Patents by Inventor Etsuo Ooba

Etsuo Ooba 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: 20090265927
    Abstract: The integrated structure of the stress sensor section with the control section facilitates the confirmation of the matching of both sections before the input device is incorporated into an electronic device. For example, it is possible to select only the input device which exhibits favorable matching as a result of the confirmation and to incorporate it in the electronic device. Therefore, with the above-described structure of the present invention, an input device that enables constantly favorable matching of both the stress sensor section and the control section can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: Elan Microelectronics Corp.
    Inventors: Hiroshi YAJIMA, Etsuo OOBA, Fumiaki KARASAWA, Atsuomi INUKAI
  • Publication number: 20090100670
    Abstract: The integrated structure of the stress sensor section with the control section facilitates the confirmation of the matching of both sections before the input device is incorporated into an electronic device. For example, it is possible to select only the input device which exhibits favorable matching as a result of the confirmation and to incorporate it in the electronic device. Therefore, with the above-described structure of the present invention, an input device that enables constantly favorable matching of both the stress sensor section and the control section can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yajima, Etsuo Ooba, Fumiaki Karasawa, Atsuomi Inukai
  • Patent number: 7262682
    Abstract: A stress sensor in which the direction and magnitude of a stress being applied to a post bonded to or integrated with an insulating board can be grasped from variation in the resistance of resistor elements being stimulated by application of the stress while suppressing variation in the shape of each resistor. The resistor element comprises a resistor formed, by screen print, between a pair of electrodes for the resistor element, i.e. circuit pattern electrodes, arranged on the surface of the insulating board. The electrode is connected, through a conductor, with a board terminal part arranged at one end of the insulating board. The electrode and the conductor or a print accuracy adjusting member have a constant height from the surface of the insulating board. Arrangement of the conductor, electrode and print accuracy adjusting member is entirely identical or similar for the resistor elements in the vicinity thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Elantech Devices Corporation
    Inventors: Etsuo Ooba, Atsuomi Inukai, Fumiaki Karasawa, Hiroshi Yajima
  • Publication number: 20070008281
    Abstract: The integrated structure of the stress sensor section with the control section facilitates the confirmatin of the matching of both sections before the input device is incorporated into an electronic device. For example, it is possible to select only the input device which exhibits favorable matching as a result of the confirmation and to incorporate it in the electronic device. Therefore, with the above-described structure of the present invention, and input device that enables constantly favorable matching of both the stress section and the control section can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yajima, Etsuo Ooba, Fumiaki Karasawa, Atsuomi Inukai
  • Patent number: 7151431
    Abstract: A stress sensor in which the direction and magnitude of a stress being applied to a post (6) bonded to or integrated with the surface of an insulating board (3) can be grasped from variation in the resistance of a plurality of resistor elements (8) being stimulated by application of the stress while suppressing variation in the shape of each resistor (2). The resistor element (8) comprises a resistor (4) formed, by screen print, between a pair of electrodes for the resistor element, i.e. circuit pattern electrodes (1), arranged on the surface of the insulating board (3). The electrode is connected, through a conductor (9), with a board terminal part (5) arranged at one end of the insulating board (3). The electrode (1) and the conductor (9) or a print accuracy adjusting member (7) have a constant height from the surface of the insulating board (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Elantech Devices Corporation
    Inventors: Etsuo Ooba, Atsuomi Inukai, Fumiaki Karasawa, Hiroshi Yajima
  • Publication number: 20060218779
    Abstract: A stress sensor in which the direction and magnitude of a stress being applied to a post bonded to or integrated with an insulating board can be grasped from variation in the resistance of resistor elements being stimulated by application of the stress while suppressing variation in the shape of each resistor. The resistor element comprises a resistor formed, by screen print, between a pair of electrodes for the resistor element, i.e. circuit pattern electrodes, arranged on the surface of the insulating board. The electrode is connected, through a conductor, with a board terminal part arranged at one end of the insulating board. The electrode and the conductor or a print accuracy adjusting member have a constant height from the surface of the insulating board. Arrangement of the conductor, electrode and print accuracy adjusting member is entirely identical or similar for the resistor elements in the vicinity thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Etsuo Ooba, Atsuomi Inukai, Fumiaki Karasawa, Hiroshi Yajima
  • Patent number: 6993982
    Abstract: A stress sensor enduring against long-term use is provided. Accordingly, a substrate (4), which is used as both a sensor part (1) and a supporting part (2), functions as a stress sensor, in which the sensor part (1) has means for deforming a part thereof in response to a given stress and strain gauges (5) having a function for varying electric properties in response to the deformation, and in which the deforming part has a stress dispersing means (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Elantech Devices Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiaki Karasawa, Etsuo Ooba, Hiroshi Yajima
  • Publication number: 20050050959
    Abstract: A stress sensor in which the direction and magnitude of a stress being applied to a post (6) bonded to or integrated with the surface of an insulating board (3) can be grasped from variation in the resistance of a plurality of resistor elements (8) being stimulated by application of the stress while suppressing variation in the shape of each resistor (2). The resistor element (8) comprises a resistor (4) formed, by screen print, between a pair of electrodes for the resistor element, i.e. circuit pattern electrodes (1), arranged on the surface of the insulating board (3). The electrode is connected, through a conductor (9), with a board terminal part (5) arranged at one end of the insulating board (3). The electrode (1) and the conductor (9) or a print accuracy adjusting member (7) have a constant height from the surface of the insulating board (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2002
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Etsuo Ooba, Atsuomi Inukai, Fumiaki Karasawa, Hiroshi Yajma
  • Publication number: 20040145577
    Abstract: An input device which enables a constantly favorable matching of both a stress sensor section (10) and a control section (11). To provide this device, the stress sensor section (10) which generates a change in characteristic values of a strain gauge (14) due to stress application to a post (2) arranged on one face of a board (sensor section board (1)) is integrated with the control section (11) which converts the change in characteristic values into data on a direction and intensity of the stress. For example, a resistance element (12) is used for the strain gauge (4) arranged on the sensor section board (1). The control section (11) keeps necessary ICs and electronic components mounted on the face of the control section board (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yajima, Etsuo Ooba, Fumiaki Karasawa, Atsuomi Inukai
  • Publication number: 20040123676
    Abstract: A stress sensor enduring against long-term use is provided. Accordingly, a substrate (4), which is used as both a sensor part (1) and a supporting part (2), functions as a stress sensor, in which the sensor part (1) has means for deforming a part thereof in response to a given stress and strain gauges (5) having a function for varying electric properties in response to the deformation, and in which the deforming part has a stress dispersing means (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Fumiaki Karasawa, Etsuo Ooba, Hiroshi Yajima