Patents by Inventor Atsushi Kikuchi

Atsushi Kikuchi 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: 11831270
    Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a control unit monitoring a rotational state of a rotor of a two-phase stepping motor, setting an energization angle ? representing a magnitude of an electric angle for continuously energizing, of coils of two phases of the two-phase stepping motor, a coil of one phase in one direction based on the rotational state of the rotor, and generating a control signal Sd for controlling driving of the two-phase stepping motor based on the set energization angle ?, and a drive unit driving the coils of two phases based on the control signal Sd.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Wada, Atsushi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20230288776
    Abstract: An optical actuator is an optical actuator configured to move an optical element by a driving part, and includes a movable-side member configured to hold the optical element, a fixed-side member configured to support the movable-side member such that the movable-side member is movable, and a cushioning member disposed on the movable-side member, in which the cushioning member includes a first cushioning surface and a second cushioning surface that face the fixed-side member at respective different distances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro TAKIMOTO, Atsushi KIKUCHI, Ichiro HAYASHI, Yoshihiro KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20230288720
    Abstract: An optical actuator is an optical actuator configured to move an optical element by a driving part, and includes a movable-side member including a base portion configured to hold the optical element, and a fixed-side member configured to support the movable-side member such that the movable-side member is movable, in which the movable-side member includes a cushioning member that is engaged with the base portion to be prevented from coming off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Applicant: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro TAKIMOTO, Atsushi KIKUCHI, Ichiro HAYASHI, Yoshihiro KIMURA
  • Patent number: 11750125
    Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a control unit generating a control signal Sd such that one-phase excitation of exciting, of coils and of two phases of a two-phase stepping motor, a coil for one phase and two-phase excitation of exciting the coils for two phases are alternately repeated, and a drive unit driving the coils of two phases based on the control signal Sd. An energization angle ? representing a magnitude of an electric angle for continuously energizing the coil of one phase in one direction is capable of being set in the control unit. Specifically, the control unit determines a period T1n for performing the one-phase excitation based on a back electromotive voltage generated in the coil non-excited in the one-phase excitation, and determines a period T2n for performing the two-phase excitation based on an elapsed time per unit angle while the two-phase stepping motor is being excited and the energization angle ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Wada, Atsushi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20230219667
    Abstract: A buoyancy adjuster includes: a buoyant portion detachably attached to a target object including a housing portion having a positive buoyancy, the buoyant portion having a neutral or negative buoyancy; and an orientation adjuster detachably attachable to the buoyant portion, the orientation adjuster configured to adjust orientation of the target object in a fluid. The orientation adjuster includes a weight portion detachably attached to a prescribed position of the buoyant portion, the weight portion having a negative buoyancy exceeding the positive buoyancy of the housing portion. A first height position of the housing portion relative to a second height position of the buoyant portion attaching the weight portion is lower than the first height position relative to the second height position of the buoyant portion without the weight portion in the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Atsushi KIKUCHI, Kazuhiro KOSEKI
  • Patent number: 11597982
    Abstract: A process of producing a fine-grained austenitic stainless steel, the process comprising a step of subjecting a fine-grained austenitic stainless steel comprising: C: 0.15 wt % or less, Si: 1.00 wt % or less, Mn: 2.0 wt % or less, Ni: 6.0 to 14.0 wt %, Cr: 16.0 to 22.0 wt %, and Mo: 3.0 wt % or less, with the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, and having an average grain size of 10 ?m or lower, to an annealing treatment at a temperature from 600° C. to 700° C. for 48 hours or longer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY
    Inventors: Noriaki Hirota, Tomoaki Takeuchi, Hiroko Nakano, Atsushi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20230068899
    Abstract: An optical actuator is configured to include: a movable part on which a lens part is mountable, the movable part being configured to move by driving of a driving part; a fixing part accommodating the movable part; and a first shaft and a second shaft that are spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the movable part, and are fixed to the fixing part, in which the movable part is configured to slide on the first shaft and the second shaft while making contact with the first shaft at two places in an axial direction and with the second shaft at one place in the axial direction. Thus, the optical actuator capable of stably supporting the movable part with respect to the fixing part is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi KIKUCHI, Yukihiro TAKIMOTO, Tomoyuki MURAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20220385216
    Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a control unit generating a control signal Sd such that one-phase excitation of exciting, of coils and of two phases of a two-phase stepping motor, a coil for one phase and two-phase excitation of exciting the coils for two phases are alternately repeated, and a drive unit driving the coils of two phases based on the control signal Sd. An energization angle ? representing a magnitude of an electric angle for continuously energizing the coil of one phase in one direction is capable of being set in the control unit. Specifically, the control unit determines a period T1n for performing the one-phase excitation based on a back electromotive voltage generated in the coil non-excited in the one-phase excitation, and determines a period T2n for performing the two-phase excitation based on an elapsed time per unit angle while the two-phase stepping motor is being excited and the energization angle ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Naoyuki WADA, Atsushi KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220385215
    Abstract: A motor drive control device includes a control unit monitoring a rotational state of a rotor of a two-phase stepping motor, setting an energization angle ? representing a magnitude of an electric angle for continuously energizing, of coils of two phases of the two-phase stepping motor, a coil of one phase in one direction based on the rotational state of the rotor, and generating a control signal Sd for controlling driving of the two-phase stepping motor based on the set energization angle ?, and a drive unit driving the coils of two phases based on the control signal Sd.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Naoyuki WADA, Atsushi KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220372602
    Abstract: This austenitic stainless steel sheet contains, as a chemical composition, by mass %, C: 0.030% or less, Si: 1.0% or less, Mn: 1.5% or less, Cr: 15.0% or more and 20.0% or less, Ni: 6.5% or more and 9.0% or less, N: 0.030% or more and 0.150% or less, any one of Nb, V, and Ti or two or more thereof in total: 0.030% or more and 0.300% or less, Mo: 0% or more and 2.0% or less, Cu: 0% or more and 1.5% or less, Co: 0% or more and 1.0% or less, P: 0.10% or less, S: 0.010% or less, and Al: 0.10% or less, in which a remainder includes Fe and impurities, the average grain size is 5.0 ?m or less, and the non-recrystallization rate is more than 3% and 20% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayoshi SAWADA, Hiroshi KAMIO, Masayuki SHIBUYA, Atsushi KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 11427008
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head configured to discharge a liquid, and a discharge receptacle configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head at an installation position. The discharge receptacle includes a liquid holder configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head, and a support configured to detachably support the liquid holder. At least a part of the support is displaceable to a detachment position at which the liquid holder is detachable from the support, and the detachment position is lower than the installation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Kikuchi, Kazuhisa Yoda
  • Publication number: 20220206287
    Abstract: This lens driving device is configured separately from a lens unit including a liquid lens, and is provided with: a fixed part; a movable part; a support part that supports the movable part with respect to the fixed part; a driving unit that is formed from a voice coil motor comprising a coil and a magnet and that moves the movable part in an optical axis direction with respect to the fixed part; and a lens deformation unit that is connected to the movable part and that applies, in association with the movement of the movable part, a force to the liquid lens in the optical axis direction. The movable part has a plurality of movable units, and the driving unit drives the movable units independently so as to change the curvature of the liquid lens or to change the optical axis of the liquid lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiko OSAKA, Ichiro HAYASHI, Atsushi KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20210155003
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a head configured to discharge a liquid, and a discharge receptacle configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head at an installation position. The discharge receptacle includes a liquid holder configured to receive the liquid discharged from the head, and a support configured to detachably support the liquid holder. At least a part of the support is displaceable to a detachment position at which the liquid holder is detachable from the support, and the detachment position is lower than the installation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Kikuchi, Kazuhisa Yoda
  • Patent number: 10880461
    Abstract: Provided are a lens driving device, a camera module, and a camera-mounted device for which the miniaturization and weight reduction can be achieved and the reliability can also be improved. The lens driving device includes auto-focusing and shake-correcting driving parts utilizing a voice coil motor. An autofocus movable part includes a lens holder adapted to hold a lens part and an auto-focusing coil part, an autofocus fixing part includes a magnet holder adapted to hold an auto-focusing magnet part, and a shake-correcting fixing part includes a base to which a shake-correcting coil part is disposed. At least one of the lens holder, magnet holder, and base is formed from a molding material consisting of polyarylate (PAR) or a PAR alloy which is a mixture of multiple resin materials including polyarylate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiko Osaka, Takashi Ishizawa, Atsushi Kikuchi, Minoru Katagiri
  • Patent number: 10766261
    Abstract: A head cleaning device includes a first wiping member, a first drive mechanism, a second wiping member, a second drive mechanism, a common drive source, and control circuitry. The first wiping member wipes a nozzle face of each of a plurality of liquid discharge heads. The first drive mechanism moves the first wiping member to a first wiping position at which the first wiping member wipes the nozzle face and a first retraction position spaced apart from the nozzle face. The second wiping member wipes the nozzle face. The second drive mechanism moves the second wiping member to a second wiping position at which the second wiping member wipes the nozzle face and a second retraction position spaced apart from the nozzle face. The common drive source drives the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism. The control circuitry controls the common drive source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20200247126
    Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a plurality of heads and a wiper. Each of the heads includes a nozzle face having a plurality of nozzles configured to discharge a liquid. The wiper includes a wiping member configured to clean, by wiping, the nozzle face of each of the plurality of heads. The apparatus further includes circuitry configured to control cleaning of the plurality of heads by the wiper, cause the wiper to perform a first wiping operation on a part of the plurality of heads, and cause the wiper to perform a second wiping operation, different from the first wiping operation, on a rest of the plurality of heads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsushi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 10649174
    Abstract: Provided are a lens driving device, a camera module, and a camera-mounted device for which the miniaturization and weight reduction can be achieved and the reliability can also be improved. The lens driving device includes auto-focusing and shake-correcting driving parts utilizing a voice coil motor. A shake-correcting fixing part includes a coil board consisting of a multilayer printed wiring board in which multiple unit layers consisting of a conductor layer and an insulating layer are stacked on one another, and a base on which the coil board is placed. A shake-correcting coil part, an external terminal, and a conductor pattern including a power-supply line configured to connect the external terminal to the shake-correcting coil part are integrally formed in the coil board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiko Osaka, Atsushi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20200102625
    Abstract: A process of producing a fine-grained austenitic stainless steel, said process comprising a step of subjecting a fine-grained austenitic stainless steel comprising: C: 0.15 wt % or less, Si: 1.00 wt % or less, Mn: 2.0 wt % or less, Ni: 6.0 to 14.0 wt %, Cr: 16.0 to 22.0 wt %, and Mo: 3.0 wt % or less, with the balance being Fe and inevitable impurities, and having an average grain size of 10 ?m or lower, to an annealing treatment at a temperature from 600° C. to 700° C. for 48 hours or longer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: JAPAN ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY
    Inventors: Noriaki HIROTA, Tomoaki TAKEUCHI, Hiroko NAKANO, Atsushi KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 10571649
    Abstract: A lens driving device includes an auto-focusing driving part that includes an auto-focusing coil and driving magnets, and an optical image stabilization driving part that includes an optical image stabilization coil disposed so as to be spaced apart from the driving magnets in an optical-axis direction and the driving magnets. An autofocus fixing part includes a magnet holder to which the driving magnets are fixed by adhesion, and adhesion surfaces of the magnet holder to which the driving magnets adhere are parallel to the optical-axis direction, and first end portions of the adhesion surfaces facing an optical image stabilization fixing part in the optical-axis direction are opened. Each adhesion surface includes a recessed portion that extends in the optical-axis direction toward a second end portion, which is opposite to the first end portion, from a portion positioned closer to an inside than the first end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomohiko Osaka, Atsushi Kikuchi, Minoru Katagiri
  • Publication number: 20190283431
    Abstract: A head cleaning device includes a first wiping member, a first drive mechanism, a second wiping member, a second drive mechanism, a common drive source, and control circuitry. The first wiping member wipes a nozzle face of each of a plurality of liquid discharge heads. The first drive mechanism moves the first wiping member to a first wiping position at which the first wiping member wipes the nozzle face and a first retraction position spaced apart from the nozzle face. The second wiping member wipes the nozzle face. The second drive mechanism moves the second wiping member to a second wiping position at which the second wiping member wipes the nozzle face and a second retraction position spaced apart from the nozzle face. The common drive source drives the first drive mechanism and the second drive mechanism. The control circuitry controls the common drive source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventor: Atsushi Kikuchi