Patents by Inventor Hideaki Nagakubo

Hideaki Nagakubo 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: 8334794
    Abstract: An input device includes a plurality of manipulation portions; an input function portion manipulated by the manipulation portions to perform an input function; a light guiding sheet facing the rear side of the plurality of manipulation portions; and a light source applying light into the light guiding sheet, wherein a rear surface opposite to a front surface of the light guiding sheet facing the manipulation portions is provided with a plurality of concave portions which is depressed to the inside of the light guiding sheet, wherein each concave portion has a circular opening and an inner surface which is a smooth concave curve surface, and wherein light propagated through the inside of the light guiding sheet is reflected by the inner surface toward the inside of the light guiding sheet, and the light is applied from the front surface of the light guiding sheet to the manipulation portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Watanabe, Hideaki Nagakubo, Takenobu Kimura, Koichi Yamamoto, Katsuyuki Katayama, Naomi Sato, Naoya Akiyama, Shinichiro Kimura, Masahiro Ishida, Naoki Yamada, Keiji Takagi, Toshinobu Hosaka
  • Publication number: 20100097246
    Abstract: An input device includes a plurality of manipulation portions; an input function portion manipulated by the manipulation portions to perform an input function; a light guiding sheet facing the rear side of the plurality of manipulation portions; and a light source applying light into the light guiding sheet, wherein a rear surface opposite to a front surface of the light guiding sheet facing the manipulation portions is provided with a plurality of concave portions which is depressed to the inside of the light guiding sheet, wherein each concave portion has a circular opening and an inner surface which is a smooth concave curve surface, and wherein light propagated through the inside of the light guiding sheet is reflected by the inner surface toward the inside of the light guiding sheet, and the light is applied from the front surface of the light guiding sheet to the manipulation portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi WATANABE, Hideaki Nagakubo, Takenobu Kimura, Koichi Yamamoto, Katsuyki Katayama, Naomi Sato, Naoya Akiyama, Shinichiro Kimura, Masahiro Ishida, Naoki Yamada, Keiji Takagi, Toshinobu Hosaka
  • Publication number: 20090244905
    Abstract: In an input device with an illumination function including an illumination device having light-emitting diodes, strip-like light-guide plates that distribute light emitted from the light-emitting diodes to the side surfaces other than a light-incident surface, and a planar light-guide plate that is provided with a plurality of through-holes and laterally propagates light incident from the strip-like light-guide plates and emits the light from through-holes, the planar light-guide plate is provided with strip-like light-guide-plate providing grooves at portions where the through-holes are not provided, and the strip-like light-guide plates are provided in the strip-like light-guide-plate providing grooves such that the side surfaces of the strip-like light-guide-plate providing grooves and the side surfaces of the strip-like light-guide plates face each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyuki ISHIDA, Tsuyoshi HAYAMA, Hideaki NAGAKUBO, Koichi YAMAMOTO, Chiaki AIKAWA, Shozo TAKAMURA, Akira SAKAI, Makoto SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20090073724
    Abstract: An input device having an illumination function includes a wiring board having a predetermined wiring pattern thereon containing a fixed contact point, a light-emitting diode, a planar light-guide plate for guiding emission light from the light-emitting diode in a direction along a surface, a metal dome serving as a movable contact, and a cover sheet having an actuator thereon to be used to press the metal dome. The wiring board is manufactured of a white translucent material. The planar light-guide plate includes a plurality of prism grooves arranged in stripes on the surface thereof, and on a predetermined portion thereof a through-hole for housing the metal dome. An air layer is arranged between the prism bearing surface of the planar light-guide plate and the cover sheet. The metal dome 6 reflects the emission light directed within the through-hole, toward the side of the cover sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Hayama, Hideaki Nagakubo, Koichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7497610
    Abstract: A light guiding plate comprises a pair of main surfaces opposite to each other, and an end surface on which light emitted from a light source is incident. One of the pair of main surfaces has a plurality of prisms. Each of the prisms has a first surface which is relatively close to the end surface and has a relatively gentle slope, a second surface which is relatively distant from the end surface and has a relatively steep slope, and a third surface located between the first surface and the second surface, and an angle between the second surface and the third surface is an acute angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuro Sugiura, Koichi Yamamoto, Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Patent number: 7356211
    Abstract: A stereoscopic display device is provided. The stereoscopic display device includes an optical waveguide member and a first main surface and a second main surface. The first and second main surfaces face each other. A first light path changing member is provided on at least one of the first and second main surfaces, and is operative to change the path of light guided by the optical waveguide member. A second light path changing member is provided on at least one of the first and second main surfaces, and is operative to change the path of the light guided by the optical waveguide member. A reflector body is disposed so as to face the second main surface and reflects the light emitted from the second light path changing member to the first main surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Takuro Sugiura, Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Publication number: 20070127264
    Abstract: A surface emitting device is provided. The surface emitting device includes a plurality of light sources; at least one light guide member; and a plurality of prisms that are disposed on the main surfaces of the light guide member corresponding to the light sources that are formed by convex-concave portions and change the optical path of light from the light sources toward the display surface. The surface emitting device is operable to display only light from the prism corresponding to a turned-on light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Sugiura, Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Publication number: 20070104415
    Abstract: A stereoscopic display device is provided. The stereoscopic display device includes an optical waveguide member and a first main surface and a second main surface. The first and second main surfaces face each other. A first light path changing member is provided on at least one of the first and second main surfaces, and is operative to change the path of light guided by the optical waveguide member. A second light path changing member is provided on at least one of the first and second main surfaces, and is operative to change the path of the light guided by the optical waveguide member. A reflector body is disposed so as to face the second main surface and reflects the light emitted from the second light path changing member to the first main surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Sugiura, Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Patent number: 7165874
    Abstract: A backlight 10 includes a light source 13, a light guide plate 12 for introducing light emitted from the light source 13 from an incidence surface 12a provided on an end and for emitting the light from one surface, a diffusive reflector 15 provided such that the surface having a minute concavo-convex portion 15d faces the other surface of the light guide plate 12, and a light directivity control sheet 17 provided on the one surface of the light guide plate 12 such that the apexes 17c of pyramid-shaped objects 17b face the opposite side to the light guide plate 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hideaki Nagakubo, Takenobu Kimura
  • Publication number: 20060290685
    Abstract: Provided is a multicolored lighting device capable of illuminating an operation surface with high efficiency and high quality and a coordinate input device. Themulticolored light sources are disposed in the vicinity of the edges of a bar-shaped light guide having a plurality of chromatic light sources. The chromatic light sources are symmetrically disposed with respect to the bar-shaped light guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Publication number: 20060262572
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is provided. The liquid crystal display device mainly includes a front light serving as a surface-emitting device and including a light guide plate and a light source, and a liquid crystal display panel mounted on one principal surface of the front light. The light guide plate includes retaining portions serving as holding portions that extend in the normal direction of the principal surface. The retaining portions respectively have retaining claws at their leading ends, and hold the liquid crystal display panel therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventor: Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Patent number: 7121711
    Abstract: In a surface emitting device in which a light source is bonded to a light guide bar in contact with a light guide plate, the light source is bonded to the light guide bar using an adjusting member for adjusting the position of the light source. Examples of the adjusting member include a spacer disposed under the light source, a recessed portion provided in a molded case, a positioning guide made by extending a reflective panel, and another positioning guide formed integrally with the light guide bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Yamamoto, Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Patent number: 7123318
    Abstract: A double-sided emissive LCD module includes a double-sided illumination plate, a first LCD panel disposed at the upper surface of the double-sided illumination plate, a second LCD panel disposed at the lower surface of the plate. The double-sided illumination plate includes a light source, a light guide plate, and a transflector. The transflector reflects a part of the light emitted from the lower surface of the light guide plate to the first LCD panel, while transmits the rest of the light to the second LCD panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Nagakubo, Ko Owada
  • Publication number: 20060092668
    Abstract: In a light guiding plate according to the invention, the angle between a steep-sloped surface and a flat surface is an acute angle. In addition, the length of a base portion of each prism is large such that a resin is filled up to the apices of prisms. That is, in the light guiding plate according to the invention, each of the prisms is not constituted by only a gentle-sloped surface and a steep-sloped surface, but a flat surface is provided between gentle-sloped surface and the steep-sloped surface, and the angle between the steep-sloped surface and the flat surface is formed to be large.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Takuro Sugiura, Koichi Yamamoto, Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Patent number: 6981792
    Abstract: A backlight device 10 wherein a light source 13 and a light guide plate 12 for introducing light components from the light source 13 from the incident surface 12a provided on an end surface to emit the light from the surface 12b are included, a plurality of the wedge-shaped grooves 12e are formed on the surface 12b of the light guide plate 12 in stripes in plan view, and micro-irregularities 12g are formed between adjacent wedge-shaped grooves 12e is disclosed. A liquid crystal display device 1 having the backlight device 10 formed on the back surface of the liquid crystal display unit 20 is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Nagakubo, Koichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6971782
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source and a planar illuminator for emitting light of the light source portion from one surface thereby to illuminate a liquid crystal panel. The planar illuminator has a reflection surface, on which minute concavo-convex shapes are substantially randomly formed. Surface emission is performed by diffuse reflecting the light irradiated from the light source portion by the reflection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Nagakubo, Norikazu Sato
  • Publication number: 20050024890
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel having a display surface, and a surface light-emitting unit on the display surface consisting of a light source and a light guide plate for introducing light emitted from the light source into the interior of the light guide plate and emitting the light from an exit surface thereof, wherein at least the exit surface is formed from a resilient material and the exit surface is in tight contact with the display surface of the liquid crystal display panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Koichi Yamamoto, Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Publication number: 20040257795
    Abstract: In a surface emitting device in which a light source is bonded to a light guide bar in contact with a light guide plate, the light source is bonded to the light guide bar using an adjusting member for adjusting the position of the light source. Examples of the adjusting member include a spacer disposed under the light source, a recessed portion provided in a molded case, a positioning guide made by extending a reflective panel, and another positioning guide formed integrally with the light guide bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koichi Yamamoto, Hideaki Nagakubo
  • Publication number: 20040141304
    Abstract: It is an object to provide an illumination device capable of being manufactured at low expenses and being easily made thin and light. The illumination device includes a light source portion (a light source) 13 and a planar illuminator 12 for emitting light of the light source portion 13 from one surface thereby to illuminate a liquid crystal panel (an illuminated object) 20. The planar illuminator 12 has a reflection surface 12b, on which minute concavo-convex shapes are substantially randomly formed. Surface emission is performed by diffuse reflecting the light irradiated from the light source portion 13 by the reflection surface 12b.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Hideaki Nagakubo, Norikazu Sato
  • Publication number: 20040125592
    Abstract: A backlight device 10 wherein a light source 13 and a light guide plate 12 for introducing light components from the light source 13 from the incident surface 12a provided on an end surface to emit the light from the surface 12b are included, a plurality of the wedge-shaped grooves 12e are formed on the surface 12b of the light guide plate 12 in stripes in plan view, and micro-irregularities 12g are formed between adjacent wedge-shaped grooves 12e is disclosed. A liquid crystal display device 1 having the backlight device 10 formed on the back surface of the liquid crystal display unit 20 is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Nagakubo, Koichi Yamamoto