Patents by Inventor Hirotoshi Yasunaga

Hirotoshi Yasunaga 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: 11977293
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source, a first optical member, and a fixing portion. The first optical member includes a light reflection portion configured to reflect light, at least a part of the light reflection portion overlapping with the light source, and a light transmitting portion configured to transmit light, the light transmitting portion not overlapping the light reflection portion. A center of the light source in a plan view is defined as a first center, and a center of the light reflection portion in a plan view is defined as a second center. In the light reflection portion, the second center is located between the fixing portion and the first center at a first temperature, and at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, a position of the second center is closer to the first center than a position of the second center at the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Hisashi Watanabe, Takeshi Masuda
  • Publication number: 20240141139
    Abstract: Provided is a display device that makes a desired pattern or the like visible in the non-display state and is capable of displaying a display image without allowing perception of the complementary color of the color of the pattern or the like. The display device includes: a dot matrix display panel; and a design layer disposed in front of a front surface side of the display panel. The design layer includes a design part that includes a binder resin and light-reflective colored particles dispersed in the binder resin. The light-reflective colored particles reflect light having a specific wavelength while absorbing light having a wavelength other than the specific wavelength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Hisashi WATANABE, Hirotoshi YASUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20240142820
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source, a first optical member, and a fixing portion. The first optical member includes a light reflection portion configured to reflect light, at least a part of the light reflection portion overlapping with the light source, and a light transmitting portion configured to transmit light, the light transmitting portion not overlapping the light reflection portion. A center of the light source in a plan view is defined as a first center, and a center of the light reflection portion in a plan view is defined as a second center. In the light reflection portion, the second center is located between the fixing portion and the first center at a first temperature, and at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, a position of the second center is closer to the first center than a position of the second center at the first temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Hirotoshi YASUNAGA, Hisashi WATANABE, Takeshi MASUDA
  • Patent number: 11804580
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a circuit substrate that includes a wiring circuit, LEDs that are mounted on the circuit substrate and that emit primary light, a phosphor sheet that faces a light emission surface of each of the LEDs and that has a function of converting part of the primary light into secondary light in another wavelength range that differs from the wavelength range, and a selective reflection layer that is composed of dielectric multilayer film, that is disposed between the phosphor sheet and the LEDs, that covers the light emission surface of each of the LEDs, that allows the part of the primary light to be transmitted therethrough, and that reflects part of the secondary light. The selective reflection layer is disposed so as to have convex shapes projecting in a direction opposite a direction toward the circuit substrate in regions that overlap the LEDs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Youzou Kyoukane, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 11789311
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source, a wavelength conversion sheet configured to perform wavelength conversion on light from the light source, and a first light reduction portion disposed in a frame shape as a whole overlapping an outer peripheral portion of the wavelength conversion sheet in a plan view between the light source and the wavelength conversion sheet, and configured to reduce a light amount of incident light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Masuda, Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga
  • Patent number: 11789312
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a lighting device includes: a plurality of light sources; and a plurality of optical sheets disposed to be stacked at a position away from the plurality of light sources. The plurality of optical sheets include a first optical sheet and a second optical sheet. Each of the first optical sheet and the second optical sheet has a unit region that modulates light emitted from a light source for each of the plurality of light sources. The unit region includes a modulation region including a light source region facing the light source, and having a relatively high modulation action of the light as compared with other regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Sharp Display Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Hisashi Watanabe, Takeshi Masuda
  • Publication number: 20230314872
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a plurality of light sources arranged side by side in a plane and a wavelength conversion sheet arranged to face a light emitting surface of each of the light sources and converting a wavelength of light from the light sources, in which the wavelength conversion sheet includes a base material having transparency, and a wavelength conversion layer in which a plurality of protrusions containing a wavelength conversion material and having a spherical surface are arranged side by side without gaps on a principal surface of the base material opposite to the light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: HIROTOSHI YASUNAGA, TAKESHI MASUDA, HISASHI WATANABE, YOUZOU KYOUKANE
  • Publication number: 20230168540
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the disclosure, a lighting device includes: a plurality of light sources; and a plurality of optical sheets disposed to be stacked at a position away from the plurality of light sources. The plurality of optical sheets include a first optical sheet and a second optical sheet. Each of the first optical sheet and the second optical sheet has a unit region that modulates light emitted from a light source for each of the plurality of light sources. The unit region includes a modulation region including a light source region facing the light source, and having a relatively high modulation action of the light as compared with other regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Hirotoshi YASUNAGA, Hisashi WATANABE, Takeshi MASUDA
  • Patent number: 11502234
    Abstract: A light-emitting-element-equipped substrate includes: a circuit substrate including a main surface; a light-emitting element mounted on the main surface and electrically connected to the circuit substrate; a silicone-based white resist layer covering the main surface and including: a first opening surrounding the light-emitting element; and a second opening different from the first opening; and a transparent protective layer covering the light-emitting element, the silicone-based white resist layer, and the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Youzou Kyoukane, Takeshi Masuda
  • Publication number: 20220308399
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source, a wavelength conversion sheet configured to perform wavelength conversion on light from the light source, and a first light reduction portion disposed in a frame shape as a whole overlapping an outer peripheral portion of the wavelength conversion sheet in a plan view between the light source and the wavelength conversion sheet, and configured to reduce a light amount of incident light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Takeshi MASUDA, Hisashi WATANABE, Hirotoshi YASUNAGA
  • Patent number: 11367814
    Abstract: An LED light-source substrate includes a first bonding sheet covering the LED, a second bonding sheet formed on the first bonding sheet, and a reflective layer formed on the second bonding sheet to suppress light from the LED. The second bonding sheet is bonded peelably from the first bonding sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Takeshi Masuda, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Youzou Kyoukane
  • Patent number: 11137640
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a mounting substrate comprising a first pair of conductive pads and a second pair of conductive pads arranged along a first direction on the mounting substrate. The first pair of conductive pads is offset from the second pair of conductive pads in the first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction with respect to a plane parallel to the mounting substrate. A first light emitting device is coupled to the first pair of conductive pads, and configured to emit lights toward a first side within a space formed between the mounting substrate and a diffusion plate. A second light emitting device is coupled to the second pair of conductive pads, and configured to emit lights toward a second side opposite of the first side within the space formed between the substrate and the diffusion plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Masuda, Hisashi Watanabe, Youzou Kyoukane, Hirotoshi Yasunaga
  • Publication number: 20210288234
    Abstract: A light-emitting-element-equipped substrate includes: a circuit substrate including a main surface; a light-emitting element mounted on the main surface and electrically connected to the circuit substrate; a silicone-based white resist layer covering the main surface and including: a first opening surrounding the light-emitting element; and a second opening different from the first opening; and a transparent protective layer covering the light-emitting element, the silicone-based white resist layer, and the second opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: HISASHI WATANABE, HIROTOSHI YASUNAGA, YOUZOU KYOUKANE, TAKESHI MASUDA
  • Patent number: 11105972
    Abstract: The light input efficiency of a light-emitting device into a circular disc-shaped or elliptical disc-shaped light guide plate is increased. A light-emitting device includes a first light-emitting unit (12a) that includes a plurality of light-emitting elements (L1 to L5) arranged curvilinearly, a second light-emitting unit (12b) that includes a plurality of light-emitting elements (L6 to L10) arranged curvilinearly, and a coupling portion (12c) that is disposed so as to coincide with a region (SA) sandwiched by the first and second light-emitting units and couples the first and second light-emitting units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Youzou Kyoukane, Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Ryuzo Yuki
  • Publication number: 20210247647
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a mounting substrate comprising a first pair of conductive pads and a second pair of conductive pads arranged along a first direction on the mounting substrate. The first pair of conductive pads is offset from the second pair of conductive pads in the first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction with respect to a plane parallel to the mounting substrate. A first light emitting device is coupled to the first pair of conductive pads, and configured to emit lights toward a first side within a space formed between the mounting substrate and a diffusion plate. A second light emitting device is coupled to the second pair of conductive pads, and configured to emit lights toward a second side opposite of the first side within the space formed between the substrate and the diffusion plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: TAKESHI MASUDA, HISASHI WATANABE, YOUZOU KYOUKANE, HIROTOSHI YASUNAGA
  • Patent number: 11079625
    Abstract: A reflection sheet stacked on a mounting surface of a light source substrate on which light sources are mounted includes an insulating sheet and a reflection layer. The insulating sheet is made of an insulating material. The reflection layer includes a metal thin film stacked on the insulating sheet. Holes are drilled through the reflection layer and the insulating sheet in a stacking direction in which the reflection layer is stacked on the insulating sheet so that the light sources are exposed therethrough. The reflection layer is divided into divided reflection areas by slits. The holes are formed in the divided reflection areas, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Youzou Kyoukane, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 11067739
    Abstract: Provided are an edge-lit surface light source device and a liquid crystal display device, both of which are capable of two-dimensional local dimming without image contrast being reduced due to stray light. Even when light from LEDs that should be extracted by means of a light extraction pattern provided in a first section of a light guide plate is passed through the first section without being extracted, the light repeatedly strikes on a light absorbing layer formed in a second section, whereby much of the light is absorbed in the second section. Accordingly, little light from the LEDs is extracted from a third section, from which light from LEDs should originally be extracted, with the result that image contrast can be prevented from being reduced due to stray light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Hisashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11016239
    Abstract: A lighting device includes light guide plates each of which includes a light exit section including a light it surface and a light entering section extending from the light exit section toward a light source row and including an extended end surface as a light entering surface. The light exit section has a thickness dimension that is smaller than that of the light entering section at an extended end thereof. The light guide plates are stacked on each other such that the light exit sections thereof overlap each other seen from a normal direction of the light exit surface. The light entering section of one light guide plate and the light entering section of another light guide plate are disposed next to each other in an arrangement direction of the light sources so as not to overlap each other seen from the normal direction of light exit surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Hirotoshi Yasunaga, Youzou Kyoukane
  • Publication number: 20210141147
    Abstract: Provided are an edge-lit surface light source device and a liquid crystal display device, both of which are capable of two-dimensional local dimming without image contrast being reduced due to stray light. Even when light from LEDs that should be extracted by means of a light extraction pattern provided in a first section of a light guide plate is passed through the first section without being extracted, the light repeatedly strikes on a light absorbing layer formed in a second section, whereby much of the light is absorbed in the second section. Accordingly, little light from the LEDs is extracted from a third section, from which light from LEDs should originally be extracted, with the result that image contrast can be prevented from being reduced due to stray light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: HIROTOSHI YASUNAGA, HISASHI WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20210141148
    Abstract: A lighting device includes light guide plates each of which includes a light exit section including a light exit surface and a light entering section extending from the light exit section toward a light source row and including an extended end surface as a light entering surface. The light exit section has a thickness dimension that is smaller than that of the light entering section at an extended end thereof. The light guide plates are stacked on each other such that the light exit sections thereof overlap each other seen from a normal direction of the light exit surface. The light entering section of one light guide plate and the light entering section of another light guide plate are disposed next to each other in an arrangement direction of the light sources so as not to overlap each other seen from the normal direction of light exit surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: HISASHI WATANABE, HIROTOSHI YASUNAGA, YOUZOU KYOUKANE