Patents by Inventor Imao Hiraga

Imao Hiraga 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: 7961560
    Abstract: To provide a display device for a timepiece wherein model changes can be easily made with a simple structure in a timepiece with a retro display. In a day display device, an hour wheel, day intermediate wheel, and cam are disposed on the same axis, and a lever and small day indicator are disposed so as to enclose these components, whereby a simple configuration can be achieved. A large space for accommodating the lever can be provided between the substantial center and the peripheral edge of a main plate on which the hour wheel, day intermediate wheel, and cam rotate on the same axis, and various shapes are made possible by freely extending the lever from the substantial middle to the peripheral edge of the main plate. Therefore, it is possible to form first through third gear parts through, and to provide three positions A through C for incorporating the small day indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Imao Hiraga, Kenichi Okuhara
  • Patent number: 7742364
    Abstract: A timepiece display apparatus causes a day hand to move reciprocally by means of center wheel, driven day wheel, cam, lever, and rack. These wheels, cam, lever, and rack can be easily arranged to fit the available space on the main plate of the movement, and the construction of the display apparatus can thus be simplified. Furthermore, locating the cam between the rotary shaft and rack of the lever portion enables arranging a plurality of parts more compactly than if the cam is disposed to a different location, and affords a simple assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Imao Hiraga, Shigeyuki Fujimori, Yoichi Hayashi, Kenichi Okuhara
  • Publication number: 20080253235
    Abstract: A timepiece display apparatus causes a day hand to move reciprocally by means of center wheel, driven day wheel, cam, lever, and rack. These wheels, cam, lever, and rack can be easily arranged to fit the available space on the main plate of the movement, and the construction of the display apparatus can thus be simplified. Furthermore, locating the cam between the rotary shaft and rack of the lever portion enables arranging a plurality of parts more compactly than if the cam is disposed to a different location, and affords a simple assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Imao Hiraga, Shigeyuki Fujimori, Yoichi Hayashi, Kenichi Okuhara
  • Publication number: 20080159082
    Abstract: To provide a display device for a timepiece wherein model changes can be easily made with a simple structure in a timepiece with a retro display. In a day display device, an hour wheel, day intermediate wheel, and cam are disposed on the same axis, and a lever and small day indicator are disposed so as to enclose these components, whereby a simple configuration can be achieved. A large space for accommodating the lever can be provided between the substantial center and the peripheral edge of a main plate on which the hour wheel, day intermediate wheel, and cam rotate on the same axis, and various shapes are made possible by freely extending the lever from the substantial middle to the peripheral edge of the main plate. Therefore, it is possible to form first through third gear parts through, and to provide three positions A through C for incorporating the small day indicator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Imao Hiraga, Kenichi Okuhara
  • Publication number: 20030174590
    Abstract: A push button structure reduces the manufacturing cost as well as thickness by improving the configuration of functional parts of the push button structure. A pipe is fixed in a through-hole of an external case, and the shaft of an operating member is inserted slidably to the pipe. A cylindrical flexible member is held between the pipe and the crown of the operating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Yasuo Arikawa, Imao Hiraga, Takumi Oshio
  • Patent number: 4970952
    Abstract: A date-stamping apparatus having a casing, a bridge member located at the lower end of the casing, a tension roller located above the casing and forced upwardly, an endless date-printing belt having printing letters on its outside surface and spanned between the bridge member and the tension roller, a date-belt driving wheel located within the casing at a substantially intermediate portion. The date of driving wheel has a circumferential engagement section co-operating with the belt and being contacted by the outside surface of the belt, and an electric motor intermittently energized by a timing circuit and operatively connected with the belt-driving wheel, so that stamped date is electrically adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Shachihata Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Imao Hiraga, Masamori Uchikawa, Makoto Mizuno
  • Patent number: 4862432
    Abstract: A timepiece construction member comprises a timepiece frame, trains, a motor, circuit member and so on. A supporting member for keeping and securing the timepiece construction member is made of a spring plate. The supporting member is engaged with the plate at the periphery thereof and as a result, the timepiece construction member is secured by a simple means. It is possible to provide a securing construction having a high reliability and a small number of members. Further, since the supporting member also serves as the other operating member such as a battery plus terminal, it is possible to provide a small sized securing construction for members. Furthermore, since the members of the timepiece are in contact with an elastic beam of the spring plate, the members of the timepiece can be secured stably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignees: Shiojiri Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Imao Hiraga, Noriaki Shimura, Yojiro Okakura, Masaru Kubota, Osamu Takashi
  • Patent number: 4862434
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece in which a gear train is driven and the hand is moved by a stepping motor and, more particularly, the timepiece which surely permits time correcting owing to the simple structure even if the gear train is formed of plastic materials. One end of the third wheel and pinion engaged with the center wheel is guided or held by the operating lever interlocked with the external control member. When the external operating member is moved into the axis direction, this operating lever is rotated and the third wheel and pinion is radially removed from the engagement of the center wheel and pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: Shiojiro Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Imao Hiraga, Satoshi Yamazaki, Takehide Yamada, Tadashi Nishitani
  • Patent number: 4496246
    Abstract: A precision, reliable, analog timepiece uses plastic frame elements reinforced with metal, and plastic wheel and pinions pivoting in holes formed in the plastic of the frame elements. The plastic frame elements are separated into portions corresponding to the functional timepiece portions. Exposed areas of the reinforcing metal provide reference locations in molding the frame elements and for component mounting. The entire timepiece is assembled from one side of a base frame element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1981
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1985
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
    Inventors: Tomio Ota, Mamoru Miyasaka, Imao Hiraga
  • Patent number: 4365899
    Abstract: The size of an electronic timepiece is decreased through improvement in the design of the gear train. The improvements are directed primarily to the number of teeth on the wheel attached to the seconds hand and the relation of the pitch interval of this wheel to that of the wheel which drives the seconds wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1982
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Suwa Seikosha
    Inventors: Kenichi Ushikoshi, Imao Hiraga