure change generated in the manifold, and a heat generation unit which is formed on the flexible film at a region opposed to the manifold and is made of a pattered metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Shunsuke Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8857953
    Abstract: A liquid ejection head includes a piezoelectric block body having a plurality of pressure chambers arranged two-dimensionally to face respective ejection ports, a plurality of air chambers arranged adjacently relative to the plurality of pressure chambers, and a plurality of flow channels arranged along the pressure chambers. The pressure chambers are deformed by expansion and contraction of piezoelectric members disposed between the pressure chambers and the air chambers so as to drive the liquid stored therein to flow toward the ejection ports. A connection flow channel is provided at the ejection port side of the piezoelectric block body so as to make each of the pressure chambers communicate with at least one of the flow channels for partial recirculation of the ink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Suzuki, Shinan Wang, Toru Nakakubo, Manabu Sueoka, Tsunenori Soma, Ryota Kashu
  • Patent number: 8833911
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head includes: a nozzle plate provided with nozzle openings; an actuator unit including a flow channel formation substrate in which pressure generation chambers are provided and piezoelectric actuators that cause a change in the pressure of the liquid within respective pressure generation chambers; a communication substrate in which communication channels that communicate between the pressure generation chambers and corresponding nozzle openings are provided; a first case member that is a frame member affixed to the communication substrate so that the actuator unit is disposed within the first case member and that, along with the actuator unit, forms a manifold that holds the liquid to be supplied to the pressure generation chambers; and a second case member that is affixed to the first case member and in which is formed an introduction channel that sends the liquid from the exterior to the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinao Miyata
  • Patent number: 8827427
    Abstract: An ink-jet head comprising: a supply channel configured to allow ink to flow; ink chamber groups, each having two or more ink chambers that are alternately provided on either side of the supply channel, along a direction of the ink, the ink chambers each having nozzles for discharging ink; wherein: each of the ink chamber groups has two or more ink chamber sequences in parallel with the direction, and two or more nozzle sequences in parallel with the direction, in each of the ink chamber groups, when the ink chamber sequence closest to the supply channel is a first ink chamber sequence, and the ink chamber sequence furthest away from the supply channel is an n-th ink chamber sequence, the number of the ink chambers in the first ink chamber sequence is greater than the number of the ink chambers in the n-th ink chamber sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hidehiro Yoshida, Kazuki Fukada
  • Patent number: 8827430
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first conductive layer, a piezoelectric layer, and a second conductive layer. The piezoelectric layer is composed of a compound oxide containing at least lead, zirconium, titanium, and oxygen, and the compound oxide has a perovskite crystal structure. The piezoelectric layer has a thermally stimulated current having at least two peaks including a low temperature-side peak and a high temperature-side peak, and the magnitude of the low temperature-side peak is 1/30 or less of that of the high temperature-side peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Toshiki Hara
  • Patent number: 8820898
    Abstract: A droplet-ejecting head including a substrate including a pressure chamber communicating with a nozzle hole and also a piezoelectric element that includes a lower electrode, a piezoelectric layer which is formed above the lower electrode, and an upper electrode formed above the piezoelectric element and that causes a change in pressure in a liquid contained in the pressure chamber. The piezoelectric layer includes a first piezoelectric sub-layer located on the lower electrode and a second piezoelectric sub-layer located between the first piezoelectric sub-layer and the upper electrode. The first piezoelectric sub-layer has a polarization axis predominantly directed in an in-plane direction of the first piezoelectric sub-layer. The second piezoelectric sub-layer is predominantly (100)-oriented in the pseudocubic coordinate system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Koichi Morozumi
  • Patent number: 8820895
    Abstract: A fluid ejector includes a fluid ejection module having a substrate and a layer separate from the substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of fluid ejection elements arranged in a matrix, each fluid ejection element configured to cause a fluid to be ejected from a nozzle. The layer separate from the substrate includes a plurality of electrical connections, each electrical connection adjacent to a corresponding fluid ejection element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Dimatix, Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Bibl, Kevin Von Essen, Paul A. Hoisington
  • Patent number: 8807709
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ink-jet head includes a substrate, a piezoelectric member, electrically conductive portions, a frame member, an insulating film, an electronic component and a protective agent. The piezoelectric member is mounted on the substrate and includes pressure chambers. The electrically conductive portions extend from the pressure chambers and are disposed on the substrate. The frame member inside which the piezoelectric member is disposed is attached to the substrate from above the electrically conductive portions. The insulating film covers the piezoelectric member, the frame member, and a part of the electrically conductive portions. The electronic component is connected to the electrically conductive portions. The protective agent covers an end portion of the insulating film located between the frame member and the electronic component and the electrically conductive portions between the electronic component and the end portion of the insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Ooishi, Hiroyuki Kushida, Minoru Koyata, Masashi Seki
  • Patent number: 8801147
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head includes a substrate, a nozzle plate, and an actuator incorporated in the nozzle plate. The nozzle plate includes a nozzle provided to communicate with an ink pressure chamber, and a vibrating plate exposed to the ink pressure chamber. The actuator displaces the vibrating plate in the thickness direction to pressurize ink in the ink pressure chamber via the vibrating plate and eject the ink from the nozzle. The ink pressure chamber has a first dimension in the thickness direction of the substrate and a second dimension in a direction orthogonal to the thickness direction of the substrate. The first dimension is larger than the second dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryutaro Kusunoki, Chiaki Tanuma, Shuhei Yokoyama, Ryuichi Arai
  • Patent number: 8789932
    Abstract: A printhead includes a moveable membrane, a piezoelectric actuator to move the membrane, and electronic circuitry disposed on the moveable membrane. A method of fabricating a printhead includes fabricating CMOS circuitry on a first side of a circuit wafer, and forming a chamber in a second side of the circuit wafer such that a bottom of the chamber forms a moveable membrane and the CMOS circuitry is disposed on the moveable membrane opposite the bottom of the chamber. A printing system includes a printhead having CMOS circuitry formed on a first side of a moveable membrane, a chamber having a bottom comprising a second side of the moveable membrane, and a piezoelectric actuator formed over the CMOS circuitry, configured to cause displacement of the moveable membrane into the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew L. Van Brocklin, Eric L. Nikkel