Patents by Inventor Suminori Watanabe

Suminori Watanabe 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: 5634155
    Abstract: An electrical connection device includes a substrate, first and second semiconductor patterns formed on the substrate, and a contact having two contact terminals. The first semiconductor pattern has a first OFF pattern section. The second semiconductor pattern has at least two second OFF pattern sections. The two contact terminals are at different voltage levels and are disposed to touch the first semiconductor pattern and/or the second semiconductor pattern, selectively causing electricity to flow through the semiconductor patterns. No electricity flows if both the contact terminals touch either the first OFF pattern section or one of the second OFF pattern sections. The arrangement of the first OFF pattern section and the second OFF pattern sections preserves the functionality of the electrical connection device, yet reduces its size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Suminori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5583594
    Abstract: A shooting size switching camera has a mechanism for varying the size of the shooting field, for example between a standard size and a panorama size. The camera is structured to have an operation member to conduct the switching of shooting size, at least one light shielding member which interlocks with the operation member and which moves with movement of the operation member to switch shooting size, a support member to support the light shielding member in such a manner that the light shielding member is allowed to move, and a first regulation structure to regulate the movement range of the operation member relative to the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Suminori Watanabe, Masaharu Hara, Nobuaki Sasagaki
  • Patent number: 5526085
    Abstract: The invention is directed to an electrical connecter, mounted on a mounting board within a camera, to which an FPC board is connected, that does not increase the size of the camera, and is a simplified shape and structure. The main camera body is equipped with a flat portion on one portion of the outer wall that forms a film chamber comprising either a cartridge chamber or a spool chamber. A mounting board has a section that faces and is substantially parallel to the flat portion and an extension section that does not face the flat portion. A horizontal or vertical electrical connecter is attached to the extension section of the mounting board on the surface generally facing the outer wall of the film chamber and an electrical board comprising an FPC board or the like is connected to the electrical connecter. To enhance the features of the camera, a first electrical component is loaded on the surface of the mounting board opposite to the electrical connector loaded surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Hara, Fumiya Taguchi, Nobuaki Sasagaki, Suminori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5521670
    Abstract: A carefully designed arrangement of an electrical board and an FPC board connected by electrical connectors in a camera. The reliability of electrical connections is improved, and of a higher quality. An FPC board or the like, is positioned along top side wall surfaces of a prism inside a main camera body. An electrical board, such as a rigid board or the like, is positioned along a flat surface on the main camera body that extends in an approximately horizontal direction adjacent to the side wall surface. A two-surface mount-style mounting board is positioned between the top side wall surface and the flat surface in an approximately vertical direction. A horizontal electrical connector is positioned to receive the FPC board mounted on the surface of the side wall surface side of the mounting board. A vertical electrical connector is provided to receive the electrical board surface of the flat surface side of the mounting board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Hara, Jirou Asami, Suminori Watanabe