Patents by Inventor Wataru Kitahara

Wataru Kitahara 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).

  • Publication number: 20240184109
    Abstract: A light source unit includes a display device configured to display an image, a reflective polarizing element on which light emitted from the display device is incident, a reflecting member, and a waveplate. The reflective polarizing element transmits a first polarized light and reflects a second polarized light. The reflecting member reflects, toward the reflective polarizing element, light transmitted by the reflective polarizing element. The waveplate is interposed in a portion of an optical path between the reflective polarizing element and the reflecting member. The optical path is of light emitted from the display device, transmitted by the reflective polarizing element, reflected by the reflecting member, and reflected by the reflective polarizing element. A normal of the waveplate is tilted with respect to a direction of the optical path transmitted by the waveplate partway from the reflective polarizing element toward the reflecting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru KITAHARA, Takanori ARUGA, Hajime AKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240184130
    Abstract: An image display device includes: a first display device configured to display a first image; an imaging optical system including: an input element configured to receive light emitted from the first display device, and an output element configured to receive light traveling via the input element and to emit light to form a real image corresponding to the first image; an optical member configured to reflect light emitted from the imaging optical system; and a second display device configured to display a second image. The imaging optical system is substantially telecentric at a real image side. The first display device is configured such that the light emitted from the first display device exhibits a substantially Lambertian light distribution. The imaging optical system and the optical member are configured such that the real image is formed between the imaging optical system and the optical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru KITAHARA, Takanori ARUGA, Hajime AKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240160014
    Abstract: An image display device includes: a display device configured to display an image; a liquid crystal element on which light emitted from the display device is incident, the liquid crystal element being configured to selectively allow one of P-polarized light or S-polarized light to exit the liquid crystal element; a reflective polarizing member configured to reflect the one of the P-polarized light or the S-polarized light that has exited the liquid crystal element and to transmit the other of the P-polarized light or the S-polarized light; and a reflecting member configured to reflect the other of the P-polarized light or the S-polarized light in the same direction as a travel direction of the one of the P-polarized light or the S-polarized light reflected by the reflective polarizing member
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 16, 2024
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru KITAHARA, Takanori ARUGA, Hajime AKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11981808
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a resin composition comprising a tungsten-based pigment, and which enables the achievement of high infrared absorption and good moldability, and a molded article and a fiber, each of which contains the resin composition. The present invention relates to an infrared absorbing resin composition comprising a tungsten-based infrared absorbing pigment and a polyethylene terephthalate, and wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is a crystalline copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate which has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.60 or more, and a molded article and a fiber, each of which contains this absorbing resin composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: KYODO PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Ogawa, Fumihito Kobayashi, Wataru Yoshizumi, Kiyoshi Kitahara, Ryo Takigawa
  • Publication number: 20230367189
    Abstract: The light source includes first to eighth light sources configured to emit first to eighth lights, respectively. The first light has a first peak wavelength, the second light has a second peak wavelength, the third light has a third peak wavelength, and the fourth light has the second peak wavelength. The fifth light has the third wavelength, the sixth light has the second wavelength, the seventh light has the first wavelength, and the eighth light has the second wavelength. The first and fifth lights pass through a first optical member. The second and sixth lights pass through a second optical member. The third and seventh lights are reflected by the second optical member. The fourth and eighth lights are reflected by the first optical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Wataru KITAHARA, Takanori ARUGA
  • Publication number: 20230319245
    Abstract: A light source device includes a polarization multiplexing member including first and second regions, and a light source part. The light source part includes a first light source configured to emit a first laser beam having a first peak wavelength, a second light source configured to emit a second laser beam a second peak wavelength different from the first peak wavelength, a third light source configured to emit a third laser beam having the first peak wavelength, and a fourth light source configured to emit a fourth laser beam having the second peak wavelength. The first laser beam passes through the first region. The second laser beam passes through the second region. The third laser beam is reflected by the first region. The fourth laser beam is reflected by the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Wataru KITAHARA, Takanori ARUGA
  • Patent number: 11662655
    Abstract: Provided is a rod lens array including a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged rod lenses. The rod lens array can be provided in a state of being easily mounted in lighting devices for HUD, and the like. The rod lens array includes: a rod lens portion in which a plurality of rod lens elements including a first light guide member is two-dimensionally arranged; an emission portion in which a plurality of curved elements including the first light guide member is two-dimensionally arranged so as to correspond, respectively, to a plurality of rod lens elements on an emission side; and a connection portion in which a connection element including the first light guide member two-dimensionally extends so as to integrally connect the plurality of curved elements to the plurality of rod lens elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wataru Kitahara
  • Patent number: 11391434
    Abstract: An lighting device 100 includes a light source, a reflector, an actuator, and a controller. The reflector has a first reflection surface that is concave recessed toward a direction away from the light source and is configured to receive light emitted from the light source. The actuator is configured to rotate the reflector with an axis passing through the light source being a rotation axis. The controller is configured to keep the light source on over a time shorter than a rotation period of the reflector according to a rotation angle of the reflector while controlling the actuator to rotate the reflector. A casting direction of light emitted from the first reflection surface is inclined with respect to an extension direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventor: Wataru Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20220196998
    Abstract: An optical lens includes a first light incident portion where a narrow-angle light from a light source is incident, a second light incident portion where a wide-angle light from the light source is incident, a first total reflecting portion that totally reflects incident light from the first light incident portion, a second total reflecting portion that totally reflects incident light from the second light incident portion, and a light exiting portion that emits light totally reflected at the second total reflecting portion. The second total reflecting portion allows light totally reflected at the first total reflecting portion to pass through.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru KITAHARA, Takanori ARUGA
  • Patent number: 11204151
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a light-transmissive member having a first reflective surface configured to reflect, to an arc-shaped first region around a first axis, first light incident along the first axis and having a light distribution characteristic with an optical axis parallel to the first axis; and a reflector having: a second reflective surface and a third reflective surface intersecting each other on the first axis and disposed such that the first reflective surface is located between the second reflective surface and the third reflective surface; and a fourth reflective surface disposed between the second reflective surface and the third reflective surface to reflect the first light to the arc-shaped first region around the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Itahana, Takanori Aruga, Wataru Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20210372586
    Abstract: An lighting device 100 includes a light source, a reflector, an actuator, and a controller. The reflector has a first reflection surface that is concave recessed toward a direction away from the light source and is configured to receive light emitted from the light source. The actuator is configured to rotate the reflector with an axis passing through the light source being a rotation axis. The controller is configured to keep the light source on over a time shorter than a rotation period of the reflector according to a rotation angle of the reflector while controlling the actuator to rotate the reflector. A casting direction of light emitted from the first reflection surface is inclined with respect to an extension direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wataru KITAHARA
  • Publication number: 20210199267
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a light-transmissive member having a first reflective surface configured to reflect, to an arc-shaped first region around a first axis, first light incident along the first axis and having a light distribution characteristic with an optical axis parallel to the first axis; and a reflector having: a second reflective surface and a third reflective surface intersecting each other on the first axis and disposed such that the first reflective surface is located between the second reflective surface and the third reflective surface; and a fourth reflective surface disposed between the second reflective surface and the third reflective surface to reflect the first light to the arc-shaped first region around the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki ITAHANA, Takanori ARUGA, Wataru KITAHARA
  • Patent number: 10995933
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a first reflective surface disposed to reflect, to a substantially arc-shaped first region around a first axis, at least a portion of first light incident along the first axis and having a light distribution characteristic with an optical axis parallel to the first axis, the first reflective surface including a plurality of reflective arc surfaces separated in a direction along the first axis; a second reflective surface and a third reflective surface intersecting each other on the first axis and disposed such that the first reflective surface is located between the second reflective surface and the third reflective surface; and a light-transmissive emission surface adapted to refract at least a portion of light reflected by the plurality of reflective arc surfaces to emit the light around the first axis, the emission surface having periodic irregularities in a cross section in the direction along the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanori Aruga, Hiroyuki Itahana, Wataru Kitahara, Yoshinori Momose, Masahiro Imai
  • Publication number: 20210096450
    Abstract: Provided is a rod lens array including a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged rod lenses. The rod lens array can be provided in a state of being easily mounted in lighting devices for HUD, and the like. The rod lens array includes: a rod lens portion in which a plurality of rod lens elements including a first light guide member is two-dimensionally arranged; an emission portion in which a plurality of curved elements including the first light guide member is two-dimensionally arranged so as to correspond, respectively, to a plurality of rod lens elements on an emission side; and a connection portion in which a connection element including the first light guide member two-dimensionally extends so as to integrally connect the plurality of curved elements to the plurality of rod lens elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wataru KITAHARA
  • Publication number: 20200408384
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a first reflective surface disposed to reflect, to a substantially arc-shaped first region around a first axis, at least a portion of first light incident along the first axis and having a light distribution characteristic with an optical axis parallel to the first axis, the first reflective surface including a plurality of reflective arc surfaces separated in a direction along the first axis; a second reflective surface and a third reflective surface intersecting each other on the first axis and disposed such that the first reflective surface is located between the second reflective surface and the third reflective surface; and a light-transmissive emission surface adapted to refract at least a portion of light reflected by the plurality of reflective arc surfaces to emit the light around the first axis, the emission surface having periodic irregularities in a cross section in the direction along the first axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanori ARUGA, Hiroyuki ITAHANA, Wataru KITAHARA, Yoshinori MOMOSE, Masahiro IMAI
  • Patent number: 10760768
    Abstract: An optical device comprises: at least one first reflecting surface disposed so as to reflect first light that has a light distribution having an optical axis parallel to a first axis, to an arc-shaped first region surrounding the first axis; and a second reflecting surface and a third reflecting surface that are disposed such that the second reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface meet each other on the first axis, and such that the first reflecting surface is disposed between the second reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Kitahara, Yoshinori Momose, Wataru Ogura
  • Publication number: 20200018460
    Abstract: An optical device comprises: at least one first reflecting surface disposed so as to reflect first light that has a light distribution having an optical axis parallel to a first axis, to an arc-shaped first region surrounding the first axis; and a second reflecting surface and a third reflecting surface that are disposed such that the second reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface meet each other on the first axis, and such that the first reflecting surface is disposed between the second reflecting surface and the third reflecting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru KITAHARA, Yoshinori MOMOSE, Wataru OGURA
  • Patent number: 9028075
    Abstract: A projector includes: a light source device; an optical modulation device configured to modulate a luminous flux emitted from the light source device in accordance with image information, forming an image; a projection optical device configured to project the image; a shutter device including a light shielding plate which can move into and out of an optical path of the luminous flux ranging from the light source device to the optical modulation device, shields the luminous flux by the light shielding plate moving into the optical path; and a light control device which being disposed on the optical path's upstream side of the shutter device, changes the area of a light passage through which the luminous flux passes, controlling the quantity of the luminous flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Wataru Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20140204350
    Abstract: A projector includes: a light source device; an optical modulation device configured to modulate a luminous flux emitted from the light source device in accordance with image information, forming an image; a projection optical device configured to project the image; a shutter device including a light shielding plate which can move into and out of an optical path of the luminous flux ranging from the light source device to the optical modulation device, shields the luminous flux by the light shielding plate moving into the optical path; and a light control device which being disposed on the optical path's upstream side of the shutter device, changes the area of a light passage through which the luminous flux passes, controlling the quantity of the luminous flux.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wataru KITAHARA
  • Patent number: 8714753
    Abstract: A projector includes: a light source device; an optical modulation device configured to modulate a luminous flux emitted from the light source device in accordance with image information, forming an image; projection optical device configured to project the image; a shutter device including a light shielding plate which can move into and out of an optical path of the luminous flux ranging from the light source device to the optical modulation device, shields the luminous flux by the light shielding plate moving into the optical path; and a light control device which being disposed on the optical path's upstream side of the shutter device, changes the area of a light passage through which the luminous flux passes, controlling the quantity of the luminous flux.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Wataru Kitahara