Patents by Inventor Minoru Karei

Minoru Karei 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: 10392789
    Abstract: A water discharge apparatus including a water discharger, a water supply path, an opening/closing valve, a photoelectric sensor, and a controller, the photoelectric sensor projects detection light, receives a reflected light of the detection light, and outputs a received signal corresponding to a light reception amount of the reflected light, the controller detects an existence or absence of an object based on the received signal and controls opening and closing of the opening/closing valve according to a detection result of the object, the photoelectric sensor includes a sensor main body and a conductive member, the sensor main body includes a light-projecting element and a light receiving element, and the conductive member covers a front of the light receiving element, is formed in a sheet configuration, is light-transmissive, is conductive, and is electrically connected to a reference potential of the sensor main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: TOTO LTD.
    Inventor: Minoru Karei
  • Publication number: 20170328048
    Abstract: A water discharge apparatus including a water discharger, a water supply path, an opening/closing valve, a photoelectric sensor, and a controller, the photoelectric sensor projects detection light, receives a reflected light of the detection light, and outputs a received signal corresponding to a light reception amount of the reflected light, the controller detects an existence or absence of an object based on the received signal and controls opening and closing of the opening/closing valve according to a detection result of the object, the photoelectric sensor includes a sensor main body and a conductive member, the sensor main body includes a light-projecting element and a light receiving element, and the conductive member covers a front of the light receiving element, is formed in a sheet configuration, is light-transmissive, is conductive, and is electrically connected to a reference potential of the sensor main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Minoru Karei
  • Publication number: 20170328045
    Abstract: A faucet apparatus including a water discharger, a water supply path, an opening/closing valve, a transmitter, a receiver, and a controller, where the water discharger has a water discharge port discharging water, the water supply path guides the water from a water supply source to the water discharge port, the opening/closing valve opens and closes the water supply path, the transmitter transmits an optical signal, the receiver receives a reflected signal of the optical signal and outputs a received signal corresponding to the reflected signal, the controller detects an existence or absence of an object based on the received signal and controls opening and closing of the opening/closing valve according to a detection result of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventor: Minoru Karei