US4012648A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for manufacturing piezoelectric resonators and resonators resulting from such process
Assignee: Meggitt SA
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Filing: 1975-04-28
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Granted: 1977-03-15
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Expires: 1995-04-28
Abstract
Abstract Resonators adapted to be supported from a single support arm are made by arocess wherein the resonator and its support arm are blanked in a single piece from a flat plate of piezoelectric material. The resonator electrodes are formed on the resonator and conductors formed on the support arm in a single metallization operation. If desired, the support arm may be left attached to the flat plate by a region of reduced cross section after the blanking step. The metallization step may include metallization of a portion of the flat plate to form a circuit over the conductor to the electrodes. The resonator may then be vibrated and tested while its support arm is still attached to the flat plate by applying an electrical potential to the metallized portion of the plate. After testing, the resonator support arm may be broken away from the flat plate at the region of reduced cross section. Several resonators may be made simultaneously by the process from a single flat plate of piezoelectric material.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean Engdahl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:19
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03H; H03H9/00; H03H9/15; H03H9/17; H03H3/00; H03H3/007; H03H3/02; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/42; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49002; Y10T29/49004; Y10T29/49789; Y10T29/49792
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A process for the manufacture of piezoelectric resonators operable in the thickness shear mode, said process comprising the steps of: blanking each said resonator and a single resonator support arm therefor from a plate of piezoelectric material as a single integral piece of said piezoelectric material, with said resonator being formed at one end of said support arm, said blanking step leaving each said resonator and its support arm in the plane of, but separated from, the plate from which it is blanked, except for a region of reduced cross section whereat the support arm remains attached to, but breakably detachable from the plate; applying electrodes to said resonators and conductors to said support arm; and breaking said resonators and their support arms from said plate at said region of reduced cross section, after applying said electrodes and conductors.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
139 words
A process for the manufacture of piezoelectric resonators operable in the thickness shear mode, said process comprising the steps of: blanking each said resonator and a single resonator support arm therefor from a plate of piezoelectric material as a single integral piece of said piezoelectric material, with said resonator being formed at one end of said support arm, said blanking step leaving each said resonator and its support arm in the plane of, but separated from, the plate from which it is blanked, except for a region of reduced cross section whereat the support arm remains attached to, but breakably detachable from the plate; applying electrodes to said resonators and conductors to said support arm; and breaking said resonators and their support arms from said plate at said region of reduced cross section, after applying said electrodes and conductors.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of piezoelectric resonators are simultaneously blanked from a single plate of piezoelectric material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein metal conductors are applied to said flat plate as said electrodes are applied to said resonators and said conductors are applied to said support arms whereby a continuous electric circuit is formed from a metal conductor on said flat plate to an electrode through a conductor on a support arm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising the step of testing each resonator by applying an energizing excitation to said metal conductors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process as claimed in claim 4 wherein said resonators and their support arms are broken from said plate at said region of reduced cross section after said testing step has been completed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising the step of tuning said resonators while applying an energizing excitation to said metal conductors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support arms vary in width throughout their length from the regions of reduced cross section to the resonators.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
A piezoelectric resonator made in accordance with the process as claimed in claim 10.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
107 words
A process for the manufacture of piezoelectric resonators, said process comprising the steps of: simultaneously blanking said resonators and a single support arm for each of said resonators from a single plate of piezoelectric material, said blanking step leaving one end of each support arm attached to said plate with a resonator integrally formed with each said support arm at the other end thereof; simultaneously forming connecting circuitry on said plate, conductors on said support arms, and electrodes on said resonators; tuning said resonators while applying electrical excitation to said connecting circuitry; and separating said resonators and their support arms from said plate after tuning said resonators.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
107 words
A process for the manufacture of piezoelectric resonators, said process comprising the steps of: simultaneously blanking said resonators and a single support arm for each of said resonators from a single plate of piezoelectric material, said blanking step leaving one end of each support arm attached to said plate with a resonator integrally formed with each said support arm at the other end thereof; simultaneously forming connecting circuitry on said plate, conductors on said support arms, and electrodes on said resonators; tuning said resonators while applying electrical excitation to said connecting circuitry; and separating said resonators and their support arms from said plate after tuning said resonators.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as claimed in claim 9 wherein said resonators are tuned to neighboring frequencies.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process as claimed in claim 9 wherein said support arms formed during said blanking step have a varying width along their length to thereby eliminate undesirable vibration modes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
Piezoelectric resonators operating in the thickness shear mode and formed by the process as claimed in claim 9.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-03-14 | 1980-09-13 | 1981-03-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-03-14 | 1984-09-13 | 1985-03-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-03-14 | 1988-09-13 | 1989-03-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |