Patents by Inventor Masahiko Yatsu
Masahiko Yatsu 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: 10705333Abstract: A head-up display apparatus is provided which enables a wide viewing angle in spite of being a type that reflects image light on a windshield. Accordingly, a head-up display apparatus (110) includes an image formation unit (10) that displays image information, and a projection optical system that includes an eyepiece optical system 5 reflecting light emitted from the image formation unit (10) for display of a virtual image. The eyepiece optical system (5) includes a first optical element (51) having a negative refractive power, a second optical element (52) having a positive refractive power, and a concave reflecting mirror (54), and is configured to arrange the first optical element (51), the second optical element (52) and the reflecting mirror (53) in this order from the image formation unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.Inventors: Masahiko Yatsu, Akio Misawa, Yuki Nagano
-
Publication number: 20200201043Abstract: The light source apparatus has: a light source unit including a plurality of semiconductor light source elements; a collimator including a plurality of collimator elements, each of the plural collimator elements being disposed on a light emission axis of each of the plural semiconductor light source elements; a polarization conversion element disposed on an emission side of the collimator; and a light guide disposed on an emission side of the polarization conversion element, the plural semiconductor light source elements and the plural collimator elements are arranged in a first direction orthogonal to the light emission axis, and the polarization conversion element extends in the first direction, and includes a polarizing beam splitter and a phase plate, which are arranged at symmetrical positions with respect to a plane formed by the first direction and a second direction corresponding to the light emission axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2017Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Yasuhiko KUNII, Kazuomi KANEKO
-
Publication number: 20200201037Abstract: The information display apparatus has a housing with an opening and a transparent cover formed on the opening, the housing includes image-light generating means configured to generate image light that displays the image information and an optical system configured to allow a driver of the vehicle to recognize image information based on the image light from the image-light generating means as a virtual image in front of the windshield. When S-polarized light on the windshield is assumed to be a first polarized wave while polarized light that orthogonally crosses the S-polarized light in a polarizing direction is assumed to be a second polarized wave, the image-light generating means is configured to generate the image light made of the first polarized wave, and a transmittance/reflectance control means blocks a part of the first polarized wave and the second polarized wave of incident external light entering the housing from the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2018Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Tomoki YAMAMOTO, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU
-
Patent number: 10690911Abstract: A head-up display device includes: an image formation unit which emits light including image information; and a projection optical system including an ocular optical system which displays a virtual image by reflecting the light emitted from the image formation unit. The ocular optical system includes spherical lenses, a free-form curved surface lens, a reflection mirror, and a free-form curved surface mirror, and is configured by arranging, in a space on the side of the ocular optical system of a plane conjugate with the virtual image plane with respect to the ocular optical system, a first small lens system which achieves first focus position movement and on which separated light from the image formation unit is made to be incident, and a second small lens system which achieves second focus position movement and on which separated light from the image formation unit is made to be incident.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2015Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignees: MAXELL, LTD., HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.Inventors: Masahiko Yatsu, Koji Hirata, Kazuomi Kaneko
-
Publication number: 20200189363Abstract: A HUD device and an image display apparatus for solving a problem that a HUD image cannot be seen in a HUD device that displays a virtual image when wearing the sunglasses having polarization function are provided. A head up display device for a vehicle is provided with an image display apparatus configured to project an image onto a windshield or a combiner by polarized light and means of converting polarization of polarized light of the image projected from the image display apparatus, the means being provided on a part of a light path from the image display apparatus to the windshield or the combiner.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2017Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Koji HIRATA, Yasuhiko KUNII, Masahiko YATSU, Kazuomi KANEKO
-
Patent number: 10678017Abstract: A projection type image display device includes an oblique projection optical system that magnifies and projects modulated image light, and includes lens elements and a reflection mirror having a convex surface. A center of an outer shape of one or more of the lens elements at a nearest position to the reflection mirror is positioned above an optical axis. The reflection mirror has a reflection surface shape orthogonal to a projection plane inclusive of the optical axis of the reflection mirror. The reflection surface shape and lens element are formed as specified. For example, the reflection surface shape is formed so that an average radius of curvature in an area through which a light flux focused at a center of the projection plane passes is smaller than that of curvature in an area through which a light flux focused at an upper end portion of the projection plane passes.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2015Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Shuji Kato, Yuki Matsumiya, Kayono Kimura
-
Patent number: 10670864Abstract: Provided is a small-sized information display device displaying video image information as a virtual image by use of an eyepiece optical system including a concave mirror having desired reflection characteristics in a specific polarization direction, where a liquid crystal display panel is used as a video image light source. The information display device has a liquid crystal display panel as a flat display forming video image information disposed therein, and includes a virtual image optical system including a member to be projected for displaying virtual images in front of a vehicle by making a video image displayed on the liquid crystal display panel reflect on the member to be projected. The virtual image optical system includes a concave mirror, and a reflective film of the concave mirror has desired reflection characteristics in a specific polarization direction, so that virtual images having uniform brightness and chromaticity can be obtained.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2015Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignees: MAXELL, LTD., HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Toshinori Sugiyama, Hiroyuki Kajikawa, Kazuomi Kaneko
-
Publication number: 20200159013Abstract: A head up display apparatus configured to display a virtual image corresponding to video to a driver by projecting the video onto a windshield of a vehicle, includes: a video display apparatus including an LED light source and a display element, the video display apparatus being configured to form the video on the display element; and a virtual image optical system configured to cause light emitted from the video display apparatus to be reflected by the windshield to display the virtual image in front of the vehicle. The virtual image optical system includes a concave mirror and an optical element, and a freeform surface of the concave mirror is set so that an optical axis of video light traveling from the concave mirror toward the windshield is inclined in a horizontal direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2017Publication date: May 21, 2020Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Kazuomi KANEKO
-
Patent number: 10606161Abstract: A projection video display apparatus includes: a video projection screen, having a front and a rear surface, arranged in an indoor space. The video projection screen transmits video light from behind the rear surface or in front of the front surface to display video on the front surface. The front surface functions as a video display surface. A video projecting apparatus, arranged in a side of the rear surface or the front surface, enlarges and projects the video light from the rear or front surface. The video projecting apparatus is configured by an optical scanning video projecting apparatus that forms the video by scanning video light composed of coherent light on the video projection screen. The video projection screen guides the video light from the video projecting apparatus toward a direction to the front surface, and causes part of the light in the indoor space to be transmitted therethrough.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2016Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignees: Maxell, Ltd., Hitachi Industry & Control Solutions, Ltd.Inventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Kazuya Ozawa
-
Publication number: 20200033596Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a compact head-up display device. The head-up display device of the present invention includes an image forming unit that emits image light containing image information, and an eyepiece optical system that displays a virtual image by reflecting the image light, in which the eyepiece optical system includes a concave lens, a free curved surface lens, and a free curved surface concave mirror disposed in order from the image forming unit side along the emission direction of the image light.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2016Publication date: January 30, 2020Applicants: MAXELL, LTD., HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.Inventors: Masahiko YATSU, Koji HIRATA, Shigeki HOSHINO
-
Patent number: 10545334Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical device capable of rotationally adjusting a lens system with a flare-cut member incorporated therein. For this purpose, the flare-cut member according to the present invention is characterized by including a light shield surface for shielding the light flux incident on the periphery of a lens, and an opening formed in the light shield surface and causing the light flux incident on a lens element to pass therethrough, wherein the opening is formed in a rotationally symmetrical shape.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2015Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiko Yatsu, Shuji Kato
-
Publication number: 20190346676Abstract: Provided is an information display apparatus that significantly improves light resistance with respect to sunlight. The information display apparatus, which displays video-image information on a projection surface by a virtual image, includes in a housing partly having an opening: a video-image-light generator that generates video-image light for displaying the video-image information; a video-image-light processor that performs a predetermined optical processing to a video image generated by the video-image-light generator; and a projector that projects, onto the projection surface through the opening of the housing, the video-image light optically processed by the video-image-light processor so that a viewer is capable of virtually recognizing the video-image information as a virtual image in front of the projection surface, wherein a light path in the housing is provided with a suppressor selectively suppressing a P-polarizing component of light in a visible light region.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2017Publication date: November 14, 2019Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Akio MISAWA, Shigeki HOSHINO, Kazuomi KANEKO, Tatsuya NAKAZAWA, Takumi NAKADA, Yuki NAGANO, Tomoki YAMAMOTO
-
Patent number: 10444606Abstract: Provided is a projection lens assembly method in an oblique projection optical system, which enables efficient manufacture even if a size of an image display element to be mounted varies, and a projection type image display apparatus using the projection lens. The projection lens assembly method in the oblique projection optical system for an oblique type projection image display apparatus including a block of a spherical lens and a block of an aspherical lens includes: preparing in advance the block of the spherical lens having a size that adapts to image display elements having different sizes and incorporated in the projection image display apparatus, and the block of a common aspherical lens; and assembling the block of the spherical lens selected in accordance with the sizes of the incorporated image display elements and the block of the common aspherical lens to assemble the projection lens.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2015Date of Patent: October 15, 2019Assignee: MAXELL, LTDInventors: Koji Hirata, Masahiko Yatsu, Yuki Matsumiya, Shuji Kato
-
Publication number: 20190265472Abstract: Provided is a light source apparatus that is small and lightweight, has high light utilization efficiency, and is easily utilizable as a modularized, planar light source. The light source apparatus 10 has a light source unit including a plurality of LED elements 14, a LED collimator 15 including a plurality of collimator elements each arranged on a light-emitting axis of each of the plural LED elements 14, and a light guide 17 disposed on an emission side of the LED collimator 15. The light guide 17 includes an incidence portion 171 having an incidence surface on which light on the light-emitting axis from the LED elements 14 is incident, and an emission portion 173c having an emission surface emitting light, and has a free-form surface shape for realizing predetermined light distribution control on at least one of the incidence surface and the emission surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2017Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Yasuhiko KUNII, Kazuomi KANEKO
-
Publication number: 20190265468Abstract: A small-sized information display apparatus capable of displaying, as virtual images, different pieces of video image information at different positions in a wide area of a windshield. An embodiment has a virtual image optical system in which a flat display forming video image information is arranged, and that includes a projected member for causing virtual images to be displayed at a plurality of positions ahead of a vehicle by reflecting a video image on the flat display, thereby forming the virtual images at the plurality of positions so as to correspond to a viewpoint position of a driver. The virtual image optical system is arranged so that video image light fluxes for establishing the respective virtual images are separated from and independent of one another between the flat display and a concave mirror, and is configured by arranging different optical elements so as to correspond to the respective light fluxes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2015Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Kazuomi KANEKO
-
Publication number: 20190243228Abstract: A projection video display apparatus includes: a video projection screen, having a front and a rear surface, arranged in an indoor space. The video projection screen transmits video light from behind the rear surface or in front of the front surface to display video on the front surface. The front surface functions as a video display surface. A video projecting apparatus, arranged in a side of the rear surface or the front surface, enlarges and projects the video light from the rear or front surface. The video projecting apparatus is configured by an optical scanning video projecting apparatus that forms the video by scanning video light composed of coherent light on the video projection screen. The video projection screen guides the video light from the video projecting apparatus toward a direction to the front surface, and causes part of the light in the indoor space to be transmitted therethrough.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2016Publication date: August 8, 2019Applicants: MAXELL, LTD., HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Kazuya OZAWA
-
Publication number: 20190225083Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a projection optical system having a minimal optical configuration while ensuring necessary capabilities and a head-up display device having a tilted virtual image plane. The head-up display device according to the present invention includes an image forming unit to emit image light containing image information and an eyepiece optical system to display a virtual image by reflecting the image light. While a virtual image plane is tilted to display a virtual image in a range from a far distance to a near distance, a point on the image forming unit conjugating to a far point on the virtual image plane is optically farther from a light flux entering the image forming unit than a point on the image forming unit conjugating to a near point on the virtual image plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2016Publication date: July 25, 2019Applicants: MAXELL, LTD., HITACHI INDUSTRY & CONTROL SOLUTIONS, LTD.Inventors: Masahiko YATSU, Koji HIRATA, Shigeki HOSHINO
-
Publication number: 20190219821Abstract: The present invention provides an optical source apparatus that can be manufactured with a low cost, is small and light in weight, has a high usage efficiency of emitted light, and is modularized to be easily usable as a planar optical source. The optical source apparatus includes at least: a plurality of semiconductor optical source elements configured to generate light; a collimator portion on each light emitting axis of the plurality of semiconductor optical source elements; and a polarization conversion element configured of a plurality of polarization split prisms and a phase plate, and the polarization split prisms and the phase plate are arranged at positions that are symmetric to each other with respect to a center axis of the collimator.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: July 18, 2019Inventors: Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Yasuhiko KUNII
-
Publication number: 20190212560Abstract: A HUD system and light source apparatus can be manufactured with miniaturization at low cost. A head-up display apparatus includes: an image display apparatus generating image light to be projected; an optical system performing predetermined correction to the image light emitted from the image display apparatus; and a concave mirror reflecting the image light corrected by the optical system to project it onto a windshield or combiner. The image display apparatus includes: a solid light source; a collimating optical system converting, into parallel light, the light from the solid light source; a lighting optical system configured by an optical member that polarizes a direction of a light beam generated by the collimating optical system and simultaneously expands a width of the light beam; and a display apparatus, the image display apparatus being configured to be arranged across and opposite the optical system on an optical axis of the concave mirror.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: July 11, 2019Inventors: Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Koji HIRATA, Yasuhiko KUNII, Masahiko YATSU
-
Publication number: 20190196188Abstract: The information display apparatus configured to display video information of a virtual image on a reflecting surface of conveyance includes: a display configured to display the video information; and a virtual image optical system configured to display a virtual image at a front of the conveyance by reflecting light emitted from the display by means of the reflecting surface. The virtual image optical system includes a concave mirror and an optical element. The optical element is arranged between the display and the concave mirror, and is configured to correct distortion of the virtual image obtained so as to correspond to a viewpoint position of a driver on a basis of a shape of the concave mirror and a shape of the optical element. The information display apparatus further includes a virtual image double image conversion reducer configured to reduce double image conversion of the virtual image.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2017Publication date: June 27, 2019Inventors: Koji HIRATA, Masahiko YATSU, Toshinori SUGIYAMA, Kazuomi KANEKO