Patents Represented by Attorney Keating & Bennett, LLP
  • Patent number: 8251375
    Abstract: A body leaning control system includes a support mechanism arranged to support a pair of wheels to be movable up and down relative to a vehicle body, a resistance applying mechanism arranged to apply to the support mechanism a resistance to up-and-down motions of the pair of wheels, a lean amount acquiring device arranged to detect a lean amount of the vehicle body, and a controller arranged, based on detection results received from the lean amount acquiring device, to set the resistance of the resistance applying mechanism to a first resistance when the lean amount of the vehicle body exceeds a first angle, and to set the resistance of the resistance applying mechanism to a second resistance smaller than the first resistance when the lean amount of the vehicle body is at the first angle or less. This system can conveniently inhibit the vehicle body from leaning in excess of the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yasuhiro Oomura
  • Patent number: 8253917
    Abstract: A substrate for a liquid crystal display panel includes a first projection structure and a second projection structure and/or a depression structure, the substrate for the liquid crystal display panel includes a specific structure at a part of or near the first projection structure, the specific structure having at least one of a planar shape different from a planar shape of the second projection structure and/or the depression structure and a planar area of ? times or less or 1.5 times or more than a planar area of the second projection structure and/or the depression structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohji Matsuoka, Shinichi Hirato, Akihiro Shoraku, Kenji Enda, Tsuyoshi Tokuda, Toshihide Tsubata
  • Patent number: 8253882
    Abstract: A display device (1) having a curved display surface (2) sandwiches a display panel (5) by means of a pair of curved covers (10, 11). The display device (1) has a plurality of engaging sections (12), which are formed on each of the two side surfaces arranged to face each other with the display panel (5) therebetween and fix the pair of covers (10, 11) so that the covers are not removed. An intermediate position (C1) in the curving direction of the covers (10, 11) and an intermediate position (C2) in the curving direction of the display surface (2) are shifted from each other. The engaging sections (12) on each of the two side surfaces are substantially symmetrically arranged with the display panel (5) therebetween, and the positions where the engaging sections (12) are arranged include at least the both end sections (E1, E2) in the curving direction, and a display surface intermediate section (CB) which includes the intermediate position (C2) of the display surface (2) in the curving direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8251869
    Abstract: A driver operates a shift pedal to perform shift change of a transmission via a shift mechanism provided in a vehicle. An operation of the shift pedal is detected by a load sensor. When a sliding gear and a fixed gear of the transmission continue to be separated from each other for a predetermined period of time or longer after a shifting operation by the driver is detected by a load sensor, the rotational speed of the engine is maintained within a target range by an ECU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takaaki Mizutani, Atsushi Miura
  • Patent number: 8253884
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes an illuminator and a liquid crystal panel for performing displaying by using light which is emitted from the illuminator. The liquid crystal panel includes a pair of substrates, a liquid crystal layer provided between the pair of substrates, and a pair of alignment films provided on sides of the pair of substrates facing the liquid crystal layer. At least one of the alignment films is a photo-alignment film which is imparted with an orientation regulating force through a photo-alignment treatment, and the illuminator includes a light source causing primary generation of at least blue light, among other light which is used for displaying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koichi Miyachi
  • Patent number: 8253919
    Abstract: A plurality of liquid crystal cells are formed by encapsulating pieces of liquid crystal material with in a plurality of first sealing members, respectively, between a pair of flexible substrate base materials. Only respective parts of the pair of substrate base materials are contained inside a vacuum container, and the liquid crystal cells are formed inside the vacuum container reduced in pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8253483
    Abstract: A high-frequency switch module that significantly reduces deterioration of high-frequency characteristics and improves harmonic wave distortion characteristics includes a high-frequency switch and SAW filters mounted on a multilayer substrate. Low pass filters are provided within the multilayer substrate. The terminals of the high-frequency switch are located on the bottom surface of the semiconductor substrate. The high-frequency switch includes a high-frequency circuit ground terminal and a control circuit ground terminal, the multilayer substrate includes therein a ground electrode which is electrically connected to a top surface connection electrode to which the high-frequency circuit ground terminal is connected, and a wiring electrode electrically connected to a top surface connection electrode to which the control circuit ground terminal is connected is arranged so as to be insulated from the ground electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Uejima, Hisanori Murase
  • Patent number: 8253521
    Abstract: An inductor winding includes first, second, and third arms, a middle portion extending between and connected to at least two of the first, second, and third arms and arranged to support a winding core mounted thereon, and first, second, and third legs extending downwardly from the first, second and third arms, respectively, and arranged to be mounted on a circuit board. The first, second, and third legs are arranged to provide three-point contact with the circuit board, and the inductor winding is arranged to provide a space between a bottom surface of the winding core mounted on the middle portion and an upper surface of electronic components mounted on the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Power Solutions
    Inventor: Daniel Brennan
  • Patent number: 8253301
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electronic component includes a first step of preparing a piezoelectric body with a flat surface, a second step of implanting ions into the piezoelectric body such that an ion-implanted layer is formed in the piezoelectric body, a third step of forming sacrificial layers on the flat surface of the piezoelectric body, a fourth step of forming an insulating body over the flat surface of the piezoelectric body and the sacrificial layers to form a piezoelectric structure, a fifth step of dividing the piezoelectric body at the ion-implanted layer to form a piezoelectric laminar structure in which a piezoelectric film separated from the piezoelectric body is bonded to the insulating body, a sixth step of forming electrodes on portions of a division surface of the piezoelectric film, and a seventh step of removing the sacrificial layers from the piezoelectric laminar structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Nishino, Takashi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 8253286
    Abstract: A motor includes a coming-off preventing portion including an inner circumferential edge defining a through hole, inside which a substantially cylindrical bearing housing is inserted, and being arranged axially above an insulator. The inner circumferential edge has at least two different radial dimensions. A boss portion includes a columnar portion inserted inside the through hole, and a collar portion extending radially outward from a lower end of the columnar portion. The collar portion includes an outside surface having at least two different radial dimensions, and an upper surface arranged axially opposite a bottom portion of the inner circumferential edge. The radial dimensions of the inner circumferential edge and those of the collar portion are arranged to allow the collar portion to be axially inserted through the inner circumferential edge only when the inner circumferential edge and the collar portion are arranged in a predetermined circumferential orientation relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Yabuuchi, Jumpei Kitamura, Atsushi Morita, Hiroyoshi Teshima, Takuya Teramoto
  • Patent number: 8253883
    Abstract: Each of a display panel and a display device includes a display region in which an image with uniform display quality is displayed and a curved line can be displayed in the contour. The display panel includes a shielding member and a plurality of pixels arrayed in a display region, wherein the shielding member includes a shielding curved portion having a curved planar shape, and the shielding curved portion shields the plurality of pixels to form a curved contour of the display region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Mimura
  • Patent number: 8254081
    Abstract: In a laminated ceramic electronic component in which, by directly carrying out a plating process on an outer surface of a component main body, an external electrode is formed thereon, an attempt is made to improve the adhesion strength between a plated film forming the external electrode and the component main body. A brazing material containing Ti is applied to at least one portion of a surface on which external electrodes of a component main body is formed, and by baking this brazing material, a metal layer containing Ti is formed. Moreover, the external electrodes are formed by a plating process so as to coat at least the metal layer, and a heating process is then carried out so as to cause counter diffusion between the metal layer and the plated film that is to form the external electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Nishihara, Shuji Matsumoto, Akihiro Motoki, Makoto Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8251531
    Abstract: A lamp clip LC supporting a diffusion sheet 46 includes a support pin SP that is in contact with and thereby supports the diffusion sheet 46 and in at least a part of the support pin SP, a helical elastic member is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tamotsu Satoh
  • Patent number: 8246400
    Abstract: A steering apparatus for a propulsion device includes a swivel portion, a motor, a lock portion, and a lock release mechanism. The motor is arranged to generate a driving force to turn the propulsion device main body in right and left directions. The lock portion is provided in a transmission path of the driving force. The lock portion is arranged to transmit a force from an upstream side to a downstream side thereof and to be locked when a force is applied from the downstream side to thereby prevent a turning of the propulsion device main body in the right and left directions. The lock release mechanism is provided in the transmission path at the downstream side relative to the lock portion. The lock release mechanism is arranged to shut off or stop a transmission of force to the upstream side thereof to thereby prevent application of the force to the lock portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Ichikawa, Yukinori Nose, Makoto Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8246402
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes an engine that generates power and a transmission device arranged to change the speed of rotation of the engine and to transmit the rotation to a propeller. The transmission device includes a planetary gear type transmission mechanism arranged to shift to any of a plurality of speed positions, and the planetary gear type transmission mechanism is controlled to shift such that a sun gear and planetary gears unitarily rotate when a speed position is a normally used speed position. The outboard motor achieves a reduction in load normally caused by engagements between gears in a normally used speed position and also achieves significant improvement in durability of the gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Okabe, Daisuke Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8248186
    Abstract: A boundary acoustic wave device includes a first medium, a second medium laminated on the first medium, and an IDT electrode arranged at an interface between the first medium and the second medium. The boundary acoustic wave device further includes a reformed portion disposed in at least one of the first medium and the second medium, reformed by externally provided energy, and having frequency characteristics different from frequency characteristics exhibited when the boundary acoustic wave device includes only at least one of the first medium and the second medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Kando, Masakazu Mimura
  • Patent number: 8248179
    Abstract: In a circuit module, a core isolator includes a ferrite and a permanent magnet that is arranged to apply a direct-current field to the ferrite. A switch outputs to a signal path a high-frequency signal outputted from the core isolator. A SAW filter is provided on the signal path. A matching circuit is provided on the signal path and provides impedance matching between the output impedance of the core isolator and the input impedance of the SAW filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8248144
    Abstract: A high-frequency switch module includes a multi-layer substrate, and a switch circuit mounted on the multi-layer substrate. The multi-layer substrate includes a terminal through which a plurality of high-frequency signals in a plurality of frequency bands are input and output, a plurality of switch terminals, terminals to which control signals to control the switch circuit are supplied, current paths that connect the terminals to the switch circuit, and resistors that are provided on the current paths and have resistance values greater than the resistance values of the current paths. The switch circuit connects the terminal to the switch terminals corresponding to the frequency bands of high-frequency signals input and output through the terminal based on the control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisanori Murase, Takanori Uejima
  • Patent number: 8245682
    Abstract: An inlet valve includes a valve head including a valve surface located at a circumferential edge portion, and a single annular circumferential edge groove disposed radially inside and close to the valve surface in the circumferential edge portion. When intake air (an airflow) proceeds along a surface of the valve head and reaches the circumferential edge portion, only a portion thereof (a partial airflow) enters the circumferential edge groove and the remaining thereof (remaining partial airflow) passes by the circumferential edge groove. As the intake air (the partial airflow) having entered the circumferential edge groove forms a turbulent flow, the intake air surrounds the circumferential edge portion of the valve head and reaches below the circumferential edge portion of the valve head, thereby achieving an increase in volume of air taken into a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Nishida, Shigeki Kawakita
  • Patent number: D665719
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Tennessee Watercraft, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Watkins, Michael J. Ricciardi