Patents by Inventor Katsutoshi Suzuki
Katsutoshi Suzuki 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).
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Publication number: 20050223400Abstract: A spindle motor, in which the number of parts is kept from increasing and the number of assembling processes is reduced, and which has mechanisms for self-balancing and centrally aligning a disk, comprises a motor assembly (31) for rotating a disk (30) as a recording medium, a turntable (12) for mounting the disk (30), and a holder plate (14) disposed under the turntable (12). The mechanism for self-balancing is structured such that a plurality of steel balls (16) are disposed within an annular space (22) defined by the turntable (12) and the holder plate (14), and the mechanism for centrally aligning the disk (30) is constituted by a plurality of claw-shaped aligning members (5) formed at the inner circumference of the holder plate (14).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2003Publication date: October 6, 2005Inventors: Kunitake Matsushita, Takayuki Yamawaki, Katsutoshi Suzuki, Masaaki Inagaki
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Publication number: 20040246109Abstract: An exciting device capable of producing sound by sound-producing vibration body of a main body of an apparatus is provided. An exciting member 32A thin and long in the direction X is provided on a vibration substrate 31 thin and long in the direction X. Both ends of the exciting member 32A are fixed to the vibration substrate 31. Further, a piezoelectric element 33 that functions as vibration generating means is provided in the middle in the direction X of the exciting member 32A. The vibration substrate 31 is directly or indirectly fixed to the sound-producing vibration body. Vibration of the exciting member 32A is transmitted to the sound-producing vibration body through the vibration substrate 31 so that the sound-producing vibration body produces sound.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2004Publication date: December 9, 2004Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsutoshi Suzuki, Koichi Saito, Takenobu Horino, Shinichi Higuchi, Katsuji Suzuki, Tetsuya Mitsuichi
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Publication number: 20040163883Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electroacoustic transducer, which is capable of controlling a particular vibration mode having large amplitude generated in a diaphragm and reproducing and outputting with fidelity a sound signal transmitted to the diaphragm.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2004Publication date: August 26, 2004Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20040161130Abstract: The present invention provides an electroacoustic transducer capable of removing non-uniformity of a gap between a coil and a magnet and of vibrating a diaphragm properly, and an electronic apparatus using the same. An electroacoustic transducer 1 of the present invention comprises a plane diaphragm 2 and a vibration-generating source 3 for vibrating the diaphragm 2, wherein the vibration-generating source 3 is supported in the vicinity of one end 2a on the backside of the diaphragm 2, at least the one end 2a and two sides 2b and 2b of the diaphragm 2, which are perpendicular to the one end 2a and are opposite to each other, are supported on an elastic cushion member 9, and wherein the diaphragm 2 is vibrated in a plane direction perpendicular to the plane of the diaphragm 2 when the vibration-generating source 3 is driven.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2004Publication date: August 19, 2004Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 6646631Abstract: An input device which provides excellent operability and reaction to a user, and which can be easily operated. The device comprises a casing, an operation unit supported parallel-movably in a direction along one surface of the casing, having a member to return to an initial position when the operation unit is not operated, and a signal generation portion which detects moving direction and moving amount of the operation unit, and generates a control signal to control moving direction and moving amount of an object to be operated on an image display device, in accordance with the detected moving direction and moving amount.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 1999Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Katsutoshi Suzuki, Seiichi Suga, Masaru Komatsu
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Patent number: 6508137Abstract: An input device and detection device each have separate electrodes with one electrode for detecting input in a vertical direction and a plurality of electrodes for detecting input in a horizontal direction. An elastic body has a conductive portion opposite to the electrodes with a thin portion opposite to the vertical-detection electrode. A storage depressed portion is formed on the thin portion. A space between the elastic body and the electrodes changes by input. A slider is connected to the elastic body and is movable only in a horizontal direction, a hard pressing body stored in the storage depressed portion of the elastic body, and a key top opposite to the pressing body and vertically movable.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2001Date of Patent: January 21, 2003Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20020122025Abstract: An input device which provides excellent operability and reaction to a user, and which can be easily operated. The device comprises a casing, an operation unit supported parallel-movably in a direction along one surface of the casing, having a member to return to an initial position when the operation unit is not operated, and a signal generation portion which detects moving direction and moving amount of the operation unit, and generates a control signal to control moving direction and moving amount of an object to be operated on an image display device, in accordance with the detected moving direction and moving amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 1999Publication date: September 5, 2002Inventors: KATSUTOSHI SUZUKI, SEIICHI SUGA, MASARU KOMATSU
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Patent number: 6430023Abstract: An input device for a personal computer or the like has an elastic member, a slider horizontally movable on the elastic member, and a key top operatively connected to the elastic member through the slider. The elastic member 5 has a coupling portion provided with a flange which vertically movably fits in a fit hole formed in the slider. A horizontal movement of the key top causes the wall of the fit hole of the slider to press the flange, which in turn causes deformation of the flange and of the movable electrode, with the result that the size of the gap and, hence, capacitive value between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode are changed, whereby the direction of movement of the key top is detected with a high degree of accuracy.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2001Date of Patent: August 6, 2002Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20020064018Abstract: An input device for a personal computer or the like has an elastic member, a slider horizontally movable on the elastic member, and a key top operatively connected to the elastic member through the slider. The elastic member 5 has a coupling portion provided with a flange which vertically movably fits in a fit hole formed in the slider. A horizontal movement of the key top causes the wall of the fit hole of the slider to press the flange, which in turn causes deformation of the flange and of the movable electrode, with the result that the size of the gap and, hence, capacitive value between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode are changed, whereby the direction of movement of the key top is detected with a high degree of accuracy.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2001Publication date: May 30, 2002Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 6307539Abstract: A operation member drives an X encoder and a Y encoder. According to the output pulses of both encoders, a figure displayed on a screen moves or rotates. When a finger touches a touch-sensitive switch immediately after the operation member is operated, the figure continues moving or rotating on the screen at the same speed as the operation speed at which the operation member was operated. When the finger is released from the touch-sensitive switch, the figure stops moving or rotating. When the touch-sensitive switch is again touched, the figure resumes moving or rotating.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 1998Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20010022108Abstract: The input device and detection device each comprise separate electrodes comprised of an electrode for detecting input in a vertical direction and a plurality of electrodes for detecting input in a horizontal direction and arranged separately on the surface, an elastic body which faces the above separate electrodes with a predetermined space therebetween, at least a portion opposite to the separate electrodes having conductivity, a thin portion being provided opposite to the electrode for detecting input in a vertical direction, a storage depressed portion being formed on the thin portion, and the space between the elastic body and the separate electrodes changing by input, a slider connected to the elastic body and movable only in a horizontal direction, a hard pressing body stored in the storage depressed portion of the elastic body, and a key top whose portion opposite to the pressing body is movable in a vertical direction, wherein when the slider is moved in a horizontal direction, the elastic body deformType: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2001Publication date: September 20, 2001Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20010011997Abstract: A operation member drives an X encoder and a Y encoder. According to the output pulses of both encoders, a figure displayed on a screen moves or rotates. When a finger touches a touch-sensitive switch immediately after the operation member is operated, the figure continues moving or rotating on the screen at the same speed as the operation speed at which the operation member was operated. When the finger is released from the touch-sensitive switch, the figure stops moving or rotating. When the touch-sensitive switch is again touched, the figure resumes moving or rotating.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 1998Publication date: August 9, 2001Inventor: KATSUTOSHI SUZUKI
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Patent number: 6215473Abstract: When one of rollers Xa and Xb rotating about the X axis rotates, an image on the screen moves in the X direction; when both rollers rotate in the same direction at the same time, the image rotates about the X axis; and when both rollers rotate in opposite directions to each other at the same time, the image rotates about the Z axis. With rollers Ya and Yb, movement in the X direction, rotation about the Y axis, and rotation about the Z axis can be input. When a roller Za rotates, the image moves in the Z direction. With the above structure, movement data and rotational data in the three-dimensional space can be input.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 1998Date of Patent: April 10, 2001Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 6191775Abstract: There is provided a track ball type data input apparatus which can input data showing the movement in the direction vertical to the image or the rotation around the axis vertical to the image and visually and easily assures the operation flexibility in the threedimensional inputs. In this apparatus, the first encoder and the second encoder are driven by rotating the spherical manipulator called a track ball and the pulse outputs obtained from the encoders cause an object displayed in the image to move or rotate. When the attitude sensor detects inclination of the body case, the coordinate axes are rotated depending on the direction and angle of inclination and are then converted. Thereby the object can be moved or rotated with reference to the converted coordinate axes. Moreover, the moving operation control mode and rotating operation control mode can be switched by manipulating the mode switching button.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 1998Date of Patent: February 20, 2001Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 6130664Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided an input device not requiring a flat operating surface, easy to operate, and capable of being used with a feeling more accurately matching the human sense.The input device indicated at 1 comprises a case having a bottom a bottom surface having the shape of a cubic curve, two angular velocity sensors housed within the case, a signal processing section for converting sensor output into control signals, and selecting switches. The first angular velocity sensor, whose central axis is fixed along Z axis, detects rotation in a horizontal plane of the input device. The second angular velocity sensor, whose central axis is fixed along X axis, detects rotation in a vertical plane in the longitudinal direction of the input device.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 1998Date of Patent: October 10, 2000Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 6097372Abstract: In a data input device, an X-encoder 2 and a Y-encoder 3 are driven by a track ball 1 called a track ball and pulse outputs can be obtained from the respective encoders. Switches SW1, SW2, SW3 and SW4 are disposed around the track ball 1. When the track ball 1 is rolled about a Z-axis by a finger F while depressing a peripheral portion of the track ball 1 with the finger F, the finger F successively touches the switches SW1, SW2, SW3 and SW4. At the time, since the outputs from the X-encoder 2 and the Y-encoder 3 are converted into data on a Z-axis coordinate in response to the outputs from the switches, data about the Z-axis can be input. With this arrangement, the data input device can input Z-axis coordinate data which cannot be input by prior art track ball type data input devices.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1998Date of Patent: August 1, 2000Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 6073876Abstract: A tension control device for paper web used in a rotary printing machine which includes paper rolls each of which has a brake mechanism varied in response to fluid pressure to splice to a new roll when a preceding roll reaches to a predetermined remain level, comprises; a tension detecting mechanism for detecting the magnitude of the tension applied to the paper web; a fluid pressure feeding system including at least three routes for feeding respective different pressures to the brake mechanisms; a first brake-force adjusting mechanism to provide a first pressure which is reduced as the tension applied to the paper web increases; a second brake-force adjusting mechanism to provide a second pressure which is reduced as the tension applied to the paper web increases and is greater than the first pressure; a first switching mechanism to switch the fluid pressure route in response to one of predetermined emergency signals; and a second switching mechanism for feeding a third pressure greater than the maximum of tType: GrantFiled: May 6, 1999Date of Patent: June 13, 2000Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokyo Kikai SeisakushoInventors: Seiji Suzuki, Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 5690436Abstract: A thermal printer that performs thermal printing by employing a commonly-used thermo-sensitive recording sheet. In the thermal printing, a thermal head starts heating the recording sheet from the back side of a base that covers a recording surface in order to print, so that the recorded information is effectively hidden from view. When the thermal printer performs thermal printing by using a two layer thermo-sensitive recording sheet, high quality images with sharp edges can be reliably recorded. The thermal printer uses two types of thermo-sensitive sheets to perform thermal recording.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 1996Date of Patent: November 25, 1997Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Katsutoshi Suzuki, Mitsuo Yoshida, Yuko Sonoda, Hiroo Sonoda, Yasuhiko Iwane, Masahiko Mori
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Patent number: 5510810Abstract: A display screen control apparatus for producing a plurality of control signals in response to pressing, tilting and rotating a single operation lever, the control signals being transmitted to control circuitry for controlling the position of a cursor on the display screen in response to the control signals. The display screen control apparatus includes a base upon which are formed a plurality of control switches, the operation lever being resiliently positioned over the control switches such that pressing the operation lever actuates a first control switch, tilting the operation lever actuates one of a plurality of second control switches, and rotating the operation lever actuates one of two third control switches.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 1994Date of Patent: April 23, 1996Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akio Nishijima, Naoya Iwama, Syoji Suganami, Katsutoshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 5491497Abstract: According to the present invention there is provided an input device capable of making input in three-dimensional directions in conformity with the human's operating sense and easy to operate.The input device is provided with, in addition to first and second switches disposed on a substrate and a third switch disposed on the substrate in a direction in which it can be pushed in the surface direction of the substrate, a fourth switch capable of being pushed axially of a shaft. An actuator used in the device has a slide-contact surface which is part of a predetermined spherical surface, and in the interior of a housing there is provided a slide-contact surface for sliding contact with the slide-contact surface of the actuator. An operating member used in the device has a shape bridging the upper and lower ends of a stick.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 1994Date of Patent: February 13, 1996Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Katsutoshi Suzuki