Patents by Inventor Hiroyoshi Hosota

Hiroyoshi Hosota 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: 7564168
    Abstract: A driving device includes an electromechanical transducer that is extended and contracted by application of voltage, and a support member that slidably supports a movable body and that is displaced together with the electromechanical transducer to which the support member is connected, the movable body being driven along the support member with the extension and contraction of the electromechanical transducer. The movable body has a main element, a pinch member that is assembled on the main element so as to pinch and hold the support member, and a biasing member that biases the pinch member toward the support member. A part of the pinch member abuts on the support member and other part thereof is held on the main element in a cross section perpendicular to a movement direction of the movable body when the pinch member is biased by the biasing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Konishi, Hiroyoshi Hosota, Akira Wada
  • Patent number: 7559708
    Abstract: Provided is a compact thin type optical unit provided also with a housing 2 having an mounting surface 31 for mounting an imaging device 18 on, an optical system driving device 5 for driving the optical system 3, a light quantity control member 16 for controlling a light quantity projecting on the imaging device 18 and a light quantity control driving device 6 for driving the light quantity control member 16, and the optical system driving device 5, wherein the light quantity control driving device 6 are arranged outside a same side of the mounting surface 31 so as to overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis X of the optical system 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Opto, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Hosota, Hirotoshi Konishi
  • Publication number: 20060256209
    Abstract: A dimension between ends of a magnet is set to be larger than a moving distance of a lens of a photographing optical system. The magnet is arranged such that a direction of connecting magnetic poles (S-pole and N-pole) is substantially parallel to an optical axis direction of the lens. A Hall sensor is disposed in the center of a movable range of the lens along the optical axis direction. The magnet is mounted in a lens frame such that the center of the magnet faces the Hall sensor. Lens positions and outputs of the Hall sensor can be in one-to-one correspondence with each other within the movable range of the lens. The position detecting device and the electronic apparatus are miniaturized and produced at reduced costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 16, 2006
    Inventors: Tadahiro Yoshida, Hirotoshi Konishi, Hiroyoshi Hosota
  • Publication number: 20060232168
    Abstract: A driving device includes an electromechanical transducer that is extended and contracted by application of voltage, and a support member that slidably supports a movable body and that is displaced together with the electromechanical transducer to which the support member is connected, the movable body being driven along the support member with the extension and contraction of the electromechanical transducer. The movable body has a main element, a pinch member that is assembled on the main element so as to pinch and hold the support member, and a biasing member that biases the pinch member toward the support member. A part of the pinch member abuts on the support member and other part thereof is held on the main element in a cross section perpendicular to a movement direction of the movable body when the pinch member is biased by the biasing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Konishi, Hiroyoshi Hosota, Akira Wada
  • Publication number: 20060222356
    Abstract: Provided is a compact thin type optical unit provided also with a housing 2 having an mounting surface 31 for mounting an imaging device 18 on, an optical system driving device 5 for driving the optical system 3, a light quantity control member 16 for controlling a light quantity projecting on the imaging device 18 and a light quantity control driving device 6 for driving the light quantity control member 16, and the optical system driving device 5, wherein the light quantity control driving device 6 are arranged outside a same side of the mounting surface 31 so as to overlap each other in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis X of the optical system 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Hosota, Hirotoshi Konishi
  • Publication number: 20060164538
    Abstract: A lens unit or an image pickup unit including an image pickup device in addition to the lens unit comprises a base member located on an image pickup device side and a cover member to be directed to an object side. A slider is attached to the cover member to be axially movable. The slider is to hold the lens or a lens holder. A piezoelectric element actuator for driving the slider is also attached to the cover member. Thus, only a back face of the base member has to be adapted to various types of image pickup devices. A front face thereof may be formed in a simple shape for attachment of the base member to the cover member. Accordingly, the lens unit and the image pickup unit can easily conform to various types of image pickup devices. Further, the inner shape of the lens holder can be adapted to various types of lenses, so that the lens unit needs no change in structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Toyotoshi Kawasaki, Toru Kuchimaru, Hiroyoshi Hosota