Patents by Inventor Azusa MUTO

Azusa MUTO has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240103249
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes first and second yokes each having a length in an optical axis direction, a third yoke that has a length in the optical axis direction and is disposed between the first and second yokes, first and second magnets disposed on the first and second yokes, respectively, a coil that is penetrated by the third yoke and is movable in the optical axis direction by magnetic forces of the first and second magnets, and a lens holding frame that holds a lens and is movable together with the coil in the optical axis direction, wherein a first plane including a first side surface, which is farther from the third yoke, of the first yoke intersects with a second plane including a second side surface, which is farther from the third yoke, of the second yoke.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa MUTO, Takatoshi ASHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20240053572
    Abstract: To provide a small-sized voice coil motor, the voice coil motor includes a first yoke and a second yoke each having a length in a first direction, a third yoke that has a length in the first direction and is disposed between the first yoke and the second yoke, a first magnet disposed on the first yoke, a second magnet disposed on the second yoke, and a coil that is penetrated by the third yoke and is movable in the first direction by magnetic forces of the first magnet and the second magnet, wherein the coil includes a first section in which a winding wire is linearly wound and a second section in which the wiring wire is wound in an arc shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Azusa MUTO, Kazutoshi USUI
  • Patent number: 11594985
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes: an electromechanical conversion element; an elastic body having a joining surface, a drive surface, and grooves; a motion member rotating by vibration wave of the drive surface; a rotating ring having a recess part and rotating by rotation of the motion member; a moving ring engaged to the recess part and moving to an optical axis direction by rotation of the rotating ring; and a lens held in the moving ring; wherein the element is made of a material having sodium potassium niobate, potassium niobate, sodium niobate or barium titanate, wherein a value of T/(B+C) is within a range of from 1.3 to 2.8 when: length from the drive surface to a base unit of the groove is defined as T; length from the base unit of the groove to the joining surface is defined as B; and thickness of the element is defined as C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takatoshi Ashizawa, Azusa Muto
  • Publication number: 20210273586
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes: an electromechanical conversion element; an elastic body having a joining surface, a drive surface, and grooves; a motion member rotating by vibration wave of the drive surface; a rotating ring having a recess part and rotating by rotation of the motion member; a moving ring engaged to the recess part and moving to an optical axis direction by rotation of the rotating ring; and a lens held in the moving ring; wherein the element is made of a material having sodium potassium niobate, potassium niobate, sodium niobate or barium titanate, wherein a value of T/(B+C) is within a range of from 1.3 to 2.8 when: length from the drive surface to a base unit of the groove is defined as T; length from the base unit of the groove to the joining surface is defined as B; and thickness of the element is defined as C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takatoshi ASHIZAWA, Azusa MUTO
  • Patent number: 11043910
    Abstract: A vibration wave motor comprises: an electromechanical conversion element; an elastic body which has a drive surface on which a vibration wave is generated due to vibration of the electromechanical conversion element; and a relative motion member which makes contact with the drive surface of the elastic body and is configured to rotationally drive by the vibration wave, the electromechanical conversion element having a density of from 4.2 to 6.0×103 kg/m3, a plurality of grooves being provided on the drive surface side of the elastic body, and a value of T/(B+C) being within a range of from 1.3 to 2.8 when: depth of at least one groove of the plurality of grooves is defined as T; thickness from a base unit of the groove to a first surface is defined as B; and thickness of the electromechanical conversion element is defined as C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takatoshi Ashizawa, Azusa Muto
  • Publication number: 20190326835
    Abstract: A vibration wave motor comprises: an electromechanical conversion element; an elastic body which has a drive surface on which a vibration wave is generated due to vibration of the electromechanical conversion element; and a relative motion member which makes contact with the drive surface of the elastic body and is configured to rotationally drive by the vibration wave, the electromechanical conversion element having a density of from 4.2 to 6.0×103 kg/m3, a plurality of grooves being provided on the drive surface side of the elastic body, and a value of T/(B+C) being within a range of from 1.3 to 2.8 when: depth of at least one groove of the plurality of grooves is defined as T; thickness from a base unit of the groove to a first surface is defined as B; and thickness of the electromechanical conversion element is defined as C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takatoshi ASHIZAWA, Azusa MUTO