Vibration element, vibrator, vibration device, electronic device and moving object

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9631926-B2
Application number	US-201414560402-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Dec 5, 2013
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A vibration element includes a vibrating portion, a support portion that supports the vibrating portion, and a suspension arm that couples the vibrating portion to the support portion. In addition, the suspension arm includes a meandering portion extending out the support portion and an inclination portion that couples the meandering portion to the vibrating portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vibration element comprising:
a vibrating member provided on a plane which is specified by a first axis and a second axis intersect with the first axis;
a support member that supports the vibrating member; and
a suspension arm that couples the vibrating member to the support member,
wherein the suspension arm includes:
a meandering portion member that extends from the support member and that alternately extends along the first axis and the second axis, and
an inclination member that couples the meandering member to the vibrating member and that is inclined with respect to both the first axis and the second axis, and

wherein the inclination member includes a plurality at portions having different angles with respect to the first axis.

2. The vibration element according to claim 1 , wherein the vibrating member includes:
a basal member;
a support arm that outwardly extends from the basal member along the first axis;
a drive arm that outwardly extends from a tip of the support arm, the drive arm extending along the second axis; and
a detection arm that outwardly extends from the basal member along the second axis,
wherein the suspension arm couples the basal member to the support member.

3. The vibration element according to claim 1 , wherein respective lengths of the plurality of portions are substantially equal to each other.

4. The vibration element according to claim 1 , wherein an end of the meandering member on a side of the inclination member extends along the first axis, and
the plurality of portions includes:
a first member, located on a side of the vibrating member, which has a first angle with respect to the first axis, and
a second member, located on a side the meandering member, which has a second angle smaller than the first angle with respect to the first axis.

5. The vibration element according to claim 4 , wherein the first angle is 50 to 70 degrees.

6. The vibration element according to claim 5 , wherein the second angle is 20 to 40 degrees.

7. The vibration element according to claim 4 , wherein the vibrating member, the support member and the suspension arm are obtained by processing one piezoelectric substrate, and
a separation distance between the end of the meandering member and the support member is 0.8 times or more of a thickness of the piezoelectric substrate.

8. A vibrator comprising:
the vibration element according to claim 1 ; and
a package having the vibration element stored therein.

9. A vibration device comprising:
the vibration element according to claim 1 ; and
a circuit which is electrically connected to the vibration element.

10. An electronic device comprising the vibration element according to claim 1 .

11. A moving object comprising the vibration element according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ogura Seiichiro
• Yamaguchi Keiichi
• Nishizawa Ryuta
• Kikuchi Takayuki

Classifications

• G01C19/5607

  using vibrating tuning forks (double-ended tuning forks using planar vibrating masses suspended at opposite ends G01C19/5719) · CPC title

• G01C19/5621 Primary

  the devices involving a micromechanical structure · CPC title

• G01C19/5656

  the devices involving a micromechanical structure · CPC title