Patents by Inventor Akira Nagano

Akira Nagano 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: 11385388
    Abstract: In display, in a plan view facing an obverse surface of a reflection layer, first reflection surfaces are substantially square in shape, and a second reflection surface occupies gaps between adjacent ones of the first reflection surfaces. The distance between the first reflection surfaces and the second reflection surface in the thickness direction of a substrate has an extent that the obverse surface of the reflection layer emit colored light by interference between light reflected from the first reflection surfaces and light reflected from the second reflection surface. In a plan view facing the obverse surface of the reflection layer, more than one of the first reflection surfaces are located on each of a plurality of imaginary lines. On a straight line intersecting more than one of the imaginary lines, distances between adjacent ones of the imaginary lines have different extents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Nagano
  • Patent number: 11294108
    Abstract: Each protrusion surface has a shape of a strip extending in an extension direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction. Each protrusion surface tapers toward a top section in a thickness direction of an uneven structure. Each depression surface has a shape of a strip extending in the extension direction. Each depression surface tapers toward a bottom section in the thickness direction of the uneven structure. The protrusion surfaces and the depression surfaces are arranged at a period that limits reflection of light that is incident on the uneven surface in a front-view direction of the uneven surface and diffracts the light incident on the uneven surface to emit diffracted light in an oblique view direction of the uneven surface. The uneven structure has a property of absorbing light incident on the uneven structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Endo, Akira Nagano
  • Patent number: 10843419
    Abstract: A display includes a first interface section provided with a relief-type diffraction grating constituted by a plurality of grooves, and a second interface section provided with a plurality of recesses or projections arranged two-dimensionally at a center-to-center distance smaller than the minimum center-to-center distance of the plural grooves, and each having a forward tapered shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Toda, Akira Nagano, Shingo Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20200355935
    Abstract: A display including a plurality of pixels each including a plurality of first subpixels and a plurality of second subpixels. In pixel, when illumination light is applied to the first subpixels from a normal direction, no diffracted light emerges from the plurality of first subpixels, or first diffracted light emerges from the plurality of first subpixels in a first angular range. When illumination light is applied to the second subpixels from the normal direction, no diffracted light emerges from the plurality of second subpixels, or second diffracted light having a wavelength equal to that of the first diffracted light emerges from the plurality of second subpixels in a second angular range wider than the first angular range, at an intensity lower than that of the first diffracted light; with the pixels configured to display a continuously changing image using the first diffracted light and the second diffracted light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuko MASUNAGA, Akira NAGANO, Yasumasa KAMATA, Hideaki HONMA
  • Patent number: 10821764
    Abstract: A display body includes lattice lines that are arranged along a plane of incidence on which light is incident. The lattice lines have properties for forming a bright image with diffracted light of the incident light in an oblique view in which the plane of incidence is viewed obliquely, and absorbing some of the incident light. The surface of each of the lattice lines includes dispersed fine step parts that are repetitive in the direction in which the lattice lines extend. The steps have an antireflection function and form a dark image in a front view directly facing the plane of incidence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Nagano
  • Patent number: 10620351
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display exhibiting high anti-counterfeiting effects and special visual effects. The display of the present invention includes a relief structure-forming layer having a plurality of relief structure-forming areas that are provided on one principal surface side of a light transmissive base, a light reflection layer covering at least a part of the relief structure-forming layer, and a light scattering layer provided on a light reflection layer side of the relief structure-forming layer. The plurality of relief structure-forming areas have a plurality of convexities or a plurality of concavities having a first surface substantially parallel to the principal surface and a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Nagano
  • Patent number: 10471757
    Abstract: There is provided a versatile optical element applicable both to an electrode layer required in a bank bill field and to an optical element required in an ID field. In an optical element (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention, a first layer (2) is arranged on a second layer (3) having a relief structure on a surface thereof, and a first region (4) and a second region (5) are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Yashiki, Akira Nagano, Keitaro Sugihara, Tomoko Tashiro
  • Patent number: 10421309
    Abstract: The distance between the first reflection surfaces and the third reflection surface in the thickness direction of a substrate is a distance that is able the obverse surface of the reflection layer to emit light of a first color by interference between light reflected from the first reflection surfaces and light reflected from the third reflection surface. The distance between the second reflection surfaces and the third reflection surface in the thickness direction of the substrate is a distance that is able the obverse surface to emit light of a second color by interference between light reflected from the second reflection surfaces and light reflected from the third reflection surface. The obverse surface emits light of a third color that includes the light of the first color and the light of the second color.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Nagano
  • Patent number: 10350838
    Abstract: A higher forgery prevention effect is realized. A display includes a first interface section provided with a relief-type diffraction grating constituted by a plurality of grooves, and a second interface section provided with a plurality of recesses or projections arranged two-dimensionally at a center-to-center distance smaller than the minimum center-to-center distance of the plural grooves, and each having a forward tapered shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Toda, Akira Nagano, Shingo Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20190212481
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display exhibiting high anti-counterfeiting effects and special visual effects. The display of the present invention includes a relief structure-forming layer having a plurality of relief structure-forming areas that are provided on one principal surface side of a light transmissive base, a light reflection layer covering at least a part of the relief structure-forming layer, and a light scattering layer provided on a light reflection layer side of the relief structure-forming layer. The plurality of relief structure-forming areas have a plurality of convexities or a plurality of concavities having a first surface substantially parallel to the principal surface and a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira NAGANO
  • Patent number: 10330834
    Abstract: The present invention provides a display exhibiting high anti-counterfeiting effects and special visual effects. The display of the present invention includes a relief structure-forming layer having a plurality of relief structure-forming areas that are provided on one principal surface side of a light transmissive base, a light reflection layer covering at least a part of the relief structure-forming layer, and a light scattering layer provided on a light reflection layer side of the relief structure-forming layer. The plurality of relief structure-forming areas have a plurality of convexities or a plurality of concavities having a first surface substantially parallel to the principal surface and a second surface substantially parallel to the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Nagano
  • Patent number: 10322602
    Abstract: A display includes one or more first relief structures. Each of the one or more first relief structures consists of a smooth first reflection surface and a plurality of protrusions or recesses, each top surface of the protrusions or each bottom of the recesses is a smooth second reflection surface parallel to the first reflection surface, each of the one or more first relief structures is configured to display a color as a structural color by emitting a plurality of wavelength components of visible light wavelengths in the same direction, and each of the second reflection surfaces has a height or depth relative to the first reflection surface in a range of 0.1 to 0.5 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Nagano, Takashi Nishihara, Kazunari Mitsui
  • Patent number: 10186175
    Abstract: A display body includes a first display part, which displays first information, and a second display part, which displays second information of a larger display size than the first information. The second display part includes the entire first display part as a part of the second display part. The first display part has a plasmon structure. The plasmon structure includes an interface between a metal layer and a dielectric layer, which transmits light, and is configured so that surface plasmons are excited in the interface to change irradiation light with which the interface is irradiated to transmitted light having a color different from that of the irradiation light. The first information is displayed with the transmitted light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soko Koda, Akira Nagano
  • Publication number: 20180257320
    Abstract: A display includes a first interface section provided with a relief-type diffraction grating constituted by a plurality of grooves, and a second interface section provided with a plurality of recesses or projections arranged two-dimensionally at a center-to-center distance smaller than the minimum center-to-center distance of the plural grooves, and each having a forward tapered shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki TODA, Akira NAGANO, Shingo MARUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20180128949
    Abstract: Each protrusion surface has a shape of a strip extending in an extension direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction. Each protrusion surface tapers toward a top section in a thickness direction of an uneven structure. Each depression surface has a shape of a strip extending in the extension direction. Each depression surface tapers toward a bottom section in the thickness direction of the uneven structure. The protrusion surfaces and the depression surfaces are arranged at a period that limits reflection of light that is incident on the uneven surface in a front-view direction of the uneven surface and diffracts the light incident on the uneven surface to emit diffracted light in an oblique view direction of the uneven surface. The uneven structure has a property of absorbing light incident on the uneven structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroyuki ENDO, Akira NAGANO
  • Publication number: 20180104975
    Abstract: A display includes one or more first relief structures. Each of the one or more first relief structures consists of a smooth first reflection surface and a plurality of protrusions or recesses, each top surface of the protrusions or each bottom of the recesses is a smooth second reflection surface parallel to the first reflection surface, each of the one or more first relief structures is configured to display a color as a structural color by emitting a plurality of wavelength components of visible light wavelengths in the same direction, and each of the second reflection surfaces has a height or depth relative to the first reflection surface in a range of 0.1 to 0.5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira NAGANO, Takashi NISHIHARA, Kazunari MITSUI
  • Patent number: 9931883
    Abstract: An image display according to an embodiment includes a first image-displaying portion that displays first information about a certain object as a first image of object color, and a second image-displaying portion that displays second information about the object as a second image of structural color provided by a relief structure, the relief structure including at least one structure selected from the group consisting of diffraction grating, hologram, and light-scattering structure having an anisotropic light-scattering property. According to an example, the object is a person, and the first image includes a facial image of the person. A labeled article according to another embodiment includes the image display, and a substrate supporting the image display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Gocho, Takayoshi Hayashi, Yasushi Kishimoto, Toshiki Toda, Akira Nagano
  • Patent number: 9933551
    Abstract: A display includes a substrate with a light-transmitting property, a relief structure-forming layer disposed on at least one surface of the substrate and including a relief-structured region on a surface thereof opposite to its surface in contact with the substrate, a light-reflecting layer disposed on the surface of the relief structure-forming layer including the relief-structured region, and a printed layer formed on a surface of the substrate opposite to the surface on which the relief structure-forming layer is disposed, or between the relief structure-forming layer and the light-reflecting layer, or on a side of the light-reflecting layer opposite to its surface in contact with the relief structure-forming layer. The relief-structured region is constituted by recessed or protruding portions arranged two-dimensionally, has low reflectivity and low diffusibility under a normal illumination condition, and exhibits a diffracted light-emitting property under a specific condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Toda, Akira Nagano, Shingo Maruyama, Seiko Matsuno
  • Publication number: 20180056701
    Abstract: The distance between the first reflection surfaces and the third reflection surface in the thickness direction of a substrate is a distance that is able the obverse surface of the reflection layer to emit light of a first color by interference between light reflected from the first reflection surfaces and light reflected from the third reflection surface. The distance between the second reflection surfaces and the third reflection surface in the thickness direction of the substrate is a distance that is able the obverse surface to emit light of a second color by interference between light reflected from the second reflection surfaces and light reflected from the third reflection surface. The obverse surface emits light of a third color that includes the light of the first color and the light of the second color.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventor: Akira NAGANO
  • Publication number: 20180052262
    Abstract: In display, in a plan view facing an obverse surface of a reflection layer, first reflection surfaces are substantially square in shape, and a second reflection surface occupies gaps between adjacent ones of the first reflection surfaces. The distance between the first reflection surfaces and the second reflection surface in the thickness direction of a substrate has an extent that the obverse surface of the reflection layer emit colored light by interference between light reflected from the first reflection surfaces and light reflected from the second reflection surface. In a plan view facing the obverse surface of the reflection layer, more than one of the first reflection surfaces are located on each of a plurality of imaginary lines. On a straight line intersecting more than one of the imaginary lines, distances between adjacent ones of the imaginary lines have different extents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventor: Akira NAGANO