Patents by Inventor Shigeaki Nimura

Shigeaki Nimura 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: 11453230
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming method including a step of imagewisely applying, onto a base material by an inkjet method, at least two inks containing a polymerizable liquid crystal compound, a chiral compound, and a polymerization initiator and having reflection wavelengths different from each other, such that the total application amount of the inks provides an image area ratio of 50% or more in an image forming region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Makuta, Shigeaki Nimura, Hiroshi Inada, Rie Takasago, Tomohiro Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11433743
    Abstract: Provided is a half mirror which is used for a windshield constituting a head up display, and in which a feeling of glare is suppressed, and a boundary between a region which selectively reflects visible light and a region which reflects visible light is made inconspicuous. The half mirror has a reflection layer including a non-reflection region which does not reflect visible light, a reflection region which selectively reflects visible light, and a mixed region which is provided between the regions and in which a non-reflection portion which does not reflect visible light and a reflection portion which selectively reflects visible light are mixed, and in the mixed region, an area of the reflection portion is gradually increased from the non-reflection region toward the reflection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki Nimura, Hiroshi Inada, Rie Takasago
  • Patent number: 11380725
    Abstract: Provided are an imaging device that is inconspicuous from the outside, can easily apply design, and can obtain a clear image, and a laminate. The imaging device includes: an imaging unit that includes an image pickup element; and a transflective film that is disposed on a side of the imaging unit where light is incident into the image pickup element and reflects a part of the incident light, in which the transflective film includes at least one of a cholesteric liquid crystal layer or a multi-layer polymer film, when seen from a direction perpendicular to a surface of the image pickup element where light is incident, a peripheral region surrounding the imaging unit satisfies L*?50 in a CIE-Lab (D50) color space, and when seen from the direction perpendicular to the surface of the image pickup element where light is incident, the transflective film is disposed to cover at least the imaging unit and the peripheral region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inada, Rie Takasago, Shigeaki Nimura
  • Publication number: 20220128747
    Abstract: Provided a filter and an imaging apparatus for obtaining a higher-quality multispectral image in which the tint of the image is uniform. The filter includes: an optical filter layer; and a patterned retardation layer that is laminated on the optical filter layer. The optical filter layer includes at least three reflective layers that are formed of a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, and the reflective layers have different reflection center wavelengths. Alternatively, the optical filter layer includes a reflective layer that is formed of a cholesteric liquid crystal layer having at least two different reflection center wavelengths. The patterned retardation layer has a slow axis in a direction corresponding to the reflection center wavelength of the reflective layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki NIMURA, Shuji ONO
  • Publication number: 20210373218
    Abstract: Provided are an optical element, a light guide element, and an image display element in which the occurrence of sidelobe is suppressed. The optical element includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer that is obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, in which the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and in a case where a birefringence in a thickness region of 80% as a center portion with respect to a thickness of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is represented by ?n1, a birefringence in a thickness region of 10% from one surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is represented by ?n2, and a birefringence in a thickness region of 10% from another surface of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer is represented by ?n3, at least one of ?n2 or ?n3 is less than ?n1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yukito SAITOH, Hiroshi SATO, Katsumi SASATA, Shigeaki NIMURA
  • Patent number: 11169389
    Abstract: An optical laminate includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer and a lenticular lens which is laminated on the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a plurality of regions which are arranged in a pattern in an arrangement direction of lenses of the lenticular lens and are different from each other in terms of the reflection center wavelength for front incident light, and among the plurality of regions, a region having the shortest reflection center wavelength is disposed at a focus position of the lenticular lens for the front incident light, and among the plurality of regions, a region having a longer reflection center wavelength is disposed further away from the focus position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukito Saitoh, Kunihiro Atsumi, Naoyoshi Yamada, Daisuke Kashiwagi, Shigeaki Nimura, Mitsuyoshi Ichihashi, Rie Takasago
  • Patent number: 11061270
    Abstract: To provide a decorative film capable of applying a visual effect of making a pattern not visually recognizable, in a case where it is seen from the front, and making it visually recognizable, in a case where it is obliquely seen. a circular polarization plate including a linear polarization plate, and a laminate of a uniaxial retardation layer or a biaxial retardation layer; and a circularly polarized light reflection layer which reflects circularly polarized light having a revolution direction opposite to that of light transmitted through the circular polarization plate in a vertical direction from the linear polarization plate side are included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki Nimura, Hiroshi Inada, Mitsuyoshi Ichihashi
  • Publication number: 20210008916
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming method including a step of imagewisely applying, onto a base material by an inkjet method, at least two inks containing a polymerizable liquid crystal compound, a chiral compound, and a polymerization initiator and having reflection wavelengths different from each other, such that the total application amount of the inks provides an image area ratio of 50% or more in an image forming region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki MAKUTA, Shigeaki NIMURA, Hiroshi INADA, Rie TAKASAGO, Tomohiro MIZUNO
  • Patent number: 10852463
    Abstract: The invention provides a reflection film in which generation of side lobes derived from a cholesteric liquid crystalline layer is suppressed. A reflection film of the invention includes: a first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer which is formed of a composition including a first liquid crystal compound; and a second cholesteric liquid crystalline layer which is disposed at least on one surface of the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer and formed of a composition including a second liquid crystal compound, in which a helical pitch length of the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer is constant, a birefringence ?n2 of the second liquid crystal compound is smaller than a birefringence ?n1 of the first liquid crystal compound, and a helical pitch number of the second cholesteric liquid crystalline layer is a half or less of a helical pitch number of the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeaki Nimura
  • Patent number: 10714665
    Abstract: The present invention provides a blue light blocking film including a selective reflection layer, in which the selective reflection layer exhibits selective reflection having a center wavelength in a wavelength range of 450 nm to 500 nm, a half-width of the selective reflection is 20 nm to 45 nm, a light transmittance of the selective reflection layer at the center wavelength is 50% or less, and a light transmittance of the selective reflection layer at any wavelength in a wavelength range of more than 500 nm and 780 nm or less is 60% or more. The blue light blocking film of the present invention has high light transmittance in a visible light range, while effectively blocking blue light, and has a reduced yellowish tint. The blue light blocking film of the present invention is used for light sources and the like, and is capable of effectively blocking blue light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki Nimura, Shunya Katoh, Yuki Nakazawa, Kazuhiro Oki, Mitsuyoshi Ichihashi, Yoshihisa Usami
  • Publication number: 20200201060
    Abstract: Provided is an imaging device that is inconspicuous from the outside, can easily apply design, and can obtain a clear image. The imaging device includes: an imaging unit that includes an image pickup element; a transflective film that includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer and reflects a part of incident light; and a decorating member that is disposed on a side of the imaging unit where light is incident into the image pickup element, in which in a case where the decorating member is seen from a direction perpendicular to a surface of the image pickup element where light is incident, a through hole is formed at a position of the imaging unit, and the transflective film is disposed inside at least the through hole of the decorating member in case of being seen from the direction perpendicular to the surface of the image pickup element where light is incident.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi INADA, Rie TAKASAGO, Shigeaki NIMURA
  • Patent number: 10690827
    Abstract: A transmission decorative film includes a circular polarization plate and a circular polarization reflection layer disposed on the circular polarization plate. The circular polarization reflection layer includes at least one or more first cholesteric liquid crystalline layers that reflect any one of left circularly polarized light or right circularly polarized light. The first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer includes two or more reflection regions having different selective reflection wavelengths. The circular polarization plate transmits circularly polarized light having a revolution direction opposite to a revolution direction of the circularly polarized light reflected by the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inada, Mitsuyoshi Ichihashi, Shigeaki Nimura, Rie Takasago
  • Patent number: 10692903
    Abstract: Provided are: a color filter for an image sensor in which an infrared filter having no particulate defects or the like can be laminated adjacent to an image pickup element and in which the total thickness of an image sensor can be significantly reduced; an image sensor including the color filter for an image sensor; and a method of manufacturing the color filter for an image sensor. The color filter for an image sensor includes: two or more absorbing color filters that absorb light components having different wavelength ranges; and a cholesteric reflecting layer in which a right circularly polarized light cholesteric layer having right circularly polarized light reflecting properties and a left circularly polarized light cholesteric layer having left circularly polarized light reflecting properties are laminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Goto, Kazuto Shimada, Shigeaki Nimura
  • Publication number: 20200150328
    Abstract: The invention provides a reflection film in which generation of side lobes derived from a cholesteric liquid crystalline layer is suppressed. A reflection film of the invention includes: a first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer which is formed of a composition including a first liquid crystal compound; and a second cholesteric liquid crystalline layer which is disposed at least on one surface of the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer and formed of a composition including a second liquid crystal compound, in which a helical pitch length of the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer is constant, a birefringence ?n2 of the second liquid crystal compound is smaller than a birefringence ?n1 of the first liquid crystal compound, and a helical pitch number of the second cholesteric liquid crystalline layer is a half or less of a helical pitch number of the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2020
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeaki NIMURA
  • Publication number: 20200122555
    Abstract: Provided is a half mirror which is used for a windshield constituting a head up display, and in which a feeling of glare is suppressed, and a boundary between a region which selectively reflects visible light and a region which reflects visible light is made inconspicuous. The half mirror has a reflection layer including a non-reflection region which does not reflect visible light, a reflection region which selectively reflects visible light, and a mixed region which is provided between the regions and in which a non-reflection portion which does not reflect visible light and a reflection portion which selectively reflects visible light are mixed, and in the mixed region, an area of the reflection portion is gradually increased from the non-reflection region toward the reflection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki NIMURA, Hiroshi INADA, Rie TAKASAGO
  • Publication number: 20200052028
    Abstract: Provided are an imaging device that is inconspicuous from the outside, can easily apply design, and can obtain a clear image, and a laminate. The imaging device includes: an imaging unit that includes an image pickup element; and a transflective film that is disposed on a side of the imaging unit where light is incident into the image pickup element and reflects a part of the incident light, in which the transflective film includes at least one of a cholesteric liquid crystal layer or a multi-layer polymer film, when seen from a direction perpendicular to a surface of the image pickup element where light is incident, a peripheral region surrounding the imaging unit satisfies L*?50 in a CIE-Lab (D50) color space, and when seen from the direction perpendicular to the surface of the image pickup element where light is incident, the transflective film is disposed to cover at least the imaging unit and the peripheral region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi INADA, Rie TAKASAGO, Shigeaki NIMURA
  • Patent number: 10534238
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a transmission decorative film having transparency and capable of applying different visual effects on observation surfaces. The transmission decorative film includes: a linear polarization plate; a first ?/4 plate laminated on one main surface of the linear polarization plate; a first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer laminated on the first ?/4 plate; a second ?/4 plate laminated on the other main surface of the linear polarization plate; and a second cholesteric liquid crystalline layer laminated on the second ?/4 plate, in which the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer and the second cholesteric liquid crystalline layer respectively have wavelength selective reflectivity and reflect light which is right circularly polarized light or left circularly polarized light at a selective reflection wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Inada, Shigeaki Nimura, Mitsuyoshi Ichihashi, Rie Takasago
  • Publication number: 20190361160
    Abstract: To provide a decorative film capable of applying a visual effect of making a pattern not visually recognizable, in a case where it is seen from the front, and making it visually recognizable, in a case where it is obliquely seen. a circular polarization plate including a linear polarization plate, and a laminate of a uniaxial retardation layer or a biaxial retardation layer; and a circularly polarized light reflection layer which reflects circularly polarized light having a revolution direction opposite to that of light transmitted through the circular polarization plate in a vertical direction from the linear polarization plate side are included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki NIMURA, Hiroshi INADA, Mitsuyoshi ICHIHASHI
  • Publication number: 20190243043
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a transmission decorative film having transparency and capable of applying different visual effects on observation surfaces. The transmission decorative film includes: a linear polarization plate; a first ?/4 plate laminated on one main surface of the linear polarization plate; a first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer laminated on the first ?/4 plate; a second ?/4 plate laminated on the other main surface of the linear polarization plate; and a second cholesteric liquid crystalline layer laminated on the second ?/4 plate, in which the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer and the second cholesteric liquid crystalline layer respectively have wavelength selective reflectivity and reflect light which is right circularly polarized light or left circularly polarized light at a selective reflection wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi INADA, Shigeaki NIMURA, Mitsuyoshi ICHIHASHI, Rie TAKASAGO
  • Publication number: 20190243045
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a transmission decorative film capable of applying different visual effects on observation surfaces and a method of manufacturing the same. Provided is a transmission decorative film of the present invention including: a circular polarization plate; and a circular polarization reflection layer disposed on the circular polarization plate, in which the circular polarization reflection layer includes at least one or more first cholesteric liquid crystalline layers that reflect any one of left circularly polarized light or right circularly polarized light, the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer includes two or more reflection regions having different selective reflection wavelengths, and the circular polarization plate transmits circularly polarized light having a revolution direction opposite to a revolution direction of the circularly polarized light reflected by the first cholesteric liquid crystalline layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Publication date: August 8, 2019
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi INADA, Mitsuyoshi ICHIHASHI, Shigeaki NIMURA, Rie TAKASAGO