Patents by Inventor Akira Niinuma

Akira Niinuma 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: 6353196
    Abstract: To provide a water-resistant pilot switch in which the shape of a shield member is simple, processibility of parts and workability in mounting the parts to a housing are good, cost cutting is possible, and the on precision of the switch in action can be improved. The water-resistant pilot switch comprises: a housing having a receiving section, a fixed contact provided in the receiving section, a movable contact rotatably provided and being brought into or out of contact with the fixed contact, a lever member rotating the movable contact in the direction of the fixed contact, a cover member having an insertion hole through which one end of the lever member protrudes outwardly from the receiving section and being provided on the receiving section of the housing to be engaged therewith, and a shield member shielding the insertion hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Niinuma, Yoshifumi Okabe
  • Publication number: 20010022267
    Abstract: To provide a water-resistant pilot switch in which the shape of a shield member is simple, processibility of parts and workability in mounting the parts to a housing are good, cost cutting is possible, and the on precision of the switch in action can be improved. The water-resistant pilot switch comprises: a housing having a receiving section, a fixed contact provided in the receiving section, a movable contact rotatably provided and being brought into or out of contact with the fixed contact, a lever member rotating the movable contact in the direction of the fixed contact, a cover member having an insertion hole through which one end of the lever member protrudes outwardly from the receiving section and being provided on the receiving section of the housing to be engaged therewith, and a shield member shielding the insertion hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Publication date: September 20, 2001
    Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Niinuma, Yoshifumi Okabe
  • Patent number: 4827087
    Abstract: A push button switch with a simultaneous locking preventing function which can attain its miniaturization while realizing a sure single action. The switch includes a core mounted for sliding movement in each of a pair of sliders mounted for up and down movement in a casing. A heart-shaped cam groove having a plurality of regions of varying height is formed either on an end face of each core or with the locking region of the cam groove formed on an end face of each core and with the remaining regions formed on a contiguous wall face of the corresponding slider. An actuator pin is provided for each slider and traces the cam groove to lock the slider at its depressed position when the slider is depressed. When the sliders are depressed simultaneously, a simultaneous locking preventing member prevents the sliders from being locked at the depressed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 2, 1989
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Niinuma, Hidenori Nagai
  • Patent number: 4773089
    Abstract: A telephone line-switching device comprises first and second switches that interlock and a lock plate extending between the two switches. The push member of the first switch has a cam with which the lock plate usually engages. The push member of the second switch has an inclined portion on which the lock plate always bears. As the push member of the second switch is depressed, the inclined portion horizontally moves the lock plate, permitting the lock plate to disengage from the cam to release the first switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teiichi Miura, Toshihisa Hirata, Kengo Shibuya, Akira Niinuma, Hidenori Nagai
  • Patent number: 4690484
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a switch includes the steps of forming integrally a clip for clamping a movable contact out of a flat terminal member configured in hoop material by bending uprightly a projected portion of the terminal member, and then insert-molding the thus bent terminal member at the bottom of a box body made of insulating material to hold the integrally formed clip inside the box body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1987
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Oba, Seiichi Aoki, Akira Niinuma, Seiichiro Sato
  • Patent number: 4675486
    Abstract: A compact pushbutton switch comprises a housing in which three chambers are formed and connected by a common contact member. A fixed contact, a nonconducting member forming a continuation to the fixed contact, a slider movable along both the fixed contact and the nonconducting member, a movable contact fixed to the slider, a control pushbutton mounted to the slider, and a coiled spring are mounted in each of the chambers. The spring is made of an electrically conductive material, and interposed between the common contact member and the movable contact to bias the movable contact out of contact with the fixed contact. When no control pushbuttons are depressed, each spring acts to hold the movable contact out of electrical connection with the fixed contact. When any one of the pushbuttons is depressed, the corresponding spring serves to establish an electrical connection between the corresponding movable contact and fixed contact by its electrical conductive property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Niinuma
  • Patent number: 4360721
    Abstract: A push button switch with an alternate action mechanism having a heart cam groove formed in the manipulation rod slidably received by a case. The longitudinal side wall of the heart cam groove is formed by the side wall of the case, so as to permit the width of the heart cam mechanism to be reduced considerably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1982
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Niinuma
  • Patent number: 4297541
    Abstract: A ganged push button switch comprises at least two modular push button switches each of which includes a push button formed with a cam surface. A plate member is arranged in a manner so as to be laterally movable between the two switches and has oblique edges adapted to abut upon the respective cam surfaces. The plate member is provided at its center with elastic engaging portions, and slots are formed in the sides of the cases of the respective switches and serve to hold the plate member slidably. The plate member is attachable to the assembly by deforming one of the elastic engaging portion and inserting it through one of the slots. After attachment, the engaging portions abut against the cases of the respective switches to prevent the plate member from coming off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1979
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1981
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Niinuma