Patents by Inventor Eriko Kawanami
Eriko Kawanami 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).
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Patent number: 7567369Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2008Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Publication number: 20080252990Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2008Publication date: October 16, 2008Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Patent number: 7388705Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2006Date of Patent: June 17, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Publication number: 20070127120Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Patent number: 7142344Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2005Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Publication number: 20050264864Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2005Publication date: December 1, 2005Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Patent number: 6950219Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2004Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Publication number: 20050007644Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2004Publication date: January 13, 2005Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Patent number: 6806988Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2001Date of Patent: October 19, 2004Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Patent number: 6702483Abstract: An optical device capable of controlling its optical transmittance. The optical device has a first liquid conductive or having a polarity and a second liquid. The first and second liquids are substantially equal in refractive index but differ in transmittance. The first and second liquids do not mix with each other. The first and second liquids are sealingly contained in a container in such state that the boundary therebetween has a predetermined shape. When a voltage is applied between these liquids through electrodes formed in such a place or condition as to avoid interference with passage of a bundle of rays incident upon the optical element, the output of the applied voltage is selected under control to change the shape of the boundary, thereby changing the quantity of transmitted light in the bundle of rays traveling through the optical device.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2001Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takayuki Tsuboi, Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Patent number: 6603444Abstract: A display element has a plurality of pixels and is constructed to display image information by modulating light passing through each pixel. The display element has the following for each of the pixels: a mask having a shield portion in part; and a first fluid and an electroconductive or polar, second fluid being immiscible with each other. An amount of the light passing through the mask is regulated in such a way that a voltage applied to the second fluid of each pixel is varied to alter the shape of an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid, so as to increase or decrease light incident to the shield portion of the mask.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2000Date of Patent: August 5, 2003Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Eriko Kawanami, Ichiro Onuki, Shigeo Ogura
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Publication number: 20020176148Abstract: To provide an optical apparatus which controls an interface state to change a focal length by using an optical element having a container sealing first liquid that is conductive or polarized and second liquid that does not mutually mix with the first liquid with their interface in a predetermined form and electrodes provided in the container and of which optical characteristics change according to change of interface form due to application of voltage to the electrodes, and in particular an optical apparatus that controls a duty ratio of alternating current voltage applied to said electrodes for changing said interface form.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2001Publication date: November 28, 2002Inventors: Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami
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Patent number: 6449081Abstract: An optical element has a first fluid and an electroconductive or polar, second fluid immiscible with each other, which are confined in a sealed space created between a first support and a second support. The first fluid and the second fluid have respective light transmittances different from each other. By varying a voltage applied to the second fluid, the shape of an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid is altered, so as to change an amount of light passing through the optical element.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2000Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ichiro Onuki, Shigeo Ogura, Eriko Kawanami
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Publication number: 20010017985Abstract: An optical device capable of controlling its optical transmittance. The optical device has a first liquid conductive or having a polarity and a second liquid. The first and second liquids are substantially equal in refractive index but differ in transmittance. The first and second liquids do not mix with each other. The first and second liquids are sealingly contained in a container in such state that the boundary therebetween has a predetermined shape. When a voltage is applied between these liquids through electrodes formed in such a place or condition as to avoid interference with passage of a bundle of rays incident upon the optical element, the output of the applied voltage is selected under control to change the shape of the boundary, thereby changing the quantity of transmitted light in the bundle of rays traveling through the optical device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2001Publication date: August 30, 2001Inventors: Takayuki Tsuboi, Ichiro Onuki, Goro Noto, Eriko Kawanami