Patents by Inventor Akira Suzuki

Akira Suzuki 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: 11398331
    Abstract: An actuator includes a first magnet whose magnetic pole surface has an N pole and a second magnet whose magnetic pole surface has an S pole. When current flows from one end of a first wiring to the other end, the current circulates in one direction at least partially on the first magnet in a first area, while it circulates in a direction opposite to the one direction at least partially on the second magnet in the first area. When current flows from one end of a second wiring to the other end, the current circulates in the direction opposite to the one direction at least partially on another first magnet in the second area, while it circulates in the one direction at least partially on another second magnet in the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignees: TDK CORPORATION, TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kenichi Suzuki, Akira Suzuki, Shusuke Ichihashi, Tadahiko Shinshi, Noriei Azuma
  • Publication number: 20220153052
    Abstract: A thermosensitive recording medium includes a base material; a thermosensitive recording layer; and an under layer disposed between the base material and the thermosensitive recording layer and containing a non-thermally-expandable hollow filler. The thermosensitive recording medium includes a hydrocarbon, where an amount of the hydrocarbon having from 3 through 16 carbon atoms is 0.2 mg/m2 or more, relative to an area of the thermosensitive recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Kenji SHIMIZU, Gaku Kohara, Marin Mio, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11322249
    Abstract: In a fee-setting system, an assessment unit assesses the degree of appropriateness in a medical facility regarding the use of a device relating to medical treatment used in the medical facility based on the degree of deviation and information regarding the medical facility, in which the degree of deviation that is obtained by comparing information indicating the usage status of the device that has been detected by a detection unit for detecting the usage status of the device with reference information regarding the method of using the device. A calculation unit calculates a fee to be charged to the medical facility based on the degree of appropriateness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Suzuki, Takeshi Nishiyama, Akira Murata, Takashi Nagata
  • Publication number: 20220120999
    Abstract: A lens drive device includes a movable unit, a fixed unit, and a support portion. The movable unit includes a magnet and a lens holder for holding a lens. The fixed unit includes a coil board and a base board. The coil board includes a coil facing the magnet and a coil wiring connected thereto. The base board is disposed opposite to the magnet across the coil board and includes a base wiring and an opening through which the optical axis of the lens passes. The support portion relatively movably connects the movable unit to the fixed unit and supports the movable unit to the fixed unit. A first conductive portion conductively connecting the coil wiring and the base wiring in the fixed unit is disposed away from an opening periphery of the opening to an outside in a radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira SUZUKI, Shusuke ICHIHASHI
  • Publication number: 20220073277
    Abstract: A control device that performs control to manage the passage of article transport vehicles in a management zone can execute: basic processing for permitting a first article transport vehicle to enter the management zone if no article transport vehicle is present in the management zone, and prohibiting a second article transport vehicle from entering the management zone if the first article transport vehicle is present in the management zone; and first exception processing for permitting the second article transport vehicle to enter the management zone in a case where, even if the first article transport vehicle is present in the management zone, the first article transport vehicle is an article transport vehicle that stops at a station provided in the first path, and the second article transport vehicle passes through a second path and a third path but does not pass through the first path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Toshihito Ueda, Sadato Matsugi, Akira Suzuki, Yoshitaka Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11270410
    Abstract: A video display system that includes a display device and an image processing device. The display device is mounted on the head of a user for use. The image processing device generates a plurality of unsynthesized images having different resolutions that are to be used for display by the display device, and transmits the generated unsynthesized images to the display device. The display device receives the unsynthesized images transmitted from the image processing device, and displays a display image that is obtained by synthesizing the unsynthesized images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Suzuki, Akihiko Sugawara
  • Publication number: 20220055854
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, an image forming apparatus comprises an image forming section configured to form an image on a sheet; a sheet discharge port through which the sheet is discharged; a sheet conveyance roller configured to convey the sheet to the sheet discharge port; a movable sheet guide, arranged in such a manner that an imaginary line connecting a portion contacting the sheet of the sheet conveyance roller with the sheet discharge port passes through a cross-sectional area, configured to be capable of moving in a direction away from a surface of the sheet; and a guide sensor configured to detect movement of the movable sheet guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Kenji Eoka, Akira Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11243376
    Abstract: A lens drive device includes a movable unit, a fixed unit, and a support portion. The movable unit includes a magnet and a lens holder for holding a lens. The fixed unit includes a coil board and a base board. The coil board includes a coil facing the magnet and a coil wiring connected thereto. The base board is disposed opposite to the magnet across the coil board and includes a base wiring and an opening through which the optical axis of the lens passes. The support portion relatively movably connects the movable unit to the fixed unit and supports the movable unit to the fixed unit. A first conductive portion conductively connecting the coil wiring and the base wiring in the fixed unit is disposed away from an opening periphery of the opening to an outside in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Suzuki, Shusuke Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 11237351
    Abstract: A lens drive device includes a movable unit, a fixed unit, and a support portion. The movable unit includes a magnet and a lens holder for holding a lens. The fixed unit includes a coil board and a base board. The coil board includes a coil facing the magnet. The base board is disposed on the other side of the magnet across the coil board and includes an opening through which the optical axis of the lens passes. The support portion relatively movably connects the movable unit to the fixed unit and supports the movable unit to the fixed unit. In the fixed unit, a metal-particle-containing resin portion containing metal particles unevenly distributed in a resin covers at least one of a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akira Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20210387353
    Abstract: An actuator system that picks up workpieces aims to shorten tact time and to reduce damages to workpieces. The actuator system includes an actuator that picks up a workpiece, an external force detection sensor that detects a physical quantity that is correlated with an external force that is applied to the workpiece, a head unit that is connected to the actuator and the external force detection sensor without a communication network, the head unit being configured to control the actuator based on a sensing result from the external force detection sensor when a pickup request signal that is a signal requesting pickup of the workpiece is received, and a control device that is connected to the head unit over the communication network, the control device being configured to transmit the pickup request signal to the head unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Fukushima, Masashi Ishii, Hiroki Niwa, Akira Suzuki, Kazuto Oga, Shogo Wakuta, Satoshi Hara, Tomofumi Mizuno, Shigeki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20210389722
    Abstract: A cartridge detachably attachable to an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium in which a memory unit is fixed by an inexpensive adhesive member that can control adhesion force. The cartridge includes: a memory; and a memory support member that supports the memory. The memory has a semiconductor device storing information related to a cartridge, a sealing material that protects the semiconductor device, and a cartridge electrical contact configured to be electrically connectable to a body electrical contact of the image forming apparatus body for transferring information on the semiconductor device to the image forming apparatus body. The sealing material and the memory support member contain the same type of a thermoplastic resin, the sealing material and the memory support member have bonding faces, and at least parts of the bonding faces are welded and fixed by a solvent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Akira Suzuki, Kaori Noguchi, Yasunori Toriyama
  • Publication number: 20210379760
    Abstract: In an actuator, an unnecessarily large load is prevented from being applied to a shaft and a workpiece. There are included a force sensor, an output of which is according to a force applied to a connecting member connected to the shaft, an amplifier that amplifies the output of the force sensor, and a low-pass filter, and a load applied to the shaft is detected based on an output from the amplifier until the shaft or a member associated with the shaft comes in contact with another member, and thereafter, the load applied to the shaft is detected based on an output from the low-pass filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Fukushima, Masashi Ishii, Hiroki Niwa, Akira Suzuki, Kazuto Oga, Shogo Wakuta, Satoshi Hara, Tomofumi Mizuno, Shigeki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20210370526
    Abstract: The present invention reduces tact time for a pick-and-place operation by an actuator. In a housing of the actuator, an air passage being a passage of air when sucking air from a hollow part of a shaft is provided. Furthermore, a sucking valve that sucks air from the hollow part of the shaft through the air passage and a suction detecting sensor to detect that a workpiece is suctioned onto a tip of the shaft are provided in the air passage. Then, in the housing, the air passage is disposed at a position on a side opposite to a linear motion motor that moves the shaft in an axial direction of the shaft, via the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Fukushima, Masashi Ishii, Hiroki Niwa, Shigeki Hayashi, Akira Suzuki, Kazuto Oga, Shogo Wakuta, Satoshi Hara, Tomofumi Mizuno, Satoru Nagai
  • Publication number: 20210298871
    Abstract: Based on image data obtained by imaging a state in which preliminary cleaning of an endoscope by a manual work, a cleaning status determination unit determines whether or not the preliminary cleaning has been performed on the endoscope. A notification control unit generates notification data regarding the determination result in the cleaning status determination unit and outputs the notification data from the output apparatus. When the cleaning status determination unit identifies a step that has not been properly performed, the notification control unit generates notification data including information regarding the step that has not been properly performed. The notification control unit may generate notification data including image data obtained by imaging the state of the step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi NISHIYAMA, Akira SUZUKI, Hideyuki KUGIMIYA, Yumiko AWAU
  • Publication number: 20210299889
    Abstract: Provided is a sensing device to be applied to an actuator including a shaft that is movable in an axial direction, the shaft including a hollow part formed on at least a tip side of the shaft such that an interior of the shaft is hollow, the actuator being configured to generate a negative pressure in the hollow part to suction a workpiece to a tip of the shaft, thereby picking up the workpiece. The sensing device includes a flow sensor provided in a middle of an air passage to detect a flow rate of air flowing through the air passage, the air passage being a passage through which air sucked out from the hollow part flows when the negative pressure is applied to the hollow part, and a pressure sensor provided in a middle of the air passage, to detect a pressure in the air passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Fukushima, Masashi Ishii, Hiroki Niwa, Shigeki Hayashi, Akira Suzuki, Kazuto Oga, Shogo Wakuta, Satoshi Hara, Tomofumi Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20210221624
    Abstract: The present invention more suitably adjusts a pressure at a tip of a shaft in an actuator configured to generate a negative pressure at the tip of the shaft, to pick up a workpiece with the shaft. A negative pressure-generating structure to be applied to the actuator includes an insertion hole into which the shaft is inserted in a state where a space is formed between the shaft and a wall surface of the insertion hole, an inner space formed inside the negative pressure-generating structure, which communicates with a hollow part of the shaft through a communication hole formed in the shaft, and an air passage connected to the inner space, the air passage being a passage of air when air in the inner space is sucked to generate the negative pressure at the tip of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Fukushima, Masashi Ishii, Hiroki Niwa, Akira Suzuki, Kazuto Oga, Shogo Wakuta, Satoshi Hara, Shigeki Hayashi, Tomofumi Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20210223558
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: generating virtual space images by specifying from among a plurality of viewpoint positions and a plurality of directions of line of sight in the virtual space; and displaying the virtual space images on a head-mounted display, where the generating includes changing from a currently selected viewpoint position among the plurality of viewpoint positions to a newly selected viewpoint position among the plurality of viewpoint positions, which is selected in accordance with operation by a user, when generating the virtual space images in response to changing to the newly selected viewpoint position, the generating includes specifying, as a new direction of line of sight among the plurality of directions of line of sight, a direction in which a first position in the virtual space is seen from the newly selected viewpoint position, and at least some of the plurality of viewpoint positions are separated from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Tomokazu Kake, Takayuki Ishida, Akira Suzuki, Yasuhiro Watari
  • Publication number: 20210188356
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle control device which includes: a surrounding object detection part; a target traveling course calculation part; a corrected traveling course calculation part; and an automatic steering control part to assist in traveling in the lane, wherein: the corrected traveling course calculation part is configured to set an upper limit line of a permissible relative speed with respect to the surrounding object, and derive the corrected traveling course, based on the upper limit line, an evaluation function, and a limiting condition; and the target traveling course calculation part is configured to, when it is determined by the automatic steering control part that there is a possibility of a vehicle deviates from the lane, set the target traveling course at a position offset, with respect to a widthwise middle of the lane, on a side on which there is the possibility of the deviation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Takashi GOTO, Kenta TADA, Hiroshi OHMURA, Kouji HOSODA, Tetsuya TACHIHATA, Takashi NAKAGAMI, Yuma NISHIJO, Yasuhiro KAWAHARA, Shota KATAYAMA, Shoji HARADA, Yuki YAMAMOTO, Soichiro FUKUI, Kazunori ISOMOTO, Akira SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 11042038
    Abstract: A display control apparatus includes a display control section that generates a virtual space image by specifying a viewpoint position and a direction of line of sight and displays the image on a head-mounted display. The display control section can specify a plurality of positions in the virtual space as viewpoint positions and can change the viewpoint position to a position determined from among the plurality of positions in accordance with an attitude of the head-mounted display, and when the viewpoint position is changed, the display control section specifies, as a direction of line of sight, the direction in which a first position in the virtual space is seen from the changed viewpoint position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
    Inventors: Tomokazu Kake, Takayuki Ishida, Akira Suzuki, Yasuhiro Watari
  • Publication number: 20210162609
    Abstract: Provided is an actuator in which a load applied to a shaft and a workpiece is controlled. The actuator includes a support part that rotatably supports the shaft, a linear motion motor that moves the shaft in a direction of a central axis, a connecting member that is at least a part of a member connecting a mover of the linear motion motor and the support part, a strain gauge that detects strain of the connecting member, and a control device that controls the linear motion motor, based on the strain detected by the strain gauge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Fukushima, Masashi Ishii, Hiroki Niwa, Akira Suzuki, Kazuto Oga, Shogo Wakuta, Satoshi Hara, Shigeki Hayashi, Tomofumi Mizuno