Patents by Inventor Hirokazu Shoda

Hirokazu Shoda 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: 10843664
    Abstract: A gear side feeding terminal (73U, 73V, 73W) connected to a motor side feeding terminal (36U, 36V, 36W) provided to the end portion of a stator (32) in the axial direction of the stator (32) from the axial direction of a rotor (38) is provided on a control board (70) for controlling the rotor (38), housed in a gear case (61) so as to be stacked on a speed reduction mechanism (SD) from the direction crossing the axial direction of the rotor (38). In this manner, the wiper motor is composed of a brushless wiper motor (20), and it is unnecessary to provide the gear side feeding terminal (73U, 73V, 73W) so as to avoid the control board (70). Accordingly, it is possible to prevent electric noises, and provide a wiper motor reduced in size and weight, and since it is unnecessary to form a clearance in the control board (70), it is possible to provide a wiper motor further improved in degree of freedom for designing the control board (70).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shoda, Yukiyoshi Iso, Osamu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10797561
    Abstract: In a brushless wiper motor, a rotor (33) is rotatably provided inside a stator (32) provided with a coil (32b), one end side of a rotation shaft (34) in the axial direction is fixed to the axial center of the rotor (33), a worm (35) is provided on the other end side of the rotation shaft (34) in the axial direction, the first and second bearings (36, 37) are respectively provided on one end side of the rotation shaft (34) in the axial direction and the other end side of the rotation shaft (34) in the axial direction than the worm (35) of the rotation shaft (34), the rotation shaft (34) is rotatably supported by only the first and second bearings (36, 37), and with the position of the first bearing (36) being defined as a reference position, a length thereof in the axial direction to the second bearing (37) is longer than a length thereof in the axial direction to the rotor (33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shoda, Yukiyoshi Iso, Osamu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10196043
    Abstract: A wiper system according to the present invention includes wiper blades (2a, 2b) that perform a reciprocating wiping operation on a windshield (3), and a raindrop sensor (9) that detects the current amount of rainfall based on water droplets adhering to the windshield (3). If rainfall more than or equal to a predetermined amount is detected by the raindrop sensor (9), a heavy rain mode in which a wiping range of the wiper blades (2a, 2b) is made narrower than in a normal wiping operation is carried out. In the heavy rain mode, the wiper blade (2a) arranged on the driver's side is activated at high speed (Hi) within a heavy rain time wiping area X set near the forward field of view of the driver to ensure the field of view of the driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shoda, Toshiyuki Amagasa
  • Patent number: 10116186
    Abstract: A motor case (31) in which a stationary portion (35) is fixed, and a gear case (41) in which a gear mechanism (SD) is accommodated are made of aluminium, most heat generated from the stationary portion (35) at the time of actuation of a brushless wiper motor (20) can be directly dissipated outside from the motor case (31). That is, compared with conventional technique, heat transmitted to the motor case (31) can be efficiently dissipated outside, and the motor case (31) does not reach high temperature. Therefore, as a matter of course, reduction in size and weight can be achieved, suppression of electromagnetic noise can be achieved, and heat-resistance strength can be enhanced. Expensive components capable of resisting high temperatures are not required, and reduction in manufacturing cost can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kanai, Hiroto Tanaka, Tomohiko Annaka, Naoki Kojima, Hirokazu Shoda
  • Patent number: 9942429
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an automatic document feeder (ADF); a light source configured to irradiate the document conveyed by the ADF with light; a glass member which can be switched to a first mode in which the light from the light source is transmitted and to a second mode in which the light from the light source is reflected; a signal processing circuit configured to include an image sensor for respectively receiving the reflected light of the document and the glass member, read an image of the document in the first mode and generate a signal of a white reference value based on the reflected light of the glass member in the second mode; and a shading correction circuit configured to correct, based on the signal of the white reference value, image data of the document read such that the brightness in the horizontal scanning direction is uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shoda
  • Patent number: 9888140
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises an input interface, a light source unit, a reading unit and a control unit. The input interface receives an input reading condition. The light source unit comprises a plurality of light sources which emit lights of different wavelengths. The reading unit reads an image on a sheet irradiated by the light of the light source unit. The control unit separately controls the quantity of the light emitted from each light source according to the reading condition input from the input interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shoda
  • Publication number: 20170203722
    Abstract: A gear side feeding terminal (73U, 73V, 73W) connected to a motor side feeding terminal (36U, 36V, 36W) provided to the end portion of a stator (32) in the axial direction of the stator (32) from the axial direction of a rotor (38) is provided on a control board (70) for controlling the rotor (38), housed in a gear case (61) so as to be stacked on a speed reduction mechanism (SD) from the direction crossing the axial direction of the rotor (38). In this manner, the wiper motor is composed of a brushless wiper motor (20), and it is unnecessary to provide the gear side feeding terminal (73U, 73V, 73W) so as to avoid the control board (70). Accordingly, it is possible to prevent electric noises, and provide a wiper motor reduced in size and weight, and since it is unnecessary to form a clearance in the control board (70), it is possible to provide a wiper motor further improved in degree of freedom for designing the control board (70).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shoda, Yukiyoshi Iso, Osamu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20170207679
    Abstract: In a brushless wiper motor, a rotor (33) is rotatably provided inside a stator (32) provided with a coil (32b), one end side of a rotation shaft (34) in the axial direction is fixed to the axial center of the rotor (33), a worm (35) is provided on the other end side of the rotation shaft (34) in the axial direction, the first and second bearings (36, 37) are respectively provided on one end side of the rotation shaft (34) in the axial direction and the other end side of the rotation shaft (34) in the axial direction than the worm (35) of the rotation shaft (34), the rotation shaft (34) is rotatably supported by only the first and second bearings (36, 37), and with the position of the first bearing (36) being defined as a reference position, a length thereof in the axial direction to the second bearing (37) is longer than a length thereof in the axial direction to the rotor (33).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shoda, Yukiyoshi Iso, Osamu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20170207684
    Abstract: A motor case part (30) having a stator (36) and a gear case part (50) having a reduction mechanism (SD) are integrally formed of the same material. In this manner, heat is directly dissipated from the motor case part (30) to the outside without the gear case part (30). Therefore, a brushless wiper motor (20) can be improved in heat radiation performance so as to enhance strength in high temperature can be realized. By manufacturing the motor case part (30) and the gear case part (50) from aluminum, while sufficient radiation performance is secured, a thickness thereof is made thin and lack in rigidity can be overcome. Furthermore, It is unnecessary to manufacture the motor case part (30) and the gear case part (50) individually and it is also unnecessary to perform pressing to a steel plate like the conventional art. Therefore, workability of the motor case part (30) and the gear case part (50) can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Junichi Amanuma, Hirokazu Shoda, Yukiyoshi Iso
  • Publication number: 20170142275
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises an input interface, a light source unit, a reading unit and a control unit. The input interface receives an input reading condition. The light source unit comprises a plurality of light sources which emit lights of different wavelengths. The reading unit reads an image on a sheet irradiated by the light of the light source unit. The control unit separately controls the quantity of the light emitted from each light source according to the reading condition input from the input interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shoda
  • Publication number: 20170113655
    Abstract: A wiper system according to the present invention includes wiper blades (2a, 2b) that perform a reciprocating wiping operation on a windshield (3), and a raindrop sensor (9) that detects the current amount of rainfall based on water droplets adhering to the windshield (3). If rainfall more than or equal to a predetermined amount is detected by the raindrop sensor (9), a heavy rain mode in which a wiping range of the wiper blades (2a, 2b) is made narrower than in a normal wiping operation is carried out. In the heavy rain mode, the wiper blade (2a) arranged on the driver's side is activated at high speed (Hi) within a heavy rain time wiping area X set near the forward field of view of the driver to ensure the field of view of the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: MITSUBA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu SHODA, Toshiyuki AMAGASA
  • Patent number: 9596372
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises an input interface, a light source unit, a reading unit and a control unit. The input interface receives an input reading condition. The light source unit comprises a plurality of light sources which emit lights of different wavelengths. The reading unit reads an image on a sheet irradiated by the light of the light source unit. The control unit separately controls the quantity of the light emitted from each light source according to the reading condition input from the input interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shoda
  • Publication number: 20170034379
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus comprises an input interface, a light source unit, a reading unit and a control unit. The input interface receives an input reading condition. The light source unit comprises a plurality of light sources which emit lights of different wavelengths. The reading unit reads an image on a sheet irradiated by the light of the light source unit. The control unit separately controls the quantity of the light emitted from each light source according to the reading condition input from the input interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shoda
  • Publication number: 20160318483
    Abstract: A thermally-conductive member (60) is provided between a housing (53) and a FET module (54f) constituting a controller (54b), and used to release heat of the FET module (54f) to the housing (53). Therefore, heat of the FET module (54f) can be dissipated to outside via the thermally-conductive member (60) and the housing (53). Since the housing (53) is made of aluminum, a surface area of the housing (53) can be increased to become larger than the conventional cooling fin member, and heat of the FET module (54f) can be dissipated to outside, the DR-side wiper motor (21) can be reduced in size and improved in cooling efficiency. Furthermore, since a cooling fin member is not inserted in the case cover (54) in a conventional manner. Therefore, the case cover (54) can be molded with ease, and the wiper motor can be improved in assembly workability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Masaaki Kimura, Yukiyoshi Iso, Hirokazu Shoda, Hironori Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20160219157
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an automatic document feeder (ADF); a light source configured to irradiate the document conveyed by the ADF with light; a glass member which can be switched to a first mode in which the light from the light source is transmitted and to a second mode in which the light from the light source is reflected; a signal processing circuit configured to include an image sensor for respectively receiving the reflected light of the document and the glass member, read an image of the document in the first mode and generate a signal of a white reference value based on the reflected light of the glass member in the second mode; and a shading correction circuit configured to correct, based on the signal of the white reference value, image data of the document read such that the brightness in the horizontal scanning direction is uniform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shoda
  • Patent number: 9352581
    Abstract: A decoloring apparatus includes a reading unit that reads a recording medium to generate a read result, a decoloring unit that decolors an image formed on the recording medium, and a control unit that determines a printable area of the recording medium based on the read result of the reading unit, and whether or not the image formed on the recording medium has been decolored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shoda, Yusuke Hashizume
  • Publication number: 20160056686
    Abstract: A motor case (31) in which a stationary portion (35) is fixed, and a gear case (41) in which a gear mechanism (SD) is accommodated are made of aluminium, most heat generated from the stationary portion (35) at the time of actuation of a brushless wiper motor (20) can be directly dissipated outside from the motor case (31). That is, compared with conventional technique, heat transmitted to the motor case (31) can be efficiently dissipated outside, and the motor case (31) does not reach high temperature. Therefore, as a matter of course, reduction in size and weight can be achieved, suppression of electromagnetic noise can be achieved, and heat-resistance strength can be enhanced. Expensive components capable of resisting high temperatures are not required, and reduction in manufacturing cost can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Takeshi Kanai, Hiroto Tanaka, Tomohiko Annaka, Naoki Kojima, Hirokazu Shoda
  • Patent number: 9262701
    Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a reading unit configured to read an image formed on a sheet, an erasing unit configured to erase the image formed on the sheet, and a controller configured to determine whether or not the image on the sheet as read by the reading unit is formed of an erasable material and prevent the sheet that is determined to have an image formed of the non-erasable material from being conveyed to the erasing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Shoda, Yusuke Hashizume
  • Patent number: 9264570
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an automatic document feeder (ADF); a light source configured to irradiate the document conveyed by the ADF with light; a glass member which can be switched to a first mode in which the light from the light source is transmitted and to a second mode in which the light from the light source is reflected; a signal processing circuit configured to include an image sensor for respectively receiving the reflected light of the document and the glass member, read an image of the document in the first mode and generate a signal of a white reference value based on the reflected light of the glass member in the second mode; and a shading correction circuit configured to correct, based on the signal of the white reference value, image data of the document read such that the brightness in the horizontal scanning direction is uniform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shoda
  • Publication number: 20150343794
    Abstract: A decoloring apparatus includes a reading unit that reads a recording medium to generate a read result, a decoloring unit that decolors an image formed on the recording medium, and a control unit that determines a printable area of the recording medium based on the read result of the reading unit, and whether or not the image formed on the recording medium has been decolored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hirokazu SHODA, Yusuke HASHIZUME