Patents by Inventor Goichi Akanuma

Goichi Akanuma 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: 20160139404
    Abstract: A light deflector includes a mirror unit having a light reflection plane, a base, a pair of elastic supporting members each having one end attached to the mirror unit and the other end attached to the base and configured to support the mirror unit in a rotatable and oscillatable manner, and a pair of drive bars each having one end attached to another end of a corresponding one of the elastic supporting members and the other end attached to the base in a cantilevered state. The mirror unit rotates and oscillates about a center of rotation as deformation of the drive bars is transmitted to the mirror unit through the elastic supporting members. The center of rotation of the mirror unit is within a range of ?0.05×D to ?0.01×D, where D denotes a diameter of the mirror unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventor: Goichi AKANUMA
  • Publication number: 20160109697
    Abstract: A light deflector is provided including a mirror unit having a light reflection plane, a movable frame to support the mirror unit, a support frame disposed to surround the movable frame, a pair of serpentine beams each disposed between the movable frame and the support frame on both sides of the movable frame to form a turning shape, each of the serpentine beams having one end attached to the support frame, and another end attached to the movable frame, and a vibration damper provided on a portion that moves due to deformation of the serpentine beams caused by application of voltage being transferred
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Jun NAKAGAWA, Tsuyoshi HASHIGUCHI, Eri WATANABE, Goichi AKANUMA, Tomofumi KITAZAWA
  • Patent number: 9291817
    Abstract: An optical deflecting device includes a mirror having a reflecting surface and a support unit to support the mirror. The support unit includes a first drive unit. The first drive unit includes a plurality of continuously meandering first beams and a plurality of first piezoelectric members respectively provided to the plurality of first beams to swing the mirror around a first axis to deflect light incident on the reflecting surface of the mirror. Two voltages having non-similar waveforms are respectively applied in parallel to each two of the first piezoelectric members respectively provided to adjacent two of the first beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Hashiguchi, Tomofumi Kitazawa, Goichi Akanuma
  • Publication number: 20150077823
    Abstract: An optical deflecting device includes a mirror having a reflecting surface and a support unit to support the mirror. The support unit includes a first drive unit. The first drive unit includes a plurality of continuously meandering first beams and a plurality of first piezoelectric members respectively provided to the plurality of first beams to swing the mirror around a first axis to deflect light incident on the reflecting surface of the mirror. Two voltages having non-similar waveforms are respectively applied in parallel to each two of the first piezoelectric members respectively provided to adjacent two of the first beams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi HASHIGUCHI, Tomofumi KITAZAWA, Goichi AKANUMA
  • Publication number: 20150062683
    Abstract: An optical deflection device includes a mirror having a reflection face for deflecting light that enters the reflection face; and a support member to support the mirror including a torsion bar having one end being continuously connected to the mirror; a beam being continuously connected to another end of the torsion bar; and a plurality of piezoelectric elements disposed on the beam including a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Goichi AKANUMA, Tomofumi Kitazawa
  • Patent number: 8830551
    Abstract: An actuator is configured of a frame element, a pair of beam elements, a movable element rotatably supported by the frame element via the beam elements, a driver configured to rotate the movable element relative to the frame element around the beam elements as a rotary shaft; and damper elements provided on the rotary axis of the beam elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Kitazawa, Goichi Akanuma, Mitsumi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8395834
    Abstract: The deflecting mirror includes a fixed base member; a mirror having a reflection surface; a support member swingablly supporting the mirror; a pair of driving beam members, each having a first end connected with the fixed base member and a second end connected with the support member to support the support member from both sides; and a piezoelectric member fixed to each driving beam member and extending from the first or second end of each driving beam member while having length not longer than about half the length of the driving beam member. The piezoelectric member and the driving beam members constitute piezoelectric unimorph or bimorph structure. By applying voltage to the piezoelectric member, the driving beam members are driven at the same time in the same direction, thereby vibrating the support member in a direction perpendicular to the reflection surface of the mirror, resulting in swinging of the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Goichi Akanuma, Tomofumi Kitazawa, Fumiko Sakoh
  • Patent number: 8255936
    Abstract: An objective lens drive apparatus configured to drive an objective lens that focuses a laser beam on an optical disk is disclosed, the apparatus including a holding member that holds the objective lens; at least one pair of drive magnets arranged to face each other at opposite sides of the holding member with respect a tangential direction that is parallel to a tangential line of the optical disk, the drive magnets having protruding end portions that protrude from each side of the holding member with respect to a tracking direction that is parallel to a radial direction of the optical disk; and plural drive coils configured to drive the holding member through interaction with the drive magnets, at least one of the drive coils being arranged on each side of the drive magnets with respect to the tangential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Goichi Akanuma, No-Cheol Park, Dong-Ju Lee, Myeong-Gyu Song, Yang-Hyun Seok
  • Publication number: 20120120470
    Abstract: An actuator is configured of a frame element, a pair of beam elements, a movable element rotatably supported by the frame element via the beam elements, a driver configured to rotate the movable element relative to the frame element around the beam elements as a rotary shaft; and damper elements provided on the rotary axis of the beam elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Tomofumi KITAZAWA, Goichi Akanuma, Mitsumi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8174750
    Abstract: An optical deflector, including a fixed base; a mirror having a light reflection surface; a pair of elastic support members oscillatably supporting the mirror; and a pair of drive beams formed of a beam-shaped member on which a piezoelectric is fixed, wherein the elastic support members and the drive beams in longitudinal directions are almost orthogonally located and connected with each other, other ends of the drive beams are fixed on the fixed base, the mirror and the pair of elastic support members are cantilevered by the pair of drive beams relative to the fixed base, and bending oscillation of the drive beams causes torsional deformation of the elastic members to rotationally oscillate the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Goichi Akanuma, Tomofumi Kitazawa, Fumiko Sakoh, Mitsumi Fujii
  • Patent number: 8147069
    Abstract: A lighting device, including a first light source emitting light of a first wavelength; a second light source close to the first source, emitting light of a second wavelength in almost a same direction as that of the first source; a third light source located emitting light of a third wavelength in a direction different from that of the first and second sources; a coupling optical system coupling light from the first and second sources; another coupling optical system coupling light from the third source; and a light path synthesizer synthesizing a light path of light from the first, second and third sources, wherein the light path synthesizer includes a first surface reflecting light from the first source and transmitting light from the second and third sources and a second surface unparallel with the first surface, reflecting light from the second source and transmitting light from the third source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Manabu Seo, Hiroshi Akiyama, Shigeru Oouchida, Yukiko Hamano, Goichi Akanuma
  • Publication number: 20100309536
    Abstract: An optical deflector, including a fixed base; a mirror having a light reflection surface; a pair of elastic support members oscillatably supporting the mirror; and a pair of drive beams formed of a beam-shaped member on which a piezoelectric is fixed, wherein the elastic support members and the drive beams in longitudinal directions are almost orthogonally located and connected with each other, other ends of the drive beams are fixed on the fixed base, the mirror and the pair of elastic support members are cantilevered by the pair of drive beams relative to the fixed base, and bending oscillation of the drive beams causes torsional deformation of the elastic members to rotationally oscillate the mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 9, 2010
    Inventors: Goichi AKANUMA, Tomofumi Kitazawa, Fumiko Sakoh, Mitsumi Fujii
  • Publication number: 20100195180
    Abstract: The deflecting mirror includes a fixed base member; a mirror having a reflection surface; a support member swingably supporting the mirror; a pair of driving beam members, each having a first end connected with the fixed base member and a second end connected with the support member to support the support member from both sides; and a piezoelectric member fixed to each driving beam member and extending from the first or second end of each driving beam member while having length not longer than about half the length of the driving beam member. The piezoelectric member and the driving beam members constitute piezoelectric unimorph or bimorph structure. By applying voltage to the piezoelectric member, the driving beam members are driven at the same time in the same direction, thereby vibrating the support member in a direction perpendicular to the reflection surface of the mirror, resulting in swinging of the mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Inventors: Goichi Akanuma, Tomofumi Kitazawa, Fumiko Sakoh
  • Patent number: 7701584
    Abstract: A light path circuit apparatus suited for a small sized ring laser gyro, includes a base having a standard plane, one or more substrates laminated parallel against the standard plane in a direction orthogonal to the standard plane, a light source, wherein on the base and/or the one or more substrates, 3 or more reflective surfaces, having normal lines within a prescribed one plane orthogonal to the standard plane, are constituted parallel or with tilt by a prescribed angle to the standard plane, the light source is disposed to emit light within the prescribed one plane, and the light emitted from the light source circulates within the one plane in a forward and backward direction by three or more reflective surfaces and constitutes a light path circuit that laser oscillates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Goichi Akanuma, Kazusuke Maenaka, Takayuki Fujita
  • Publication number: 20100033685
    Abstract: A lighting device, including a first light source emitting light of a first wavelength; a second light source close to the first source, emitting light of a second wavelength in almost a same direction as that of the first source; a third light source located emitting light of a third wavelength in a direction different from that of the first and second sources; a coupling optical system coupling light from the first and second sources; another coupling optical system coupling light from the third source; and a light path synthesizer synthesizing a light path of light from the first, second and third sources, wherein the light path synthesizer includes a first surface reflecting light from the first source and transmitting light from the second and third sources and a second surface unparallel with the first surface, reflecting light from the second source and transmitting light from the third source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Manabu SEO, Hiroshi AKIYAMA, Shigeru OOUCHIDA, Yukiko HAMANO, Goichi AKANUMA
  • Patent number: 7489600
    Abstract: An object lens driving device with reduced tilt even when focusing and tracking operations are performed simultaneously . The object lens driving device includes a movable unit with an object lens and an object lens holding member lens, elastic supporting rods arranged on two sides of the movable unit in a tangential direction and supporting the movable unit while allowing the movable unit to move relative to a fixed unit in a focusing direction and a tracking direction, and a driving unit that includes a focusing thrust force generation unit and a tracking thrust force generation unit. The force generation units generate a moment which acts to cancel out a tilt of the movable unit occurring in a supporting system when the movable unit moves in the focusing direction and the tracking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Goichi Akanuma
  • Publication number: 20090021744
    Abstract: A light path circuit apparatus suited for a small sized ring laser gyro, includes a base having a standard plane, one or more substrates laminated parallel against the standard plane in a direction orthogonal to the standard plane, a light source, wherein on the base and/or the one or more substrates, 3 or more reflective surfaces, having normal lines within a prescribed one plane orthogonal to the standard plane, are constituted parallel or with tilt by a prescribed angle to the standard plane, the light source is disposed to emit light within the prescribed one plane, and the light emitted from the light source circulates within the one plane in a forward and backward direction by three or more reflective surfaces and constitutes a light path circuit that laser oscillates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Goichi Akanuma, Kazusuke Maenaka, Takayuki Fujita
  • Publication number: 20080151737
    Abstract: An objective lens drive apparatus configured to drive an objective lens that focuses a laser beam on an optical disk is disclosed, the apparatus including a holding member that holds the objective lens; at least one pair of drive magnets arranged to face each other at opposite sides of the holding member with respect a tangential direction that is parallel to a tangential line of the optical disk, the drive magnets having protruding end portions that protrude from each side of the holding member with respect to a tracking direction that is parallel to a radial direction of the optical disk; and plural drive coils configured to drive the holding member through interaction with the drive magnets, at least one of the drive coils being arranged on each side of the drive magnets with respect to the tangential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Goichi Akanuma, No-Cheol Park, Dong-Ju Lee, Myeong-Gyu Song, Yang-Hyun Seok
  • Patent number: 7287264
    Abstract: An objective lens drive apparatus includes a stationary member, a movable portion having an objective lens, an objective-lens holding member, and driving coils, and a plurality of rod-like elastic support members each having an axial direction parallel to a third direction perpendicular to a first direction and a second direction, the support members elastically supporting the movable portion so that the movable portion is movable to the stationary member in the first direction and the second direction. The movable portion is supported by the support members on both sides of the movable portion in the third direction, the support members are arranged on different planes perpendicular to the first direction, and the movable portion is arranged to be movable in the third direction with the support members, so that the objective lens is rotatable around an axis of the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Goichi Akanuma
  • Publication number: 20070195658
    Abstract: An objective lens drive apparatus includes a stationary member, a movable portion having an objective lens, an objective-lens holding member, and driving coils, and a plurality of rod-like elastic support members each having an axial direction parallel to a third direction perpendicular to a first direction and a second direction, the support members elastically supporting the movable portion so that the movable portion is movable to the stationary member in the first direction and the second direction. The movable portion is supported by the support members on both sides of the movable portion in the third direction, the support members are arranged on different planes perpendicular to the first direction, and the movable portion is arranged to be movable in the third direction with the support members, so that the objective lens is rotatable around an axis of the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Inventor: Goichi Akanuma