# US 2010/0164331 A1 · Flexural vibration element and electronic component

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- Number: US 2010/0164331 A1
- Document ID: US20100164331A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/638,641
- Filed: 2009-12-15
- Published: 2010-07-01
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-27
- Assignees: Epson Toyocom Corporation
- Inventors: Akinori YAMADA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100164331A1

## CPC

- H10N 30/302: {Sensors}
- G01C 19/5607: using vibrating tuning forks (double-ended tuning forks using planar vibrating masses suspended at opposite ends G01C19/5719)
- H03H 9/215: consisting of quartz
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P)

## Abstract

A flexural vibration element includes: a plurality of vibrating arms provided in parallel with each other; a connecting part connecting the vibrating arms; and one central supporting arm extending between the vibrating arms from the connecting part in parallel with the vibrating arms at equal distance from the arms. In the flexural vibration element, the connecting part has a groove formed on each of front and rear surfaces thereof, and the groove is provided in an area of the connecting part in which compressive stress and tensile stress due to flexural vibration of the vibrating arms alternately occur at a vibrating arm side and an opposite side of the vibrating arm side, in a width direction of the vibrating arms.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A flexural vibration element, comprising:
a plurality of vibrating arms provided in parallel with each other;
a connecting part connecting the vibrating arms; and
one central supporting arm extending between the vibrating arms from the connecting part in parallel with the arms at equal distance from the arms, wherein
the connecting part has a groove formed on each of front and rear surfaces thereof in a width direction of the vibrating arms, and the groove is positioned in an area of the connecting part in which compressive stress and tensile stress due to flexural vibration of the vibrating arms alternately occur at a vibrating arm side and an opposite side of the vibrating arm side.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The flexural vibration element according to claim 1, wherein the groove is formed between a connecting portion of the connecting part with each of the vibrating arms and a connecting portion of the connecting part with the central supporting arm, in the width direction of the vibrating arms.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The flexural vibration element according to claim 1, wherein the groove has a bottom.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The flexural vibration element according to claim 1, wherein the groove is a through groove.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The flexural vibration element according to claim 1, wherein a width W of the groove, in a longitudinal direction of the vibrating arms, with respect to a width T of the connecting part is in a range of 0.1 T≦W≦0.65 T.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The flexural vibration element according to claim 5, wherein the width W of the groove, in the longitudinal direction of the vibrating arms, with respect to the width T of the connecting part is in a range of 0.2 T≦W≦0.6 T.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The flexural vibration element according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating arms, the connecting part, and the central supporting arm are made of quartz crystal and formed in an integrated manner.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

An electronic component, comprising:
the flexural vibration element according to claim 1.