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US4253036A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Subminiature tuning fork quartz crystal vibrator with nicrome and palladium electrode layers

Assignee: Citizen Watch Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1978-07-19
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Granted: 1981-02-24
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Expires: 1998-07-19
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Abstract

Abstract A subminiature flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator comprises a tuning fork formed by photolithographic techniques from a thin quartz crystal plate obtained by rotating an X-cut plate around the X-axis by an angle of 0° to 10° and further rotating the X-cut plate around the Y'-axis by an angle of 70° to 90°, the plate having a thickness of less than 0.2 mm. Electrodes formed on sides of the tines are of a different metallic material from planar electrodes formed on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of the tines. A side electrode of one tine is electrically connected by an overlapping joint with a planar electrode of the other tine.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shigeru Kizaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 03:05
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03H; H03H9/00; H03H9/15; H03H9/21; H03H9/215; G; G04; G04F; G04F5/00; G04F5/04; G04F5/06; G04F5/063; H03H3/00; H03H3/007; H03H3/02; H03H2003/026

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim 210 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator comprising: an X-cut quartz crystal plate formed by rotating an X-cut plate around the X-axis by an angle of0° to 10° and further rotating the X-cut plate around the Y'-axis by an angle of 70° to 90°, said quartz crystal plate having a thickness of less than 0.2 mm as formed by a photolithographic technique into a tuning fork having first and second tines each having top and bottom surfaces as well as sides; planar electrodes formed on at least one of the top and bottom surface of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said planar electrodes comprising a chrome layer and a gold layer deposited on said chrome layer; and side electrodes formed on the sides of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said side electrodes comprising a nichrome layer and a palladium layer deposited on the nichrome layer; the planar electrode formed on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first tine being electrically connected to the side electrodes of said second tine, while the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surface of said second tine is electrically connected to the side electrodes of said first tine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 210 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator comprising: an X-cut quartz crystal plate formed by rotating an X-cut plate around the X-axis by an angle of0° to 10° and further rotating the X-cut plate around the Y'-axis by an angle of 70° to 90°, said quartz crystal plate having a thickness of less than 0.2 mm as formed by a photolithographic technique into a tuning fork having first and second tines each having top and bottom surfaces as well as sides; planar electrodes formed on at least one of the top and bottom surface of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said planar electrodes comprising a chrome layer and a gold layer deposited on said chrome layer; and side electrodes formed on the sides of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said side electrodes comprising a nichrome layer and a palladium layer deposited on the nichrome layer; the planar electrode formed on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first tine being electrically connected to the side electrodes of said second tine, while the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surface of said second tine is electrically connected to the side electrodes of said first tine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator according to claim 1, in which said side electrodes have joint portions laminated on said planar electrodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 27 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator according to claim 1, in which said side electrode has a thickness which is in the range of 1000 to 2000A.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 245 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator comprising: an X-cut quartz crystal plate formed by rotating an X-cut plate around the X-axis by an angle 0° to 10° and further rotating the X-cut plate around the Y'-axis by an angle of 70° to 90°, said quartz crystal plate having a thickness of less than 0.2 mm as formed by a photolithographic technique into a tuning fork having first and second tines each having top and bottom surfaces as well as sides; planar electrodes formed on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said planar electrodes comprising a chrome layer and a gold layer deposited on said chrome layer; and side electrodes formed on the sides of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said side electrodes comprising a nichrome layer and a palladium layer deposited on the nichrome layer; the side electrode of said second tine having a first joint portion which contacts the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first tine, whereby said side electrode and planar electrode are electrically connected, and the side electrode of said first tine having a second joint portion which contacts the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said second tine, whereby said side electrode of the first tine and planar electrode of the second tine are electrically connected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 245 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator comprising: an X-cut quartz crystal plate formed by rotating an X-cut plate around the X-axis by an angle 0° to 10° and further rotating the X-cut plate around the Y'-axis by an angle of 70° to 90°, said quartz crystal plate having a thickness of less than 0.2 mm as formed by a photolithographic technique into a tuning fork having first and second tines each having top and bottom surfaces as well as sides; planar electrodes formed on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said planar electrodes comprising a chrome layer and a gold layer deposited on said chrome layer; and side electrodes formed on the sides of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said side electrodes comprising a nichrome layer and a palladium layer deposited on the nichrome layer; the side electrode of said second tine having a first joint portion which contacts the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first tine, whereby said side electrode and planar electrode are electrically connected, and the side electrode of said first tine having a second joint portion which contacts the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said second tine, whereby said side electrode of the first tine and planar electrode of the second tine are electrically connected.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 24 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator according to claim 4, in which each of said side electrodes has a thickness of 1000 to 2000A.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 265 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator comprising: an X-cut quartz crystal plate formed by rotating an X-cut plate by an angle of 0° to 10° and further rotating the X-cut plate around the Y'-axis by an angle of 70° to 90°, said quartz crystal plate having a thickness of less than 0.2 mm as formed by a photolithographic technique into a tuning fork having first and second tines each having top and bottom surfaces as well as sides; planar electrodes formed on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said planar electrodes comprising a chrome layer and a gold layer deposited on said chrome layer; and side electrodes formed on the sides of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said side electrodes comprising a nichrome layer and a palladium layer deposited on the nichrome layer; the side electrode of said second tine having a first joint portion which overlaps and contacts in a laminated configuration the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first tine, whereby said side electrode of the second tine and said planar electrode of the first tine are electrically connected, and the side electrode of said first tine having a second joint portion which overlaps and contacts in a laminated configuration the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said second tine, whereby said side electrode of the first tine and said planar electrode of the second tine are electrically connected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 265 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator comprising: an X-cut quartz crystal plate formed by rotating an X-cut plate by an angle of 0° to 10° and further rotating the X-cut plate around the Y'-axis by an angle of 70° to 90°, said quartz crystal plate having a thickness of less than 0.2 mm as formed by a photolithographic technique into a tuning fork having first and second tines each having top and bottom surfaces as well as sides; planar electrodes formed on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said planar electrodes comprising a chrome layer and a gold layer deposited on said chrome layer; and side electrodes formed on the sides of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said side electrodes comprising a nichrome layer and a palladium layer deposited on the nichrome layer; the side electrode of said second tine having a first joint portion which overlaps and contacts in a laminated configuration the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first tine, whereby said side electrode of the second tine and said planar electrode of the first tine are electrically connected, and the side electrode of said first tine having a second joint portion which overlaps and contacts in a laminated configuration the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said second tine, whereby said side electrode of the first tine and said planar electrode of the second tine are electrically connected.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 29 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator according to claim 6, in which each of said side electrodes has a thickness which is in the range of 1000 to 2000A.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 266 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator comprising: an X=cut quartz crystal plate formed by rotating an X-cut plate around the X-axis by an angle of 0° to 10° and further rotating the plate around the Y'-axis by an angle of 70° to 90°, said quartz crystal plate having a thickness of less than 0.2 mm as formed by a photolithographic technique into a tuning fork having first and second tines each having top and bottom surfaces as well as sides; planar electrodes formed on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said planar electrodes comprising a chrome layer and a gold layer deposited on the chrome layer; and side electrodes formed on the sides of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said side electrodes comprising a nichrome layer and a palladium layer deposited on the nichrome layer; the side electrode of said second tine having a joint portion which overlaps and contacts in a laminated configuration the planar electrode forming on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first tine, whereby said side electrode of the second tine and said planar electrode of the first tine are electrically connected, and said the side electrode of said first tine having a second joint which overlaps and contacts in a laminated configuration the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said second tine, whereby said side electrode of the first tine and said planar electrode of the second tine are electrically connected.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 266 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator comprising: an X=cut quartz crystal plate formed by rotating an X-cut plate around the X-axis by an angle of 0° to 10° and further rotating the plate around the Y'-axis by an angle of 70° to 90°, said quartz crystal plate having a thickness of less than 0.2 mm as formed by a photolithographic technique into a tuning fork having first and second tines each having top and bottom surfaces as well as sides; planar electrodes formed on at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said planar electrodes comprising a chrome layer and a gold layer deposited on the chrome layer; and side electrodes formed on the sides of said first and second tines, respectively, each of said side electrodes comprising a nichrome layer and a palladium layer deposited on the nichrome layer; the side electrode of said second tine having a joint portion which overlaps and contacts in a laminated configuration the planar electrode forming on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said first tine, whereby said side electrode of the second tine and said planar electrode of the first tine are electrically connected, and said the side electrode of said first tine having a second joint which overlaps and contacts in a laminated configuration the planar electrode formed on said at least one of the top and bottom surfaces of said second tine, whereby said side electrode of the first tine and said planar electrode of the second tine are electrically connected.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 29 words
A flexural mode quartz crystal vibrator according to claim 8, in which each of said side electrodes has a thickness which is in the range of 1000 to 2000A.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2266768A Cited
US2289954A Cited
US3831043A Cited
US3940638A Cited
US3969641A Cited
US3944862A Cited
US4099078A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-02-24 1984-08-25 1985-02-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-02-24 1988-08-25 1989-02-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-02-24 1992-08-25 1993-02-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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