Tuning Fork Patents (Class 73/504.16)
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Patent number: 9437801Abstract: A piezoelectric device, which has bipolar polarization-electric field (Pr-E) hysteresis characteristics of a piezoelectric material asymmetrically biased, when a first and second coercive electric fields respectively having smaller and larger absolute values are defined as Ec1 and Ec2 and a bias ratio of the coercive electric field is defined as [(Ec2+Ec1)/(Ec2?Ec1)]×100[%], includes a piezoelectric element unit including a piezoelectric body film whose bias ratio is 20% or more, the piezoelectric element unit operating with an electric field intensity smaller than that of the first coercive electric field. The piezoelectric device includes a refresh voltage applying circuit configured to apply a voltage to maintain operation performance of the relevant device, the voltage having an electric field intensity larger than the electric field intensity for operating the device and being equal to or less than three times |Ec1|, such that a polarized state of the piezoelectric body film is restored.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2015Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventor: Takamichi Fujii
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Patent number: 9395183Abstract: A gyroscope is disclosed. The gyroscope comprises a substrate; and a guided mass system. The guided mass system comprises proof-mass and guiding arm. The proof-mass and the guiding arm are disposed in a plane parallel to the substrate. The proof-mass is coupled to the guiding arm. The guiding arm is also coupled to the substrate through a spring. The guiding arm allows motion of the proof-mass to a first direction in the plane. The guiding arm and the proof-mass rotate about a first sense axis. The first sense axis is in the plane and parallel to the first direction. The gyroscope includes an actuator for vibrating the proof-mass in the first direction. The gyroscope also includes a transducer for sensing motion of the proof-mass-normal to the plane in response to angular velocity about a first input axis that is in the plane and orthogonal to the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2014Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.Inventors: Joseph Seeger, Ozan Anac
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Patent number: 9389413Abstract: A synchronizable optomechanical oscillator (OMO) network including at least two dissimilar silicon nitride (Si3N4) optomechanical resonators that can be excited to evolve into self-sustaining optomechanical oscillators (OMOs) coupled only through an optical radiation field. The tunability of the optical coupling between the oscillators enables one to externally control the dynamics and switch between coupled and individual oscillation states.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2012Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: CORNELL UNIVERSITYInventors: Michal Lipson, Paul McEuen, Arthur Barnard, Sasikanth Manipatruni, Mian Zhang, Gustavo Wiederhecker
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Patent number: 9377483Abstract: A method for the precise measuring operation of a micro-mechanical rotation rate sensor, including at least one seismic mass, at least one drive device for driving the seismic mass in the primary mode (qi) and at least three trimming electrode elements which are jointly associated directly or indirectly with the seismic mass. An electric trimming voltage (u1, u2, u3, u4) is set respectively between said trimming electrode elements and the seismic mass. Each of the electric trimming voltages (u1, u2, u3, u4) are adjusted in accordance with a resonance frequency variable (?T, ?T,0), a quadrature variable (?T, ?T,0) and a restoring variable (?S).Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2011Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHGInventors: Markus Egretzberger, Florian Mair, Andreas Kugi
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Patent number: 9366535Abstract: A vibration gyro element includes drive vibrating arms and detection vibrating arms at the opposite side, and has a first detection mode in which the drive vibrating arms flexurally vibrate oppositely to each other in an out-of-plane direction in an opposite phase to an action direction of Coriolis force and the detection vibrating arms flexurally vibrate oppositely to each other in the out-of-plane direction in an opposite phase to that of the drive vibrating arms, and a second detection mode in which the drive vibrating arms flexurally vibrate oppositely to each other in the out-of-plane direction in the same phase as the action direction of the Coriolis force and the detection vibrating arms flexurally vibrate oppositely to each other in the out-of-plane direction in the same phase as that of the drive vibrating arms.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2012Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Masashi Shimura, Takayuki Kikuchi
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Patent number: 9344057Abstract: For a tuning-fork type crystal resonator plate, a crystal plate having a crystal orientation is used. The tuning-fork type crystal resonator plate includes: a base portion; and a pair of first and second leg portions protruding from the base portion in one direction. In the first leg portion and the second leg portion, grooves are formed so that each of the grooves is biased relative to a center of the corresponding first or second leg portion in a width direction. A lowermost point of the groove is positioned in a middle of the groove in the width direction (width direction of the first leg portion and the second leg portion) in a state viewed from an end surface of the first and second leg portions in the width direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2013Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: DAISHINKU CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshinobu Sakamoto, Satoru Ishino, Yoshinari Morimoto, Taiki Goto
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Patent number: 9335170Abstract: An inertial sensor (110) includes a drive system (118) configured to oscillate a drive mass (114) within a plane (24) that is substantially parallel to a surface (50) of a substrate (28). The drive system (118) includes first and second drive units (120, 122) having fixed fingers (134, 136) interleaved with movable fingers (130, 132) of the drive mass (114). At least one of the drive units (120) is located on each side (126, 128) of the drive mass (114). Likewise, at least one of the drive units (122) is located on each side (126, 128) of the drive mass (114). The drive units (122) are driven in phase opposition to the drive units (120) so that a levitation force (104) generated by the drive units (122) compensates for, or at least partially suppresses, a levitation force (100) generated by the drive units (120).Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2012Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Yizhen Lin, Jan Mehner, Michael Naumann
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Patent number: 9291456Abstract: A gyroscope is disclosed. The gyroscope comprises a substrate; and a guided mass system. The guided mass system comprises proof-mass and guiding arm. The proof-mass and the guiding arm are disposed in a plane parallel to the substrate. The proof-mass is coupled to the guiding arm. The guiding arm is also coupled to the substrate through a spring. The guiding arm allows motion of the proof-mass to a first direction in the plane. The guiding arm and the proof-mass rotate about a first sense axis. The first sense axis is in the plane and parallel to the first direction. The gyroscope includes an actuator for vibrating the proof-mass in the first direction. The gyroscope also includes a transducer for sensing motion of the proof-mass-normal to the plane in response to angular velocity about a first input axis that is in the plane and orthogonal to the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2014Date of Patent: March 22, 2016Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.Inventors: Joseph Seeger, Ozan Anac
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Patent number: 9287848Abstract: A resonator element includes a base portion which includes one end portion and the other end portion opposing the one end portion in a plan view, and a pair of vibrating arms which extend along a first direction from the one end portion of the base portion. The base portion includes a reduced width portion in which a width is gradually decreased along a second direction intersecting the first direction toward a direction side which is separated from the base portion along the first direction, in at least one of the one end portion and the other end portion, and a fixing portion is provided between the one end portion and the other end portion of the base portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2013Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Akinori Yamada, Osamu Iwamoto
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Patent number: 9258487Abstract: An auto calibration method and an optical image stabilizer (OIS) camera using the same are provided. The auto calibration method includes removing a DC offset of a gyroscope. A vibrator signal applied by operating a vibrator, and an actual measurement value of the gyroscope is obtained using the applied vibrator signal. A first gain value for compensating for sensitivity of the gyroscope is calculated using the vibrator signal and the actual measurement value of the gyroscope, and an actuator is operated. A displacement of a pixel actually moving on an image is moved under an operation of the actuator. A second gain value for controlling a sensitivity variation of the actuator is calculated based on the displacement of the actually moving pixel. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce processing time and to ensure high performance.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2012Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: LG INNOTEK CO., LTD.Inventors: Junghyun Lee, Seongcheol Jeong
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Patent number: 9246470Abstract: A vibrating element has a drive mode, and first and second detection modes in which the vibrating element vibrates in a direction orthogonal to a vibration direction in the drive mode. In frequency-temperature characteristic curves representing a change in frequency due to a change in temperature in the respective modes with a horizontal axis representing an ambient temperature and a vertical axis representing a change in frequency, when a turnover temperature of the frequency-temperature characteristic curve in the drive mode is Ta [° C.], a turnover temperature of the frequency-temperature characteristic curve in the first detection mode is Tb [° C.], and a turnover temperature of the frequency-temperature characteristic curve in the second detection mode is Tc [° C.], Ta is lower than Tb and Tc, or Ta is higher than Tb and Tc.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Keiji Nakagawa, Ryuta Nishizawa
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Patent number: 9219223Abstract: Preparations of piezoelectric single crystal elements involving the steps of mechanically finishing a single crystal element with select cuttings, coating electrodes on a pair of Z surfaces, poling the single crystal along the <011> axis under a 500V/mm electric field and a product made by the process thereof.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2011Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: CTG ADVANCED MATERIALS, LLCInventor: Pengdi Han
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Patent number: 9178470Abstract: A resonator element is provided. A base portion includes a first base portion, a second base portion, and a connecting portion. The base portion includes a width-decreasing portion that is provided at an end of the connecting portion on the first base portion side and that has a width along an X-axis direction which continuously decreases toward the second base portion. An outer edge of the width-decreasing portion and an outer edge of the connecting portion form a continuous line that does not include a corner portion, when seen in a plan view. When an angle between a tangent of a portion of the curved line on the first base portion side and a segment parallel to the X-axis direction is set to ?, a relation of 0°<?<90° is satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2014Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventor: Akinori Yamada
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Patent number: 9170107Abstract: A gyroscope comprises a substrate and a guided mass system. The guided mass system comprises proof masses and guiding arms disposed in a plane parallel to the substrate. The proof masses are coupled to the guiding arm by springs. The guiding arm is coupled to the substrate by springs. At least one of the proof-masses is directly coupled to the substrate by at least one anchor via a spring system. The gyroscope also comprises an actuator for vibrating one of the proof-masses in the first direction, which causes another proof mass to rotate in the plane. Finally, the gyroscope also includes transducers for sensing motion of the guided mass system in response to angular velocities about a single axis or multiple input axes.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2013Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: INVENSENSE, INC.Inventors: Ozan Anac, Joseph Seeger
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Patent number: 9146107Abstract: A rotation rate sensor having a substrate including a main extension plane, force transmission elements that are movably fastened on the substrate using detection springs and a seismic mass are provided, the seismic mass being suspended over the force transmission elements, movably relative to the substrate, in such a way that the seismic mass is able to be excited, using a drive unit, to a drive vibration about a drive axis that is parallel to the main extension plane, and in response to the presence of a rotation rate that extends in parallel to the main extension plane and perpendicular to the drive axis, the seismic mass is excitable, as a result of Coriolis forces, to a detection vibration about a detection axis that is perpendicular to the main extension plane, the detection springs being connected to the force transmission elements in the region of the vibrational nodes.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2012Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Burkhard Kuhlmann, Jan-Timo Liewald
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Patent number: 9130147Abstract: A vibrating reed includes a base part. A drive vibrating arm, a detection vibrating arm, and an adjustment vibrating arm extend from the base part. A first adjustment electrode and a second adjustment electrode are connected to the adjustment vibrating arm. The first adjustment electrode generates an electrical signal in first phase. The second adjustment electrode generates an electrical signal in second phase opposite to the first phase. The electrical signals of the adjustment electrodes are superimposed on the detection signal of the detection vibrating arm, and thereby, vibration leakage components are cancelled out. The adjustment vibrating arm is partially sandwiched between a first electrode piece and a second electrode piece, and the adjustment vibrating arm is partially sandwiched between a third electrode piece and a fourth electrode piece.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2013Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Ryuta Nishizawa, Keiji Nakagawa
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Patent number: 9123883Abstract: A vibration device includes a semiconductor device, a first electrode and a second electrode located in a first surface of the semiconductor device, a vibration element, a third electrode and a fourth electrode located in a first surface of the vibration element, a first connection section that connects the first electrode and the third electrode, and a second connection section that connects the second electrode and the fourth electrode. The semiconductor device and the vibration element have mutually different thermal expansion coefficients. The vibration element has a coupling section located between the third electrode and the fourth electrode, and the coupling section has at least one bend section located between the third electrode and the fourth electrode.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2013Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventor: Hideaki Kurita
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Patent number: 9091542Abstract: A sensor element includes a base part, drive vibration arms that extend from the base part, an adjustment vibration arm 241 that extends from the base part and vibrates in response to drive vibration of the drive vibration arms, detection electrodes that output a signal according to a physical quantity applied to the drive vibration arms, and adjustment electrodes 551 and 553 provided on the adjustment vibration arm 241 and electrically connected to the detection electrodes for outputting a charge in a reverse polarity with respect to the detection electrodes in response to vibration of the adjustment vibration arm 241. The adjustment electrode 551 has a common part 60 electrically connected to the detection electrodes and a plurality of branch parts 61 branching out from the common part 60 and arranged side by side along an extension direction of the adjustment vibration arm 241.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2012Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Fumio Ichikawa
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Patent number: 9093638Abstract: A vibrating element includes a base, drive vibrating arms, detection vibrating arms, and adjustment vibrating arms. The drive vibrating arms are driven to make bending vibration in a predetermined plane. The following expressions (1) and (2) are satisfied: f3>f2??(1) 0.964×(1?0.321(1+L/t))?f2/f1?0.995??(2) where t represents the thickness of the base, L represents the length of the base in the direction in which the drive vibrating arms extend, f1 represents the frequency of natural vibration of the detection vibrating arms in a direction that intersects the predetermined plane, f2 represents the frequency of natural vibration of the drive vibrating arms in a direction that intersects the predetermined plane, and f3 represents the frequency of natural vibration of the adjustment vibrating arms in a direction that intersects the predetermined plane.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2013Date of Patent: July 28, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Keiji Nakagawa
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Patent number: 9083307Abstract: A flexural vibrator element has a vibrator arm extending from a base section and having a rectangular cross-sectional shape, the vibrator arm having first and second step sections composed of step surfaces intersecting respectively with a left side surface and a right side surface, and step side surfaces intersecting respectively with an upper surface and a lower surface, between the lower surface, the upper surface and the left side surface, the right side surface, and first and fourth detection electrodes on the left and right side surfaces and second and third detection electrodes on the step side surfaces are respectively separated in a thickness direction of the vibrator arm. The first through fourth detection electrodes are patterned with accuracy by exposure from the upper surface and the lower surface using a common exposure device by existing photo etching.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2012Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Ryuta Nishizawa, Seiichiro Ogura, Takayuki Kikuchi
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Patent number: 9038456Abstract: A gravity gradiometer having at least three differential accelerometers with a low response to linear accelerations and at least six angular accelerometers that give it the capability of measuring angular rates by integrating the angular accelerations. Both types of accelerometers are based on a compliant mechanism with very low and adjustable stiffness that is achieved by using flexures under compressive load that contribute a negative stiffness to the total elastic response of the mechanism. Both types of accelerometers are operated in a servo-compensation feedback mode so that at no time is the mechanism far from its equilibrium position.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2012Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: SRC, Inc.Inventors: Marcello M. DiStasio, Ion V. Nicolaescu
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Publication number: 20150122022Abstract: A detection device includes: a drive circuit which receives a feedback signal from a physical quantity transducer and drives the physical quantity transducer; a detection circuit which receives a detection signal from the physical quantity transducer and detects a desired signal; and a control unit which controls switching on/off of an AGC loop in the drive circuit. The drive circuit outputs a drive signal based on a control voltage that is set by the AGC loop in an on-period of the AGC loop to the physical quantity transducer and thus drives the physical quantity transducer in an off-period of the AGC loop.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2014Publication date: May 7, 2015Inventors: Katsuhiko MAKI, Takashi NOMIYA
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Publication number: 20150114115Abstract: A torsional gyroscope is provided that includes: a pickup tine and a drive tine of piezoelectric material, pickup electrodes disposed along the pickup tine, drive electrodes disposed along the drive tine, and a drive mass. The drive tine has a first end attached to the pickup tine and is transverse to the drive tine. The drive mass is attached to a second end of the drive tine opposite the first end of the drive tine. An electric field applied to the drive electrodes induces a rotational oscillation of the drive tine causing the drive tine to rotate about the first axis, inducing the drive mass to rotate about the first axis. Angular rotation of the drive mass along a third axis induces a torque in the pickup tine that induces an electric field in the pickup tine that induces an electrical charge to build up in the pickup electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2012Publication date: April 30, 2015Inventor: Chris Painter
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Publication number: 20150114117Abstract: A vibrating element includes: drive vibrating arm supported to the base portion and extending in a direction of the second axis; and detection vibrating arm supported to the base portion at a position different from the drive vibrating arm and extending in the direction of the second axis. When the vibrating element is subjected to rotation about the second axis while the drive vibrating arm being reciprocally driven in a direction of the first axis, an amount of displacement of the detection vibrating arm in a direction of the third axis at a position distant from the base portion by a distance y1 along the direction of the second axis is greater than an amount of displacement of the drive vibrating arm in the direction of the third axis at a position distant from the base portion by the distance y1 along the direction of the second axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2014Publication date: April 30, 2015Inventor: Keiji NAKAGAWA
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Publication number: 20150114116Abstract: The vibrating reed includes a detection unit that vibrates along the thickness direction of a piezoelectric body when detecting. The detection unit includes a first main surface and a second main surface that face each other in the thickness direction, outside surfaces, a groove that has a groove bottom at a position between the first main surface and the second main surface in a depth direction from an opening provided in the first main surface, an outside surface electrode that is formed on the outside surfaces, and an inside surface electrode that is formed on an inside surface which is opposite the outside surfaces. At least one of the outside surfaces has a non-electrode-formed area where the outside surface electrode is not provided in an area from the end surface which positioned on the second main surface side in the thickness direction to the second main surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2014Publication date: April 30, 2015Inventor: Atsushi MATSUO
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Publication number: 20150114126Abstract: The vibrating reed includes a first main surface and a second main surface that face each other in the thickness direction of a piezoelectric body and a detection unit that vibrates along the thickness direction when detecting. The detection unit includes a groove of which a groove bottom is positioned at a position beyond a midplane between the first main surface and the second main surface in the depth direction from an opening formed in the first main surface, an inside surface electrode that is formed on an inside surface facing the inside of the groove, an outside surface electrode that is formed on an outside surface which is opposite the inside surface with the piezoelectric body interposed therebetween, and a pair of groove bottom electrodes that is provided further on the groove bottom at an interval than the midplane and face inside the groove.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2014Publication date: April 30, 2015Inventor: Atsushi MATSUO
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Patent number: 8991250Abstract: A gyroscope comprising: a frame; a tuning fork comprising a base and first and second prongs, wherein the base has proximal and distal ends, and wherein the proximal end is coupled to the frame and the distal end is coupled to the first and second prongs; first and second drivers configured to drive the first and second prongs respectively to oscillate with respect to the frame in a first direction, such that the prongs oscillate at their respective resonant frequencies and 180° out of phase with each other; and at least two digital position triggers operatively coupled to the frame and to the tuning fork, wherein each position trigger is configured to experience at least two trigger events during each oscillation of the tuning fork in a second direction, wherein the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2012Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: The United States of America as represented by Secretary of the NavyInventors: Richard L. Waters, Paul David Swanson
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Patent number: 8978473Abstract: The Coriolis-effect gyrometer has a tuning fork having two tines, which tuning fork is formed in a plate of piezoelectric crystal and provided with electrodes composed of ribbon conductors supported solely by the faces of the tines parallel to the plate. The drive excitation and drive detection electrodes are connected to an oscillator circuit, and the Coriolis detection electrodes are connected to a detection circuit. For each of the faces parallel to the plate of each of the tines the drive detection ribbon is disposed between the drive excitation ribbon and the Coriolis detection ribbon and is connected to the inverting input of an operational amplifier, the non-inverting input of which is connected to the electric ground, said operational amplifier forming part of the oscillator circuit.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2010Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales (ONERA)Inventors: Olivier Le Traon, Steve Masson, Jean Guerard, Raphael Levy, Claude Chartier, Denis Janiaud
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Patent number: 8973440Abstract: A piezoelectric substrate includes vibrating arms, a base portion to which one end portion of each vibrating arm is connected, spindle portions formed in the other end portion of each vibrating arm, formed to have a large width, and having first groove portions formed therein, and second groove portions that are formed along the resonator center line of each vibrating arm, and flexure-torsional combined resonator is excited. A piezoelectric resonator element has flexural resonator of flexure-torsional combined resonator that is excited as its principal resonator and sets the cutting angle of the piezoelectric substrate, the widths and the depths of the first groove portion and the second groove portion, and the thickness of the vibrating arm such that the frequency-temperature characteristics represent third-order characteristics with respect to the temperature.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2012Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Takanobu Matsumoto, Akinori Yamada
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Patent number: 8955382Abstract: An accelerometer device having a proof mass, a support base, a hinge that flexibly connects the proof mass to the support base, a double-ended fork (DETF) having two tines. The tines are made of only piezoelectric material. A plurality of electrode surfaces surround at least portions of the tines for inducing electric fields at the first tine is opposite a direction of the induced electric field at the second tine at similar locations along a longitudinal axis of the tines. This causes the tines to resonate in-plane and out of phase.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2011Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Dwyer, Arthur Savchenko
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Publication number: 20150040664Abstract: A vibrating element includes a base part, drive arms containing first surfaces and second surfaces having front-back relations with the first surfaces, having groove portions provided on the first surface sides, and extended from the base part in extension directions, and drive parts provided to contain piezoelectric layers on the second surfaces, and section shapes of the drive arms orthogonal to the extension directions contain asymmetric section shapes with respect to virtual center lines passing through centers of widths in directions orthogonal to the extension directions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2014Publication date: February 12, 2015Inventor: Masahiro ISHII
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Patent number: 8910521Abstract: Vibrating structure gyrometer with at least one tuning fork, produced by micro-machining from a thin plate, the said tuning fork comprising a pair of mobile inertial assemblies (EIM1, EIM2) linked by a coupling assembly (1).Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2010Date of Patent: December 16, 2014Assignee: ThalesInventor: Bernard Chaumet
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Patent number: 8887567Abstract: An accelerometer includes a base, a proof mass flexibly connected to the base, and a double-ended tuning fork (DETF) coupled to the proof mass and the base. The DETF includes a base attached to the accelerometer base, an outrigger that extends from a first side of the base, and two tines that extend from a side of the outrigger that is opposite the first side of the base. The accelerometer also includes a drive mechanism that generates opposing forces in different halves of the outrigger, thereby causing the tines to oscillate. An excitation voltage applied to metallized traces on the outrigger at the base of the DETF cause the tines to resonant. The alternating strains generated at the root of the tines excite the tines themselves at their resonant frequency without the requirement of complex metallization applied to the tines.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2011Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Paul W. Dwyer, Arthur Savchenko, Fred Petri
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Patent number: 8869615Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a vibrating element which is planar parallelly to an electrical crystallographic axis of a piezoelectric material such as quartz. The element comprises a beam holding electrodes, a stationary portion rigidly connected to one end of the beam, and a solid portion rigidly connected to the other end of the beam. The structure with facets from the chemical machining of the element has an axis of symmetry parallel to the electrical axis, and the solid portion has a center of gravity on the axis of symmetry. The useful vibration modes of the vibrating element, according to which the solid portion is reciprocatingly rotated about the axis of symmetry and reciprocatingly moved parallel to the plane of the element, are uncoupled. The measurement of an angular speed by a rate gyroscope including said vibrating elements is more precise.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2010Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: ONERA (Office National d'Etudes et de Recherche Aerospatiales)Inventors: Denis Janiaud, Olivier Le Traon, Claude Chartier, Stève Masson, Jean Guerard, Raphaël Levy, Marc Pernice
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Publication number: 20140290362Abstract: A vibrator element has a first vibration mode in which first and second detection portions perform flexural vibration in opposite directions in the opposite phase to first and second driving portions which vibrate in opposite directions according to a Coriolis force, and a second vibration mode in which the first and second detection portions perform flexural vibration in opposite directions in the same phase as the first and second driving portions which vibrate in opposite directions according to a Coriolis force. A ratio r=R2/R1 of equivalent series resistance R2 at the time of the second vibration mode to equivalent series resistance R1 at the time of the first vibration mode is set between 0.15 and 6.0.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2014Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Keiji NAKAGAWA, Ryuta NISHIZAWA
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Publication number: 20140251010Abstract: In a quartz crystal unit, the unit comprising a quartz crystal resonator having an overall length less than 2.1 mm, and a base portion, and first and second vibrational arms, at least one groove being formed in at least one of opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms so that a width of the at least one groove is greater than or equal to a distance in the width direction of the at least one groove measured from an outer edge of the at least one groove to an outer edge of the corresponding one of the first and second vibrational arms and less than 0.07 mm, at least one metal film for adjusting an oscillation frequency of the quartz crystal resonator being disposed on at least one of the opposite main surfaces of each of the first and second vibrational arms.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: PIEDEK TECHNICAL LABORATORYInventor: Hirofumi KAWASHIMA
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Patent number: 8826734Abstract: An inertial sensor includes oscillating-type angular velocity sensing element (32), IC (34) for processing signals supplied from angular velocity sensing element (32), capacitor (36) for processing signals, and package (38) for accommodating angular velocity sensing element (32), IC (34), capacitor (36). Element (32) and IC (34) are housed in package (38) via a vibration isolator, which is formed of TAB tape (46), plate (40) on which IC (34) is placed, where angular velocity sensing element (32) is layered on IC (34), and outer frame (44) placed outside and separately from plate (40) and yet coupled to plate (40) via wiring pattern (42).Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2013Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Hideo Ohkoshi, Tomohiro Mitani
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Patent number: 8826737Abstract: Vibrating structure gyrometer with at least one tuning fork, produced by micro-machining from a thin plate, the said tuning fork comprising a pair of mobile inertial assemblies (EIM1, EIM2) linked by a coupling assembly (1). A tuning fork comprises two controlled electrodes (9, 9?) for equilibration of the sense resonator and electrostatic adjustment of the frequency of the sense resonator along the sense axis y which are respectively associated with the two mobile inertial assemblies (EIM1, EIM2) of the said tuning fork, and control means (UCE) adapted for applying two respective continuous electrical voltages V1 and V2 to the said two electrodes (9, 9?) simultaneously satisfying the relations: V 1 2 + V 1 2 = 2 ? ( f y ? ? _ ? ? initial - f y ? ? _ ? ? final ) ? f and V 1 2 - V 2 2 = c y ? ? _ ? ? initial a ? ? ? f .Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2010Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: ThalesInventor: Bernard Chaumet
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Patent number: 8794065Abstract: An apparatus for inertial sensing. The apparatus includes a substrate member comprising a thickness of silicon. The apparatus also has a first surface region configured from a first crystallographic plane of the substrate and a second plane region configured from a second crystallographic plane of the substrate. The apparatus has a quartz inertial sensing device coupled to the first surface region, and one or more MEMS inertial sensing devices coupled to the second plane region.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2011Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: mCube Inc.Inventor: Xiao “Charles” Yang
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Publication number: 20140202245Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes: a piezoelectric vibrating reed; and a package, wherein the piezoelectric vibrating reed has a vibrating part and first and second supporting arms extending from a base end part, the package has a base, a lid, a cavity defined by the base and the lid, a convex part projecting from the base or the lid into the cavity, a length of the first supporting arm is shorter than a length of the second supporting arm, and the convex part is provided in a range ahead of a leading end of the first vibrating arm in an extension direction of the first supporting arm and at least partially overlapping with the second supporting arm in a length direction of the piezoelectric vibrating reed so as not to overlap with the piezoelectric vibrating reed in a plan view.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2014Publication date: July 24, 2014Applicant: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Katsuo ISHIKAWA, Akitoshi HARA
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Patent number: 8723391Abstract: A tuning fork vibrator includes a package having an internal space having a rectangle column shape; a tuning fork vibration piece including a base, two vibration arms extending in parallel form the base and a first arm and a second arm extending obliquely from the base so as to interpose the two vibration arms, the tuning fork vibration piece having a length from the base to a tip in an extended direction of the two vibration arms which is longer than each side of the bottom surface of the internal space, wherein the tuning fork vibration piece is placed in the internal space with the extended direction set along a diagonal direction of the internal space, and a tip part of the first arm and a tip part of the second arm of the tuning fork vibration piece are fixed to the bottom surface of the internal space.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2013Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Hajime Kubota, Masayuki Itoh, Masakazu Kishi
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Patent number: 8701487Abstract: An angular velocity detection apparatus includes a vibrator that generates a signal that includes an angular velocity component and a vibration leakage component, a driver section that generates the drive signal, and supplies the drive signal to the vibrator, an angular velocity signal generation section that extracts the angular velocity component from the signal generated by the vibrator, and generates an angular velocity signal corresponding to the magnitude of the angular velocity component, a vibration leakage signal generation section that extracts the vibration leakage component from the signal generated by the vibrator, and generates a vibration leakage signal corresponding to the magnitude of the vibration leakage component, and an adder-subtractor section that adds the vibration leakage signal to the angular velocity signal, or subtracts the vibration leakage signal from the angular velocity signal, in a given ratio to correct temperature characteristics of the angular velocity signal.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2011Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Hideto Naruse, Kenji Sato, Yutaka Takada
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Patent number: 8689630Abstract: A detecting element for an inertial force sensor includes a mass section, an excitation section, and a detecting section. The excitation section excites the mass section along a third direction among a first direction, a second direction, and the third direction that are perpendicular to each other. The detecting section outputs a signal corresponding to displacement of the mass section along at least one of the first direction and the second direction. Resonance frequencies of the first direction and the second direction are set greater than a resonance frequency of the third direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2010Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventor: Takeshi Uemura
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Patent number: 8677822Abstract: An angular velocity detection circuit is connected to a resonator for making excited vibration on the basis of a drive signal and detects an angular velocity. The angular velocity detection circuit includes: a self-vibration component extraction unit that receives, from the resonator, a detection signal including an angular velocity component based on a Coriolis force and a self-vibration component based on the excited vibration and extracts the self-vibration component from the detection signal; a direct-current conversion unit including an integration unit that integrates an output signal of the self-vibration component extraction unit; and a temperature characteristic compensation unit that compensates for a variation due to a temperature in an output signal of the direct-current conversion unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2012Date of Patent: March 25, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Kenji Sato
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Patent number: 8671755Abstract: An angular velocity detection circuit is connected to a resonator for making excited vibration on the basis of a drive signal and detects an angular velocity. The angular velocity detection circuit includes: a self-vibration component extraction unit that receives, from the resonator, a detection signal including an angular velocity component based on a Coriolis force and a self-vibration component based on the excited vibration of the resonator and extracts the self-vibration component from the detection signal; a direct-current conversion unit including an integration unit that integrates an output signal of the self-vibration component extraction unit; and an offset addition unit that adds an offset value to an output signal of the direct-current conversion unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2012Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Kenji Sato
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Publication number: 20140069188Abstract: A gyroscope comprising: a frame; a tuning fork comprising a base and first and second prongs, wherein the base has proximal and distal ends, and wherein the proximal end is coupled to the frame and the distal end is coupled to the first and second prongs; first and second drivers configured to drive the first and second prongs respectively to oscillate with respect to the frame in a first direction, such that the prongs oscillate at their respective resonant frequencies and 180° out of phase with each other; and at least two digital position triggers operatively coupled to the frame and to the tuning fork, wherein each position trigger is configured to experience at least two trigger events during each oscillation of the tuning fork in a second direction, wherein the second direction is orthogonal to the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2012Publication date: March 13, 2014Inventors: Richard L. Waters, Paul David Swanson
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Patent number: 8664951Abstract: A tuning fork gyroscope that is insensitive to magnetic field gradients is provided. The tuning fork gyroscope includes a first electrically conducting proof mass and a second electrically conducting proof mass connected through electrically conducting suspensions to anchors attached to one or more insulating substrates, and an electrical-resistance mid-point electrically connected to opposing ends of the first electrically conducting proof mass and to opposing ends of the second electrically conducting proof mass. The tuning fork gyroscope provides an input to a sense charge amplifier. The sense charge amplifier generates an output signal indicative of a rotation of the tuning fork gyroscope. The output signal is independent of a magnetic field gradient.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2010Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Burgess R. Johnson, Bharat Pant
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Patent number: 8661650Abstract: A method of making a handheld, electromechanical device useful in mammalian body-care includes the steps of: a) forming a one-piece housing having a single opening defined by a rim; b) assembling a unitary insert; c) inserting the unitary insert through the single opening of the housing; d) removably applying a cover having an exterior surface to close the opening of the one-piece housing; and e) attaching the unitary insert to at least one of the one-piece housing and the removable cover. The rim of the one-piece housing circumscribes a rim area, and the one-piece housing has a projected area that is substantially larger than the rim area. The unitary insert is dimensioned to be insertable through the opening defined by the rim, and it has a frame having disposed thereon electromechanical elements interconnected in an electrical circuit. The cover closes off the opening of the one-piece housing.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc.Inventors: Jorge M. Da Silva, Emanuel P. Morano, John Rytel
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Patent number: 8663487Abstract: The invention is directed to the provision of a method for manufacturing a crystal oscillator manufacturing method that can achieve a highly precise fine adjustment without applying unnecessary external force to a crystal oscillator, and that can adjust a plurality of crystal oscillators in a collective manner. More specifically, the invention provides a method for manufacturing a crystal oscillator includes a first etching step for forming a prescribed external shape, an electrode forming step for forming an electrode at least in a portion of a surface of the external shape, a leakage amount measuring step for measuring leakage amount associated with leakage vibration of the external shape, and a second etching step for etching the external shape by an amount that is determined based on a measurement result of the leakage amount measuring step so as to adjust balance.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2009Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akiko Katoh, Tohru Yanagisawa
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Patent number: 8631701Abstract: A sensor device includes a first electrode disposed on active surface side of a silicon substrate, an external connecting terminal electrically connected to the first electrode, at least one stress relaxation layer disposed between the silicon substrate and the external connecting terminal, a connecting terminal disposed on the active surface side of the silicon substrate, and a vibration gyro element having weight sections as mass adjustment sections, the vibration gyro element is held by the silicon substrate due to connection between the connection electrode and the external connecting terminal, and a meltage protection layer formed in an area where the stress relaxation layer and the mass adjustment section overlap each other in a plan view is provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2011Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Seiichi Chiba, Shuji Kojima, Toshiyuki Enta, Akinori Shindo, Terunao Hanaoka, Yasuo Yamasaki