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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8115366 | System and method of driving ultrasonic transducers A transducer is optimally driven at or near its resonant frequency by a driver system that adapts to variations and/or changes to the resonant frequency of the transducer due to variations in piezo materials, manufacturing, assembly, component tolerances, and/or ope... | 02/14/2012 |
| RE42916 | Single bar type vibrating element angular rate sensor system An angular rate sensor system [10] comprising a vibratory sensing element [12] and signal processing circuit [14]. The element [12] is preferably a polymorphic rectangular bar fabricated from two layers of piezoceramic material [26, 28... | 11/15/2011 |
| 7975314 | Scanning probe microscope and active damping drive control device There is provided a scanning probe microscope that allows active damping to be advantageously carried out. A Z scan control section functions as a driving control section to control a Z scanner that is a controlled object. Driving control is performed by supp... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7839050 | Drive apparatus for ultrasonic motor A drive apparatus for an ultrasonic motor is provided wherein a diphase alternating drive signal having a predetermined phase difference and a predetermined drive frequency is applied to an ultrasonic vibrator equipped with a driver to be in contact with a driven me... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7804222 | Method of optimizing drive frequency for piezo fan device For tuning a piezo electric fan, a controller measures a natural frequency of the piezo electric fan by applying a stress and measuring a response to the stress. A frequency of an alternating current (AC) input signal is adjusted by the controller to substantially m... | 09/28/2010 |
| 7777393 | Ultrasound system An ultrasound system for providing megasonics and ultrasonics to a liquid at different frequencies and/or sweeping frequencies with associated generators, transducers, operations between resonance and anti-resonance, non-resistive output with phase shift, multiple/s... | 08/17/2010 |
| 7750534 | Drive device and drive system Driving techniques are provided for achieving a sufficiently low-speed drive and smooth change in the drive speed. Voltage is applied to an electromechanical element by repeating an output cycle in which one voltage value out of a first voltage value is output durin... | 07/06/2010 |
| 7745970 | Circuitry for supplying a load with an output current A circuitry comprises a converter means for generating an alternating current signal from an energy from an energy source, a piezo transformer with an input and an output, wherein the input of the piezo transformer is electrically coupled to the converter means, to ... | 06/29/2010 |
| 7690046 | Drive stage for scanning probe apparatus, and scanning probe apparatus A drive stage for a scanning probe apparatus includes a supporting member, a plurality of movable portions fixed to the supporting member, and a plurality of drive elements configured and positioned to drive the plurality of movable portions. The drive stage is driv... | 03/30/2010 |
| 7671511 | System for oscillating a micromechanical cantilever This invention relates to a system for exciting oscillations of micromechanical cantilever sensors and for measuring and evaluating the corresponding oscillations. Such sensors can e.g. be used to detect chemical substances, biomolecules, microorganisms or viruses, ... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7671510 | Ultrasonic actuator, driving method of the ultrasonic actuator, lens driver, and portable device An ultrasonic actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a stator generating a rotational driving force in accordance with a driving signal having a train pulse, which is used, for example, an AF mechanism; and a rotor converting the rota... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7629726 | Ultrasound system An ultrasound system for providing megasonics and ultrasonics to a liquid at different frequencies and/or sweeping frequencies with associated generators, transducers, operations between resonance and anti-resonance, non-resistive output with phase shift, multiple/s... | 12/08/2009 |
| 7622845 | Piezoelectric transducer signal processing circuit A piezoelectric detector circuit has at least one input line, a piezoelectric transducer in the input line, an amplifier receiving signals on the input line and generating an output, and one or two feedback elements through which the output is sent back to the input... | 11/24/2009 |
| 7579749 | Power supply device and image forming apparatus using the power supply device A power supply device generates an output voltage by driving a piezoelectric transformer using a frequency signal. The power supply device includes a comparison unit configured to compare an output voltage and a voltage setting signal that sets the output voltage, a... | 08/25/2009 |
| 7576472 | Ultrasonic motor An ultrasonic motor that is capable of stable driving by preventing uneven rotation of a driven body and maintaining the drive efficiency is provided. The ultrasonic motor includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers including alternately stacked first piezoelectr... | 08/18/2009 |
| 7573180 | Ultrasonic motor The invention provides an ultrasonic motor including internal electrodes provided in an ultrasonic vibrator and disposed in regions where electrical charges of the same sign are generated in one vibration mode and where electrical charges of opposite sign and substa... | 08/11/2009 |
| 7564163 | Structural vibration damping device Disclosed is a structural vibration damping device, which comprises a piezoelectric element adapted to be mounted on a structure, a shunt circuit inserted between two electrodes of the piezoelectric element, and an electric circuit for selectively opening and closin... | 07/21/2009 |
| RE40709 | Piezoactuator and drive circuit therefor A piezoactuator has a diaphragm, and the diaphragm has flat piezoelectric elements that oscillate in a longitudinal oscillation mode and a sinusoidal oscillation mode. A first electrode for detecting oscillation in the longitudinal oscillation mode, and a second ele... | 05/12/2009 |
| 7514842 | Multiplexer for a piezo ceramic identification device Provided is a multiplexer for a biometric apparatus. The multiplexer includes a plurality of first conductors coupled to the first ends of piezo ceramic elements in corresponding rows and a plurality of first switches each of which is coupled to a respective one of ... | 04/07/2009 |
| 7501738 | Piezoelectric transducer drive circuit and cold cathode tube lighting device having the same A piezoelectric transducer drive circuit comprising a variable current source being controlled by a differential operational amplifier, a constant current source and a switch means connected in series with the variable current source between a power supply voltage V... | 03/10/2009 |
| 7486002 | Lateral piezoelectric driven highly tunable micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) inductor A MEMS device comprising a substrate; an anchored end connected to the substrate; and an actuator comprising a first electrode; a piezoelectric layer over the first electrode; and multiple sets of second electrodes over the piezoelectric layer, wherein each of the s... | 02/03/2009 |
| 7471029 | Frequency-control-type piezo actuator driving circuit and method of driving the same The present invention relates to a frequency-control-type piezo actuator driving circuit. The frequency-control-type piezo actuator driving circuit includes a piezo actuator that is driven by a constant amplitude of driving voltage pulse; a piezo driver that is conn... | 12/30/2008 |
| 7459830 | Piezoelectric actuator, drive control method of piezoelectric actuator, and electronic device A piezoelectric actuator includes: a ring-shaped piezoelectric element, vibration of the piezoelectric element being transmitted to an object; a first vibration area and a second vibration area provided on both sides of a bisector bisecting the piezoelectric element... | 12/02/2008 |
| 7436101 | Multistage piezoelectric drive A piezoelectric motor comprising a vibratory element is configured to move a first driven element by vibrations generated by the vibratory element. A second driven element is brought into frictional contact with the first driven element to form a multistage piezoele... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7423361 | Vibration wave motor control apparatus, vibration wave motor control method, program, and storage medium A vibration wave motor control apparatus which has a simplified construction and is reduced in cost. In a photographic apparatus including a lens, a lens position controller controls the position of the lens using a vibration wave motor driven by a drive voltage of ... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7420318 | Lateral piezoelectric microelectromechanical system (MEMS) actuation and sensing device A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) device comprises a substrate; an anchored end connected to the substrate; a free end comprising an end effector opposite to the anchored end; a spring attached to the end effector; multiple actuation beams; multiple connection ... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7420321 | Heat efficient micromotor An electromechanical actuator comprises at least two actuating portions of electromechanically active material extending by a generally elongated shape from a back portion. The actuating portions are bimorphs, attached by a first end to a first side of the back port... | 09/02/2008 |
| 7408290 | Power driving circuit for controlling a variable load ultrasonic transducer The present invention is directed to a high-powered (e.g., >500 W) ultrasonic generator for use especially for delivering high-power ultrasonic energy to a varying load including compressible fluids. The generator includes a variable frequency triangular waveform ge... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7405507 | Method and device for operating an actuator with a capacitive element A positioner includes a capacitative element with which an ohmic resistance is connected in parallel. The value of the ohmic resistance is sensed at specific points in time. To enhance operating reliability during operation of the positioner, correct functioning of ... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7405508 | Micromanipulator The invention relates to precision instrument engineering and can be used in order to create microdisplacements in micron and submicron ranges for cellular microtechnologies (by engineering, gene engineering, reproductive diology and medicine, neurobiology, microphy... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7382080 | Piezoelectric ultrasonic motor driver The present invention provides a piezoelectric ultrasonic motor driver which can perform self-oscillation, adjust the rotational direction of the motor, and be easy to manufacture. The motor includes a metal body having a desired shape; a plurality of piezoelectric ... | 06/03/2008 |
| 7375455 | Ultrasonic motor driving device and ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus An ultrasonic motor drive device capable of prolong the service life of an ultrasonic motor by preventing the motor from being unstably operated when the motor is driven at a lower speed of at least two speeds. When the ultrasonic motor (3) is driven at a rather low... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7372188 | Method and apparatus for controlling a fuel-injection valve A fuel injection valve is controlled, the valve includes a piezoelectric actuator as the valve member, which opens up or closes a connection to a space arranged downstream, an electric actuating element for actuating the valve member and a prestressing element which... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7369115 | Haptic devices having multiple operational modes including at least one resonant mode An apparatus comprises a signal source, a driver and an electro-mechanical transducer. The signal source is configured to output a haptic feedback signal. The driver is configured to receive the haptic feedback signal and output a drive signal. The electro-mechanica... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7366057 | Converter control with LC filtering An arrangement for signal processing in ultrasonic transducers in flow meters has an ultrasonic transducer acted upon by a drive signal with the ultrasonic transducer being connected to a resonant circuit matched to the frequency of the drive signal. The resonant ci... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7358644 | Method for controlling an actuator and control device belonging thereto A method for the electric control of an actuator, especially a piezoelectric actuator of an injection system comprises the following steps: charging the actuator; waiting during a specific period of time (D1, D2) and discharging the actuator after the ... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7353585 | Method of poling ferroelectric materials A method of producing an actuator includes shaping a block of ferroelectric material to provide an active element of the actuator. The element includes a stack of ferroelectric layers with adjacent layers separated by electrodes arranged parallel to end faces of the... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7355321 | Mechanical quantity sensor A mechanical quantity sensor includes a current-to-voltage converter/signal adder circuit that converts electric current signals flowing through two piezoelectric vibrators into voltage signals. The piezoelectric vibrators receive stresses generated by a mechanical ... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7353695 | Methods and apparatus for determining properties of a fluid A method and system for determining properties of a fluid involves interacting the fluid with a standing wave in a first state to establish the standing wave in a second state, analyzing an electric signal associated with the standing wave to determine a characteris... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7355322 | Ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic speaker and method of driving and controlling ultrasonic transducer An ultrasonic transducer including: a fixed electrode; a vibrating film placed opposite to a surface of the fixed electrode and having a conducting layer; a member that holds the fixed electrode and vibrating film; the fixed electrode including a driving-use fixed e... | 04/08/2008 |
