Patents Examined by Ricky Mack
  • Shape memory alloy actuation apparatus
    Patent number: 9753300
    Abstract: An SMA actuation apparatus (1) comprises a support structure (4) on which a movable element (2) is supported. Four SMA actuator wires (11-14) are connected at their ends to one of the support structure (4) and the movable element (2) and being hooked over a respective connector (7) connected to the other. Pairs of the SMA actuator wires (11-14), on contraction, to drive movement of the movable element (2) relative to the support structure (4), through the respective connectors (7), in opposite directions in said plane (XY), that are orthogonal as between the pairs. Each connector (7) is compliant laterally to the direction in which the respective SMA actuator wire (11-14) drives movement of the movable element (2) relative to support structure (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: CAMBRIDGE MECHATRONICS LIMITED
    Inventor: James Howarth
  • Camera lens
    Patent number: 9753252
    Abstract: A camera lens is disclosed and includes a first lens with positive refractive power, whose object side surface and image side surface are both aspheric surfaces; an aperture; a second lens with positive refractive power, whose object side surface and image side surface are both aspheric surfaces; and a third lens with negative refractive power, whose object side surface and image side surface are both aspheric surfaces. Specific conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: AAC TECHNOLOGIES PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: Han Tang
  • Autostereoscopic display device
    Patent number: 9733483
    Abstract: An autostereoscopic display device uses an electroluminescent display. A set of pixels is provided beneath view forming elements (such as lenses), with a plurality of pixels across the view forming element width direction. The pixels are arranged with at least two different angular orientations with respect to the substrate. The out-coupling performance is improved by arranging for the light emission direction to be substantially perpendicular to the desired emitting surface of the view forming elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.
    Inventors: Mark Thomas Johnson, Bart Kroon
  • Retaining device
    Patent number: 9733487
    Abstract: A retaining device joins with a frame from a pair of eyeglasses to securely retain the eyeglasses to the ears and head. The device is a unitary piece having no fasteners or moving parts, such that the device easily attaches and detaches to the frame. The device includes an arm portion that joins with an arm from the frame. The arm portion includes a front end disposed towards the glasses, and a rear end disposed towards the ears. The arm portion includes a slot that is configured to receive the arm section of the frame. The arm may slide or frictionally snap into the slot. An extension portion extends from the arm portion to partially wrap around the ears, retaining the frame on the ears during rigorous physical activity and while sweating around the ears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Inventors: Pinna Ly, Rebecca S. Tecson
  • Wide angle zoom lens
    Patent number: 9726863
    Abstract: A wide angle zoom lens includes sequentially from the object side, a first lens group having a negative refractive power overall and three lenses, including first to third lenses, having a negative refractive power and disposed farthest on the object side; a second lens group having a positive refractive power overall and one or more sets of cemented lenses; and a third lens group having a negative refractive power. This ultra wide angle zoom lens varies intervals between the first lens group, the second lens group, and the third lens group on the optical axis to zoom from the wide angle end to the telephoto end and satisfies given conditions to thereby enable a high zoom ratio, large diameter, and high resolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: TAMRON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Noda, Takahiro Mitsuhashi, Seigou Nakai
  • Light collimators and methods for human machine interfaces
    Patent number: 9720249
    Abstract: Light collimators and methods for human machine interfaces are disclosed. An example human machine interface includes a top surface having a decorative element to be illuminated, a light source, and a plurality of parallel light collimators that collimate visible light emitted by the light source and direct the collimated light toward the bottom side of the decorative element. An example method of illuminating a decorative element of a human machine interface includes emitting light, passing the light through a plurality of collimators defined in the human machine interface, and directing the collimated light toward the decorative element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
    Inventors: Neomar Giacomini, Mark E. Glotzbach, Brian N. Radford, Eric J. Schuh
  • Apparatus for removably attaching outer lenses to goggles
    Patent number: 9720255
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for removably attaching a lens to a pair of goggles. The lens has at its periphery a plurality of lens clips, and the goggles has on its frame a matching plurality of frame clips which are designed to attach to the lens clips. Attachment and unattachment may be achieved through actuation of a lens release mechanism. The apparatus allows for the rapid and easy replacement of lenses without necessitating a replacement of the remaining portion of the goggles, a feature which may allow a user to cost-effectively replace damaged or worn lenses, or to utilize a single pair of goggles in a multitude of activities or situations in which advantages may be conferred through or necessity may require the use of a type or style of lens having particular attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Spy Optic Inc.
    Inventor: Soo An Park
  • Lens barrel
    Patent number: 9720205
    Abstract: The lens barrel includes a moving frame, a drive frame, and a rectilinear guide frame. The drive frame includes a cam mechanism and guides the moving frame in the optical axis direction with the cam mechanism. The rectilinear guide frame supports the moving frame so that the moving frame moves in the optical axis direction but doesn't rotate. The drive frame includes a rotary guide portion. The rotary guide portion supports the rectilinear guide frame so that the rectilinear guide frame rotates with relative to the cam mechanism and doesn't move relatively in the optical axis direction. The rotary guide portion is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the cam mechanism and on the outer peripheral side of the moving frame. A holding space is formed between the cam mechanism and the rotary guide portion. Part of the moving frame is inserted into the holding space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Uno
  • Confocal rainbow volume holographic imaging system
    Patent number: 9715214
    Abstract: A confocal rainbow holographic imaging system and hologram fabrication method. The system employs a multi-spectral light source, a multiple grating volume hologram and a dual pass illumination and imaging pathway which provide for depth sectioning of an object, coverage of the full FOV of the system, and high lateral and depth resolution. Dual matched holograms are used to provide a high image contrast ratio. A method for fabricating the holograms employ a novel combination of design tools is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: The Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona
    Inventors: Raymond K. Kostuk, Jose M. Castro, Paul J. Gelsinger-Austin, Johnathan W. Brownlee
  • Lens barrel
    Patent number: 9715081
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a barrel-shaped first barrel having a pair of cam grooves that have two cam locus curves congruent with each other and are separated from each other on a circumferential surface, and a second barrel that has a pair of cam pins formed of a first cam pin that is engaged with one of the pair of cam grooves and a second cam pin that is engaged with another of the pair of cam grooves, and an urging portion that urges the first cam pin in a radial direction of the first barrel, and moves in an optical axis direction relatively to the first barrel, and is configured such that in engagement of the pair of cam pins and the pair of cam grooves, a disposition distance between the pair of cam pins differs from a disposition distance between the pair of cam grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Shishido
  • Catadioptric imaging systems for digital scanner
    Patent number: 9703085
    Abstract: Projection optical system for forming an image on a substrate and including an illumination relay lens and a projection lens each of which is a catadioptric system. The projection lens may include two portions in optical communication with one another, the first of which is dioptric and the second of which is catadioptric. In a specific case, the projection optical system satisfies 4 < ? ? I ? ? ? T ? < 30 , where ?I and ?T are magnifications of the first portion and the overall projection lens. Optionally, the projection lens may be structured to additionally satisfy 6 < ? ? II ? ? ? T ? < 20 , where ?II is a magnification of the second portion. A digital scanner including such projection optical system and operating with UV light having a spectral bandwidth on the order of 1 picometer. Method for forming an image with such projection optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: David M. Williamson
  • Pixel mapping, arranging, and imaging for round and square-based lens arrays to achieve full volume 3D and multi-directional motion
    Patent number: 9701150
    Abstract: A visual display assembly adapted for use as an anti-counterfeiting device on paper currency, product labels, and other objects. The assembly includes a film of transparent material including a first surface including an array of lenses and a second surface opposite the first surface. The assembly also includes a printed image proximate to the second surface. The printed image includes pixels of frames of one or more images interlaced relative to two orthogonal axes. The lenses of the array are nested in a plurality of parallel rows, and adjacent ones of the lenses in columns of the array are aligned to be in a single one of the rows with no offset of lenses in adjacent columns/rows. The lenses may be round-based lenses or are square-based lenses, and the lenses may be provided at 200 lenses per inch (LPI) or a higher LPI in both directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Lumenco, LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Raymond, Hector Andres Porras Soto
  • Spectacle with invisible optics
    Patent number: 9696566
    Abstract: A wearable electronic display that includes an eyewear frame having a first side frame portion. A display module with a micro-display for generating images can be mounted to the first side frame portion. The display module can have an elongate portion with an image exit window positioned for directing viewable images to a user's eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Kopin Corporation
    Inventors: Kenney W. Y. Chow, Kenneth A. Kokinakis, John C. C. Fan, Declan Halpin, Lee A. Kuczewski, Ernesto Carlos Martinez Villalpando
  • Contact lenses displaying reduced indoor glare
    Patent number: 9690115
    Abstract: The present invention relates to contact lenses which reduce indoor glare and provide improved comfort to the wearer. The contact lenses of the present invention have, at about body temperature, a percent transmission between 70 to 90% across the region of 420-700 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc.
    Inventors: Donnie J. Duis, John R. Buch, Holly L. Grammer, Eric R. George
  • Motor vehicle and display of a three-dimensional graphical object
    Patent number: 9684166
    Abstract: A display apparatus displays a three-dimensional graphical object. The display apparatus includes a projection device for producing an autostereoscopic projection image of the object. The object is displayed for a viewer such that the viewer has an improved three-dimensional impression from the representation. The display apparatus to this end has a specularly reflective and light-transparent combiner plate, and the projection device is configured to project the projection image onto the combiner plate such that for a viewer, viewing from a predetermined viewing direction through the combiner plate, the projection image appears as a mirror image on the combiner plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Marcus Kuehne
  • Imaging lens and imaging apparatus including the imaging lens
    Patent number: 9664880
    Abstract: An imaging lens substantially consists of, in order from an object side, five lenses of a first lens that has a biconvex shape, a second lens that has a negative refractive power, a third lens, a fourth lens that has a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens that has a negative refractive power and has an object side surface and an image side surface which have aspheric shapes. Further, the imaging lens satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Yoneyama, Kazumi Koike
  • Optical scanning device and image reading system
    Patent number: 9664899
    Abstract: Provided is an optical scanning device that can be downsized and improve the reading rate of a laser-type image reading system. This is an optical scanning device that includes a torsion beam, and a variable focus mirror that is supported by the torsion beam. Furthermore, the variable focus mirror is supported at two symmetrical positions with respect to the axis of rotation of the torsion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: CANON DENSHI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naruki Suzuki, Takayuki Wakabayashi, Katsumi Arai
  • Eyewear frame having vents
    Patent number: 9658474
    Abstract: An eyewear frame structure for holding at least one lens thereto, includes a base frame, a front frame attached to a front of the base frame and a comfort bar attached to a back side of the base frame. The frame structure has a plurality of vent passages extending therethrough. Each vent passage includes a substantially horizontal section defined between the base frame and the front frame, and a substantially vertical section defined between the base frame and the comfort bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Inventor: Brent Sheldon
  • Imaging lens and imaging apparatus including the imaging lens
    Patent number: 9658433
    Abstract: An imaging lens substantially consists of, in order from an object side, five lenses of a first lens that has a biconvex shape, a second lens that has a negative refractive power, a third lens, a fourth lens that has a positive refractive power, and a fifth lens that has a negative refractive power and has an object side surface and an image side surface which have aspheric shapes. Further, the imaging lens satisfies predetermined conditional expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Yoneyama, Kazumi Koike
  • Method and apparatus for holographic recording
    Patent number: 9651918
    Abstract: Provided is a holographic recording method in which an interference fringe between a reference beam and a signal beam, modulated according to information regarding a plurality of hologram pixels, is recorded on a holographic recording medium, the holographic recording method including multiplexing-recording the interference fringe of the plurality of hologram pixels such that at least a part of the interference fringe recorded of neighboring hologram pixels of the plurality of hologram pixels is overlapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY R&DB FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Kyoung-seok Pyun, Byoung-ho Lee, Sun-il Kim, Chil-sung Choi, Soon-gi Park, Jung-kwuen An, Kee-hoon Hong, Ji-woon Yeom, Jong-hyun Kim