Patents by Inventor Akihiro Nakata

Akihiro Nakata 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: 20240074318
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a transducer capable of providing a high degree of freedom in deformation and suppressing a risk of breakage and a method of producing the transducer. [Solving Means] In order to achieve the above-described object, a transducer according to an embodiment of the present technology includes an elastomer. The elastomer extends along a predetermined axis direction, and has both end portions in which at least two electrodes having followability are disposed on both sides around a predetermined axis in the predetermined axis direction, the both end portions being elongated to be folded in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined axis. This makes it possible to provide a high degree of freedom in deformation and to suppress a risk of breakage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: YUSAKU KATO, AKIHIRO NAKATA, RYO IWAMURO, DAISUKE YAMAMOTO, HIROYUKI MITSUHASHI, YOSHIO GOTO
  • Patent number: 11731711
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure is provided for preventing a vortex from being generated between high-speed air separated from an outer edge of a deflector and low-speed air in a front wheel house due to a wind speed difference. Embodiments include a deflector disposed in front of a front wheel house projected downward from a lower surface of a bumper face. The deflector includes an air introducing section to introduce air into a space inside the deflector in a front portion of the deflector; and an intermediate-speed wind generating hole section that communicates with the air introducing section and generates an airflow at an intermediate wind speed, lower than a wind speed of air separated from deflector outer edges and higher than a wind speed of air in the front wheel house, in an area not opposing a tire in a vehicle front view of a portion immediately behind the deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunsuke Uno, Seiji Odan, Kei Ikeda, Satoshi Okamoto, Yosuke Morikawa, Akihiro Nakata, Masafumi Aburame
  • Patent number: 11684752
    Abstract: An actuator is provided with a tubular actuator element and a supporting body which supports an inner peripheral surface of the actuator element. An internal pressure of the actuator element is higher than an external pressure of the actuator element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakata, Satoshi Nakamaru, Hiroichi Ishikawa, Kazuhito Wakana, Yoshio Goto
  • Publication number: 20230008847
    Abstract: An object of the present technology is to provide a technology that enables control of an odor. The present technology provides an odor presentation module including a first opening that first airflow containing an odor exits, and a second opening that second airflow exits, in which the first opening and the second opening are provided so that movement of the first airflow exiting the first opening is able to be controlled by the second airflow. The present technology also provides an odor presentation device and an odor presentation system including the odor presentation module. Further, the present technology provides an odor presentation method including a first airflow generation step of emitting first airflow containing an odor from a first opening, and a second airflow generation step of generating second airflow exiting a second opening or second airflow entering the second opening, in which movement of the first airflow exiting the first opening is controlled by the second airflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: MITSUHIRO KAWANISHI, KAZUHIKO MIYAHARA, YUSAKU KATO, YOSHIO GOTO, AKIHIRO NAKATA, HISATAKA IZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220402245
    Abstract: An actuator includes a plurality of laminated electrode sheets, and adhesive layers provided between the electrode sheets adjacent to each other. Each electrode sheet includes an elastomer layer, and an electrode provided on the elastomer layer. The plurality of electrode sheets are laminated such that the elastomer layer and the electrode are alternately located, and the adhesive layer is thinner than the electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: SATOSHI NAKAMARU, AKIHIRO NAKATA, MICHIKO NAKAO, YOSHIO GOTO, TOMOMI YUKUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220324523
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure is provided for preventing a vortex from being generated between high-speed air separated from an outer edge of a deflector and low-speed air in a front wheel house due to a wind speed difference. Embodiments include a deflector disposed in front of a front wheel house projected downward from a lower surface of a bumper face. The deflector includes an air introducing section to introduce air into a space inside the deflector in a front portion of the deflector; and an intermediate-speed wind generating hole section that communicates with the air introducing section and generates an airflow at an intermediate wind speed, lower than a wind speed of air separated from deflector outer edges and higher than a wind speed of air in the front wheel house, in an area not opposing a tire in a vehicle front view of a portion immediately behind the deflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shunsuke UNO, Seiji ODAN, Kei IKEDA, Satoshi OKAMOTO, Yosuke MORIKAWA, Akihiro NAKATA, Masafumi ABURAME
  • Publication number: 20220293847
    Abstract: [Object] An actuator includes an actuator body that includes a first surface and a second surface that face each other; a first constraining member that is provided on the first surface, and constrains the first surface from expanding and contracting; and a second constraining member that is provided on the second surface, and constrains the second surface from expanding and contracting. The actuator body includes a first electrode, a second electrode that faces the first electrode, and an elastomer layer that is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode is a pattern electrode. The first constraining member and the second constraining member are provided correspondingly to the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: AKIHIRO NAKATA, SATOSHI NAKAMARU, YOSHIO GOTO, MICHIKO NAKAO, KAZUHIKO MIYAHARA
  • Publication number: 20220288970
    Abstract: A rim portion of a vehicle wheel has an outer flange portion. In a region of the outer flange portion, a space portion between spoke portions is disposed on a radial-direction inner side, a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface are provided. The first inclined surface is provided on an axial-direction outer side of an outer flange outer circumferential portion. The second inclined surface is on an axial-direction outer side of an outer flange inner circumferential portion. The first inclined surface is formed to incline from the axial-direction outer side toward an axial-direction inner side as the first inclined surface extends from a radial-direction outer side end toward the radial-direction inner side. The second inclined surface is a surface formed to incline from the axial-direction inner side toward the axial-direction outer side as the second inclined surface extends from the radial-direction outer side toward the radial-direction inner side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi ABURAME, Satoshi OKAMOTO, Akihiro NAKATA, Haruka TANIGUCHI, Shinji MATSUO, Hiroshi KUNINARI, Takuya MATSUDA
  • Patent number: 11444555
    Abstract: An actuator includes a stack including: an elastomer layer; and an elastic electrode disposed on each surface of the elastomer layer, in which the stack is subjected to a pre-strain of 50% or more at least in one direction. The stack may have a round tubular shape with the elastic electrodes disposed on opposite surfaces of the elastomer layer in a radial direction of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakamaru, Hiroichi Ishikawa, Kentarou Sakai, Akihiro Nakata, Kazuhito Wakana, Yoshio Goto
  • Patent number: 11433425
    Abstract: An actuator includes a laminate including an elastomer layer and an electrode, in which the laminate has a spiral or concentric shape, pre-distortion is applied to at least one member out of the elastomer layer and the electrode, and area distortion of the at least one member is 10% or larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakata, Satoshi Nakamaru, Yoshio Goto, Hiroichi Ishikawa, Kentarou Sakai, Kazuhito Wakana
  • Patent number: 11330183
    Abstract: A shake correction device including a driven body, a first actuator that is extendable and contractible in a first direction, a second actuator that is extendable and contractible in a second direction, a support that supports the driven body via the first actuator and the second actuator, a first connection mechanism unit that connects at least either between the first actuator and the driven body or between the first actuator and the support, and a second connection mechanism unit that connects at least either between the second actuator and the driven body or between the second actuator and the support. The first connection mechanism unit and the second connection mechanism unit have at least one degree of rotational freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakata, Satoshi Nakamaru, Yoshio Goto, Tomoya Takei, Kazuyuki Ejima
  • Patent number: 11248970
    Abstract: [Solving Means] A force-sense presenting apparatus includes a casing structure, a weight, and a drive unit. The weight is provided in the casing structure or incorporated in the casing structure. The drive unit includes a first supporting portion constituted of a pair of supporting structures that support a first side of the weight and a second side opposed to the first side, at least one of the pair of supporting structures being configured to include an actuator capable of providing the weight with biased acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Ono, Mikio Takenaka, Shunki Shibaoka, Masaki Kawata, Hideaki Hayashi, Akihiro Nakata
  • Publication number: 20210354767
    Abstract: An airflow deflector for a vehicle includes: an exterior surface and at least one airflow deflector area in a portion on a vehicle rear side of the exterior surface. The airflow deflector area includes a slanted side that is slanted in a manner to extend to a vehicle lower side as extending to the vehicle rear side and an airflow deflector surface that extends in a vehicle vertical direction from the slanted section toward the exterior surface. An extending direction of a side of the airflow deflector surface, which serves as a boundary between the airflow deflector surface and a surface of the cover, is oriented inward or outward in a vehicle width direction with respect to a vehicle longitudinal direction. The airflow deflector surface is tilted inward or outward in the vehicle width direction with respect to the surface of the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke MORIKAWA, Akihiro NAKATA, Satoshi OKAMOTO, Yuya KAWAZU
  • Patent number: 11136074
    Abstract: A front deflector configured to be provided on a surface ahead of a front wheel of a vehicle. The front deflector includes a first opening forward of the vehicle, the first opening configured to receive air into an inner space of the front deflector when the vehicle travels forward; a guide wall that directs the air received into the inner space from the first opening to at least a vehicle-width-direction outer side in the inner space; and a second opening that opens rearward of the first opening in a position that overlaps with a front wheel of the vehicle, and exhausts the air in the inner space to the vehicle-width-direction outer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakata, Masaaki Bessho, Kentaro Nomura, Yohei Izumi, Takashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11124249
    Abstract: A deflector structure of an automotive vehicle comprises a deflector. The deflector comprises a traveling-wind control part to control a flow of a traveling wind generated in forward traveling of an automotive vehicle. The traveling-wind control part comprises an outside control section and an inside control section. The outside control section and the inside control section are shaped such that an atmospheric pressure of an outside space portion which is positioned just in front of an outside part, in the vehicle width direction, of a front wheel is lower than that of a central space portion which is positioned just in front of a central part, in the vehicle width direction, of the front wheel at a level position from a lower end of the deflator to a vicinity below the lower end of the deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuhei Nishida, Yoshiatsu Kuga, Akihiro Nakata
  • Patent number: 11077893
    Abstract: A deflector structure for an automobile. The deflector structure includes a protruding structure having an outer surface positioned to be hit by traveling air when the automobile travels forward. The outer surface of the protruding portion includes a first inclined portion located on a vehicle-width-direction outer side and inclined upward toward the automobile front side; and a second inclined portion located on a vehicle-width-direction inner side and inclined upward toward the automobile front side. An angle of inclination of the second inclined portion on an acute angle side of the second inclined portion with respect to a horizontal direction is smaller than an angle of inclination of the first inclined portion on an acute angle side of the first inclined portion with respect to the horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Nakata, Michiya Mizokane, Shuhei Nishida, Yoshiatsu Kuga, Ryo Yanagisawa, Masaaki Bessho
  • Publication number: 20210235018
    Abstract: A shake correction device including a driven body, a first actuator that is extendable and contractible in a first direction, a second actuator that is extendable and contractible in a second direction, a support that supports the driven body via the first actuator and the second actuator, a first connection mechanism unit that connects at least either between the first actuator and the driven body or between the first actuator and the support, and a second connection mechanism unit that connects at least either between the second actuator and the driven body or between the second actuator and the support. The first connection mechanism unit and the second connection mechanism unit have at least one degree of rotational freedom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventors: Akihiro NAKATA, Satoshi NAKAMARU, Yoshio GOTO, Tomoya TAKEI, Kazuyuki EJIMA
  • Publication number: 20210146401
    Abstract: An actuator includes a laminate including an elastomer layer and an electrode, in which the laminate has a spiral or concentric shape, pre-distortion is applied to at least one member out of the elastomer layer and the electrode, and area distortion of the at least one member is 10% or larger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Akihiro NAKATA, Satoshi NAKAMARU, Yoshio GOTO, Hiroichi ISHIKAWA, Kentarou SAKAI, Kazuhito WAKANA
  • Publication number: 20200207427
    Abstract: A deflector structure for an automobile. The deflector structure includes a protruding structure having an outer surface positioned to be hit by traveling air when the automobile travels forward. The outer surface of the protruding portion includes a first inclined portion located on a vehicle-width-direction outer side and inclined upward toward the automobile front side; and a second inclined portion located on a vehicle-width-direction inner side and inclined upward toward the automobile front side. An angle of inclination of the second inclined portion on an acute angle side of the second inclined portion with respect to a horizontal direction is smaller than an angle of inclination of the first inclined portion on an acute angle side of the first inclined portion with respect to the horizontal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro NAKATA, Michiya MIZOKANE, Shuhei NISHIDA, Yoshiatsu KUGA, Ryo YANAGISAWA, Masaaki BESSHO
  • Publication number: 20200207428
    Abstract: A front deflector configured to be provided on a surface ahead of a front wheel of a vehicle. The front deflector includes a first opening forward of the vehicle, the first opening configured to receive air into an inner space of the front deflector when the vehicle travels forward; a guide wall that directs the air received into the inner space from the first opening to at least a vehicle-width-direction outer side in the inner space; and a second opening that opens rearward of the first opening in a position that overlaps with a front wheel of the vehicle, and exhausts the air in the inner space to the vehicle-width-direction outer side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiro NAKATA, Masaaki BESSHO, Kentaro NOMURA, Yohei IZUMI, Takashi WATANABE