Patents by Inventor Eiichi Minagawa

Eiichi Minagawa 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: 8522617
    Abstract: An acoustic matching device has a water bag (64) that contains water and a water bag support frame (66) that sandwiches and supports the water bag on the left and right sides of the knee and curves along the knee cap. The water bag becomes a plate shape curved along the shape of the water bag support frame, which touches the knee cap and fits the unevenness of the knee. When an ultrasonic probe is moved along the knee cap, the acoustic matching between the knee cap and the ultrasonic probe is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignees: The University of Tokyo, Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozo Nakamura, Isao Onishi, Satoru Ohashi, Eiichi Minagawa, Koji Hirota, Ryoichi Sakai, Koji Ogawa, Koichi Miyasaka, Masaru Murashita
  • Patent number: 8453511
    Abstract: A mounting unit (16) is aligned by using a mounting unit frame (58) touching the thigh and a knee-contacting portion (62) touching the knee, with the knee being bent. The mounting unit is also equipped with a probe support frame (60) used for moving an ultrasonic probe along the knee cap. The probe support frame moves rotationally about the mechanical center of the knee joint, thereby allowing the ultrasonic probe (78) to move along the knee cap while facing toward the mechanical center of the knee joint and to perform scanning of an ultrasonic beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignees: The University of Tokyo, Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozo Nakamura, Isao Onishi, Satoru Ohashi, Eiichi Minagawa, Koji Hirota, Ryoichi Sakai, Koji Ogawa, Koichi Miyasaka, Masaru Murashita
  • Patent number: 8333719
    Abstract: An oscillation arm moves in a seesaw fashion about an oscillation axis which is supported by a support rod and which serves as a fulcrum. A rotation arm and a pressurizer are provided on one end of the oscillation arm. One end of the rotation arm is rotatably attached to the oscillation arm, and a load weight is placed on the other end of the rotation arm. By rotating the rotation arm, the magnitude of a force to be applied by the load weight to the pressurizer is adjusted. More specifically, by displacing the load weight to a predetermined position by rotation and then causing the load weight to stop at this position, a static load corresponding to the rotation angle can be applied to the pressurizer. Further, by causing the load weight to perform rotational motion, the magnitude of the force to be applied to the pressurizer is periodically varied, so that a load which varies periodically can be applied to hard tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Minagawa, Ryoichi Sakai, Koji Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8317710
    Abstract: Provided is a bone inspecting system for placing the lower legs (L) of an examinee (P) on a proximal support block (26) and a distal support block (28) mounted on a turning base (24). The proximal support block supports the heads of fibula, and the distal support block supports the lateral malleolus or medial malleolus of a tibial distal end of the examinee. The turning base is supported turnably on a turning axis positioned near the knees of the examinee, with respect to a main base (22), and is moved up and down by an elevating mechanism (30) disposed near the ankles. The turning base (24) is turned by the elevating mechanism while bearing the lower legs thereon, thereby positioning the lower legs horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignees: The University of Tokyo, Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kozo Nakamura, Isao Onishi, Juntaro Matsuyama, Kenji Tobita, Ryoichi Sakai, Koji Ogawa, Koichi Miyasaka, Eiichi Minagawa
  • Publication number: 20110132094
    Abstract: A mounting unit (16) is aligned by using a mounting unit frame (58) touching the thigh and a knee-contacting portion (62) touching the knee, with the knee being bent. The mounting unit is also equipped with a probe support frame (60) used for moving an ultrasonic probe along the knee cap. The probe support frame moves rotationally about the mechanical center of the knee joint, thereby allowing the ultrasonic probe (78) to move along the knee cap while facing toward the mechanical center of the knee joint and to perform scanning of an ultrasonic beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, ALOKA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kozo Nakamura, Isao Onishi, Satoru Ohashi, Eiichi Minagawa, Koji Hirota, Ryoichi Sakai, Koji Ogawa, Koichi Miyasaka, Masaru Murashita
  • Publication number: 20110126629
    Abstract: An acoustic matching device has a water bag (64) that contains water and a water bag support frame (66) that sandwiches and supports the water bag on the left and right sides of the knee and curves along the knee cap. The water bag becomes a plate shape curved along the shape of the water bag support frame, which touches the knee cap and fits the unevenness of the knee. When an ultrasonic probe is moved along the knee cap, the acoustic matching between the knee cap and the ultrasonic probe is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, ALOKA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kozo Nakamura, Isao Onishi, Satoru Ohashi, Eiichi Minagawa, Koji Hirota, Ryoichi Sakai, Koji Ogawa, Koichi Miyasaka, Masaru Murashita
  • Publication number: 20110130688
    Abstract: Provided is a bone inspecting system for placing the lower legs (L) of an examinee (P) on a proximal support block (26) and a distal support block (28) mounted on a turning base (24). The proximal support block supports the heads of fibula, and the distal support block supports the lateral malleolus or medial malleolus of a tibial distal end of the examinee. The turning base is supported turnably on a turning axis positioned near the knees of the examinee, with respect to a main base (22), and is moved up and down by an elevating mechanism (30) disposed near the ankles. The turning base (24) is turned by the elevating mechanism while bearing the lower legs thereon, thereby positioning the lower legs horizontally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicants: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO, ALOKA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kozo Nakamura, Isao Onishi, Juntaro Matsuyama, Kenji Tobita, Ryoichi Sakai, Koji Ogawa, Koichi Miyasaka, Eiichi Minagawa
  • Publication number: 20080242970
    Abstract: An oscillation arm moves in a seesaw fashion about an oscillation axis which is supported by a support rod and which serves as a fulcrum. A rotation arm and a pressurizer are provided on one end of the oscillation arm. One end of the rotation arm is rotatably attached to the oscillation arm, and a load weight is placed on the other end of the rotation arm. By rotating the rotation arm, the magnitude of a force to be applied by the load weight to the pressurizer is adjusted. More specifically, by displacing the load weight to a predetermined position by rotation and then causing the load weight to stop at this position, a static load corresponding to the rotation angle can be applied to the pressurizer. Further, by causing the load weight to perform rotational motion, the magnitude of the force to be applied to the pressurizer is periodically varied, so that a load which varies periodically can be applied to hard tissue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: ALOKA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiichi Minagawa, Ryoichi Sakai, Koji Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7402809
    Abstract: When a heating process is performed in a state where a thermal transfer sheet is superimposed on a scintillator plate, a film of the thermal transfer sheet is separated from the thermal transfer sheet and adhered onto the scintillator plate. The film includes a protective layer, an aluminum layer, and an adhesive layer. The aluminum layer is protected by the protective layer. Because the scintillator plate by itself functions as a rear surface support substrate with respect to the protective layer and the aluminum layer, a film which is highly resistive against an external effect can be formed. A plurality of films can be layered on the scintillator plate. A pressure transfer method can also be used for formation of the film. A scintillator member in which the film has been formed is disposed in a radiation measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Aloka Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiichi Minagawa, Shohei Matsubara
  • Publication number: 20060151706
    Abstract: When a heating process is performed in a state where a thermal transfer sheet is superimposed on a scintillator plate, a film of the thermal transfer sheet is separated from the thermal transfer sheet and adhered onto the scintillator plate. The film includes a protective layer, an aluminum layer, and an adhesive layer. The aluminum layer is protected by the protective layer. Because the scintillator plate by itself functions as a rear surface support substrate with respect to the protective layer and the aluminum layer, a film which is highly resistive against an external effect can be formed. A plurality of films can be layered on the scintillator plate. A pressure transfer method can also be used for formation of the film. A scintillator member in which the film has been formed is disposed in a radiation measuring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2006
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Eiichi Minagawa, Shohei Matsubara