Patents by Inventor Hideharu Kawachi

Hideharu Kawachi 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: 11500141
    Abstract: An optical fiber module includes an optical fiber containing a glass component, and a ferrule which is tubular in shape and covers an outer circumferential surface in an end portion of the optical fiber. The outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber and an inner circumferential surface of the ferrule are bonded by a silicone resin containing siloxane bonds at cross-linking points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kitano, Yoshiyuki Takahira, Hideharu Kawachi, Shinichi Kitaoka
  • Publication number: 20210063626
    Abstract: An optical fiber module includes an optical fiber containing a glass component, and a ferrule which is tubular in shape and covers an outer circumferential surface in an end portion of the optical fiber. The outer circumferential surface of the optical fiber and an inner circumferential surface of the ferrule are bonded by a silicone resin containing siloxane bonds at cross-linking points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi KITANO, Yoshiyuki TAKAHIRA, Hideharu KAWACHI, Shinichi KITAOKA
  • Patent number: 10557997
    Abstract: A light source device and a method of manufacturing a light source device are provided. The light source device includes a base. A light-emitter is above the base. A cap is joined to the base to cover the light-emitter. The cap includes an opening in a position corresponding to the light-emitter. A first light guide is in communication with the opening for guiding, to outside of the cap, light emitted by the light-emitter. A first ferrule is provided around the first light guide. The first ferrule is joined to an edge of the opening in a state in which the first ferrule is in the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kitano, Shintaro Hayashi, Yoshiyuki Nakano, Hideharu Kawachi
  • Patent number: 10459139
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus that wavelength-converts laser light guided by an optical fiber to output light having a different wavelength as the laser light, includes: a holder that holds the optical fiber; a wavelength converter that wavelength-converts the laser light emitted from the optical fiber; and a case that holds the wavelength converter and houses the holder. The holder includes a straight groove into which one end of the optical fiber is fitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitaoka, Hideharu Kawachi, Sachiko Azuma
  • Patent number: 10429562
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus, which is to be connected to a light source apparatus that generates laser light and which is to be attached to an optical cable that guides the laser light, is provided. The illumination apparatus includes a light-emitting module which is to be attached to a tip portion of the optical cable. The light-emitting module receives the laser light emitted from the optical cable, converts the laser light into light having a different wavelength of a predetermined color, and emits the light. A heat dissipating lens case includes a lens and dissipates heat generated by the light-emitting module. The lens controls distribution of the light emitted by the light-emitting module. The heat dissipating lens case includes an attachment structure which allows the heat dissipating lens case to be removably attached to the light-emitting module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitaoka, Hideharu Kawachi
  • Patent number: 10240726
    Abstract: A luminaire including a wavelength converter and a method of manufacturing the luminaire are provided. The wavelength converter radiates, based on a laser light beam, a light beam having a wavelength different from the laser light beam. The method of measuring the luminaire includes measuring wavelengths of laser light beams oscillated by a plurality of laser elements to identify main wavelengths of the plurality of laser elements, storing association information between main wavelength information items indicating the main wavelengths identified and element information items identifying the plurality of laser elements corresponding to the main wavelengths identified, selecting a combination of laser elements having a composite wavelength falling within a predetermined range, from the plurality of laser elements, based on the association information, and arranging optical paths to irradiate a same area of the wavelength converter with the laser light beams of the combination of laser elements selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kitano, Hideharu Kawachi, Shintaro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10234122
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus including a base is provided. The base includes a through-hole. The through-hole is aligned with an optical path of laser light for receiving and transmitting the laser light. A light emitter which, when irradiated with the laser light transmitted through the through-hole, radiates light by converting a wavelength of the laser light. An attachment component is provided on the base for attachment of the light emitter to the base. The light emitter is removable from the base. A light blocker opens the optical path of the laser light by being contacted by the light emitter when the light emitter is attached to the base, and blocks the optical path of the laser light when the light emitter is removed from the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Kawachi, Yoshiyuki Nakano, Shinichi Kitaoka
  • Patent number: 10018767
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source unit and a light guide plate configured to guide light coming from the light source unit. The light guide plate includes an incidence surface, main emission surfaces from which the light incident on the incidence surface is emitted, and an end emission surface which is opposed to the incidence surface and from which the light is emitted. At least one of the main emission surfaces has a stepped surface which is formed such that the thickness of the light guide plate becomes thinner at a side of the end emission surface than at a side of the incidence surface. The stepped surface is configured to reflect the light in a direction opposite to a light guide direction extending from the incidence surface toward the end emission surface and inclined with respect to the light guide direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Kawachi, Shinichi Anami, Osamu Tanahashi, Hiroyuki Sekii
  • Patent number: 9958139
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus which uses laser light emitted by a light source is provided. The illumination apparatus includes a housing which is tubular, internally includes an optical path for the laser light, and includes a first end surface having an opening through which the laser light passing through the optical path is released. A light emitter is opposed to the opening, receives the laser light released through the opening, converts the laser light into light having a different wavelength of a predetermined color, and emits the light. A cap is removably attached to a first end portion of the housing and through which the light emitted by the light emitter is released. A shutter opens the optical path when the cap is attached to the housing and closes the optical path when the cap is detached from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Kawachi, Yoshiyuki Nakano, Shinichi Kitaoka
  • Publication number: 20180106944
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus that wavelength-converts laser light guided by an optical fiber to output light having a different wavelength as the laser light, includes: a holder that holds the optical fiber; a wavelength converter that wavelength-converts the laser light emitted from the optical fiber; and a case that holds the wavelength converter and houses the holder. The holder includes a straight groove into which one end of the optical fiber is fitted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi KITAOKA, Hideharu KAWACHI, Sachiko AZUMA
  • Publication number: 20180106449
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes a holder that holds an optical fiber, a wavelength converter that wavelength-converts laser light emitted from the optical fiber, and a case that is made of metal, holds the wavelength converter, and houses the holder. The holder includes a main body having a lead end face from which the laser light is emitted, and a flange projecting from an outer circumferential face of a base end of the main body. The case has a through hole penetrating from one end face to another end face, and the wavelength converter is attached to the case to be coaxial with the through hole. The through hole houses the main body, and has an abutting face which the lead end face of the main body abuts. The flange is secured to the case in a state where the lead end face of the main body abuts the abutting face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi KITAOKA, Hideharu KAWACHI, Sachiko AZUMA
  • Patent number: 9909746
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source configured to emit laser light, a transmission part configured to transmit the laser light emitted from the light source, and a lighting appliance configured to convert a wavelength of the laser light transmitted through the transmission part and to emit illumination light. The transmission part includes a rail-shaped guide part extending in a linear shape along a transmission direction of the laser light. The lighting appliance is configured to be mounted in an arbitrary position of the guide part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Kawachi, Shinichi Anami
  • Publication number: 20180058643
    Abstract: A luminaire including a wavelength converter and a method of manufacturing the luminaire are provided. The wavelength converter radiates, based on a laser light beam, a light beam having a wavelength different from the laser light beam The method of measuring the luminaire includes measuring wavelengths of laser light beams oscillated by a plurality of laser elements to identify main wavelengths of the plurality of laser elements, storing association information between main wavelength information items indicating the main wavelengths identified and element information items identifying the plurality of laser elements corresponding to the main wavelengths identified, selecting a combination of laser elements having a composite wavelength falling within a predetermined range, from the plurality of laser elements, based on the association information, and arranging optical paths to irradiate a same area of the wavelength converter with the laser light beams of the combination of laser elements selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi KITANO, Hideharu KAWACHI, Shintaro HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9874336
    Abstract: The light emitting module includes a light source unit and a base plate where the light source unit is detachably mounted. The light source unit has an installation mechanism for installation to the base plate, and the base plate has an installation mechanism counterpart engaged with the installation mechanism. In addition, the light emitting module has a hook mechanism that catches the light source unit and the base plate when the installation mechanism and the installation mechanism counterpart are not engaged with each other. The hook mechanism is contained within a thickness of the light source unit when the light source unit is mounted to the base plate. In this configuration, it is possible to prevent the light source unit from dropping from the base plate using the hook mechanism even when engagement between the installation mechanism and the installation mechanism counterpart is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryusuke Kotera, Osamu Tanahashi, Akihiro Hirano, Hideharu Kawachi, Yohei Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9874672
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source, a transmission part and a lighting appliance. The light source is configured to emit a laser light. The transmission part is configured to transmit the laser light emitted from the light source through an optical fiber. The lighting appliance is configured to convert a wavelength of the laser light transmitted through the transmission part and emit an illumination light. The transmission part includes a guide part having a rail-shape and extending along a transmission direction of the laser light. The lighting appliance is further configured to be mounted in an arbitrary position of the guide part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Kawachi, Shinichi Anami
  • Patent number: 9835783
    Abstract: An optical fiber holding structure includes a light-transmitting tube configured to cover a surface-light-emitting optical fiber and a fixture configured to fix the tube to a building material. The tube is made of a material having such rigidity that the tube is not bent even when the tube is horizontally fixed by the fixture. The tube has a notch through which the optical fiber is introduced into the tube. The fixture includes an engaging portion, a mounting portion and a leg portion. The engaging portion is inserted into the tube through the notch to engage with an inner circumference of the tube. The mounting portion is mounted to the building material. The leg portion is configured to interconnect the engaging portion and the mounting portion with a predetermined gap left therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Tanahashi, Hideharu Kawachi, Shinichi Anami
  • Publication number: 20170293062
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus, which is to be connected to a light source apparatus that generates laser light and which is to be attached to an optical cable that guides the laser light, is provided. The illumination apparatus includes a light-emitting module which is to be attached to a tip portion of the optical cable. The light-emitting module receives the laser light emitted from the optical cable, converts the laser light into light having a different wavelength of a predetermined color, and emits the light. A heat dissipating lens case includes a lens and dissipates heat generated by the light-emitting module. The lens controls distribution of the light emitted by the light-emitting module. The heat dissipating lens case includes an attachment structure which allows the heat dissipating lens case to be removably attached to the light-emitting module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi KITAOKA, Hideharu KAWACHI
  • Publication number: 20170261191
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus including a base is provided. The base includes a through-hole. The through-hole is aligned with an optical path of laser light for receiving and transmitting the laser light. A light emitter which, when irradiated with the laser light transmitted through the through-hole, radiates light by converting a wavelength of the laser light. An attachment component is provided on the base for attachment of the light emitter to the base. The light emitter is removable from the base. A light blocker opens the optical path of the laser light by being contacted by the light emitter when the light emitter is attached to the base, and blocks the optical path of the laser light when the light emitter is removed from the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu KAWACHI, Yoshiyuki NAKANO, Shinichi KITAOKA
  • Publication number: 20170261697
    Abstract: A light source device and a method of manufacturing a light source device are provided. The light source device includes a base. A light-emitter is above the base. A cap is joined to the base to cover the light-emitter. The cap includes an opening in a position corresponding to the light-emitter. A first light guide is in communication with the opening for guiding, to outside of the cap, light emitted by the light-emitter. A first ferrule is provided around the first light guide. The first ferrule is joined to an edge of the opening in a state in which the first ferrule is in the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi KITANO, Shintaro HAYASHI, Yoshiyuki NAKANO, Hideharu KAWACHI
  • Publication number: 20170254508
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus which uses laser light emitted by a light source is provided. The illumination apparatus includes a housing which is tubular, internally includes an optical path for the laser light, and includes a first end surface having an opening through which the laser light passing through the optical path is released. A light emitter is opposed to the opening, receives the laser light released through the opening, converts the laser light into light having a different wavelength of a predetermined color, and emits the light. A cap is removably attached to a first end portion of the housing and through which the light emitted by the light emitter is released. A shutter opens the optical path when the cap is attached to the housing and closes the optical path when the cap is detached from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu KAWACHI, Yoshiyuki NAKANO, Shinichi KITAOKA