Patents by Inventor Katsushi Watanabe

Katsushi Watanabe 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).

  • Publication number: 20110018989
    Abstract: The endoscope system of the present invention includes: an endoscope that has an image pickup device that picks up an observation image of a test object; an image display unit that converts image pickup signals that have been sent from the image pickup device into images and then displays these images; a first mounting portion that is provided in an operating section of the endoscope and on which the image display unit is mounted; and a second mounting portion that is provided in the operating section of the endoscope and on which the image display unit is mounted in a different position from that of the first mounting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyamoto, Takayuki Kameya, Katsushi Watanabe, Kazutaka Matsumoto, Takeaki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7772786
    Abstract: A battery-powered light source device 5 has an DC/DC converter 61 that boosts the supply voltage of a battery 51 and supplies electrical power to a lamp 31, and, inside this DC/DC converter 61, are provided a comparator 65 that compares a specific reference voltage to the output voltage of a DC/DC converter 61, and a control component 66 that keeps the output voltage from the DC/DC converter 61 at a specific lamp voltage on the basis of the comparison result of this comparator 65, whereby the supply voltage of the battery 51 is boosted and the optimal lamp voltage is obtained. Consequently, the battery-powered light source device 5 allows the brightness of the lamp to be adjusted and a high step-up efficiency to be obtained, and the battery can therefore be used more efficiently, and a more convenient use of the endoscope is possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Seiichi Hosoda, Masahide Yamaki, Katsushi Watanabe, Hiroshi Takahashi, Masakazu Gotanda, Itaru Osaki, Takeaki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20100103414
    Abstract: [Project] To provide a microphase-separated structure which comprises a vast and visible structure showing a structural color with the use of the phase separation due to the self-assembly of a block copolymer, enables the design of a definite structural color by a convenient method and shows temperature response. [Means for Solving Problems] A microphase-separated structure comprising a block copolymer, which contains at least a block chain A consisting of a monomer A as a repeating unit and a block chain B consisting of a monomer B as a repeating unit, and a solvent, wherein the solvent has a temperature zone 1 where the block chain A and the block chain B are soluble and a temperature zone 2 where the block chain A is insoluble but the block chain B is soluble, and a structural period thereof varies by changing temperature between the temperature zone 1 and the temperature zone 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Shigeru Okamoto, Katsuhiro Yamamoto, Tatsuhiro Iwama, Mayu Okada, Shigeo Hara, Yoshihiro Takiguchi, Masahiro Mouri, Katsushi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20090247828
    Abstract: An endoscope configured to be carried with a hand includes an insertion portion extending in a longitudinally axial direction, and an operation portion coaxially connected to a proximal end portion of the insertion portion and extending in the longitudinally axial direction, the operation portion includes an axially directional grasp portion extending in the longitudinally axial direction, a bending operation portion provided on a more proximal end side than the axially directional grasp portion, and a widely directional grasp portion provided on a more proximal end side than the bending operation portion wherein at least a part of the bending operation portion is located within a widely directional length of the widely directional grasp portion, and the widely directional grasp portion includes a grasp part protruding farther toward one widely directional side than the bending operation portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Katsushi Watanabe, Tomoaki Ogawa, Takeshi Okada, Shigeru Nemoto, Shunichi Imai, Takeo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20090187077
    Abstract: A battery-powered light source device 5 has an DC/DC converter 61 that boosts the supply voltage of a battery 51 and supplies electrical power to a lamp 31, and, inside this DC/DC converter 61, are provided a comparator 65 that compares a specific reference voltage to the output voltage of a DC/DC converter 61, and a control component 66 that keeps the output voltage from the DC/DC converter 61 at a specific lamp voltage on the basis of the comparison result of this comparator 65, whereby the supply voltage of the battery 51 is boosted and the optimal lamp voltage is obtained. Consequently, the battery-powered light source device 5 allows the brightness of the lamp to be adjusted and a high step-up efficiency to be obtained, and the battery can therefore be used more efficiently, and a more convenient use of the endoscope is possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Seiichi Hosoda, Masahide Yamaki, Katsushi Watanabe, Hiroshi Takahashi, Masakazu Gotanda, Itaru Osaki, Takeaki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20090179356
    Abstract: The present invention related generally to thermoplastic films, and, more particularly, to low haze thermoplastic films with high thickness uniformity, methods for manufacturing low haze thermoplastic films with high thickness uniformity, and manufacturing systems for forming the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicants: AMA, INC., ASAHI KASEI CHEMICALS
    Inventors: Michael Friedman, Sergey Peshkovsky, Mzhelski Alexander, Hiroshi Shirai, Katsushi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7522355
    Abstract: In the case where a lens unit where two ore more transparent resin lenses are combined is constituted, at least one transparent resin lens contains infrared absorbent. When the lens unit is assembled, an infrared laser is emitted to a joined portion between the transparent resin lens and the other transparent resin lens. As a result, the emitted infrared ray is absorbed by the infrared absorbent, so that the transparent resin lenses are welded to each other. An opaque lens barrel which holds the entire lens unit and the transparent resin lenses are joined by welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta OPTO, Inc.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Uehira, Akihiko Matsumoto, Katsushi Watanabe, Toshiyuki Majima
  • Publication number: 20090080214
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes a light source which generates heat when emitting an illumination light from a light-emitting surface, a light guide bundle which has a light-receiving surface opposed to the light-emitting surface of the light source, to receive the illumination light emitted from the light-emitting surface of the light source, and guides the illumination light from the light source received by the light-receiving surface, and a light guide connector which has an end face arranged along the light guide bundle and opposed to the light-emitting surface of the light source, and a contact part in which at least a part of the end face directly contacts the light-emitting surface, and absorbs the heat generated on the light-emitting surface of the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventor: Katsushi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20090036742
    Abstract: An endoscope includes an insertion portion which is to be inserted into a subject, and an operation portion which is connected to a proximal end of the insertion portion, and held by a user. A light source is provided in the operation portion. A heat transmission frame is provided with the light source in the operation portion, is able to transmit heat generated by the light source, and is at least partially electrically insulated. An external heat radiation part is connected to the heat transmission frame, is at least partially exposed to the outside of the operation portion, and radiates heat transmitted to the heat transmission frame to the outside of the operation portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventor: Katsushi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080021268
    Abstract: An endoscope according to the present invention comprises an insertion portion, an operation portion, an image pickup device provided in the operation portion, an image display device connected to the operation portion and provided with a monitor portion, an image processing portion such as an image pickup device control circuit processing an image pickup signal of a portion to be inspected picked up by the image pickup device, a cylindrical rotating shaft formed by an electromagnetic wave shielding member such as metal, slidably engaged with the operation portion, for rotatably connecting the operation portion and the image display device to each other, and an image pickup cable inserted through the rotating shaft and electrically connecting the image pickup device control circuit and the image pickup device to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Ayanori Shoroji, Katsushi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080009677
    Abstract: An endoscope of the invention includes: an LED for supplying illumination light to illuminate a subject; an image pickup device for picking up an image of a region to be inspected of the subject; a video display device provided with a monitor portion on which an endoscope image of the region to be inspected picked up by the image pickup device is displayed and an exterior member for holding the monitor portion; a power supply control circuit for supplying electric power to drive the LED and cause the LED to emit illumination light; and a heat radiation portion for radiating heat generated by the power supply control circuit formed on a rear surface opposing to a disposition surface of the exterior member on which the monitor portion of the video display device is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicant: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventors: Ayanori Shoroji, Katsushi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20070249904
    Abstract: An endoscope device of the invention includes: an insertion portion disposed with an observation optical system; an operation portion continuously provided to a proximal end side of the insertion portion; a display device main body provided to a proximal end side of the operation portion and disposed with a monitor portion for displaying a subject image; a rotational movement shaft for rotationally movably journaling the display device main body with respect to the operation portion; and a finger-hooking portion provided to the display device main body and for operation of rotationally moving the display device main body about a rotational movement shaft, and thus it is possible for an operator to easily orient the monitor of the display device in an easily viewable direction when operatably grasping the operation portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicants: Olympus Medical Systems Corp., Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Hirotoshi Amano, Keiji Okada, Katsushi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20070225561
    Abstract: An endoscope includes a power supply section, a light source device that irradiates illumination light, an image pickup section that picks up a subject image and converts the subject image to an image signal, a recording section that records the image signal, an image display section that receives the input of an image signal from the image pickup section or a signal read out from the recording section and displays an image based on the input signal, a detecting section that detects the input of a signal from the recording section to the image display section, and a control section that controls the power supply to at least one of the light source device and the image pickup section from the power supply section based on the detection result by the detecting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventors: Katsushi Watanabe, Ayanori Shoroji
  • Publication number: 20070188604
    Abstract: The endoscope system of the present invention includes: an endoscope that has an image pickup device that picks up an observation image of a test object; an image display unit that converts image pickup signals that have been sent from the image pickup device into images and then displays these images; a first mounting portion that is provided in an operating section of the endoscope and on which the image display unit is mounted; and a second mounting portion that is provided in the operating section of the endoscope and on which the image display unit is mounted in a different position from that of the first mounting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyamoto, Takayuki Kameya, Katsushi Watanabe, Kazutaka Matsumoto, Takeaki Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20070030344
    Abstract: An endoscope device having an imaging element for imaging an observation image of a subject, an endoscope having a grippable operation section, a video image displaying device for converting an image signal from imaging means into a video image and displaying it, a first supporting section for supporting the video image displaying device so that the video image displaying device is pivotable about its longitudinal axis or about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, and video image rotating means for rotating the image of the subject displayed on the video image displaying device about an axis substantially orthogonal to the screen of the video image displaying device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Publication date: February 8, 2007
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Miyamoto, Hideaki Kinouchi, Takeaki Nakamura, Katsushi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20060173243
    Abstract: A slender insertion section of the endoscope has an endoscope distal-end portion, a tubular body and a bending portion, all extending along the longitudinal axis of the insertion section. The bending portion is arranged between the distal-end portion and the tubular body. The insertion section has an inner component. The bending portion has an annular ring assembly composed of a plurality of annular rings arranged side by side. Each annular ring has a ring body, a pair of bulging portion that face at one end face of the ring body, and a plurality of projections which the inner component can move. The most distal annular ring of the annular ring assembly supports one end of a wire. The wire passes through the annular rings and has its other end coupled to an operation section of the endoscope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventor: Katsushi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20050219717
    Abstract: In the case where a lens unit where two ore more transparent resin lenses are combined is constituted, at least one transparent resin lens contains infrared absorbent. When the lens unit is assembled, an infrared laser is emitted to a joined portion between the transparent resin lens and the other transparent resin lens. As a result, the emitted infrared ray is absorbed by the infrared absorbent, so that the transparent resin lenses are welded to each other. An opaque lens barrel which holds the entire lens unit and the transparent resin lenses are joined by welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Masayoshi Uehira, Akihiko Matsumoto, Katsushi Watanabe, Toshiyuki Majima
  • Patent number: 6890984
    Abstract: The present invention provides a polyamide resin composition suitable as industrial materials such as automobile parts, electronic or electrical parts, and industrial machine parts, and excellent in various mechanical properties such as various kinds of moldability, rigidity, and strength, and durability such as heat-resistant aging property. Namely, the invention relates to a polyamide resin composition comprising (A) a polyamide, (B) an apatite type compound, and (C) (i) a higher fatty acid metal salt and/or (ii) a mixture of a metal halide and a copper compound, wherein the polyamide resin composition is obtainable by adding component (C) after the formation of the apatite type compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Aramaki, Katsushi Watanabe, Ikutoshi Nakashima
  • Patent number: 6659943
    Abstract: A battery-powered light source in which the relative position to a control section of an endoscope is changed to switch an illumination lamp to an ON state or OFF state includes a light source main body containing a battery for supplying electric power for turning on the illumination lamp, a plurality of switch positions provided in a range in which the relative position between the light source main body and the control section of the endoscope is changed, and a click mechanical portion provided at at least one of the switch positions, for maintaining the relative position between the light source main body and the control section of the endoscope in a predetermined state and switching the illumination lamp to a predetermined state while maintaining the state of the relative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsushi Watanabe, Itaru Osaki
  • Publication number: 20030045621
    Abstract: The present invention provides a polyamide resin composition suitable as industrial materials such as automobile parts, electronic or electrical parts, and industrial machine parts, and excellent in various mechanical properties such as various kinds of moldability, rigidity, and strength, and durability such as heat-resistant aging property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Massaki Aramaki, Katsushi Watanabe, Ikutoshi Nakashima