Patents by Inventor Daisaku Okuwaki

Daisaku Okuwaki 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: 8390760
    Abstract: A planar light-emitting device enabling reduction in the deflection of a sheet-shaped light-diffusing element includes a reflector having an upper surface serving as a light-reflecting surface, a partition provided on the reflector to extend upward to form a plurality of enclosed spaces over the upper surface of the reflector, light sources disposed in the enclosed spaces, respectively, and at least one sheet-shaped light-diffusing element supported on the upper edges of the partition to transmit and diffuse light from the light sources upward. The side surfaces of the partition that define the enclosed spaces are light-reflecting surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignees: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd., Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ogihara, Daisaku Okuwaki, Makoto Yasuhara, Taku Kumasaka
  • Patent number: 8368838
    Abstract: A planar light-emitting device enabling more precise local dimming has a plurality of light-emitting units each including a lightguide plate and a plurality of light sources disposed successively in the lateral width direction of the light-entrance surface and adjacently facing a light-entrance surface of the lightguide plate to emit light into the lightguide plate through the light-entrance surface. The light sources are divided into a plurality of groups successively arranged in the width direction, each group including at least one light source. The lightguide plates of the light-emitting units are mutually adjacently disposed with their light-exiting surfaces being flush with each other. The planar light-emitting device has a light source output control unit that controls the outputs of the light sources for each group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Taku Kumasaka, Daisaku Okuwaki
  • Patent number: 8213762
    Abstract: A film-shaped lightguide plate having high light entrance efficiency, and which is easy to make, has a lightguide plate body having an upper surface as a light-exiting surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and a peripheral side surface extending between the respective peripheral edges of the upper and lower surfaces. A circumferential part of the peripheral side surface forms a light-entrance surface that faces a light source. The lightguide plate further has an additional lightguide portion formed on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the lightguide plate body at the light-entrance surface side. The additional lightguide portion has a light-entrance surface facing the light source, together with the light-entrance surface of the lightguide plate body. The additional lightguide portion receives light from the light source through its light-entrance surface and guides the light into the lightguide plate body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Kayanuma, Daisaku Okuwaki
  • Patent number: 7932890
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a casing having a display part (2) provided with an image display panel (1), a operation part (4) provided with operation keys (3), and a joint part (5) that connects together the display part and the operation part, and a lightguide plate (6) disposed in the casing. The lightguide plate is an edge-light type lightguide plate having a display illuminating part (6a) illuminating the image display panel, a key illuminating part (6b) illuminating the operation keys, and a connecting part (6c) that connects together the display illuminating part and the key illuminating part and that guides light therebetween. The lightguide plate is deformable in accordance with the deformation of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Onikiri, Daisaku Okuwaki, Yasuaki Kayanuma
  • Patent number: 7875892
    Abstract: A light-emitting device used in a linear array of a plurality of them includes a semiconductor light-emitting element, a substrate on which the semiconductor light-emitting element is mounted, and a light-transmitting sealing resin formed on the front surface of the substrate to seal the semiconductor light-emitting element. Of each of the peripheral edge surfaces of the substrate and the sealing resin, at least one side surface that faces in the direction of the array is inclined in the array direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Akira Onikiri, Daisaku Okuwaki, Naoya Kashiwagi
  • Publication number: 20100266786
    Abstract: An edge-light type light guide plate (30) is provided that has a first surface (31) and a second surface (32) that are opposed to each other, and a peripheral edge surface extending between the peripheral edges of the first and second surfaces. A part of the peripheral edge surface is defined as a light entrance plane (30a). The first surface (31) has a series of parallel elongated raised surfaces (31a) of arcuate cross-section that extend in a direction substantially normal to the light entrance plane (30a). The second surface (32) has a series of parallel elongated recessed surfaces (32a) of triangular cross-section that extend in a direction substantially normal to the elongated raised surfaces (31a) on the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: CITIZEN ELECTRONICS CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Shimura, Daisaku Okuwaki
  • Patent number: 7762706
    Abstract: A planar light source has a light emitting source, and a light guide plate for receiving light beams emitted from the light emitting source at a front side thereof and changing direction of the light beams, discharging the light beams from an upper surface thereof. A first anisotropic diffusion surface is formed on a lower surface of the light guide plate, and a reflection member is provided on the first anisotropic diffusion surface. The first anisotropic diffusion surface is hologram diffusion surface or a hairline diffusion surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisaku Okuwaki
  • Publication number: 20100141867
    Abstract: A planar light-emitting device enabling reduction in the deflection of a sheet-shaped light-diffusing element includes a reflector having an upper surface serving as a light-reflecting surface, a partition provided on the reflector to extend upward to form a plurality of enclosed spaces over the upper surface of the reflector, light sources disposed in the enclosed spaces, respectively, and at least one sheet-shaped light-diffusing element supported on the upper edges of the partition to transmit and diffuse light from the light sources upward. The side surfaces of the partition that define the enclosed spaces are light-reflecting surfaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Takeshi OGIHARA, Daisaku Okuwaki, Makoto Yasuhara, Taku Kumasaka
  • Patent number: 7705931
    Abstract: A planar light-emitting device includes a lightguide plate (7), a light source including at least one light-emitting package (6) that makes light enter the lightguide plate, and a reflecting sheet (10, 11) that returns light leaking from the light source. The lightguide plate has an upper surface as a light exit surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and a peripheral edge surface a part of which is disposed as a light entrance surface (7?). The light source includes at least one light-emitting package (6) having a substrate, at least one light-emitting element mounted on a mount surface of the substrate, and a light-transmitting resin provided on the mount surface to seal the light-emitting element. The reflecting sheet is disposed to face at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the lightguide plate and to extend beyond the light entrance surface as far as over or underneath the light-transmitting resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisaku Okuwaki, Tatsuro Yamada, Kenta Miura
  • Publication number: 20100007819
    Abstract: A planar light-emitting device enabling more precise local dimming has a plurality of light-emitting units each including a lightguide plate and a plurality of light sources disposed successively in the lateral width direction of the light-entrance surface and adjacently facing a light-entrance surface of the lightguide plate to emit light into the lightguide plate through the light-entrance surface. The light sources are divided into a plurality of groups successively arranged in the width direction, each group including at least one light source. The lightguide plates of the light-emitting units are mutually adjacently disposed with their light-exiting surfaces being flush with each other. The planar light-emitting device has a light source output control unit that controls the outputs of the light sources for each group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Taku KUMASAKA, Daisaku OKUWAKI
  • Publication number: 20090242909
    Abstract: A light-emitting device used in a linear array of a plurality of them includes a semiconductor light-emitting element, a substrate on which the semiconductor light-emitting element is mounted, and a light-transmitting sealing resin formed on the front surface of the substrate to seal the semiconductor light-emitting element. Of each of the peripheral edge surfaces of the substrate and the sealing resin, at least one side surface that faces in the direction of the array is inclined in the array direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Akira Onikiri, Daisaku Okuwaki, Naoya Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 7517130
    Abstract: A planar light source unit including a light guiding plate (1) having an anisotropic diffusing surface (1h) which emits anisotropic diffusion light, and a light emitting source (2) for supplying light to the light guiding plate, the anisotropic diffusing surface being formed into a shape configured to give a gradation of the anisotropic diffusion light intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisaku Okuwaki
  • Publication number: 20090059618
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a casing having a display part (2) provided with an image display panel (1), a operation part (4) provided with operation keys (3), and a joint part (5) that connects together the display part and the operation part, and a lightguide plate (6) disposed in the casing. The lightguide plate is an edge-light type lightguide plate having a display illuminating part (6a) illuminating the image display panel, a key illuminating part (6b) illuminating the operation keys, and a connecting part (6c) that connects together the display illuminating part and the key illuminating part and that guides light therebetween. The lightguide plate is deformable in accordance with the deformation of the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Akira Onikiri, Daisaku Okuwaki, Yasuaki Kayanuma
  • Patent number: 7478938
    Abstract: A back light unit including a light source, a light guiding plate having an entrance surface to receive light emitted from the light source, a first emission surface and a second emission surface, a semi-transmissive/reflective member disposed to face one of the first emission surface and the second emission surface, and a chromatic correcting member, the semi-transmissive/reflective member having an incident surface to receive light emitted from one of the first emission surface and the second emission surface and an exit surface, the chromatic correcting member being configured to correct chromaticity of light emitted from the exit surface of the semi-transmissive/reflective member and emit corrected light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyokazu Watanabe, Daisaku Okuwaki
  • Publication number: 20090009689
    Abstract: A planar light-emitting device includes a lightguide plate (7), a light source including at least one light-emitting package (6) that makes light enter the lightguide plate, and a reflecting sheet (10, 11) that returns light leaking from the light source. The lightguide plate has an upper surface as a light exit surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and a peripheral edge surface a part of which is disposed as a light entrance surface (7?). The light source includes at least one light-emitting package (6) having a substrate, at least one light-emitting element mounted on a mount surface of the substrate, and a light-transmitting resin provided on the mount surface to seal the light-emitting element. The reflecting sheet is disposed to face at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the lightguide plate and to extend beyond the light entrance surface as far as over or underneath the light-transmitting resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Daisaku Okuwaki, Tatsuro Yamada, Kenta Miura
  • Publication number: 20080130317
    Abstract: An edge-light type light guide plate (30) is provided that has a first surface (31) and a second surface (32) that are opposed to each other, and a peripheral edge surface extending between the peripheral edges of the first and second surfaces. A part of the peripheral edge surface is defined as a light entrance plane (30a). The first surface (31) has a series of parallel elongated raised surfaces (31a) of arcuate cross-section that extend in a direction substantially normal to the light entrance plane (30a). The second surface (32) has a series of parallel elongated recessed surfaces (32a) of triangular cross-section that extend in a direction substantially normal to the elongated raised surfaces (31a) on the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Shimura, Daisaku Okuwaki
  • Patent number: 7345318
    Abstract: An LED comprising a circuit board, a connecting electrode unit provided on the circuit board, a reflective cup provided within the circuit board, an LED element disposed in the reflective cup and connected to the connecting electrode unit, and a resin with which the reflective cup is filled, a fluorescent material contained in the resin absorbing one portion of light emitted from the LED element and changing the wavelength of the light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisaku Okuwaki, Takashi Shimura
  • Publication number: 20080025048
    Abstract: A planar light source has a light emitting source, and a light guide plate for receiving light beams emitted from the light emitting source at a front side thereof and changing direction of the light beams, discharging the light beams from an upper surface thereof. A first anisotropic diffusion surface is formed on a lower surface of the light guide plate, and a reflection member is provided on the first anisotropic diffusion surface. The first anisotropic diffusion surface is hologram diffusion surface or a hairline diffusion surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: CITIZEN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Daisaku OKUWAKI
  • Publication number: 20080018968
    Abstract: A planar light source unit includes a light guide plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and a peripheral edge surface extending between the peripheral edges of the upper and lower surfaces. A part of the peripheral edge surface is a light-receiving surface, and the upper surface is a light-emitting surface. The upper surface of the light guide plate includes an anisotropic diffusion surface and a smooth flat surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventor: Daisaku Okuwaki
  • Patent number: D601102
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Onikiri, Daisaku Okuwaki, Naoya Kashiwagi