IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,362,854
Granted Patent B2
US 8,362,854 · App. 12/729,759 · Granted Jan 29, 2013

Flexural vibration piece and oscillator using the same

Inventors: Makoto Furuhata (Matsumoto, JP); Akinori Yamada (Ina, JP); Yuji Hamayama (Tokai, JP)
Assignees: Epson Toyocom Corporation; Seiko Epson Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,362,854
App. No.
12/729,759
Granted
Jan 29, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A flexural vibration piece including a vibrator having a first region on which a compressive stress or a tensile stress acts and a second region on which a tensile stress acts when a compressive stress acts on the first region and a compressive stress acts when a tensile stress acts on the first region, and performs flexural vibration in a first plane; and a heat conduction path formed of a material having a thermal conductivity higher than the vibrator and that thermally connects the regions, wherein when m is the number of heat conduction paths, ρ th is the thermal resistivity of the heat conduction path, ρ v is the thermal resistivity of the vibrator, t v is the thickness of the vibrator in a direction orthogonal to the first plane, and t th is the thickness of the heat conduction path, a relationship of t th ≧(1/m)×tv×(ρ th /ρ v ) is satisfied.

Claims (17)

1. A flexural vibration piece comprising:

a flexural vibrator that has a first region on which a compressive stress or a tensile stress acts due to vibration and a second region having a relationship in which a tensile stress acts thereon when a compressive stress acts on the first region and a compressive stress acts thereon when a tensile stress acts on the first region, and performs flexural vibration in a first plane; and

a heat conduction path, between the first region and the second region, that is formed of a material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the flexural vibrator and thermally connects between the first region and the second region, wherein

when m is the number of heat conduction paths, ρ th , is a thermal resistivity of the heat conduction path, ρ v is a thermal resistivity of the flexural vibrator, t v is a thickness of the flexural vibrator in a direction orthogonal to the first plane, and t th is a thickness of the heat conduction path, a relationship of t th ≧(1/m)×t v ×(ρ th /ρ v ) is satisfied.

2. The flexural vibration piece according to claim 1 , wherein

the heat conduction path is formed on an outer surface of the flexural vibration piece.

3. The flexural vibration piece according to claim 1 , wherein

when fr is a mechanical oscillation frequency of the flexural vibrator, f 20 is a thermal relaxation frequency of the flexural vibration piece, n is a ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, k is a thermal conductivity of a material used for the flexural vibrator in a vibration direction, ρ is a mass density of the material used for the flexural vibrator, C p is a heat capacity of the material used for the flexural vibrator, a is a width of the flexural vibrator in the vibration direction, and f 0 =πk/(2ρC p a 2 ), a relationship of 1>fr/(f 0 +(f 20 −f 0 )/3) is satisfied.

4. The flexural vibration piece according to claim 1 , wherein

when fr is a mechanical oscillation frequency of the flexural vibrator, π is a ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, k is a thermal conductivity of a material used for the flexural vibrator in a vibration direction, ρ is a mass density of the material used for the flexural vibrator, C p is a heat capacity of the material used for the flexural vibrator, a is a width of the flexural vibrator in the vibration direction, and f 0 =πk/(2ρC p a 2 ), 1≧fr/f 0 .

5. The flexural vibration piece according to claim 1 , wherein

the heat conduction path is formed of part of an excitation electrode formed on the flexural vibrator.

6. The flexural vibration piece according to claim 1 , wherein

the heat conduction path is formed of a non-conducting material.

7. An oscillator at least comprising:

the flexural vibration piece according to claim 1 ; and

an oscillator circuit that drives the flexural vibration piece.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 18, 2011
From: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION
To: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026787/0964 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 23, 2010
From: FURUHATA, MAKOTO; YAMADA, AKINORI; HAMAYAMA, YUJI
To: EPSON TOYOCOM CORPORATION; SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024127/0318 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100244989A1 · Sep 30, 2010