Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Takimasa

Hiroaki Takimasa 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: 11226233
    Abstract: A confocal measuring apparatus (1) includes a light source (10), an optical system (30) configured to receive reflected light from a measurement surface, a light guide part (20) into which a plurality of cores including a first core (26) and a second core (28) is built and configured to propagate the reflected light by the plurality of cores, a displacement amount measurement part (40) including a spectroscope (42) configured to separate the reflected light propagated by the first core into each wavelength components and a detector (44) having a plurality of light receiving elements arranged to correspond to a spectral direction by the spectroscope, and a peripheral image measurement part (60) configured to form an image of the reflected light propagated by the second core on the plurality of image pickup elements and to generate a peripheral image with respect to a measurement position of the measurement surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Furukawa, Takahiro Suga, Hiroaki Takimasa
  • Patent number: 10830587
    Abstract: Provided is an inclination measuring device with excellent convenience. An inclination measuring device includes: an optical system (sensor head) configured to irradiate a measurement object with an irradiated light ray from a light source and receive a reflected light ray from a measurement surface; a light receiving unit including at least one spectroscope configured to separate the reflected light ray into wavelength components, and a detector in which a plurality of light receiving elements are disposed; a light guide including a plurality of cores; and a processor configured to calculate an inclination angle of the measurement surface based on reflected light rays with respect to a plurality of irradiated light rays with which a plurality of positions on the measurement surface are irradiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Sugiyama, Norihiro Tomago, Takahiro Suga, Hiroaki Takimasa, Kenichi Matoba
  • Patent number: 10794685
    Abstract: An optical measurement system calculates a distance between an optical system and a measurement object based on reflected light beams corresponding to cores, compares a value indicating the distance with a threshold value for each of the reflected light beams, calculates an average value of all the values indicating the distance when the values in the reflected light beams corresponding to all the cores are equal to or greater than the threshold value or the values are less than the threshold value, and calculates an average value of the values indicating the distance which are equal to or greater than the threshold value or an average value of the values indicating the distance which are less than the threshold values when the values corresponding to some cores are equal to or greater than the threshold value and the values corresponding to the other cores are less than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Koki Mizutani, Takahiro Suga, Hiroaki Takimasa
  • Patent number: 10520296
    Abstract: A confocal measurement device includes a light source that outputs white light, an optical coupler, a sensor head that applies light with a chromatic aberration caused therein to a measurement object, and a spectroscope that acquires reflected light which is reflected by the measurement object and measures a spectrum of the reflected light. The optical coupler is a filter type coupler or a spatial optical system type coupler that brings a first transmission waveform when light is transmitted from a first optical fiber cable to a second optical fiber cable and a second transmission waveform when light is transmitted from the second optical fiber cable to a third optical fiber cable close to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Hisayasu Morino, Jun Takashima, Takahiro Okuda, Kenichi Matoba, Hiroaki Takimasa
  • Publication number: 20190101375
    Abstract: A confocal measurement device includes a light source that outputs white light, an optical coupler, a sensor head that applies light with a chromatic aberration caused therein to a measurement object, and a spectroscope that acquires reflected light which is reflected by the measurement object and measures a spectrum of the reflected light. The optical coupler is a filter type coupler or a spatial optical system type coupler that brings a first transmission waveform when light is transmitted from a first optical fiber cable to a second optical fiber cable and a second transmission waveform when light is transmitted from the second optical fiber cable to a third optical fiber cable close to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Hisayasu MORINO, Jun TAKASHIMA, Takahiro OKUDA, Kenichi MATOBA, Hiroaki TAKIMASA
  • Publication number: 20180252582
    Abstract: A confocal measuring apparatus (1) includes a light source (10), an optical system (30) configured to receive reflected light from a measurement surface, a light guide part (20) into which a plurality of cores including a first core (26) and a second core (28) is built and configured to propagate the reflected light by the plurality of cores, a displacement amount measurement part (40) including a spectroscope (42) configured to separate the reflected light propagated by the first core into each wavelength components and a detector (44) having a plurality of light receiving elements arranged to correspond to a spectral direction by the spectroscope, and a peripheral image measurement part (60) configured to form an image of the reflected light propagated by the second core on the plurality of image pickup elements and to generate a peripheral image with respect to a measurement position of the measurement surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya FURUKAWA, Takahiro SUGA, Hiroaki TAKIMASA
  • Publication number: 20180238678
    Abstract: An optical measurement system calculates a distance between an optical system and a measurement object based on reflected light beams corresponding to cores, compares a value indicating the distance with a threshold value for each of the reflected light beams, calculates an average value of all the values indicating the distance when the values in the reflected light beams corresponding to all the cores are equal to or greater than the threshold value or the values are less than the threshold value, and calculates an average value of the values indicating the distance which are equal to or greater than the threshold value or an average value of the values indicating the distance which are less than the threshold values when the values corresponding to some cores are equal to or greater than the threshold value and the values corresponding to the other cores are less than the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Koki MIZUTANI, Takahiro SUGA, Hiroaki TAKIMASA
  • Publication number: 20180216933
    Abstract: Provided is an inclination measuring device with excellent convenience. An inclination measuring device includes: an optical system (sensor head) configured to irradiate a measurement object with an irradiated light ray from a light source and receive a reflected light ray from a measurement surface; a light receiving unit including at least one spectroscope configured to separate the reflected light ray into wavelength components, and a detector in which a plurality of light receiving elements are disposed; a light guide including a plurality of cores; and a processor configured to calculate an inclination angle of the measurement surface based on reflected light rays with respect to a plurality of irradiated light rays with which a plurality of positions on the measurement surface are irradiated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke SUGIYAMA, Norihiro TOMAGO, Takahiro SUGA, Hiroaki TAKIMASA, Kenichi MATOBA
  • Patent number: 8917900
    Abstract: In a measurement apparatus, higher-quality measurement is realized in measurement of measurement object displacement or imaging of a two-dimensional image. In a controller, a light receiving signal of a photodiode is supplied to a displacement measuring unit of a sensor head in order to measure a height of a measurement object, and the height of a surface of the measurement object is measured based on the light receiving signal. Then, in the controller, image obtaining timing is determined based on the height of the measurement object. Specifically, a focus adjustment value corresponding to the computed height of the measurement object is obtained from the table, and an image obtaining signal is transmitted to an imaging device at the timing the focus adjustment value is realized. Therefore, a length between two points on the measurement object is computed from the thus obtained image based on the height of the measurement object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kanetani, Takahiro Suga, Hiroaki Takimasa, Naoya Nakashita, Yusuke Iida
  • Patent number: 8805643
    Abstract: Teaching processing using a model of a workpiece is performed by accepting at least one input of a target value for a response time and a tolerance value for a detection error as a parameter representing a condition for a displacement sensor to operate. A CPU during teaching processing determines a maximum exposure time while it causes repeated detection processing by a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit, calculates variation in measurement data of an amount of displacement, and derives the number of pieces of data of moving average calculation suitable for a value for the input parameter as a result of operation processing using the maximum exposure time and variation in measurement data. This number of pieces of data is registered in a memory and used for moving average calculation in a normal operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takimasa, Yusuke Iida, Hideyoshi Nakamura, Hoshibumi Ichiyanagi
  • Patent number: 8773668
    Abstract: A signal processing unit (C1, C2, C3) for processing a light reception signal from an imaging element (12) at different magnifications is provided in a light receiving unit (102) in a displacement sensor (1). This sensor (1) measures a displacement by using light receiving amount data generated by the signal processing unit (C1) for each detection processing by a light projecting unit (101) and the light receiving unit (102), and further adjusts sensitivity for next detection processing. In sensitivity adjustment processing, when a peak value in the light receiving amount data generated by the signal processing unit (C1) approximates to 0, a peak value extracted by the signal processing unit (C2) to which higher magnification is applied is employed. Alternatively, when a peak value in the light receiving amount data generated by the signal processing unit (C1) is saturated, a peak value extracted by the signal processing unit (C3) to which 1-fold magnification is applied is employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Iida, Hiroaki Takimasa
  • Publication number: 20130201490
    Abstract: A signal processing unit (C1, C2, C3) for processing a light reception signal from an imaging element (12) at different magnifications is provided in a light receiving unit (102) in a displacement sensor (1). This sensor (1) measures a displacement by using light receiving amount data generated by the signal processing unit (C1) for each detection processing by a light projecting unit (101) and the light receiving unit (102), and further adjusts sensitivity for next detection processing. In sensitivity adjustment processing, when a peak value in the light receiving amount data generated by the signal processing unit (C1) approximates to 0, a peak value extracted by the signal processing unit (C2) to which higher magnification is applied is employed. Alternatively, when a peak value in the light receiving amount data generated by the signal processing unit (C1) is saturated, a peak value extracted by the signal processing unit (C3) to which 1-fold magnification is applied is employed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Yusuke Iida, Hiroaki Takimasa
  • Publication number: 20120303317
    Abstract: Teaching processing using a model of a workpiece is performed by accepting at least one input of a target value for a response time and a tolerance value for a detection error as a parameter representing a condition for a displacement sensor to operate. A CPU during teaching processing determines a maximum exposure time while it causes repeated detection processing by a light projecting unit and a light receiving unit, calculates variation in measurement data of an amount of displacement, and derives the number of pieces of data of moving average calculation suitable for a value for the input parameter as a result of operation processing using the maximum exposure time and variation in measurement data. This number of pieces of data is registered in a memory and used for moving average calculation in a normal operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKIMASA, Yusuke IIDA, Hideyoshi NAKAMURA, Hoshibumi ICHIYANAGI
  • Patent number: 8111407
    Abstract: A displacement is accurately measured at high speed to a measurement object having various surface states. In a displacement sensor including a confocal optical system in which an objective lens is moved along an optical axis, light emitted from a laser diode is formed into a slit beam by a cylindrical lens, a Y-axis side orthogonal to the optical axis is narrowed such that the light is collected on a surface of a measurement object, and an X-axis orthogonal to the optical axis is elongated in order to average a component of the light reflected from the surface. A photodiode receives the light reflected from the surface of the measurement object through an opening disposed in a position of conjugation with the laser diode. The opening is formed into a slit shape that is short in the Y-axis while being long in the X-axis. The displacement of the surface is measured from a position of the objective lens when a light receiving signal becomes the maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takimasa, Takahiro Suga, Yoshihiro Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8107088
    Abstract: This invention provides a displacement measurement device, a displacement measurement method, and a thickness measurement device capable of easily ensuring a conjugate relationship between the light source and the diaphragm and capable of accurately measuring the change in distance with the testing target. In the displacement measurement device, the light from the laser diode is collected towards the pin hole of the diaphragm plate at the collective lens, and then sent to the objective lens through the pin hole. The light is reflected at a surface of work, and detected by a photodiode through the objective lens, the pin hole, the collective lens, and the half mirror. That is, the pin hole becomes a substantial light source, and becomes a diaphragm with respect to the incident light on the work. The spot diameter collected on the pin hole by the collective lens is greater than the diameter of the pin hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Suga, Hiroaki Takimasa
  • Patent number: 8040529
    Abstract: A focused image is taken around the focal point by a confocal displacement meter. In a measurement apparatus, a confocal displacement meter system OPT-A includes a laser diode 1, a collimator lens 4, an objective lens 6, a half mirror 3, a diaphragm plate 31, and a photodiode 2. An observation image imaging system OPT-B is a telecentric light receiving optical system, and the observation image imaging system OPT-B includes a white light source 94, an objective lens 6, a dichroic mirror 5, a diaphragm plate 81, an image formation lens 82, and an image sensor 9. The collimator lens 4 is swept by an oscillator 7 in a two-headed arrow direction. A diameter of a diaphragm hole of the diaphragm plate 81 is set such that a depth of field of the objective lens 6 is not lower than sweep amplitude of the collimator lens 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Omron Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Okuda, Takahiro Suga, Hiroaki Takimasa, Shinsuke Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20100265519
    Abstract: A displacement is accurately measured at high speed to a measurement object having various surface states. In a displacement sensor including a confocal optical system in which an objective lens is moved along an optical axis, light emitted from a laser diode is formed into a slit beam by a cylindrical lens, a Y-axis side orthogonal to the optical axis is narrowed such that the light is collected on a surface of a measurement object, and an X-axis orthogonal to the optical axis is elongated in order to average a component of the light reflected from the surface. A photodiode receives the light reflected from the surface of the measurement object through an opening disposed in a position of conjugation with the laser diode. The opening is formed into a slit shape that is short in the Y-axis while being long in the X-axis. The displacement of the surface is measured from a position of the objective lens when a light receiving signal becomes the maximum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKIMASA, Takahiro Suga, Yoshihiro Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20100232650
    Abstract: In a measurement apparatus, higher-quality measurement is realized in measurement of measurement object displacement or imaging of a two-dimensional image. In a controller, a light receiving signal of a photodiode is supplied to a displacement measuring unit of a sensor head in order to measure a height of a measurement object, and the height of a surface of the measurement object is measured based on the light receiving signal. Then, in the controller, image obtaining timing is determined based on the height of the measurement object. Specifically, a focus adjustment value corresponding to the computed height of the measurement object is obtained from the table, and an image obtaining signal is transmitted to an imaging device at the timing the focus adjustment value is realized. Therefore, a length between two points on the measurement object is computed from the thus obtained image based on the height of the measurement object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Yoshihiro KANETANI, Takahiro SUGA, Hiroaki TAKIMASA, Naoya NAKASHITA, Yusuke IIDA
  • Publication number: 20100231925
    Abstract: A focused image is taken around the focal point by a confocal displacement meter. In a measurement apparatus, a confocal displacement meter system OPT-A includes a laser diode 1, a collimator lens 4, an objective lens 6, a half mirror 3, a diaphragm plate 31, and a photodiode 2. An observation image imaging system OPT-B is a telecentric light receiving optical system, and the observation image imaging system OPT-B includes a white light source 94, an objective lens 6, a dichroic mirror 5, a diaphragm plate 81, an image formation lens 82, and an image sensor 9. The collimator lens 4 is swept by an oscillator 7 in a two-headed arrow direction. A diameter of a diaphragm hole of the diaphragm plate 81 is set such that a depth of field of the objective lens 6 is not lower than sweep amplitude of the collimator lens 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Takahiro OKUDA, Takahiro Suga, Hiroaki Takimasa, Shinsuke Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20100171955
    Abstract: This invention provides a displacement measurement device, a displacement measurement method, and a thickness measurement device capable of easily ensuring a conjugate relationship between the light source and the diaphragm and capable of accurately measuring the change in distance with the testing target. In the displacement measurement device, the light from the laser diode is collected towards the pin hole of the diaphragm plate at the collective lens, and then sent to the objective lens through the pin hole. The light is reflected at a surface of work, and detected by a photodiode through the objective lens, the pin hole, the collective lens, and the half mirror. That is, the pin hole becomes a substantial light source, and becomes a diaphragm with respect to the incident light on the work. The spot diameter collected on the pin hole by the collective lens is greater than the diameter of the pin hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventors: Takahiro SUGA, Hiroaki Takimasa