Patents by Inventor Akio Naniki

Akio Naniki 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).

  • Patent number: 7227967
    Abstract: A piezoelectric transducer, adapted to a bridge of a stringed instrument such as a sound mute guitar, comprises a piezoelectric element roughly having an elongated rectangular shape, a pair of electrodes respectively attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the piezoelectric element, and insulation sheets for insulating the electrodes, all of which are covered with a conductive shield (e.g., a polymeric piezoelectric film), wherein a thin metal plate is adhered to at least the exterior of the upper surface of the conductive shield and is composed of a prescribed metal, which is selected from among copper, gold, and platinum, or a prescribed alloy mainly composed of one of these metals. The thin metal plate is adhered to the conductive shield by use of unhardened adhesive with a coating thickness of 10 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Akio Naniki
  • Patent number: 6855879
    Abstract: An electric stringed instrument has a frame body the contour of which is like the outline of a solid body of a corresponding electric or acoustic stringed instrument; the frame body is constituted by plural frame pieces, and the frame piece is detachably connected to a trunk of the electric stringed instrument; a user slings the electric stringed instrument over his or her shoulder by means of a strap so that the strap is to be connected to the trunk by means of fasteners; the fasteners are further used for securing the frame piece to the trunk so that the frame pieces are not unintentionally dropped out from the trunk without increasing the fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minakuchi, Akio Naniki, Katsuya Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20040105560
    Abstract: A piezoelectric transducer, adapted to a bridge of a stringed instrument such as a sound mute guitar, comprises a piezoelectric element roughly having an elongated rectangular shape, a pair of electrodes respectively attached to the upper and lower surfaces of the piezoelectric element, and insulation sheets for insulating the electrodes, all of which are covered with a conductive shield (e.g., a polymeric piezoelectric film), wherein a thin metal plate is adhered to at least the exterior of the upper surface of the conductive shield and is composed of a prescribed metal, which is selected from among copper, gold, and platinum, or a prescribed alloy mainly composed of one of these metals. The thin metal plate is adhered to the conductive shield by use of unhardened adhesive with a coating thickness of 10 &mgr;m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: June 3, 2004
    Inventor: Akio Naniki
  • Patent number: 6696632
    Abstract: An electric percussion unit and small-sized speakers are detachably connected to a trunk of an electric frame guitar, and a circuit board, on which electric circuit components required for generating tones and percussion sound are mounted, and a battery unit are housed in the trunk; while a guitarist is playing a flamenco on the electric frame guitar, the guitarist beats the percussion unit with his or her hand or finger nails, and the guitar tones and percussion sound are radiated from the small-sized speakers; the electric frame guitar system is available for a wide variety of music genres, and the portability is enhanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minakuchi, Akio Naniki, Katsuya Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20030131721
    Abstract: An electric percussion unit and small-sized speakers are detachably connected to a trunk of an electric frame guitar, and a circuit board, on which electric circuit components required for generating tones and percussion sound are mounted, and a battery unit are housed in the trunk; while a guitarist is playing a flamenco on the electric frame guitar, the guitarist beats the percussion unit with his or her hand or finger nails, and the guitar tones and percussion sound are radiated from the small-sized speakers; the electric frame guitar system is available for a wide variety of music genres, and the portability is enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minakuchi, Akio Naniki, Katsuya Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20030106411
    Abstract: An electric stringed instrument has a frame body the contour of which is like the outline of a solid body of a corresponding electric or acoustic stringed instrument; the frame body is constituted by plural frame pieces, and the frame piece is detachably connected to a trunk of the electric stringed instrument; a user slings the electric stringed instrument over his or her shoulder by means of a strap so that the strap is to be connected to the trunk by means of fasteners; the fasteners are further used for securing the frame piece to the trunk so that the frame pieces are not unintentionally dropped out from the trunk without increasing the fasteners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Minakuchi, Akio Naniki, Katsuya Suzuki