Patents by Inventor Akira Shirakura

Akira Shirakura 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: 20230110364
    Abstract: A plasma CVD device which comprises a substrate having a three-dimensional shape such as that of a bottle and which can form a coating on the surface of various substrates under atmospheric pressure, and a coating forming method are provided. This atmospheric pressure remote plasma CVD device is provided with a dielectric chamber which has a gas inlet, an inner space and a plasma outlet, and a plasma generation device which generates plasma in the inner space. The plasma outlet is provided with a nozzle that has an opening area smaller than the average cross-sectional area of the cross-sections perpendicular to the direction of gas flow in the inner space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: SUNTORY HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventors: Masanori Nishiyama, Yasuhiko Akanuma, Tetsuya Suzuki, Akira Shirakura, Takumi Tanaka, Kotono Mikamoto
  • Publication number: 20210318658
    Abstract: [Problem] Propagation of parallel light inside thin glass or plastic material had not been considered to be feasible because of difficulties in producing parallel light with large aspect ratio and in light-guiding it into thin material. For this reason, there had been a problem that holograms of edge-lit reproduction type were not being brought to practical use. [Means for Solution] A compact, simple collimator optics has been successfully made by placing a holographic diffraction grating close to a diverging light source to propagate it at the critical angle inside the medium. By making an array of this diffraction grating it has become possible to propagate parallel light of any aspect ratio inside a thin plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventor: Akira SHIRAKURA
  • Patent number: 10934624
    Abstract: The aim of the present invention lies in inexpensively providing a thin-film laminated film having excellent barrier properties. A further aim of the present invention lies in providing a method for producing a thin-film laminated film in which a plurality of thin films are coated on a plastic film by means of atmospheric-pressure plasma CVD which has low equipment costs and running costs, and also in providing a thin-film laminated film production apparatus which is able to operate continuously for a long period of time and can produce high-speed coating. A thin film according to the present invention includes a plastic film, a first silicon oxide-based thin film containing silicon oxide as the main component, and a first amorphous carbon-based thin film. The first amorphous carbon-based thin film is formed on the first silicon oxide-based thin film. The first silicon oxide-based thin film has pinholes with a diameter in the range of 10-200 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignees: Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.A., Keio University
    Inventors: Tetsuya Suzuki, Yuya Futagami, Akira Shirakura, Kazuya Ono
  • Publication number: 20210017070
    Abstract: A medical glass container, a coat is formed on at least a part of an inner wall of the glass container, wherein the coat is a diamond-like carbon film that does not contain silicon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Tetsuya SUZUKI, Akira SHIRAKURA, Hiromasa OOKAWA, Yoshimi MEKATA
  • Patent number: 10592708
    Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] Conventional devices for reproduction of holograms for appreciative viewing do not have any functionality to gate access to special content by exploiting the characteristics of the hologram. Further, a system that allows users to easily perform judgment of authenticity has been much awaited as, with holograms, although a counterfeit prevention effect can be expected visually, counterfeit imitations of the holograms themselves are already in circulation. [Means to Resolve the Problem] It is made possible to read holographic barcodes with such portable information consoles as smartphones to perform judgment of authenticity. In this process, by controlling from the portable information console side the light sources illuminating the hologram, it is possible to add a strong authenticity judgment function without a major increase in cost and also without building any special infrastructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: ARTIENCE LAB INC.
    Inventor: Akira Shirakura
  • Publication number: 20180320268
    Abstract: The aim of the present invention lies in inexpensively providing a thin-film laminated film having excellent barrier properties. A further aim of the present invention lies in providing a method for producing a thin-film laminated film in which a plurality of thin films are coated on a plastic film by means of atmospheric-pressure plasma CVD which has low equipment costs and running costs, and also in providing a thin-film laminated film production apparatus which is able to operate continuously for a long period of time and can produce high-speed coating. A thin film according to the present invention includes a plastic film, a first silicon oxide-based thin film containing silicon oxide as the main component, and a first amorphous carbon-based thin film. The first amorphous carbon-based thin film is formed on the first silicon oxide-based thin film. The first silicon oxide-based thin film has pinholes with a diameter in the range of 10-200 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Tetsuya Suzuki, Yuya Futagami, Akira Shirakura, Kazuya Ono
  • Publication number: 20180144160
    Abstract: [Problem to be Solved] Conventional devices for reproduction of holograms for appreciative viewing do not have any functionality to gate access to special content by exploiting the characteristics of the hologram. Further, a system that allows users to easily perform judgment of authenticity has been much awaited as, with holograms, although a counterfeit prevention effect can be expected visually, counterfeit imitations of the holograms themselves are already in circulation. [Means to Resolve the Problem] It is made possible to read holographic barcodes with such portable information consoles as smartphones to perform judgment of authenticity. In this process, by controlling from the portable information console side the light sources illuminating the hologram, it is possible to add a strong authenticity judgment function without a major increase in cost and also without building any special infrastructure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventor: Akira SHIRAKURA
  • Patent number: 9915921
    Abstract: [Problem] A penlight used for decoration or as a flashlight for the purpose of illuminating the surroundings lacks functionality for optimal enjoyment of a hologram, and no conventional illumination device for a hologram has decorative effect. [Solution] The present invention has a hologram support unit, a light source, and a light diffuser, and by primarily irradiating the light diffuser from the light source, decorative effect is increased, and primarily a hologram image region can be illuminated from a predetermined angle from the same light source or a different light source. Appropriate observation is made possible by making note to an observer on a portion of a medium material integrated with a hologram material whether to irradiate illuminating light from above or irradiate illuminating light from below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: ARTIENCE LAB INC.
    Inventors: Hideo Kawauchi, Akira Shirakura
  • Publication number: 20150205261
    Abstract: [Problem] A penlight used for decoration or as a flashlight for the purpose of illuminating the surroundings lacks functionality for optimal enjoyment of a hologram, and no conventional illumination device for a hologram has decorative effect. [Solution] The present invention has a hologram support unit, a light source, and a light diffuser, and by primarily irradiating the light diffuser from the light source, decorative effect is increased, and primarily a hologram image region can be illuminated from a predetermined angle from the same light source or a different light source. Appropriate observation is made possible by making note to an observer on a portion of a medium material integrated with a hologram material whether to irradiate illuminating light from above or irradiate illuminating light from below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: Artience Lab Inc.
    Inventors: Hideo Kawauchi, Akira Shirakura
  • Publication number: 20150108031
    Abstract: A barrier-film forming apparatus that forms a barrier film on an inner face of a container having a concave or convex portion as a processing target, including: a dielectric member having a cavity sized to enclose the container, an external electrode covering an outer circumference of the dielectric member, an exhaust unit installed on an end face of the external electrode on a side where a mouth of the container is located, with an insulating member interposed therebetween, and depressurizing inside of the container through an exhaust pipe, an internal electrode inserted from a side of the exhaust pipe and also serving as a gas blowout unit that blows out medium gas for generating a barrier film into the container, and an electric-field applying unit that applies an electric field for generating exhaust between the external electrode and a ground electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Yuji ASAHARA, Hideo YAMAKOSHI, Minoru DANNO, Seiji GOTO, Akira SHIRAKURA, Masaki NAKAYA, Kiyoshi HIROYA
  • Patent number: 8976432
    Abstract: A hologram-including medium is disclosed, which is an integrated medium on which at least two items of identification information are recorded, wherein one of the two items of identification information is holographic identification information which can be observed within a predetermined angle range when illuminated from a predetermined angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shirakura, Takashi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 8950356
    Abstract: A barrier-film forming apparatus that forms a barrier film on an inner face of a container having a concave or convex portion as a processing target, including: a dielectric member having a cavity sized to enclose the container, an external electrode covering an outer circumference of the dielectric member, an exhaust unit installed on an end face of the external electrode on a side where a mouth of the container is located, with an insulating member interposed therebetween, and depressurizing inside of the container through an exhaust pipe, an internal electrode inserted from a side of the exhaust pipe and also serving as a gas blowout unit that blows out medium gas for generating a barrier film into the container, and an electric-field applying unit that applies an electric field for generating exhaust between the external electrode and a ground electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Food & Machinery Co., Ltd., Kirin Beer Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuji Asahara, Hideo Yamakoshi, Minoru Danno, Seiji Goto, Akira Shirakura, Masaki Nakaya, Kiyoshi Hiroya
  • Publication number: 20140340723
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of the volume hologram includes a step of hologram recording for recording information to a hologram recording layer and a pressing step of the hologram recording layer for pressing at least a portion of the hologram recording layer recorded with the information. In the step of pressing the hologram recording layer, the hologram recording layer recorded with information may change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicants: Sony Corporation, Sony DADC Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Matsubara, Akira Shirakura, Yuji Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 8808797
    Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a gas barrier plastic container include a method in which the inside of a vacuum chamber which houses a plastic container is exhausted to form a pre-set pressure, and while maintaining a state where electricity is supplied to a thermal catalyst arranged inside the vacuum chamber to generate heat above a pre-set temperature, a source gas is blown on the thermal catalyst to decompose the source gas and create chemical species, whereby a gas barrier thin film is formed by the chemical species reaching at least one of either the inner surface or the outer surface of the plastic container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Kirin Beer Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Mishima, Masaki Nakaya, Akira Shirakura
  • Patent number: 8804222
    Abstract: An image recording medium in which a refractive index modulation is recorded in a material in a layer such that, when the hologram recording medium is illuminated from a predetermined angle and a viewpoint is moved horizontally with respect to a normal line, a hologram image having continuous parallax in at least the horizontal direction is reproduced and that, when the viewpoint is moved in a direction with respect to the normal line different from the horizontal direction, another image that is different from and thus is not continuous with the hologram image is reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kihara, Akira Shirakura
  • Patent number: 8649077
    Abstract: An image recording medium in which a refractive index modulation is recorded in a material in a layer such that, when the hologram recording medium is illuminated from a predetermined angle and a viewpoint is moved horizontally with respect to a normal line, a hologram image having continuous parallax in at least the horizontal direction is reproduced and that, when the viewpoint is moved in a direction with respect to the normal line different from the horizontal direction, another image that is different from and thus is not continuous with the hologram image is reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kihara, Akira Shirakura
  • Patent number: 8564864
    Abstract: An image recording medium in which a refractive index modulation is recorded in a material in a layer such that, when the hologram recording medium is illuminated from a predetermined angle and a viewpoint is moved horizontally with respect to a normal line, a hologram image having continuous parallax in at least the horizontal direction is reproduced and that, when the viewpoint is moved in a direction with respect to the normal line different from the horizontal direction, another image that is different from and thus is not continuous with the hologram image is reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kihara, Akira Shirakura
  • Patent number: 8526087
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a hologram recording medium, wherein in a volume hologram, the hologram recording medium is covered with a partially patterned optical functional film on the side closer to the viewer than a hologram recording layer without the medium of air, and wherein the hologram recording medium maintains its appearance approximately unchanged irrespective of the presence or absence of the optical functional film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Disc & Digital Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Shirakura, Nobuhiro Kihara
  • Publication number: 20130189448
    Abstract: The present invention provides method of DLC film coating a plastic container by DLC film coating the container in an apparatus, where the apparatus comprises a container side electrode which forms one portion of a pressure-reducing chamber and a facing electrode, where the container side electrode is formed so that the average inner hole diameter (R2) of the inner wall surrounding a neck portion is smaller than the average inner hole diameter (R1) of the inner wall surrounding the body portion, and the average distance (d2) between the outer wall of the container and the inner wall of the container side electrode in a horizontal cross section with respect to the vertical direction of the container at the neck portion becomes longer than the average distance (d1) between the outer wall of the container and the inner wall of the container side electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: KIRIN BEER KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Teruyuki YAMASAKI, Akira SHIRAKURA, Hideyasu ANDO
  • Patent number: 8379281
    Abstract: A hologram judging apparatus includes a housing and first and second light sources attached to the housing and emitting reconstruction illumination light. In the hologram judging apparatus, the first and second light sources each include a wavelength component with a wavelength ? meeting the reconstruction condition of a Lippmann hologram, and any one of the first and second light sources is a light source making the reconstruction illumination light enter a hologram at an angle ?ref which is identical to another angle ?ref with respect to the normal in a plane of incidence, the other angle ?ref meeting the reconstruction condition of a Lippmann method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Shirakura, Koji Ashikazi