Patents by Inventor Masao Mafune

Masao Mafune 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: 6661743
    Abstract: A display includes a plurality of display arrays, such as a time display section (37), a chronological display section (38), and a chronological split display section (39). An upper or lower polarizer is provided with a light modulating section having a reflection type polarizer. To display only the time, the chronological display section (38) and the chronological split display section (39) are shielded by the light modulating section. For chronological display, the chronological display section (38) is lit, and the chronological split display (39) is displayed or shielded as required by a shutter function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Mafune, Masahiro Sase, Kenji Fujita
  • Patent number: 6580665
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece is formed of a power generating device for generating power, a control device for driving on receipt of a power supply from the power generating device, a display device for displaying a time by an operation of the control device, a detecting device for detecting a state of the power generating device, and a deciding device for deciding whether or not the power generating device generates power based on a detection signal sent from the detecting device. The control device controls such that a power generating state of the power generating device is displayed on the display device based on a decision of the deciding device. It is possible to reduce power consumption by stopping hands if required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Kamiyama, Tomomi Murakami, Masao Mafune, Yoichi Nagata
  • Patent number: 6181648
    Abstract: An electronic watch is formed of a case body having a display window, a movement situated in the case body, a light transmitting digital display disposed above the movement in the case body to be observed from an outside through the display window, and a solar cell unit. The solar cell unit is interposed between a part of the light transmitting digital display and the movement, and a reflecting plate is disposed under another part of the light transmitting digital display adjacent to the solar cell unit. Also, a light transmitting material is interposed between the part of the light transmitting digital display and the solar cell unit. Thus, light is supplied to the solar cell unit from the outside through the light transmitting digital display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Mafune, Osamu Kamisawa
  • Patent number: 5841738
    Abstract: A display unit structure for an electronic device is formed of a solar cell, and a display unit. The display unit includes a transparent base layer disposed on the solar cell, and a hologram layer laminated on the base layer and having a virtual mirror plane for reflecting a light with a predetermined wavelength. The virtual mirror plane of the hologram layer is inclined with respect to front and back surfaces of the hologram layer. Thus, the light with the predetermined wavelength is reflected by the hologram layer, and light other that the predetermined wavelength is transmitted to the solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1998
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Kamei, Yasuo Kamiyama, Masao Mafune, Yoshio Katsuki
  • Patent number: 5367505
    Abstract: A watch with a dumb alarm has a time drive region which is electrically drivable and an alarm drive region which is drivable by a mechanical drive source. The alarm drive region has an alarm wheel engaging the hour wheel, an eccentric weight rotatably supported in an eccentric position, an alarm lever for urging the hour wheel toward the alarm wheel, the alarm lever having a distal end engageable with an engaging portion on the eccentric weight, an externally operable member for controlling the eccentric weight to start and stop operating, a spiral spring for rotating the eccentric weight, and a wheel train for transmitting drive forces from the spiral spring. When a preset time to be announced comes, the hour wheel engages the alarm wheel to allow the eccentric weight to start operating, and power of the spiral spring is transmitted through the wheel train to the eccentric weight to rotate the eccentric weight to produce vibrations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 22, 1994
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Tsuchiya, Nobuyuki Uehara, Masami Fukuda, Masao Mafune
  • Patent number: 5126184
    Abstract: A molded part formed by outsert-molding a resin into a through hole of a pipe part includes a pipe part and a resin part. The pipe part includes a hole having a tapered surface whose size is gradually reduced inward from an end portion of a through hole formed in an outsert-molded part such as a metal part, and a resin part has an outer shape matching the tapered surface. The resin part is formed in the pipe part by outsert molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1992
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Yabe, Takashi Odaka, Minoru Fukuda, Masao Mafune
  • Patent number: 4737941
    Abstract: A wrist watch with hour and minute hands in the form of rotatable circular films, having an electrostatic shielding device which grounds a glass of the watch through a back cover of the watch, to eliminate static electricity produced in the glass. Also, because of the use of thin rotatable circular films for the minute and hour hands, the thickness of the watch can be considerably reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Kamiyama, Masao Mafune
  • Patent number: 4267427
    Abstract: A method of boring a hole through a magnet made of an intermetallic compound, characterized in that the hole is formed by a laser machining. The magnet may be reinforced by impregnation with a nonmagnetic material such as a high polymeric substance or a metal having a low melting point before the hole is bored through the magnet by laser machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1978
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1981
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Nomura, Masao Mafune, Masaru Koyanagi