Patents by Inventor Daisuke Imafuku

Daisuke Imafuku 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).

  • Patent number: 7697202
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an image generation source, optics for projecting in an enlarged form the image generated by the image generation source, and a transmissive screen for displaying the image projected from said optics. The transmissive screen includes a Fresnel lens sheet disposed at an image generation source side, and a diffusing sheet disposed at an image-watching side in order to diffuse image light at least in a horizontal direction of the screen. The Fresnel lens sheet has a plurality of entrance-side prisms formed at the image generation source side, and a plurality of exit-side prisms formed at the image-watching side, and the Fresnel lens sheet emits lights in a first direction and a second direction. The first direction is almost parallel to a central axis of the Fresnel lens sheet, and the second direction extends toward the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Patent number: 7675679
    Abstract: A Fresnel lens sheet used for an image display device is disclosed. The Fresnel lens sheet is provided with a first prism group in an area of a light entrance plane of the Fresnel lens sheet where the incident angle of light is equal to or more than a predetermined incident angle and a second prism group in an area of a light entrance plane of the Fresnel lens sheet where the incident angle of light is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Takanori Hisada, Tetsu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Patent number: 7589904
    Abstract: Both ends of a transparent cover which is formed of a curved member are fitted to a lens guard and a mirror guard, and a free-shaped surface mirror and a free-shaped surface lens are housed in a sealed space defined within a projection type image display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Imafuku, Takanori Hisada, Hiroki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 7581838
    Abstract: Image disturbance called speckle noise occurs when an image generator has a small effective screen size and a projection lens has a small effective diameter. The present invention is intended to reduce speckle noise. In an optical projector, a viewing angle enlarging ember (60) for enlarging viewing angle or a scattering member (28) for scattering image light is disposed near an image display device (18), such as a liquid crystal panel. Speckle noise can be reduced, suppressing the deterioration of resolution and contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Patent number: 7551352
    Abstract: To eliminate or otherwise reduce non-uniform brightness of an image of a display apparatus, an image is projected through a projection optical system having a projection lens (2), curved surface reflection mirrors (4 and 5), and a reflection mirror (6) onto a rear surface of the rear-surface projection type screen (3). The rear-surface projection type screen includes a Fresnel lens sheet (8), wherein the prism surfaces of the Fresnel lens are formed in an aspheric configuration, thereby letting the light beams from the screen to exit at an exit angle of about zero (0) degree relative to a line perpendicular to the screen surface, over most of the entire surface thereof. It is possible to obtain a projection image that having uniform brightness in an image display apparatus while maintaining a thin cabinet (7) profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsu Ohishi, Hiroki Yoshikawa, Takanori Hisada, Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Patent number: 7529023
    Abstract: In a Fresnel screen for displaying an image, comprising, a screen surface, and a reverse surface opposite to the screen surface in a thickness direction of the screen to be prevented from facing to the viewer, the Fresnel screen has first prism surfaces extending to have respective longitudinal arc-shapes juxtaposed with each other as seen in the thickness direction to deflect light beams for forming the image in at least one of directions perpendicular to each other as seen in the thickness direction, and second prism surfaces extending to have respective longitudinal shapes juxtaposed with each other as seen in the thickness direction to deflect at least a part of the light beams in at least one of the directions perpendicular to each other as seen in the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Imafuku, Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi
  • Patent number: 7460301
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique suitable for making a set more compact by realizing reduction in height and reduction in depth. An image display apparatus of the present invention includes a reflecting mirror (4) for reflecting the image sent from a projection lens (2), and guiding the image to a transmissive screen (3). The reflecting-mirror (4) includes a planar mirror section (4a) for reflecting, of the entire image exiting the projection lens (2), only image portions projected onto the upper section of the transmissive screen (3), and a Fresnel mirror section (4b) with multiple reflective prisms for reflecting only image portions projected onto the lower section of the screen (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Imafuku, Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi
  • Patent number: 7440186
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technology suitable for shortening a depth of a image display apparatus while obtaining a picture of high quality. According to the invention, a total reflection prism portion is provided on a side of a Fresnel lens sheet toward a picture source. The total reflection prism portion reflects an incident light to a direction toward an optic axial center of the Fresnel lens sheet to have the same outgoing. On the other hand, a first refractive prism portion, by which light of a predetermined incident angle or less is refracted to outgo to a direction along an optical axis of the Fresnel lens sheet, and a second refractive prism portion, by which light reflected to the direction toward the optic axial center of the Fresnel lens sheet is changed to the direction along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi, Daisuke Imafuku, Koji Hirata
  • Patent number: 7436593
    Abstract: Images that are bright even on the periphery of a transmissive screen are obtained by reducing reflection loss of the screen when the screen incident angle of the image light entering the upper left and right ends of the screen increases. Incident-side prisms (10), each having at least a plane-of-incidence (c) onto which light comes in, an exit face (d) from which the light that has come in from the plane-of-incidence exits after being refracted, and a refractive face (e) on which the light that has exited from the exit face is refracted and then guided to the image-viewing side of the Fresnel lens sheet (6), are provided in the range where the incident angle of the incoming light becomes equal to or greater than approximately 40 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsu Ohishi, Hiroki Yoshikawa, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Patent number: 7433121
    Abstract: A screen is hung from a screen frame with hanging members bonded to the upper side of a front sheet. Supporting members are disposed on the lower side of the front sheet and, by mounting a Fresnel lens sheet on the supporting members, a tension is given by its weight to the front sheet in the vertical direction. Further, a tension in the horizontal direction is given to the front sheet. Long holes are so formed in the hanging members that the hanging members on the right and left sides of the screen by expansion or contraction of the screen are made greater in the extent of shifting in the horizontal direction than the hanging member in the central part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Imafuku, Koji Hirata, Naoyuki Ogura
  • Publication number: 20080204868
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes an image generation source, optics for projecting in an enlarged form the image generated by the image generation source, and a transmissive screen for displaying the image projected from said optics. The transmissive screen includes a Fresnel lens sheet disposed at an image generation source side, and a diffusing sheet disposed at an image-watching side in order to diffuse image light at least in a horizontal direction of the screen. The Fresnel lens sheet has a plurality of entrance-side prisms formed at the image generation source side, and a plurality of exit-side prisms formed at the image-watching side, and the Fresnel lens sheet emits lights in a first direction and a second direction. The first direction is almost parallel to a central axis of the Fresnel lens sheet, and the second direction extends toward the central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroki YOSHIKAWA, Tetsu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Patent number: 7403335
    Abstract: The present invention provides a screen suitable for reducing the longitudinal dimension of a set. The present invention includes two prism sections. One is a totally reflective prism section (10) provided at the image generation source side of a Fresnel lens sheet (6). The other is a refractive prism section (11) provided at the image-watching side of the Fresnel lens sheet. The refractive prism section (11) includes a refractive face (e) for refracting incident light and making the light exit toward the image-watching side, a plane (f) approximately parallel to the principal plane of the Fresnel lens sheet, and a connection face (g) for continuously forming the face (e) and the plane (f).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Patent number: 7362503
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technology that makes it possible to display high-quality images by reducing a reflection loss of the image light entering the upper left and right ends of a transmissive screen. At the image generation source side of the Fresnel lens sheet, a totally reflective prism section (10) is provided that totally reflects incident rays of light and causes the light to exit toward the image-watching side. At the image-watching side of the Fresnel lens sheet (6), a refractive prism section (11) is also provided that refracts the light entering from the totally reflective prism section (10) and causes the light to exit toward the image-watching side. The refractive prism section (11) has a roughed refractive face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Publication number: 20070285780
    Abstract: Both ends of a transparent cover which is formed of a curved member are fitted to a lens guard and a mirror guard, and a free-shaped surface mirror and a free-shaped surface lens are housed in a sealed space defined within a projection type image display device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Inventors: DAISUKE IMAFUKU, Takanori Hisada, Hiroki Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20070273969
    Abstract: Image disturbance called speckle noise occurs when an image generator has a small effective screen size and a projection lens has a small effective diameter. The present invention is intended to reduce speckle noise. In an optical projector, a viewing angle enlarging ember (60) for enlarging viewing angle or a scattering member (28) for scattering image light is disposed near an image display device (18), such as a liquid crystal panel. Speckle noise can be reduced, suppressing the deterioration of resolution and contrast.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Publication number: 20070229948
    Abstract: A screen is hung from a screen frame with hanging members bonded to the upper side of a front sheet. Supporting members are disposed on the lower side of the front sheet and, by mounting a Fresnel lens sheet on the supporting members, a tension is given by its weight to the front sheet in the vertical direction. Further, a tension in the horizontal direction is given to the front sheet. Long holes are so formed in the hanging members that the hanging members on the right and left sides of the screen by expansion or contraction of the screen are made greater in the extent of shifting in the horizontal direction than the hanging member in the central part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Imafuku, Koji Hirata, Naoyuki Ogura
  • Patent number: 7261421
    Abstract: Image disturbance called speckle noise occurs when an image generator has a small effective screen size and a projection lens has a small effective diameter. The present invention is intended to reduce speckle noise. In an optical projector, a viewing angle enlarging ember (60) for enlarging viewing angle or a scattering member (28) for scattering image light is disposed near an image display device (18), such as a liquid crystal panel. Speckle noise can be reduced, suppressing the deterioration of resolution and contrast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Patent number: 7245429
    Abstract: A total reflecting prism portion is formed on an image generation source side of a Fresnel lens sheet which constitutes a rear projection type screen. The total reflecting prism portion is formed in an area in which the angle of incidence of a projection image projected from an optical part on the Fresnel lens sheet is at least about 40°. The total reflecting prism portion causes incident light to be outputted as output light at a predetermined output angle by a total reflection phenomenon after a first refraction phenomenon. Further, a refracting prism portion is formed on an image monitoring side of the Fresnel lens sheet. The refracting prism portion is formed in an area opposed to the portion where the total reflecting prism portion is not formed. The refracting prism portion causes incident light to be outputted as output light at a predetermined output angle by a second refraction phenomenon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku
  • Publication number: 20070146877
    Abstract: In a Fresnel screen for displaying an image, comprising, a screen surface, and a reverse surface opposite to the screen surface in a thickness direction of the screen to be prevented from facing to the viewer, the Fresnel screen has first prism surfaces extending to have respective longitudinal arc-shapes juxtaposed with each other as seen in the thickness direction to deflect light beams for forming the image in at least one of directions perpendicular to each other as seen in the thickness direction, and second prism surfaces extending to have respective longitudinal shapes juxtaposed with each other as seen in the thickness direction to deflect at least a part of the light beams in at least one of the directions perpendicular to each other as seen in the thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Imafuku, Hiroki Yoshikawa, Tetsu Ohishi
  • Publication number: 20070146879
    Abstract: A Fresnel lens sheet used for an image display device is disclosed. The Fresnel lens sheet is provided with a first prism group in an area of a light entrance plane of the Fresnel lens sheet where the incident angle of light is equal to or more than a predetermined incident angle and a second prism group in an area of a light entrance plane of the Fresnel lens sheet where the incident angle of light is less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yoshikawa, Takanori Hisada, Testu Ohishi, Koji Hirata, Daisuke Imafuku