Vibrating Element Asymmetric Section Shape Groove Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vibrating elements for electronic apparatuses and angular velocity sensors face challenges in processing grooves on vibrating arms, leading to increased complexity and difficulty in forming asymmetric cross-sections, which affects vibration efficiency and mechanical strength.

Innovation Solution

A vibrating element with obliquely vibrating drive arms featuring asymmetric section shapes, where the recessed portion is formed on one surface and the drive part is on the opposing surface, allowing for simpler processing and reduced vibration leakage, while maintaining impact resistance and low impedance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If grooves are formed from both front and rear surfaces to create asymmetric cross-sections, then vibration efficiency is improved, but processing complexity and number of steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the groove formation process from the conventional dual-sided approach and implements it unilaterally on the front surface only. The asymmetric cross-section is achieved by forming grooves on the front surface that extend partially through the thickness, eliminating the need for corresponding grooves on the rear surface while maintaining the required asymmetric geometry for vibration efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of forming grooves from both front and rear surfaces as in conventional designs, the invention inverts the approach by forming grooves from only the front surface. This reversal of the conventional dual-sided groove formation method simplifies the processing while achieving the same asymmetric cross-sectional shape necessary for improved vibration characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Volume of moving object

If grooves are formed deeper and widths suppressed for downsizing, then vibrating element size is reduced, but processing difficulty increases and side surface chipping occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibrating element sizeVSAvoidprocessing ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention addresses the processing difficulty by changing the groove formation approach from deep narrow grooves to shallower grooves with optimized width. The asymmetric cross-section is achieved by controlling groove depth and width relationships in a balanced manner, avoiding the need for excessively deep grooves that cause side surface chipping while still achieving downsizing of the vibrating element.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Shape

If multiple grooves are formed on front and rear surfaces, then asymmetric cross-section shape is achieved, but number of processing steps increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveasymmetric cross-section shapeVSAvoidprocessing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the essential asymmetric cross-section formation requirement and satisfies it by forming grooves on the front surface only. The complex multi-step process of forming grooves on both front and rear surfaces is replaced by a simplified unilateral groove formation process that achieves the same asymmetric geometry with fewer steps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enables stable oblique vibration with reduced vibration leakage and improved processing simplicity, resulting in enhanced vibration characteristics and cost-effectiveness for electronic apparatuses and moving objects.

Implementation Method 1

a drive part on the second surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrostatic actuation: Electrostatics

Data Source

PatentUS9995582B2Vibrating element, vibrating device, electronic apparatus, and moving object
Publication Date: 2018.06.12 SEIKO EPSON CORP

AI summary

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.