Patents Assigned to Alps Electrics Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 10018527
    Abstract: A sensor package includes a pressure sensor, a computation unit that performs specified computation in accordance with a result of detection performed by the pressure sensor, a lead frame through which a result of computation performed by the computation unit is output to an outside, a main housing that is formed of resin and that holds the lead frame, and a sensor housing that is formed of ceramic and that has an inner space in which the pressure sensor is disposed. The pressure sensor is disposed in the main housing using the sensor housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisanobu Okawa, Kazushige Sejimo, Chiaki Kera, Shigeaki Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 10011217
    Abstract: A turn signal switch device has a manipulation lever and a cancel lever that can advance and retract to and from the rotation path of a cancel protrusion, which is shaped like a sector and rotates together with a shaft. A cancel protrusion engaging part that engages a cancel protrusion is formed at the front end of the cancel lever. The cancel protrusion engaging part is disposed at a position offset from the lever body of the cancel lever in the axial direction of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 10014136
    Abstract: A light guide body rotates integrally with an operation knob, has an incident surface that is a concavely curved surface recessed to a side opposite to a light source side, and rotates about a rotation shaft located so as to intersect the incident surface of the light guide body. The incident surface of the light guide body is a concavely curved surface recessed toward the side opposite to the light source (toward a Z1 direction) on a cross-section taken along an X-Z plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Ito, Yoshiyuki Tagawa, Aya Aizawa
  • Patent number: 10008801
    Abstract: A pressure contact type connector includes: an upper flat plate portion; a lower flat plate portion which is disposed below the upper flat plate portion; a first spring portion which connects the upper and lower flat plate portions; and a second spring portion which extends upward from the lower flat plate portion and applies a resilient force to the upper flat plate portion, in which the first and second spring portions are wound about the upper flat plate portion when viewed from above in a plan view, and extend so that the spring portions do not interfere with each other when being compressed and extended in the vertical direction, the first spring portion is formed to be bent so that a width dimension is larger than a thickness dimension, and the second spring portion is formed to be bent so that a width dimension is larger than a thickness dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichiro Yokota, Takashi Kawahata, Rikiya Suzuki, Seiichiro Sato, Shuji Omura
  • Patent number: 10003147
    Abstract: A pressure contact type connector includes: an upper flat plate portion; a lower flat plate portion which is disposed below the upper flat plate portion; a first spring portion which connects the upper and lower flat plate portions; and a second spring portion which extends upward from the lower flat plate portion and applies a resilient force to the upper flat plate portion, in which the first and second spring portions are wound about the upper flat plate portion when viewed from above in a plan view, and extend so that the spring portions do not interfere with each other when being compressed and extended in the vertical direction, the first spring portion is formed to be bent so that a width dimension is larger than a thickness dimension, and the second spring portion is formed to be bent so that a width dimension is larger than a thickness dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichiro Yokota, Takashi Kawahata, Rikiya Suzuki, Seiichiro Sato, Shuji Omura
  • Patent number: 9997855
    Abstract: A pressure contact type connector includes: an upper flat plate portion; a lower flat plate portion which is disposed below the upper flat plate portion; a first spring portion which connects the upper and lower flat plate portions; and a second spring portion which extends upward from the lower flat plate portion and applies a resilient force to the upper flat plate portion, in which the first and second spring portions are wound about the upper flat plate portion when viewed from above in a plan view, and extend so that the spring portions do not interfere with each other when being compressed and extended in the vertical direction, the first spring portion is formed to be bent so that a width dimension is larger than a thickness dimension, and the second spring portion is formed to be bent so that a width dimension is larger than a thickness dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichiro Yokota, Takashi Kawahata, Rikiya Suzuki, Seiichiro Sato, Shuji Omura
  • Patent number: 9990088
    Abstract: Evaluation values regarding a change in velocity of an object at coordinates of a detection surface are calculated on the basis of a series of coordinate data of the same object, and it is determined whether there is an error in each coordinate data on the basis of the evaluation values. In a case in which an extreme change in a velocity of the object occurs due to an influence of noise or the like, it is possible to accurately determine an error of the coordinate data on the basis of the evaluation values. Since the coordinate data in which it is determined that there is an error is corrected with data indicating the same coordinate P as that of coordinate data immediately before such coordinate data, the error of the detection result of the coordinates can be effectively reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakajima, Satoshi Hayasaka, Tomoya Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9983741
    Abstract: Electrode portions located on both ends are set to detection electrode portions, ground electrode portions are set on the inside thereof, and a plurality of central electrode portions are set to driving detection portions. A coordinate position of a finger can be obtained based on an output difference between the detection electrode portions, and a vertical distance can be obtained based on an output sum. When the vertical distance of the finger is shorter than a first threshold, switching is performed so that an interval between the detection electrode portions is shortened, and when the finger approaches, a touch detection mode is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Wakuda
  • Patent number: 9977380
    Abstract: A heater for a fixing device heats an object to be heated, the object traveling in a first direction. The heater includes a substrate facing the object and extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a heating body extending on the substrate in the second direction; a first conductor and a second conductor disposed on the substrate to supply power to the heating body; a plurality of first electrodes each connected to the first conductor and configured to supply power to the heating body; and a plurality of second electrodes having a polarity different from that of the first electrodes, each connected to the second conductor, and configured to supply power to the heating body. The first electrodes and the second electrodes are configured to intersect the heating body, alternately arranged in the second direction, and inclined with respect to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoko Wauke, Eihin Setsu, Hirotoshi Terao
  • Patent number: 9977532
    Abstract: An input apparatus includes a sensor section configured to include a plurality of detection units, and to control positive and negative polarities of a detection signal at each detection position, a control unit configured to generate a group of combined detection signals in which polarity patterns are different from each other, and a signal reproduction unit configured to reproduce signal levels of a group of detection signals on the basis of a group of combined detection signals and a group of polarity patterns, in which at least some of the plurality of detection units differ in the number of detection positions, and the control unit selects the group of polarity patterns according to the number of detection positions so that the number of positive polarities and the number of negative polarities included in each of the polarity patterns are similar to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Takahashi, Shinichi Sagawai
  • Patent number: 9971460
    Abstract: An electrostatic capacitance-type input device includes a first member made of a non-conductive resin, a second member formed together with the first member and made of a conductive resin, a determination unit configured to determine the presence or absence of an input operation of an operator for the second member, based on a change in electrostatic capacitance of the second member, a circuit substrate in which the determination unit is mounted, the circuit substrate being fixed to an inner side portion of a cover member, and a conductive elastic member configured to lie between the second member and the circuit substrate and maintain an electrical connection between the second member and the circuit substrate using an elastic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiichi Sugii, Yuya Kikuchi, Tatsuo Koike
  • Patent number: 9966525
    Abstract: An electroconductive film for an actuator is formed from a gel composition including carbon nanofibers, an ionic liquid, and a polymer. The carbon nanofibers are produced with an aromatic mesophase pitch by melt spinning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignees: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION GUNMA UNIVERSITY, ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kinji Asaka, Takushi Sugino, Soshi Shiraishi, Isao Takahashi, Tomomasa Takatsuka, Shinya Komura
  • Patent number: 9963339
    Abstract: A sensor device includes: a sensor portion having a movable thin film and a detection element configured to output a signal corresponding to displacement of the movable thin film; a frame portion disposed to surround an outside of the sensor portion; a spring portion provided between the frame portion and the sensor portion; and a circuit board including a circuit configured to process the signal output from the detection element, in which the frame portion is laminated on the circuit board, and the sensor portion is cantilevered from the frame portion by the spring portion such that a gap is formed between the sensor portion and the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Umetsu, Hisanobu Okawa
  • Patent number: 9965124
    Abstract: A method for patterning a light transmitting electrically conductive member uses a light transmitting laminate material in which an electrically conductive layer including an overcoat layer and silver nanowires embedded therein is formed on a surface of a light transmitting base film and includes a step of treating a surface of the electrically conductive layer which is not covered with a resist layer using an iodine solution to at least partially iodize the silver nanowires and a step of applying a thiosulfate solution to the surface of the electrically conductive layer which is not covered with the resist layer to remove a silver iodide exposed to a surface of the overcoat layer. Since a white cloudy or a whitened silver iodide is removed, the optical transmission characteristics of the non-electrically conductive region can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Yamai, Mitsuo Bito, Yasuyuki Kitamura
  • Patent number: 9965099
    Abstract: Electrodes of a sensor unit are fewer than segments; and, are arranged so that at least one electrode has an overlapping portion in each segment. An element data configuration part repeats processing of correcting a number m of provisional element data on the basis of predetermined information determined in accordance with an electrode pattern and a segment pattern on an operation surface so that a number n of provisional detection data calculated from the number m of provisional element data on the basis of the predetermined information approach a number n of detection data output from a capacitance detection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoki Yamada
  • Patent number: 9959987
    Abstract: A switch device includes a housing having a case and a holding member, a moving member, a biasing member, a movable contact, a common fixed contact, a first switching fixed contact, a second switching fixed contact, extending portions, at least two terminal members, and resistors for obtaining the resistance value between two terminal members, and fixing portions to which the resistors are soldered. The holding member includes a bottom wall portion that covers the bottom of the case, and a holding wall portion holding the fixing portions. The holding wall portion is formed of a first synthetic resin material having heat resistance, and the bottom wall portion is made of a second synthetic resin material having a heat distortion temperature lower than that of the first synthetic resin material. A method for manufacturing a switch device includes a first molding step, a resistor mounting step, and a second molding step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9945895
    Abstract: An antenna checking circuit includes an antenna-connection-input terminal, a check-request-input terminal, a check-result-output terminal, a switching element having a control end connected to the check-request-input terminal, an input end connected to the antenna-connection-input terminal, and an output end connected to the check-result-output terminal, and a first resistance connected between the check-request-input terminal and the check-result-output terminal. A DC impedance of an antenna between a power supplying point and a ground point is 0?, and when a high-level check-request signal is applied to the check-request-input terminal, in a case where the antenna is connected to an antenna-connection terminal, the switching element turns on, and in a case where the antenna is not connected to the antenna-connection terminal, the switching element turns off. Check-result signals that are output to the check-result-output terminal in these cases are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takashi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 9945913
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes: a magnetoresistive effect element having a sensitivity axis in a specific direction in which a fixed magnetic layer, a nonmagnetic material layer, and a free magnetic layer are laminated in this order; an antiferromagnetic layer which generates an exchange coupling bias with the free magnetic layer and which aligns the magnetization direction thereof in a predetermined direction provided on the free magnetic layer; and a ferromagnetic layer which generates an exchange coupling bias with the antiferromagnetic layer and which aligns the magnetization direction thereof in a predetermined direction provided on the antiferromagnetic layer. The magnetization direction on the exchange coupling bias in the free magnetic layer is the same direction as that on the exchange coupling bias in the ferromagnetic layer, and the ferromagnetic layer is able to impart a reflux magnetic field having a component along a sensitivity axis to the free magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yosuke Ide, Masamichi Saito
  • Patent number: 9939498
    Abstract: A magnetic sensor includes a substrate, magnetoresistive effect elements arranged on a surface of the substrate, a first wiring line arranged on a surface of the substrate, an insulation layer configured to cover the magnetoresistive effect elements and the first wiring line, a soft magnetic body arranged on the insulation layer, and a second wiring line arranged on the insulation layer, wherein the magnetoresistive effect elements each extend in a first direction and are arranged while being separated from each other in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction in a case of viewing in plan the substrate, the soft magnetic body includes a first direction extension portion that extends in the first direction, and when viewed in plan, the first direction extension portion is arranged between the magnetoresistive effect elements, and the second wiring line is connected to the first wiring line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Endo, Hideto Ando, Sumihito Morita, Takafumi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 9939037
    Abstract: A leaf spring frame member (50) comprises: a plurality of leaf spring product parts (11A) each of which includes an outer frame part (11a), an inner frame part (11b) and spring parts (11c); and a support frame (51) which is arranged around the leaf spring product parts (11A) and supports the leaf spring product parts (11A). Each of the leaf spring product parts (11A) and the support frame (51) are connected to each other by connection parts (52). A breaking region (53), which is breakable, is formed in the connection part (52). An outer edge (53a) of the breaking region (53) is situated on the inside of an outer edge (11h) of the leaf spring product part (11A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: DAI NIPPON PRINTING CO., LTD., ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Ogino, Takahiro Sahara, Kyoji Yamamoto, Koji Tomita