Plural Piezoelectric Laminate Patents (Class 347/72)
  • Patent number: 8777381
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head comprises a substrate, and a nozzle plate. The substrate includes grooves. The nozzle plate includes nozzles that are formed by laser processing to communicate with the grooves. Electrodes are formed on respective internal surfaces of the grooves. Each of the electrodes is formed of a plurality of metal layers, and includes a flat surface that is apart from the internal surfaces of the grooves. A first inorganic film is superposed on the surfaces of the electrodes. A second inorganic film is superposed on the first inorganic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Seki, Masashi Shimosato
  • Patent number: 8770727
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a first piezoelectric layer which is formed at an upper side of the first electrode and at lateral sides to the first electrode, a porous layer which is formed so as to cover side surfaces of the first piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode which is formed at an upper side of the first piezoelectric layer and the porous layer. In the piezoelectric element, the porous layer contains at least one metal element constituting the first piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masao Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8746854
    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: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Yoshida, Hiroomi Yokomaku
  • Patent number: 8727505
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electromechanical transducer element that includes an electromechanical transducer film formed of a complex oxide (PZT) including lead (Pb), zirconium (Zr), and titanium (Ti). The electromechanical transducer film is formed by laminating plural PZT thin films until a thickness of the formed electromechanical transducer film becomes a predetermined thickness. When an atomic weight ratio (Pb/(Zr+Ti)) of average Pb included in the formed electromechanical transducer film is denoted by Pb(avg) and an atomic weight ratio (Pb/(Zr+Ti)) of Pb in any one of laminate interfaces of the plural PZT thin films is denoted by Pb(interface), the Pb(avg) is greater than or equal to 100 atomic percentage (at %) and less than or equal to 110 atomic percentage (at %), and a fluctuation ratio ?Pb=Pb(avg)?Pb(interface) of Pb in the laminate interface is less than or equal to 20 percent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizukami, Yoshikazu Akiyama, Masaru Shinkai, Keiji Ueda, Kanshi Abe, Takakazu Kihira, Naoya Kondo
  • Patent number: 8727507
    Abstract: Provided is an ink-jet apparatus that: has a wide control range of the direction for ink ejection; can correct a variation in the direction for ink ejection; and can improve the yield of a product when used for manufacture of electronic devices. The ink-jet apparatus includes: pressure chamber 110 configured with a pair of partition walls 111; nozzle plate 101 having nozzle 100; diaphragm 112 supported by partition walls 111; piezoelectric elements 131 and 132 that are in contact with diaphragm 112 for pressurizing pressure chamber 110; and piezoelectric elements 141, 142 and 143 supporting partition walls 111. A voltage can be applied individually to piezoelectric elements 131, 132, and 141 to 143. The widths of part A and part B of diaphragm 112, part A being in contact with a piezoelectric element, and part B being in contact with partition wall 111 satisfy a particular relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Fukada, Hiroshi Hayata, Hidehiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8714712
    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. The position (2?) of the X-ray diffraction peak attributed to the (110) plane is 31.80° or more and 32.00° or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuaki Hamada
  • Patent number: 8714715
    Abstract: A liquid jet head has a nozzle plate including nozzles for ejecting liquid and side walls placed over the nozzle plate, the side walls forming grooves having a fixed depth in a longitudinal direction thereof. Drive electrodes are formed on wall surfaces of the side walls. A cover plate is placed on upper surfaces of the side walls and has a supply port for supplying liquid to the grooves and a discharge port for discharging liquid from the grooves. Sealing materials are placed for closing the grooves outside communicating portions between the grooves and the supply port and between the grooves and the discharge port to prevent leakage of liquid from the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Sii Printek Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Koseki
  • Patent number: 8707549
    Abstract: The present invention relates to ultrasound transducers for ultrasonic imaging systems and, in particular, to improved grip assemblies for ultrasound transducers. One grip assembly includes a locking plate defining first and second apertures and a coupling post extending from the locking plate. An interface plate has a first elongate extension being extendable at least partially through the first aperture and a second elongate extension being extendable at least partially through the second aperture. A handle is coupled to the locking plate and includes a grip, a coupling interface, and a neck extending between the grip and the coupling interface. The coupling interface defines a coupling aperture for receiving the coupling post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Boise State University
    Inventors: Joie Burns, Michelle Sabick, Seth Kuhlman, Carly Lockard, Brittany Siewert
  • Patent number: 8678564
    Abstract: In an inkjet print head an actuation chamber substantially extends in a first direction and the actuation chamber is associated with a piezo actuator arranged to generate a pressure wave in the actuation chamber. The pressure wave propagates in said first direction. A nozzle is associated with the actuation chamber such that a droplet may be expelled through the nozzle upon generation of the pressure wave in the actuation chamber. A reservoir is in fluid communication with the actuation chamber via an inlet and an outlet of the actuation chamber. A pump means is provided for pumping ink from the reservoir, via the inlet, through the actuation chamber, via the outlet back into said reservoir. The print head is provided with a means for reflecting the pressure wave at the outlet of the actuation chamber for enabling to generate a sufficient pressure at the nozzle for expelling the droplet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Oce-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Hermanus M. A. Wijshoff, Peter Klein Meuleman
  • Patent number: 8678566
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a piezoelectric layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode includes a first electroconductive layer having a first surface at the piezoelectric layer side and a second electroconductive layer having a second surface at the first surface side. The second electroconductive layer mainly contains lanthanum nickelate and is disposed on the first surface. The first electrode, the piezoelectric layer and the second electrode overlap with each other when viewed in the direction of the normal to the first surface to form an overlap portion acting as a driving portion. At least part of the second electroconductive layer is disposed within the sides of the first surface within the driving portion, and the second surface has a smaller area than the first surface within the driving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Nakayama, Hideki Hahiro
  • Patent number: 8678563
    Abstract: An electrode is provided with a lanthanum nickelate film which is formed through a chemical solution deposition method using a lanthanum nickelate film forming composition which is obtained by heating a mixed solution obtained by mixing at least lanthanum acetate, nickel acetate, acetic acid, and water, a piezoelectric layer is provided on the lanthanum nickelate film and is formed of a complex oxide having a perovskite structure which contains at least Pb, Ti, and Zr, and a half-width (?) of a peak derived from a (100) plane and/or a peak derived from a (001) plane measured using an X-ray rocking curve method is 6.0 degrees or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Itayama
  • Patent number: 8662645
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head comprises a substrate, and a nozzle plate. The substrate includes grooves. The nozzle plate includes nozzles that are formed by laser processing to communicate with the grooves. Electrodes are formed on respective internal surfaces of the grooves. Each of the electrodes is formed of a plurality of metal layers, and includes a flat surface that is apart from the internal surfaces of the grooves. A first inorganic film is superposed on the surfaces of the electrodes. A second inorganic film is superposed on the first inorganic film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Seki, Masashi Shimosato
  • Patent number: 8657418
    Abstract: Disclosed is an inkjet head including a fluid channel substrate on which individual liquid chambers are arranged, the individual liquid chambers being partitioned by liquid chamber partition walls; an oscillation plate that is formed on a surface facing openings of nozzles; actuators; wiring layer patterns that supplies driving signals to the actuators, the wiring layer patterns being formed above the corresponding liquid chamber partition walls; and a supporting substrate in which concave oscillation chambers are formed, the concave oscillation chambers being partitioned by supporting substrate partition walls. A width in the short direction of the supporting substrate partition wall is smaller than a width in the short direction of the liquid chamber partition wall and greater than a width of the wiring layer pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Kato, Kiyoshi Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8651627
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a plurality of individual electrodes, a piezoelectric layer formed on each of individual electrodes, and a common electrode which is formed on the piezoelectric layer and is an electrode common to the individual electrodes. Further, a protection film covering a region, which is not covered by the common electrode on the individual electrode, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shiro Yazaki, Takahiro Kamijo, Tatsuro Torimoto, Motoki Takabe
  • Patent number: 8651630
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a fluid ejector structure includes: a chamber for containing a fluid; a flexible membrane forming one wall of the chamber; a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a backing operatively connected to the piezoelectric elements such that an expansion and/or contraction of a piezoelectric element causes the piezoelectric element to bend; a rigid plate overlaying a center portion of the membrane; a post coupling the piezoelectric elements to the plate through the backing such that a movement of each piezoelectric element toward the chamber is transmitted to the plate through the post. The plate is configured to transmit movement of the post to the membrane in a rigid, or substantially rigid, piston-like manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Adel Jilani, Tony S. Cruz-Uribe, Martha A. Truninger, Kenneth Michael Kramer
  • Patent number: 8646881
    Abstract: An ink jet print head including a plurality of standoff layer supports in an interstitial region between adjacent piezoelectric elements, and method of formation. The plurality of standoff layer supports can be formed from the same layer(s) as the piezoelectric elements, or from a dielectric layer such as a polymer. The standoff layer supports increase an area to which a standoff layer can be attached, thereby forming a more secure attachment of a circuit layer such as a flex circuit or a printed circuit board to a jet stack subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Bryan R. Dolan, Gary D. Redding, Peter J. Nystrom
  • Patent number: 8636344
    Abstract: In an inactive region, a farthest dummy electrode formed in a base end portion and an isolated dummy electrode island are located at positions along an extension from an individual internal electrode toward the base end portion. Such a configuration allows the area of the dummy electrode to be reduced, compared with a dummy electrode continuously formed in the inactive region. Therefore, the cost incurred by the dummy electrode is reduced, which leads to reduction in manufacturing cost of a piezoelectric unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takafumi Koda, Isamu Togashi
  • Patent number: 8636343
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head contains a piezoelectric element having a piezoelectric layer and an electrode disposed on the piezoelectric layer, in which the piezoelectric layer contains a complex oxide containing bismuth, iron, barium, and titanium and having a perovskite structure, has a yield stress of 5.66 GPa or more, and has a Young's modulus of 114 GPa or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hidemichi Furihata
  • Patent number: 8622529
    Abstract: A diaphragm unit includes an elastic film unit which seals an opening portion of a pressure chamber, and an island unit which is provided on the elastic film unit and to which a tip portion of a piezoelectric vibrator is joined. The width of the center portion of the island unit in the longitudinal direction is set to be narrower than the width of both end portions of the island unit in the longitudinal direction. The dimension of the center portion of the island unit in the longitudinal direction is shorter than the dimension of the piezoelectric vibrator in the same direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Isamu Togashi
  • Patent number: 8622528
    Abstract: A first lead electrode containing nickel and chromium contacts a second upper electrode containing titanium. Here, since a difference between the normal electrode potential of nickel and chromium and the normal electrode potential of titanium is smaller than a difference between the normal electrode potential of nickel and chromium and the normal electrode potential of iridium, electric corrosion can be made difficult to occur as compared with the case where the first lead electrode containing nickel and chromium contacts a first upper electrode containing iridium. Therefore, a piezoelectric element can be obtained in which an increase in resistance due to the narrowing of the contact area between an upper electrode and a lead electrode for upper electrode or the separation of the lead electrode for upper electrode can be suppressed and which can be driven by a given voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masato Shimada
  • Patent number: 8616684
    Abstract: A liquid-ejecting head includes a pressure-generating chamber that communicates with a nozzle opening and a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes a first electrode; a piezoelectric body layer formed on the first electrode; and a second electrode formed on the piezoelectric body layer on a side opposite the first electrode. In the liquid-ejecting head, the piezoelectric body layer has a perovskite structure and an insulating property, and an A-site and an oxygen site of the perovskite structure respectively include a vacancy formed by losing an A-site metal and a vacancy formed by losing an oxygen atom, each of the vacancies including a hydrogen atom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Ichiro Asaoka
  • Patent number: 8613497
    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: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Ogawa, Koichi Saito, Nagamitsu Takashima, Katsunori Ono
  • Patent number: 8608291
    Abstract: A piezoelectric inkjet printhead is monolithically fabricated on a substrate. The printhead includes a plurality of cavities formed into the substrate, piezoelectric actuators disposed over the top of the cavities, a fluidic structure and an ink supply channel. The piezoelectric actuators are formed over the cavities using a sacrificial material which fills the cavities and is removed after the actuators are formed. The fluidic structure defines pressurizing chambers and channels connected to the ink supply channel. The fluidic structure has a plurality of nozzle holes formed on the top surface. The cavities are connected to either a venting channel formed from the backside of the substrate or a venting chamber formed inside the fluidic structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yimin Guan, Eunki Hong
  • Patent number: 8602534
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a liquid droplet ejecting head includes sequentially in a laminated manner: a nozzle substrate; an ink tank substrate; a liquid supply substrate; and a frame substrate. The nozzle substrate is formed so that at least three or more nozzle rows are arranged in a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the nozzle row; the driving circuit member is provided to oppose to an outer surface of the frame substrate so as to correspond to a region between two adjacent nozzle rows located at the 4N+2-th position and the 4N+3-th position (N is 0 or a natural number); and the driving circuit member is commonly used to drive the electro-mechanical converting element and to drive the electro-mechanical converting element used for another one or two nozzle rows adjacent to at least one of the two nozzle rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Takeshi Takemoto
  • Patent number: 8602533
    Abstract: An ink jet head and an ink jet device having the same are provided, which include an ink supply path supplied with ink from an ink inlet port, an ink discharge path configured to discharge the ink to an ink discharge port, an ink chamber provided to communicate with the ink supply path and the ink discharge path and having a nozzle configured to discharge the ink, and a piezoelectric actuator operable to apply pressure to the ink within the ink chamber by displacement of a vibrating plate of the ink chamber, wherein the piezoelectric actuator is arranged through the vibrating plate of the ink chamber and an island member, the island member is disposed to extend between the ink supply path and the ink discharge path, and a length W1 of a side of the island member on the ink supply path side and a length L that extends from the ink supply path side to the ink discharge path side are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuki Fukada, Hidehiro Yoshida, Keisei Yamamuro
  • Patent number: 8596767
    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: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinao Miyata
  • Patent number: 8591011
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer 70 disposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode film 80 disposed on the piezoelectric layer 70, wherein the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed of a plurality of columnar grains 70a, and the upper electrode film 80 conforms to the surface shape of each of the grains 70a of the piezoelectric layer 70.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Shimada, Xin-shan Li
  • Patent number: 8585185
    Abstract: A method and structure for an ink jet print head which includes the use of two or more flexible circuits and a piezoelectric element array. A first pad array is included on a first flex circuit to power a first portion of the piezoelectric element array of the print head, and a second pad array is included on a second flex circuit to power a second portion of the piezoelectric element array of the print head. Using two flex circuits requires only half as many traces to be formed on each flex circuit, which can relax spacing requirements and design tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Peter J Nystrom, Scott Taylor Treece, Bryan R Dolan
  • Patent number: 8585188
    Abstract: A thin-film actuator that deforms a diaphragm to generate force includes a lower electrode disposed on the diaphragm, a first piezoelectric layer disposed on the lower electrode, an intermediate electrode disposed on the first piezoelectric layer, a second piezoelectric layer disposed on the intermediate electrode, and an upper electrode disposed on the second piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Eiichi Ohta
  • Patent number: 8567927
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device comprises a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer provided above the first electrode, and a second electrode provided above the piezoelectric layer. The piezoelectric layer comprises a mixed crystal containing at least bismuth ferrate and barium titanate. The piezoelectric layer comprises a first piezoelectric layer and a second piezoelectric layer which is disposed between at least one of the first and second electrodes and the first piezoelectric layer. The barium titanate content of the second piezoelectric layer is at least 10 mole percent higher than the barium titanate content of the first piezoelectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Inventor: Tetsuya Isshiki
  • Patent number: 8550601
    Abstract: An ink jet printhead including a plurality of piezoelectric elements and a photosensitive interstitial layer which fills spaces between each adjacent piezoelectric element. The ink jet printhead can be formed using a simplified method to pattern the photosensitive interstitial layer, and to remove a diaphragm attach material which covers a plurality of openings through a diaphragm using laser ablation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Cellura, Peter J. Nystrom, Kock-yee Law, John Paul Meyers, Gary Daniel Redding, Yuanjia Zhang
  • Patent number: 8534805
    Abstract: A disclosed liquid discharge head includes plural nozzles configured to discharge droplets; plural chambers in communication with the respective nozzles; a vibration plate member having a deformable vibration area configured to form a part of a wall surface of the chambers, a first projection in the deformable vibration area, and a second projection in a part corresponding to a partition wall between the chambers; and a piezoelectric member having a drive pillar bonded to the first projection and a non-drive pillar bonded to the second projection. A width of a base of the first projection is greater than a width of a base of the second projection, and a width of the drive pillar is less than a width of the non-drive pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi Sano
  • Publication number: 20130229465
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes: a substrate; a first electrode which is layered over the substrate; a first piezoelectric film which is layered over the first electrode; a metal oxide film which is layered over the first piezoelectric film; a metal film which is layered over the metal oxide film; a second piezoelectric film which is layered over the metal film; and a second electrode which is layered over the second piezoelectric film, wherein a polarizing direction of the first piezoelectric film and a polarizing direction of the second piezoelectric film are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2012
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takamichi FUJII, Yoshikazu HISHINUMA
  • Patent number: 8506056
    Abstract: A vibration plate, an insulating layer and a plurality of piezoelectric layers, connected to each other, are connected to an upper face of a flow passage unit. Between the plurality of piezoelectric layers, there is provided an intermediate electrode having: opposing portions opposed to center portions of pressure chambers; and connecting portions for connecting the opposing portions at a region opposed to connection portion with the flow passage unit. Between the insulating layer and one of the piezoelectric layers, there is provided a lower electrode extending across the entire region not opposed to the intermediate electrode, including regions opposed to regions of the pressure chambers located outside the center portions thereof. At an upper face of the other piezoelectric layer, upper electrodes are located to be opposed to the pressure chambers. A shielding electrode is arranged between the vibration plate and the insulating layer across the entire regions thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitsugu Morita
  • Patent number: 8491105
    Abstract: A production method of a piezoelectric element which includes an insulating film, a first electrode provided on the insulating film, a piezoelectric layer that is provided on the first electrode and is made of a composite oxide having a perovskite structure containing lead, zirconium, and titanium, and a second electrode provided on the piezoelectric layer on the opposite side to the first electrode, includes: forming and patterning the first electrode on the insulating film; forming island-shaped lanthanum nickel oxide portions over the insulating film and the first electrode; and forming a piezoelectric precursor film over the insulating film and the first electrode, and forming the piezoelectric layer having a piezoelectric film that is crystallized by baking the piezoelectric precursor film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8480210
    Abstract: A liquid jet head is provided with an actuator substrate having grooves spaced apart from one another through an intermediation of partition walls. Drive electrodes are formed on confronting side surfaces of the partition walls so as not to be electrically connected to one another and are configured to be driven independently from one another to independently deform the partition walls. Each of the partition walls has a first portion made of a first material and extending from a base surface of the corresponding groove, and has a second portion extending from the first portion and being made of a second material having a higher permittivity than that of the first material. A cover plate is mounted on the actuator substrate so as to cover the grooves, and a nozzle plate has nozzles communicating with respective ones of the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: SII Printek Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Koseki
  • Patent number: 8474139
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a liquid ejecting head, the method including forming a piezoelectric element having a width in a reference direction longer than a width in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the reference direction on a first substrate, and adhering a second substrate to a surface of the first substrate opposed to the piezoelectric element at a temperature higher than a normal temperature, wherein, in the adhering of the second substrate, the second substrate is adhered such that the first direction of the second substrate is adjusted to the reference direction, using a first thermal expansion coefficient in a first direction on an adhesion surface with the first substrate greater than a second thermal expansion coefficient in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the first thermal expansion coefficient greater than a thermal expansion coefficient of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Xin-shan Li
  • Patent number: 8465659
    Abstract: A method for forming an ink jet print head can include attaching a plurality of piezoelectric elements to a diaphragm, dispensing a dielectric fill layer over the diaphragm and the plurality of piezoelectric elements to encapsulate the piezoelectric elements, curing the dielectric fill layer to form an interstitial layer, then removing the interstitial layer from an upper surface of the plurality of piezoelectric elements using a plasma etch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Bryan R. Dolan, John R. Andrews, Bradley J. Gerner, Mark A. Cellura
  • Patent number: 8459781
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an inkjet head comprises a main body which is adhered onto a substrate with an adhesive layer. The substrate includes inflow parts that are opened to a mounting surface. Side surfaces of the main body, internal surfaces of the grooves, an end part of the adhesive layer, and the mounting surface are covered with a conductive layer. The conductive layer is provided with insulating patterns. The insulating patterns run between the grooves and extending to the mounting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masafumi Ohsawa
  • Patent number: 8454133
    Abstract: An inkjet head is disclosed. In the inkjet head a vibrating plate is formed on a liquid chamber substrate on which multiple dedicated liquid chambers are aligned; a first insulating film and a second insulating film are formed between a dedicated electrode wiring and a lower electrode in an area in which the dedicated electrode wiring and the lower electrode overlap; a third insulating film and a fourth insulating film are stacked in an area which includes a forming area of the dedicated electrode wiring; in at least a portion of a forming area of the dedicated liquid chamber, there is provided a non-film forming area; and, in an area including a piezoelectric element forming section, either the first insulating film and the fourth insulating film are formed in the non-film forming area, or the fourth insulating film is formed in the non-film forming area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Mizukami, Masaki Kato, Takahiko Kuroda, Kanshi Abe, Yoshikazu Akiyama
  • Patent number: 8444256
    Abstract: There is provided a piezoelectric actuator including: a substrate that is supported by a support portion; a piezoelectric element that includes a lower electrode formed on the substrate, a piezoelectric layer formed on the lower substrate, and an upper electrode formed on the piezoelectric layer; and a driving circuit that applies a voltage to the piezoelectric element. The upper electrode has a first upper electrode that is positioned on an outer peripheral side of the piezoelectric layer and at least one second upper electrode that is positioned on a center side of the piezoelectric layer, and a voltage applied to the first upper electrode is lower than a voltage applied to the second upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Naoto Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8425013
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric member having piezoelectric pillars and grooves alternately arrayed. Each of the grooves has a first width at a bottom side of the piezoelectric pillars and a second width at an upper side of the piezoelectric pillars in a direction in which the piezoelectric pillars are arrayed. The first width is greater than the second width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Keisuke Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8402622
    Abstract: When a piezoelectric actuator, having a lower electrode, an intermediate electrode, and an upper electrode respectively on upper surfaces of a vibration plate, a lower piezoelectric layer, and an upper piezoelectric layer mutually stacked, is produced, a voltage of 30 V is applied to the upper and the intermediate electrodes, and ?30 V is applied to the lower electrode so that a second active portion, which is included in portions of the piezoelectric layers interposed between the upper and the lower electrodes and from which a portion opposed to the intermediate electrode is excluded, is polarized downwardly. After that, 0 V is applied to the upper and lower electrodes, and 30 V is applied to the intermediate electrode so that a first active portion, which is included in the upper piezoelectric layer and which is interposed between the upper and the intermediate electrodes, is polarized upwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitsugu Morita
  • Patent number: 8393719
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a lead-free piezoelectric film including a lead-free ferroelectric material and having low dielectric loss and high piezoelectric performance comparable to that of PZT, and a method of manufacturing the lead-free piezoelectric film. The present invention is directed to a piezoelectric film comprising a NaxLa1-xNiO3-x layer with a (001) orientation and a (Na,Bi)TiO3—BaTiO3 layer with a (001) orientation, wherein x is not less than 0.01 and not more than 0.1, and the NaxLa1-xNiO3-x layer (0.01?x?0.1) and the (Na,Bi)TiO3—BaTiO3 layer are laminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takakiyo Harigai, Yoshiaki Tanaka, Hideaki Adachi, Eiji Fujii
  • Patent number: 8388115
    Abstract: A piezoelectric inkjet head structure includes an upper cover plate, a lower cover plate, a piezoelectric actuating module, a nozzle plate and a seal layer. The piezoelectric actuating module includes an upper piezoelectric chip, a lower piezoelectric chip, a first electrode, a second electrode, a conductive layer and a plurality of flow channels. The entrances of the flow channels of the upper piezoelectric chip and the lower piezoelectric chip are separated from each other by the same spacing interval. The entrances of the flow channels of the upper piezoelectric chip and the entrances of the flow channels of the lower piezoelectric chip are arranged in a staggered form. During operation of the piezoelectric actuating module, ink liquid is introduced into the flow channels of the piezoelectric actuating module from the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate, and then ejected out of the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Microjet Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Chiang-Ho Cheng, Chi-Feng Huang
  • Patent number: 8366248
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a lower electrode film disposed on a substrate, a piezoelectric layer 70 disposed on the lower electrode film, a upper electrode film 80 disposed on the piezoelectric layer 70, wherein the piezoelectric layer 70 is formed of a plurality of columnar grains 70a, and the upper electrode film 80 conforms to the surface shape of each of the grains 70a of the piezoelectric layer 70.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Shimada, Xin-Shan Li
  • Patent number: 8356887
    Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric element that can effectively utilize a piezoelectric constant d15 to increase a deflection displacement of a vibrating plate, and devices using the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; a vibrating plate that is in contact with the first electrode; a piezoelectric film provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; at least one recess formed on the second electrode side of the piezoelectric film; and a third electrode formed on an inner side wall of the at least one recess, in which the third electrode is connected to the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kaoru Miura, Tatsuo Furuta
  • Patent number: 8348396
    Abstract: A fluid ejection device includes a flexible membrane and an adhesive layer on the flexible membrane. The adhesive layer includes a first region and a second region extending from the first region. The fluid ejection device includes a piezoelectric material layer including an edge region and a central region. A surface of the edge region of the piezoelectric material layer is substantially coplanar with a surface of the second region of the adhesive layer. The surface of the edge region and the surface of the second region are substantially parallel with the flexible membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Jeffrey R. Pollard
  • Patent number: 8322830
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element has a piezoelectric body, two electrodes sandwiching the piezoelectric body, a protective layer covering the piezoelectric body and the two electrodes, and an antistatic layer formed on and/or in the protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Takakuwa
  • Patent number: 8317304
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting head is equipped with a piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element has a piezoelectric layer containing titanium (Ti) and zirconium (Zr) and first and second electrodes provided on both faces of the piezoelectric layer. The composition ratio of Ti and Zr in the piezoelectric layer Ti/(Zr+Ti) is in the range of 0.50 to 0.60 both inclusive. The piezoelectric layer contains rhombohedral crystals at least in a portion thereof covering the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Sumi