Patents by Inventor Kanji Obata

Kanji Obata 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: 7106883
    Abstract: When image data of a target container obtained by an image pickup unit such as a CCD installed on a hoisting accessory is processed, and a line approximating the arrangement of a pixel group which causes a change in luminance or hue larger than a set value can be fitted thereto, the pixel group having the arrangement that can be approximated by such a line is determined as a ridge of the container, that is, one representing the edge of the container held by the hoisting accessory, to detect the position of the target container. Thereby, edge extraction of the target container by the processing of the image data obtained by the image pickup unit such as a CCD camera installed on the hoisting accessory can be reliably and positively performed, while eliminating influences of various situations and conditions in the actual operating environment, and relative position detection of the target container and the suspended container can be performed accurately and reliably, by utilizing the edge extraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Uchida, Noriaki Miyata, Kanji Obata, Hirohumi Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6880712
    Abstract: A crane provided with a trolley, a hanging member, a rope member, and a hoisting device. The crane includes a horizontal position displacement detection unit which detects a horizontal positional displacement between at least two corners of the cargo and a landing place of the two corners; and a horizontal position displacement correction unit which corrects a horizontal positional displacement between the at least two corners of the cargo and the landing place of the two corners when the two corners have landed based on a detection signal from the horizontal position displacement detection unit. The horizontal position displacement correction unit corrects the position of a corner of the cargo so that the corner lands at the landing place of the corner, and then corrects the position of another corner so that the corner lands at the landing place of the corner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Uchida, Nobuo Yoshioka, Kanji Obata, Noriaki Miyata, Masaki Nishioka, Tadaaki Monzen
  • Patent number: 6644485
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling stacking of a load by a crane estimates a periodical displacement of a horizontal position of a tool. A speed with which the tool descends is controlled such that the tool or a load held by the tool lands on a desired position when the amplitude of the periodical displacement becomes maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Uchida, Noriaki Miyata, Kanji Obata, Tadaaki Monzen
  • Publication number: 20030015489
    Abstract: A crane provided with a trolley, a hanging member, a rope member, and a hoisting device. The crane includes a horizontal position displacement detection unit which detects a horizontal positional displacement between at least two corners of the cargo and a landing place of the two corners; and a horizontal position displacement correction unit which corrects a horizontal positional displacement between the at least two corners of the cargo and the landing place of the two corners when the two corners have landed based on a detection signal from the horizontal position displacement detection unit. The horizontal position displacement correction unit corrects the position of a corner of the cargo so that the corner lands at the landing place of the corner, and then corrects the position of another corner so that the corner lands at the landing place of the corner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Koji Uchida, Nobuo Yoshioka, Kanji Obata, Noriaki Miyata, Masaki Nishioka, Tadaaki Monzen
  • Publication number: 20020191813
    Abstract: When image data of a target container obtained by an image pickup unit such as a CCD installed on a hoisting accessory is processed, and a line approximating the arrangement of a pixel group which causes a change in luminance or hue larger than a set value can be fitted thereto, the pixel group having the arrangement that can be approximated by such a line is determined as a ridge of the container, that is, one representing the edge of the container held by the hoisting accessory, to detect the position of the target container. Thereby, edge extraction of the target container by the processing of the image data obtained by the image pickup unit such as a CCD camera installed on the hoisting accessory can be reliably and positively performed, while eliminating influences of various situations and conditions in the actual operating environment, and relative position detection of the target container and the suspended container can be performed accurately and reliably, by utilizing the edge extraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Kouji Uchida, Noriaki Miyata, Kanji Obata, Hirohumi Yoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20020108919
    Abstract: The apparatus for controlling stacking of a load by a crane estimates a periodical displacement of a horizontal position of a tool. A speed with which the tool descends is controlled such that the tool or a load held by the tool lands on a desired position when the amplitude of the periodical displacement becomes maximum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Uchida, Noriaki Miyata, Kanji Obata, Tadaaki Monzen
  • Patent number: 6161887
    Abstract: A spreader for multistage container stacking comprising a flipper beam having a pair of corner flippers upwardly and downwardly movable along the end surface of an end beam of the spreader; a couple of right and left wires paid out from a pair of drums on the end beam, guided vertically downwardly along the opposite ends of the end beam, and tied at the ends thereof to positions straddling the center of gravity of the cross sections of the flipper beam and the corner flipper to support the flipper beam; a flipper lock pin mounting/removing device provided on the vertical side surface of the corner flipper, the flipper lock pin mounting/removing device having a lock pin insertible into and removable from a side surface opening of the spreader or a lower corner fitting of a container; a rotary encoder provided in association with the drums for detecting the amount of upward or downward movement of the flipper beam; and a lower end detecting sensor provided on the flipper beam for detecting the lower end of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shiota, Masaki Nishioka, Kanji Obata, Ken Murakami