Patents by Inventor Naoki Tatara
Naoki Tatara 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).
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Publication number: 20140254191Abstract: The configuration is provided with three flexible arms extending in the same circumferential direction, as a suspension for supporting the magnetic circuit unit in displaceable fashion in the vertical direction with respect to a coil support member. This assures sufficient length of each of the flexible arms, enhancing the vibration characteristics. Next, arm insertion slots having approximately the same vertical Width as the flexible arms are formed at three locations in the circumferential direction in the coil support member. The distal end of each flexible arm is then inserted into the arm insertion slot, doing so in the aforementioned same circumferential direction, causing a barb to engage an engaging part and detain the flexible arm.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicants: STAR MICRONICS CO., LTD., KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Makoto YASUIKE, Yasunori Tsukuda, Atsushi Sugimoto, Osamu Endo, Naoki Tatara
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Patent number: 8830324Abstract: A monitoring camera for a vehicle acquires images of a distant area, a vicinity area and a near area in front or rear of the vehicle. The monitoring camera can include an imaging element and an image forming lens comprising multiple lenses each having a different focal length. Each image of an object passing through a different one of the lenses is formed on a corresponding different region of an imaging surface of the imaging element.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2010Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Osamu Endo, Naoki Tatara
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Patent number: 8730026Abstract: The vehicular lamp of the present disclosure includes a lamp control unit configured to control the lighting state of the lamp, the sound generating device configured to generate an alarm sound from the lamp when the device is driven, and a sound generating control unit configured to control the sound generating device. The lamp control unit is configured such that a normal operation of the lamp control unit itself becomes impossible so as not to turn ON the lamp unit normally when a remodeling is performed to the sound generating control unit cutting off, for example, a power source line VW, a control line CW, and a driving line MW which are connected to the sound generating unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Naoki Tatara
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Publication number: 20130322106Abstract: Provided is a vehicular lamp that includes a lamp body, an exterior lens configured to define a lamp chamber between the lamp body and the exterior lens, and a vibration device fixed to a component of the vehicular lamp and configured to be vibrated by receiving an electric signal to cause the component to generate a sound. The vibration device includes a housing fixed to the component of the lamp, an electric circuit provided in the housing, a vibration body vibrated when the electric signal is input to the electric circuit, and a device connector to which an external connector is connected to input the electric signal to the electric circuit. In particular, the device connector is integrally provided in the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Naoki TATARA
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Publication number: 20130312656Abstract: A vehicular lamp is provided with a vibrator and a shock-absorbing member. The vibrator is attached to a lamp body. The lamp body vibrates in response to the vibration of the vibrator and an alarm sound is generated. The shock-absorbing member is provided to an attachment part and the transfer of the vibration from the vibrator through the attachment part is suppressed by the shock-absorbing member.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2013Publication date: November 28, 2013Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Naoki TATARA, Toru TAKAHASHI, Naoki TAKII, Yuji SUGIYAMA
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Publication number: 20130076240Abstract: Provided is a light distribution control system for vehicle in which each of left and right head lamp housings is provided with camera that picks up image of the forward area of vehicle, main lamp unit that forms basic light distribution pattern which is symmetric at the forward area of the vehicle, first sub lamp unit that forms first additional light distribution pattern at lateral side of the vehicle as compared to the basic light distribution pattern, second sub lamp unit that forms second additional light distribution pattern at lateral side of the vehicle, and control unit that controls the turning-ON/OFF of the first and second sub lamp units based on the image data of the camera. The control unit may form non-symmetric light distribution pattern as a whole at the forward area of the vehicle according to road environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2012Publication date: March 28, 2013Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Osamu ENDO, Naoki TATARA
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Publication number: 20130058121Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a light source, a front cover made of a transparent material to transmit light emitted by the light source, a lamp body forming a lamp housing together with the front cover, and a vibrator configured to vibrate the front cover to generate a vibration sound. The vibrator is supported by the lamp housing such that the vibrator contacts the front cover at a location where, when the vehicle lamp is mounted on a vehicle, the vibrator is not visible from an outside of the vehicle lamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2012Publication date: March 7, 2013Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Naoki Tatara, Toru Takahashi, Yuji Sugiyama, Atsushi Sugimoto
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Publication number: 20130038445Abstract: The vehicular lamp of the present disclosure includes a lamp control unit configured to control the lighting state of the lamp, the sound generating device configured to generate an alarm sound from the lamp when the device is driven, and a sound generating control unit configured to control the sound generating device. The lamp control unit is configured such that a normal operation of the lamp control unit itself becomes impossible so as not to turn ON the lamp unit normally when a remodeling is performed to the sound generating control unit cutting off, for example, a power source line VW, a control line CW, and a driving line MW which are connected to the sound generating unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2012Publication date: February 14, 2013Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventor: Naoki TATARA
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Publication number: 20130020937Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes: a light source; a lamp housing that accommodates the light source inside; and a power receiving section that is provided so as to be integral with the lamp housing and is configured to receive electric power wirelessly to supply the electric power to the light source. A power supply device that supplies electric power from a battery mounted on a vehicle to a lamp disposed in the vehicle includes a power transmission section that is provided in the vehicle and configured to transmit the electric power of the battery; and a power receiving section that is provided so as to be integral with the lamp and configured to receive the electric power from the power transmission section. The power transmission section and the power receiving section are disposed to be opposed to each other and electrically coupled by electromagnetic induction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2012Publication date: January 24, 2013Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Naohisa TATARA, Naoki TATARA
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Publication number: 20130002135Abstract: A vehicle lamp controller includes a lamp control unit that performs lamp control, in which light amount or light distribution of each of a plurality of lamps to be provided on a vehicle that runs on electric power from a battery, is controlled, according to a priority that is assigned to each of the plurality of lamps, wherein the priorities are determined based on degrees of necessity of the plurality of lamps in securing safety for the vehicle. The vehicle lamp controller may further include a remaining battery charge detecting device for detecting a remaining charge of a battery, and the lamp control unit may be configured to perform the lamp control according to the priorities when the remaining charge becomes lower than a predetermined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2012Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Akitaka KANAMORI, Kentaro TANI, Naoki TATARA
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Patent number: 8157427Abstract: A vehicle headlamp is provided. The vehicle headlamp includes a light source which is configured to form an additional light distribution pattern which is formed above a cut-off line of a low-beam mode light distribution pattern; a vehicle detection device which is configured to detect a presence of a front running vehicle; a road position detection device which is configured to detect an existing area of a road ahead; and a control unit. The control unit acquires information from the vehicle detection device and the road position detection device and, when the existing area includes a non-detectable area which is outside of a detectable area of the vehicle detection device, controls the light source to reduce an illuminance of the additional light distribution pattern.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2009Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kiyotaka Mochizuki, Naoki Tatara
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Publication number: 20110193960Abstract: A vehicular lamp includes a light source that illuminates a vehicle periphery; a camera that images the vehicle periphery; and a shield structure configured to protect an image from the camera from light of the light source. The shield structure may include a shield ring configured to shield a light receiving portion of the camera from light of the light source; a light guide member that guides the light of the light source in a direction away from the light receiving portion of the camera; a control circuit that operates the camera only at a timing when the light source, flashing in a short cycle, is off; and an image processing circuit that removes a colored light component of the light source from image data of the camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2011Publication date: August 11, 2011Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Osamu Endo, Hiroya Koizumi, Naoki Tatara
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Publication number: 20100277935Abstract: A monitoring camera for a vehicle acquires images of a distant area, a vicinity area and a near area in front or rear of the vehicle. The monitoring camera can include an imaging element and an image forming lens comprising multiple lenses each having a different focal length. Each image of an object passing through a different one of the lenses is formed on a corresponding different region of an imaging surface of the imaging element.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2010Publication date: November 4, 2010Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Osamu Endo, Naoki Tatara
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Publication number: 20090231867Abstract: A vehicle headlamp is provided. The vehicle headlamp includes a light source which is configured to form an additional light distribution pattern which is formed above a cut-off line of a low-beam mode light distribution pattern; a vehicle detection device which is configured to detect a presence of a front running vehicle; a road position detection device which is configured to detect an existing area of a road ahead; and a control unit. The control unit acquires information from the vehicle detection device and the road position detection device and, when the existing area includes a non-detectable area which is outside of a detectable area of the vehicle detection device, controls the light source to reduce an illuminance of the additional light distribution pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2009Publication date: September 17, 2009Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiyotaka MOCHIZUKI, Naoki TATARA
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Patent number: 7316495Abstract: A headlight has a plurality of lighting device units and a unit support member that supports the plurality of lighting device units. Each lighting device unit has a projection lens, a light emitting diode arranged behind a rear side focus of the projection lens, and a rectilinear propagation blocking member that is arranged in a vicinity of the rear side focus, and blocks a rectilinear propagation of a portion of light emitted from the light emitting diode so as to form a cutoff line. The projection lens and the rectilinear propagation blocking member are integrally formed as a light control member in each light device unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2004Date of Patent: January 8, 2008Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Naoki Tatara, Kazuki Okui, Hirohiko Ohshio, Kazuhisa Ashizawa
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Patent number: 7287887Abstract: A movable shade is moved by a shade driving device between a first shade position which is positioned on an optical axis at a rear focal point of a projection lens and a second shade position which is located further downward than the first shade position. Even in the event that there is provided only a single light source, low beam light distribution patterns and high beam light distribution patterns can selectively be formed. In addition, the light source is moved by a light source driving device between a first light source position which is positioned on the optical axis and a second light source position which is positioned further forward than the first light source position. Then, four types of light distribution patterns can be formed through combinations of the positions of the light source and the positions of the movable shade.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2005Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirohiko Ohshio, Atsushi Sugimoto, Naoki Tatara
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Patent number: 7244057Abstract: Optical axes are simultaneously adjusted by tiltably mounting a plurality of lighting device units on a common unit support member. A rectilinear propagation blocking member of each lighting device unit is fixed with screw via the elastic bush to the unit support member, so that the optical axis can be adjusted. Due to the above structure, even when the accuracy of shapes of the rectilinear propagation blocking member and the unit support member are not sufficiently ensured and also even when the accuracy of the attaching work can not be sufficiently ensured, the optical axes of the lighting device units can be arranged in order by adjusting the optical axis of the rectilinear propagation blocking member.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2004Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Naoki Tatara, Kazuki Okui, Hirohiko Ohshio
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Patent number: 7144145Abstract: Optical axes are simultaneously adjusted when a plurality of lighting device units 30, the light sources of which are light emitting elements 34, are tiltably supported by the common unit support member 20. In this case, the positioning recess portion 20d is provided which is composed so that the light source fixing portion 20B1 formed in a plurality of portions of the unit support member 20 can be contacted with the back face 42a and the outer circumferential face 42b of the support plate 42 for supporting the light emitting element 34. Due to the foregoing, the light emitting element 34 can be highly accurately attached to the unit support member 20, and the optical axes Ax, of the lighting device units 30 can be put in order.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2004Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Naoki Tatara, Kazuki Okui, Hirohiko Ohshio, Takeshi Ohmi
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Publication number: 20060023465Abstract: A movable shade is moved by a shade driving device between a first shade position which is positioned on an optical axis at a rear focal point of a projection lens and a second shade position which is located further downward than the first shade position. Even in the event that there is provided only a single light source, low beam light distribution patterns and high beam light distribution patterns can selectively be formed. In addition, the light source is moved by a light source driving device between a first light source position which is positioned on the optical axis and a second light source position which is positioned further forward than the first light source position. Then, four types of light distribution patterns can be formed through combinations of the positions of the light source and the positions of the movable shade.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2005Publication date: February 2, 2006Inventors: Hirohiko Ohshio, Atsushi Sugimoto, Naoki Tatara
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Publication number: 20050122736Abstract: Optical axes are simultaneously adjusted when a plurality of lighting device units 30, the light sources of which are light emitting elements 34, are tiltably supported by the common unit support member 20. In this case, the positioning recess portion 20d is provided which is composed so that the light source fixing portion 20B1 formed in a plurality of portions of the unit support member 20 can be contacted with the back face 42a and the outer circumferential face 42b of the support plate 42 for supporting the light emitting element 34. Due to the foregoing, the light emitting element 34 can be highly accurately attached to the unit support member 20, and the optical axes Ax, of the lighting device units 30 can be put in order.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2004Publication date: June 9, 2005Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Naoki Tatara, Kazuki Okui, Hirohiko Ohshio, Takeshi Ohmi