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: 6805505
    Abstract: In a personal computer, preferably a lap-top-type personal computer, first latch members (or sections) and second latch members (or sections) are provided on a bezel surrounding a periphery of a keyboard. The first and second latch members serve to support one side of the keyboard. By having a bottom surface of the second latch members made a sloping surface, when a user pushes the keyboard upward with a finger from below the keyboard slides backward at a slope without interfering with the first latch members. As such, the front part of the keyboard is released from the latching by the first latch members and the second latch members and can be easily and simply removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Hiroyuki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 6776491
    Abstract: A display apparatus is characterized by having a display panel for displaying an image, a light source for supplying light to the display panel, and a flat-surface lighting surface member which has a lighting surface emitting light, radiated from the light source, as flat-surface light while being arranged with the display panel. A housing contains the display panel, the light source, and the flat-surface lighting surface member. The housing further includes a window through light passes the flat-surface lighting surface member and leaks to the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Fusanobu Nakamura, Fumio Tamura, Yoshimasa Kiyotani, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 6731269
    Abstract: Provided for, is an information terminal 1 and keyboard and system units thereof, capable of making the mounting of the keyboard unit into the system unit easier with reliable electrical and mechanical connections. The present invention is equipped with a keyboard unit 2 detachable to a system unit 5. The keyboard unit 2 in the information terminal 1 is equipped with a base plate 4; a keyboard-unit-side engaging member 7, disposed on the bottom surface of the base plate 4, for detachably engaging with the system unit 5; and a plurality of input keys 3 disposed on the top surface of the base plate 4 opposite to the bottom surface on which the keyboard-unit-side engaging member 7 is disposed. The system unit 5 is equipped with a system-unit-side engaging member 8 for detachably engaging with the keyboard-unit-side engaging member 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Fusanobu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20040027333
    Abstract: Provide is an input device that can be incorporated into a notebook computer that exhibits improved operability even in the case of including both a stick-type and a pad-type pointing devices. A Pad face of a pad-type pointing device is configured to incline against the horizon when a computer is used or against the operation face of a keyboard while lowering the keyboard side. A first button for stick-type pointing device, a guide member for fixing the pad face, and the pad face are configured to be adjacent to one another to make the height of the top surface of the guide member being almost as high as the top surface of the pressed first button. A button with a long stroke is used for a first button to improve usability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yasuda, Fusanobu Nakamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi, David Andrew Sawin
  • Patent number: 6654245
    Abstract: A CPU cooler is provided for effectively cooling, for example, a CPU chip mounted in a notebook-sized personal computer. An aluminum die casting is equipped with a right portion for covering a CPU package, and a left portion which is coplanar with the right portion and continuous to the right portion, thus forming a fan disposing space. A flat heat pipe is mounted on a bottom surface of the right and left portions and extends linearly. A copper plate is equipped with a first horizontal plate portion for covering the bottom surface of the right portion and the flat heat pipe, and a second horizontal plate portion which faces a second top surface in a height direction and defines the bottom side of a fan disposing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kawashima, Yohichi Matsui, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 6646869
    Abstract: A slope of an HDD door comes in contact with a slope formed on a lower wall. At this time, when screws of the HDD door are fastened, a fastening force is generated at the HDD door in a direction parallel to the plane direction of the PC housing. The HDD united with the HDD door moves slightly in a parallel direction in proportion to the fastening degree of the screws. At this time, the slope slides to go up on the slope, so the HDD moves slightly upward. When the screws are fastened fully up to the allowable torque, the HDD is firmly attached to the upper wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Fusanobu Nakamura, Fumio Tamura
  • Patent number: 6598999
    Abstract: A combined lens includes a first luminescence surface, a second luminescence surface, a first concave surface for reducing surface reflection of light from the light source and for conducting the light to the first luminescence surface, and a second concave surface 26 for reducing surface reflection of the light from the light source and for conducting the light to the second luminescence surface. This allows the same status display to be provided in a plurality of directions by one light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Fusanobu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6595786
    Abstract: To obtain connector connecting structure that makes it easy to connect connectors when a mounted part is mounted in a part-receiving part. In a keyboard unit mounted in a PC body of a notebook PC, a connector implemented on a flexible cable is movably supported through a cushion, which is made of urethane rubber and is fixed on a installation side 14B of the keyboard unit, and a support plate fixed to the cushion. Owing to this, by just mounting the keyboard unit in the PC body, the connector is connected to the connector in the PC body side, and hence connection becomes simple. Therefore, even if the misalignment between the connectors and arises, the connector moves according to an amount of the misalignment, and hence adequate connection can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Kenshin Yonemochi
  • Patent number: 6568962
    Abstract: A battery connector structure and a battery pack are described in which good electrical contact can be maintained even if an external force is applied around the connectors. The battery connector structure includes a male connector that consists of comb-shaped electrodes with a positioning plate, and a female connector having slits into which the comb-shaped electrodes and the positioning plate are inserted to make electrical connections with the comb-shaped electrodes in such a way that the connectors can be connected and disconnected. A projection is provided at the end of the positioning plate and a hollow that accepts the projection is provided in the slit of the female connector or in a system in which the female connector is provided. In addition, the battery pack has this battery connector structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Fusanobu Nakamura, Fumio Tamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20030072596
    Abstract: A keyboard includes a plurality of keys arranged in at least one continuous row and formed of a key member and a cover member. These members are combined by inserting positioning pins of the cover member into holes of the key member. Curved portions are provided at a plurality of positions in side support portions of the key member. Even if the cover member and the key member are produced with manufacturing errors in alignment, the curved portions may be deformed to prevent misalignment between openings on the cover member and key top portions on the key member when the positioning pins are inserted into the holes. Elastically deformable arms extending from the side support portions of the key member support the key tops and enable the key tops to move up and down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20030059242
    Abstract: In a personal computer, preferably a lap-top-type personal computer, first latch members (or sections) and second latch members (or sections) are provided on a bezel surrounding a periphery of a keyboard. The first and second latch members serve to support one side of the keyboard. By having a bottom surface of the second latch members made a sloping surface, when a user pushes the keyboard upward with a finger from below the keyboard slides backward at a slope without interfering with the first latch members. As such, the front part of the keyboard is released from the latching by the first latch members and the second latch members and can be easily and simply removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Hiroyuki Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20020167799
    Abstract: A CPU cooler is provided for effectively cooling, for example, a CPU chip mounted in a notebook-sized personal computer. An aluminum die casting is equipped with a right portion for covering a CPU package, and a left portion which is coplanar with the right portion and continuous to the right portion, thus forming a fan disposing space. A flat heat pipe is mounted on a bottom surface of the right and left portions and extends linearly. A copper plate is equipped with a first horizontal plate portion for covering the bottom surface of the right portion and the flat heat pipe, and a second horizontal plate portion which faces a second top surface in a height direction and defines the bottom side of a fan disposing space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kawashima, Yohichi Matsui, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20020085381
    Abstract: A combined lens includes a first luminescence surface, a second luminescence surface, a first concave surface for reducing surface reflection of light from the light source and for conducting the light to the first luminescence surface, and a second concave surface 26 for reducing surface reflection of the light from the light source and for conducting the light to the second luminescence surface. This allows the same status display to be provided in a plurality of directions by one light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Fusanobu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20020067592
    Abstract: A slope of an HDD door comes in contact with a slope formed on a lower wall. At this time, when screws of the HDD door are fastened, a fastening force is generated at the HDD door in a direction parallel to the plane direction of the PC housing. The HDD united with the HDD door moves slightly in a parallel direction in proportion to the fastening degree of the screws. At this time, the slope slides to go up on the slope, so the HDD moves slightly upward. When the screws are fastened fully up to the allowable torque, the HDD is firmly attached to the upper wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Fusanobu Nakamura, Fumio Tamura
  • Publication number: 20020064973
    Abstract: A battery connector structure and a battery pack are described in which good electrical contact can be maintained even if an external force is applied around the connectors. The battery connector structure includes a male connector that consists of comb-shaped electrodes with a positioning plate, and a female connector having slits into which the comb-shaped electrodes and the positioning plate are inserted to make electrical connections with the comb-shaped electrodes in such a way that the connectors can be connected and disconnected. A projection is provided at the end of the positioning plate and a hollow that accepts the projection is provided in the slit of the female connector or in a system in which the female connector is provided. In addition, the battery pack has this battery connector structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Fusanobu Nakamura, Fumio Tamura, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20020063816
    Abstract: A display apparatus is characterized by having a display panel for displaying an image, a light source for supplying light to the display panel, and a flat-surface lighting surface member which has a lighting surface emitting light, radiated from the light source, as flat-surface light while being arranged with the display panel. A housing contains the display panel, the light source, and the flat-surface lighting surface member. The housing further includes a window through light passes the flat-surface lighting surface member and leaks to the outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: IBM
    Inventors: Fusanobu Nakamura, Fumio Tamura, Yoshimasa Kiyotani, Mitsuo Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20020048148
    Abstract: A housing for a portable information terminal capable of maintaining its strength while the portable information terminal is reduced in weight and thickness, a method of reinforcing the housing, and a portable information terminal using the housing, are provided for.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Fusanobu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20020047832
    Abstract: Provided for, is an information terminal 1 and keyboard and system units thereof, capable of making the mounting of the keyboard unit into the system unit easier with reliable electrical and mechanical connections. The present invention is equipped with a keyboard unit 2 detachable to a system unit 5. The keyboard unit 2 in the information terminal 1 is equipped with a base plate 4; a keyboard-unit-side engaging member 7, disposed on the bottom surface of the base plate 4, for detachably engaging with the system unit 5; and a plurality of input keys 3 disposed on the top surface of the base plate 4 opposite to the bottom surface on which the keyboard-unit-side engaging member 7 is disposed. The system unit 5 is equipped with a system-unit-side engaging member 8 for detachably engaging with the keyboard-unit-side engaging member 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Fusanobu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20010029128
    Abstract: To obtain connector connecting structure that makes it easy to connect connectors when a mounted part is mounted in a part-receiving part. In a keyboard unit mounted in a PC body of a notebook PC, a connector implemented on a flexible cable is movably supported through a cushion, which is made of urethane rubber and is fixed on a installation side 14B of the keyboard unit, and a support plate fixed to the cushion. Owing to this, by just mounting the keyboard unit in the PC body, the connector is connected to the connector in the PC body side, and hence connection becomes simple. Therefore, even if the misalignment between the connectors and arises, the connector moves according to an amount of the misalignment, and hence adequate connection can be performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuo Horiuchi, Kenshin Yonemochi
  • Patent number: 6045398
    Abstract: The battery accepting unit for a battery operated electric/electronic apparatus includes a plurality of positive terminals and a plurality of negative terminals. The battery accepting unit has a first position whereat a battery is connected by a pair of positive and negative terminals; a second position whereat a battery is connected by another pair of positive and negative terminals; a third position that can serve as both said first and said second positions; and a fourth position whereat a battery is connected by all positive and negative terminals. According to the battery accepting unit of the present invention, a battery pack can be exchanged without halting the power supply to an electric/electronic apparatus. Since an auxiliary power source, such as a sub-battery, is not required for an electric/electronic apparatus, a single power system, including a DC/DC converter and a charging circuit, can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Izuru Narita, Mitsuo Horiuchi, Hidefumi Suzuki, Mitsuru Ogawa