Patents Represented by Attorney Adams & Wilks
  • Patent number: 7655851
    Abstract: A tuning device has a sound collecting unit having an input section for receiving a sound or vibration signal produced by a musical instrument and outputting a sound signal, and a wireless communication section for converting the sound signal into a wireless signal and transmitting the wireless signal to the outside. A computation display unit has a receiving section for receiving the wireless signal transmitted from the sound collecting unit and converting the wireless signal into a sound signal, a computing section that computes pitch information based on the sound signal, computes an amount of difference between the pitch information and reference pitch information corresponding to a reference sound name, and converts the computation result into a control signal for display, and a display section for acquiring the control signal and displaying information concerning the amount of difference computed by the computing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Fumiyoshi Nagakura
  • Patent number: 7654669
    Abstract: To observe interference stripes produced by tear fluid, a low magnification light source 10 is turned on to illuminate the outermost layer of a tear film on the cornea Ec of a subject's eye. Light reflected from the cornea Ec forms an image on a CCD 16, and an interference stripes pattern 18a created by the lipid film on the cornea is displayed on a monitor 18. To measure the amount of tear fluid, light-emitting elements 20a, 20b of a high-magnification light source are turned on to irradiate a tear fluid meniscus Em that has accumulated on the lower eyelid portion of the anterior ocular segment. Light reflected on the surface of the meniscus Em forms an image on the CCD 16, and images 18b, 18c of the light-emitting elements 20a, 20b are displayed on the monitor 18 as clear images separated by an interval D. The amount of tear fluid can be quantitatively measured by measuring the interval D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Kowa Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takayoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7654220
    Abstract: An indicator has a permanent magnet and a coil rotatably supported on the permanent magnet and wound so as to form a surface that is parallel to and disposed at a preselected distance from a bottom surface of the permanent magnet. The coil generates a torque by interaction with a magnetic field of the permanent magnet upon supply of a current to the coil. An indicator needle is mounted to undergo rotation with the coil through a range of angles corresponding to indicator angles of the indicator needle. A pair of spiral springs urge the indicator needle in a direction opposite to a direction of the torque to undergo rotation through the range of indicator angles. The pair of spiral springs comprise a first spiral spring connected at one end thereof to one end of the coil and a second spiral spring connected at one end thereof to another end of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignees: Seiko Instruments Inc., Kisho Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeki Yagi, Ryuichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7652525
    Abstract: A current mirror circuit has a first MOS transistor to which an input current is supplied. The first MOS transistor has a gate formed of polysilicon. A second MOS transistor has a gate formed of polysilicon and connected directly to the gate of the first MOS transistor via a polysilicon layer for producing an output current whose magnitude is a magnitude of the input current multiplied by a current mirror ratio. A fuse has one terminal connected to a gate portion between the gate of the first MOS transistor and the gate of the second MOS transistor and another terminal that is grounded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Yukimasa Minami
  • Patent number: 7646677
    Abstract: To provide a portable electronic timepiece capable of downsizing a product without reducing a display area. Zebra rubbers are respectively fixed attached to left and right side faces of a contact member attached portion of a case by making a fixed contact portion constituting a button shaft opposed face thereof disposed on an extension of a button shaft and bringing a section connecting portion thereof into contact with connecting patterns of a contact/main board connecting portion of a main board. When the button shaft is inserted into a button shaft guide hole, a front end thereof is brought into contact with a surface of a bowl type rubber switch member having a section in a channel-like shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Hisao Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7646188
    Abstract: A voltage regulator has an output transistor that receives an input voltage inputted via an input terminal and that outputs a constant output voltage via an output terminal. A voltage divider circuit divides the output voltage to generate a divided voltage. A reference voltage circuit generates a reference voltage. An error amplifier circuit generates an error signal by comparing the divided voltage with the reference voltage. A protection circuit detects an abnormal state of the voltage regulator. A control circuit controls the output transistor to increase the output voltage to maintain the output voltage constant when an error signal is generated by the error amplifier circuit, and does not control the output transistor to increase the output voltage when the protection circuit detects an abnormal state of the voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Teruo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7644781
    Abstract: A walk-behind working machine includes a first clutch mechanism for connecting or disconnecting drive between an engine and a working member of the working machine. The first clutch mechanism includes a first clutch lever having a first activating member. A second clutch mechanism is configured to connect or disconnect drive between the engine and traveling members of the working machine. The second clutch mechanism includes a second clutch lever having a second activating member. A throttle regulating mechanism has a pivoting member for engagement with one of the first activating member of the first clutch mechanism and the second activating member of the second clutch mechanism so as to undergo pivotal movement to shift a throttle for the engine from a first opened position in which an idling engine speed is produced to a second opened position in which a working-machine-activating engine speed is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Moriyama, Takashi Suzuki, Masayuki Sasaoka, Makoto Warashina, Dominique Vougier
  • Patent number: 7645030
    Abstract: An ink jet head has a plurality of individual head chips integrated to form a head chip block. Each head chip has a plurality of grooves, and the grooves of all the head chips open at one end to respective nozzle holes formed in a nozzle plate. Each head chip has an actuator substrate in which is formed an ink chamber that supplies ink to the grooves in that head chip. An ink flow path connects an ink supply to one of the ink chambers in one of the head chips, and the ink chambers of all the head chips communicate with one another through ink holes. Since ink is supplied to the grooves of all the head chips from a single ink flow path connected to the ink supply, the size of the ink jet head, particularly in the thickness direction, the weight, the number of parts and the manufacturing cost can all be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: SII Printek Inc.
    Inventor: Osamu Koseki
  • Patent number: 7642697
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ultrasonic motor whose output is improved by enhancing the exciting force of a vibration caused on a vibrating body having a rectangular portion. The ultrasonic motor includes the vibrating body having a piezoelectric element, and a moving body which contacts the vibrating body. The phases of two difference vibrations caused on the vibrating body are changed to make the moving direction of the moving body or the vibrating body itself variable by selecting whether to apply a drive signal to first electrodes provided at one side of the piezoelectric element or to apply a drive signal to second electrodes provided at a portion whose polarization direction differs from that of the first electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Akihiro Iino, Satoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7635437
    Abstract: A near field light generation element is manufactured by forming a truncated quadrangular pyramid on a substrate by forming an etching mask having a shape the same as but larger than that of a top face of the truncated quadrangular pyramid, and isotropic etching the substrate using the etching mask. Thereafter, metal films are formed on two opposite side faces of the truncated quadrangular pyramid by injecting a vacuum deposition source from a front of each of the faces and a direction parallel to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Hirata, Manabu Oumi, Koichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 7630104
    Abstract: Provided is an image sensor capable of outputting an image signal in accordance with a data loading position of a signal processing IC. In the image sensor that can arbitrarily select the start position of an output signal of a first photoelectric conversion element, a first input terminal of a scanning circuit of a photoelectric conversion circuit is connected to a selector circuit of a signal start position, and the selector circuit is controlled by a start signal through a start signal terminal and a delay circuit according to an external control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Masahiro Yokomichi
  • Patent number: 7630130
    Abstract: To provide a directional screen which can efficiently converge light from a projector on an observer and which is hardly affected by external light. That is, multiple transparent protrusion structures are formed on a base material, and a light absorbing layer communicating in the vertical direction of each of the protrusion structures is provided. The formation of a recess structure or a through-hole exerts an effect similar to that of a protrusion structure. Alternatively, fibrous protrusions each having a high light reflectance are used as the protrusion structures, and are densely formed on the base material while they are slanted in the direction of external light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Inventor: Naofumi Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7630287
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an information recording/reproduction device for implementing high-density information recording and reading using mutual interaction of a recording medium with near field light, and particularly to a near field optical head with a high optical efficiency and a manufacturing method thereof. This is achieved by enabling an energy propagation mechanism via a plasmon by forming a layer dispersed with metal particulate at a microscopic opening generating near field light, and therefore increase optical efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Manabu Oumi, Nobuyuki Kasama, Hidetaka Maeda, Kenji Kato, Takashi Niwa, Yasuyuki Mitsuoka, Yoko Shinohara
  • Patent number: 7625088
    Abstract: A model eye that models the optical characteristics of a human eye and is endowed with a grayscale pattern on the ocular fundus model surface is stereographically photographed with a parallax via a stereo photographic optical system. Photographed images are processed to provide calibration data for correcting the shape distortions of the stereo photographic optical system. The calibration data is used to correct a distortion-affected shape data and parallax images obtained in stereographic photography of the actual ocular fundus of a subject's eye. The shape distortion-corrected parallax image is used for a three-dimensional measurement process and 3D display on a stereo monitor. This allows an accurate three-dimensional measurement to be carried out and an accurate fundus image to be produced. The examiner can accurately evaluate the stereo shape of the ocular fundus of the subject's eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Kowa Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Fujita, Toshiaki Nakagawa, Takayoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7623416
    Abstract: A battery electrode terminal member has a spring plate structure comprised of a base body part configured to be mounted to and supported by a casing of a timepiece main body in substantial perpendicular relation to a main face of the timepiece main body. A battery electrode contact terminal part of the spring plate structure extends from one end of the base body part for elastical pressure contact with a peripheral face part of an electrode of a battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Ebi
  • Patent number: 7619175
    Abstract: To provide a spring structure for a press type switch and a press type switch of an electronic timepiece capable of minimizing a variation among products with regard to a click feeling and an electronic timepiece having the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Kazumichi Obara
  • Patent number: 7614785
    Abstract: A timepiece has a case body and a bezel rotatably and detachably connected to the case body. A ring-shaped guide groove formed in the bezel opposes a ring groove formed in the case body, and a plurality of holding members are slidable in the guide groove into and out of the ring groove to respectively prevent and permit detachment of the bezel from the case body. A plurality of operating screws are screwed into the bezel from an outer side thereof and are rotatably connected at their front end portions to respective holding members. Rotation of the operating screws in tightening and loosening directions moves the holding members into and out of the ring groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Haruki Hiranuma, Kazutaka Imai, Koremoto Takeda
  • Patent number: D603897
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Pentel Kabushika Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidekazu Nakazawa
  • Patent number: RE41035
    Abstract: Disclosed are a magnetic bearing device with a vibration restraining function, a magnetic bearing device with a vibration estimating function, and a pump device with the magnetic bearing devices mounted thereto, in which it is possible to realize a reduction in vibration in the apparatus system as a whole inclusive of the equipment associated with the vacuum pump without newly providing a vibration sensor. In a vibration detector, a multiplication result obtained by multiplying the Laplace transformation of a displacement of a rotor by a predetermined transfer function is added to a multiplication result obtained by multiplying the Laplace transformation of a variation in an unbalance force acting on the rotor by the reciprocal of the mass of the rotor. The result of this calculation is reversed in polarity and is added to the output of a compensator by an adder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: BOC Edwards Japan Limited
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Ohtachi, Hideo Fukami, Hirotaka Namiki
  • Patent number: D608392
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Pentel Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomoaki Shibata