Patents by Inventor Mitsuo Horiuchi

Mitsuo Horiuchi 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: 10429900
    Abstract: A coupled structure capable of keeping the coupled state between coupled members without degrading the appearance, and an electronic device including such a coupled structure are disclosed. A coupled structure includes a keyboard unit coupled with a main body chassis. The coupled structure includes a hook mechanism which engages the keyboard unit with the main body chassis when the keyboard unit moves in one direction relative to the main body chassis, a locking part formed at the main body chassis, and an elastic part formed at the keyboard unit, and the elastic part biases the keyboard unit engaged with main body chassis in the one direction relative to the main body chassis when the locking part locks the elastic part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kitamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi, Satoshi Douzono
  • Patent number: 10409316
    Abstract: A key device includes a substrate having an assembling area, a keycap, and a restoring member. A pivot coupling member and an elastic arm are provided in the assembling area. The pivot coupling member has a pivot axis, and the elastic arm is extending in a direction parallel to the pivot axis. The elastic arm includes a limiting member protruding out of the substrate. The keycap is disposed above the assembling area. A connection arm is extending from the keycap and includes a pivot portion pivoted with the pivot coupling member, so that the keycap is swingable relative to the substrate. The keycap further includes a limiting groove for detachably fitted with the limiting member. The restoring member is disposed between the substrate and the keycap. The restoring member is adapted to provide a restoring force for swinging the keycap relative to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Hsin Chen, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 10409334
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a keyboard device having high versatility and high waterproof performance and an electronic device having the keyboard device. A keyboard device has a base plate having a plurality of attachment holes through which a plurality of hook members provided in a body chassis of an electronic device can be passed or with which the plurality of hook members can be engaged in the lower surface, a reflection sheet, which is a sheet-like member covering the lower surface of the base plate, and a plurality of keytops provided on the upper surface of the base plate, in which the reflection sheet is provided with cut lines cut in the thickness direction at positions overlapping with the attachment holes in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kitamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 10401920
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic apparatus has a board plate provided in a position apart from the operating direction of push buttons for receiving depressing operations. Detection switches for detecting the depressing operations of the push buttons are provided on the lower surface side of the board plate, and the push buttons are provided adjacent to the side part of the board plate and includes a vertically-movable operation surface part for receiving depressing operations and a detection arm, which protrudes from one edge part of the operation surface part to the lower surface side of the board plate and presses the detection switches by moving in the opposite direction to the direction of the vertical movement of the operation surface part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
    Inventors: Masahiro Kitamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi, Eiji Shinohara
  • Patent number: 10394380
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing malfunctions of a touchpad disposed near an antenna is provided. An NFC coil is disposed underneath a touchpad. In NFC, an NFC card approaches the surface of the touchpad. A touch controller sets the detection sensitivity of a finger to a reference value when an NFC module does not emit alternating magnetic fluxes. The touch controller reduces the detection sensitivity at the timing when the NFC coil starts the emission of the alternating magnetic fluxes. The touch controller returns the detection sensitivity to the reference value at the timing when the NFC coil stops the emission of the alternating magnetic fluxes. The NFC module directly transmits a signal with which the touch controller changes the detection sensitivity to the touch controller through a hardware line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
    Inventors: Hideto Horikoshi, Hidekazu Chujo, Masahiro Kitamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 10353437
    Abstract: A coupled structure is capable of suppressing breakage of a hook member and keeping the coupled state between members. An electronic device includes the coupled structure. A coupled structure is a keyboard unit coupled to a main body chassis. The coupled structure includes an engagement hole on the keyboard unit and a hook member that protrudes from an upper face of a support plate on the main body chassis and can be engaged with the engagement hole. The support plate has a plate spring capable of elastic displacement with respect to a peripheral part. The hook member is on the plate spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE. LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kitamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi, Satoshi Douzono
  • Patent number: 10335910
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sealing member for machine tools which has excellent reliability because excellent sealability can be maintained for a long period of time and which can be manufactured efficiently at low cost. The sealing member for machine tools of the present invention includes a supporting member; a plate-shaped elastic member; and an adhesive layer which bonds the elastic member to the supporting member. The supporting member has a shape of a bent plate-like body, the elastic member is bonded to the supporting member via the adhesive layer laminated on a part of a front face of the elastic member so as to be curved along the bent shape of the supporting member, and a corner portion formed by a back face and one side face of the elastic member is assumed to be an edge portion in contact with an opposite material, and the one side face is formed by cutting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: BANDO CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Abe, Nariaki Iwasaki, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 10180739
    Abstract: An input device having sufficient countermeasure against static electricity is disclosed. The input device includes a touch pad as an operation-input part that is movably supported above a metal base plate. The operation-input part includes a pad plate to receive an input operation, a board plate stacked below the pad plate to detect an input operation to the pad plate, and a resin housing plate stacked below the board plate. The base plate has an upper face, on which a protruding piece is disposed so as to be inserted between the board plate and the housing plate and come into contact with a ground line as a conductive part provided at the board plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
    Inventors: Masahiro Kitamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20180364765
    Abstract: A keyboard device is provided. The keyboard device includes a baseplate, a set of keytops, a frame, and a set of plate members. The set of keytops is supported in a vertically movable manner on an upper surface side of the baseplate. The frame mounted on the upper surface side of the baseplate, and the frame includes a set of openings in which the keytops are inserted in a vertically movable manner. The set of plate members arranged along a longer direction within the baseplate, and bridges that connect adjacent plate members. The adjacent plate members are arranged with a gap provided between end surfaces thereof that, oppose each other and are relatively movable through at least the bridges in a direction in which the plate members are arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Inventors: Masahiro Kitamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi, Satoshi Douzono
  • Patent number: 10096441
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus having a switch device capable of suppressing collision noise is disclosed. The switch device is equipped with a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact, and a metal dome that serves as a movable contact movable in a direction to be contacted with or separated from the first fixed contact. In a configuration in which the metal dome is moved to provide an electrical contact or a separation between the metal dome and the first fixed contact, whereby the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact are electrically connected therebetween, a conductive layer made of an anisotropic conductive sheet is provided between the first fixed contact and the metal dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
    Inventors: Masahiro Kitamura, Takane Fujino, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 9958907
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus having an input device is disclosed. The input device is capable of reducing the sound generated when an operation-input part returns to its original position after being pressed. The input device includes a base plate having a hook standing towards the operation-input part. The operation-input part has an arm member that can come into contact with the hook. A contact of the arm member with the hook specifies an ascending limit of the operation-input part, and at least one of the arm member and the hook has elasticity in their contacting direction to reduce rebound sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: LENOVO (SINGAPORE) PTE LTD
    Inventors: Masahiro Kitamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20180096804
    Abstract: A switching device capable of receiving pressing operations for an electronic device is provided. The switching device includes a push button rotatably supported on an upper surface of a base member, and a detection switch that is pressed when the push button is pressed to rotate. Either the push button or the base member includes an engaging part and an elastic part, while the other one of the push button or the base member includes a rotational shaft with which the engaging part is rotatably engaged and a supporting shaft against which the elastic part is pressed. The push button rotates about an engaged portion between the engaging part and the rotational shaft with the elastic part being pressed against the supporting shaft, and presses the detection switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: MASAHIRO KITAMURA, MITSUO HORIUCHI, SATOSHI DOUZONO
  • Publication number: 20170371491
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing malfunctions of a touchpad disposed near an antenna is provided. An NFC coil is disposed underneath a touchpad. In NFC, an NFC card approaches the surface of the touchpad. A touch controller sets the detection sensitivity of a finger to a reference value when an NFC module does not emit alternating magnetic fluxes. The touch controller reduces the detection sensitivity at the timing when the NFC coil starts the emission of the alternating magnetic fluxes. The touch controller returns the detection sensitivity to the reference value at the timing when the NFC coil stops the emission of the alternating magnetic fluxes. The NFC module directly transmits a signal with which the touch controller changes the detection sensitivity to the touch controller through a hardware line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: HIDETO HORIKOSHI, HIDEKAZU CHUJO, MASAHIRO KITAMURA, MITSUO HORIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170140883
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus having a switch device capable of suppressing collision noise is disclosed. The switch device is equipped with a first fixed contact and a second fixed contact, and a metal dome that serves as a movable contact movable in a direction to be contacted with or separated from the first fixed contact. In a configuration in which the metal dome is moved to provide an electrical contact or a separation between the metal dome and the first fixed contact, whereby the first fixed contact and the second fixed contact are electrically connected therebetween, a conductive layer made of an anisotropie conductive sheet is provided between the first fixed contact and the metal dome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventors: MASAHIRO KITAMURA, TAKANE FUJINO, MITSUO HORIUCHI
  • Patent number: 9582045
    Abstract: A coupling structure capable of coupling a metal plate-like member and a resin chassis member with high assembling efficiency and sufficient coupling strength while preventing damage to parts is disclosed. The coupling structure is a structure for coupling a housing plate as a resin chassis member to a base plate as a metal plate-like member in a direction to overlap the housing plate with the base plate. The housing plate includes a latch having a pair of arm members extending along a direction parallel with a coupling face to the base plate and whose distal ends are spaced out from each other, and the base plate includes a coupling hook formed upright toward the side of the housing plate and engaged between the pair of arm members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Lenovo (Singapore) PTE LTD
    Inventors: Toshihisa Doi, Mitsuo Horiuchi, Eiji Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20170024029
    Abstract: An input device having sufficient countermeasure against static electricity is disclosed. The input device includes a touch pad as an operation-input part that is movably supported above a metal base plate. The operation-input part includes a pad plate to receive an input operation, a board plate stacked below the pad plate to detect an input operation to the pad plate, and a resin housing plate stacked below the board plate. The base plate has an upper face, on which a protruding piece is disposed so as to be inserted between the board plate and the housing plate and come into contact with a ground line as a conductive part provided at the board plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Masahiro Kitamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20170017266
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus having an input device is disclosed. The input device is capable of reducing the sound generated when an operation-input part returns to its original position after being pressed. The input device includes a base plate having a hook standing towards the operation-input part. The operation-input part has an arm member that can come into contact with the hook. A contact of the arm member with the hook specifies a ascending limit of the operation-input part, and at least one of the arm member and the hook has elasticity in their contacting direction to reduce rebound sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Masahiro KITAMURA, Mitsuo HORIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170017267
    Abstract: An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic apparatus has a board plate provided in a position apart from the operating direction of push buttons for receiving depressing operations. Detection switches for detecting the depressing operations of the push buttons are provided on the lower surface side of the board plate, and the push buttons are provided adjacent to the side part of the board plate and includes a vertically-movable operation surface part for receiving depressing operations and a detection arm, which protrudes from one edge part of the operation surface part to the lower surface side of the board plate and presses the detection switches by moving in the opposite direction to the direction of the vertical movement of the operation surface part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: MASAHIRO KITAMURA, MITSUO HORIUCHI, EIJI SHINOHARA
  • Publication number: 20170008140
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sealing member for machine tools which has excellent reliability because excellent sealability can be maintained for a long period of time and which can be manufactured efficiently at low cost. The sealing member for machine tools of the present invention includes a supporting member; a plate-shaped elastic member; and an adhesive layer which bonds the elastic member to the supporting member. The supporting member has a shape of a bent plate-like body, the elastic member is bonded to the supporting member via the adhesive layer laminated on a part of a front face of the elastic member so as to be curved along the bent shape of the supporting member, and a corner portion formed by a back face and one side face of the elastic member is assumed to be an edge portion in contact with an opposite material, and the one side face is formed by cutting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Yuki ABE, Nariaki IWASAKI, Mitsuo HORIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160147328
    Abstract: A input device capable of being made thinner while securing the operability of a push button is disclosed. The input device includes a touchpad configured to receive a touch operation and multiple push buttons provided adjacent to one edge of the touchpad. The input device is mounted in an electronic device such as a laptop PC. In the input device, each of the push buttons has a cantilever structure having an operation face part movable up and down to receive a depressing operation, and a hinge arm, which projects from one edge of the operation face part into the undersurface side of the touchpad and the leading edge of which is pivotally supported under the touchpad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: TOSHIHISA DOI, MITSUO HORIUCHI, YOHICHI HIROSE, HIROAKI AGATA, TAKANE FUJINO