Patents by Inventor Kazunari Kume

Kazunari Kume 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: 4750063
    Abstract: The present invention provides a floppy disk drive which can removably receive a cartridge containing a floppy disk and which can travel a READ/WRITE head to the desired track on the floppy disk while rotating the floppy disk at a constant speed for effecting the desired read/write action under an electric-magnetic conversion. The drive is of a top-up type which includes a frame portion and a carrier which can be popped up from the frame portion. The frame portion includes a spindle motor for directly driving the floppy disk, a plurality of positioning pins for positioning the disk cartridge relative to the spindle motor, and a carriage carrying the READ/WRITE head for travelling the head to the desired track on the disk. The carrier is pivotably supported by the frame portion and adapted to receive the disk cartridge. The cartridge can be loaded into the lower portion of the carrier upon popping-up of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1984
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1988
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Kume, Churyo Seki, Kunio Suganuma, Hiroshi Kurafuji, Hiroshi Mabuchi, Hisao Wakabayashi, Yoshiyuki Ohishi, Takayasu Machida
  • Patent number: 4669010
    Abstract: A floppy disk drive for electro-magnetically writing an information or data onto a floppy disk and reading the stored information or data from the floppy disk as external recording elements in computers. The device have a pair of read/write heads being carried reciprocally along a radial direction of a loaded floppy disk by a carriage which is driven by a stepping motor. Both two heads can properly by maintained in intimate contact with both the magnetic recording sides of the loaded floppy disk to provide a reading/writing operation. The lower head is supported on the carriage by a flexible leaf support spring mounted on the carriage. The leaf support spring consists of a stationary portion rigidly mounted on the carriage and a movable portion cantilevered from the stationary spring portion to support the lower head. On the portion of the carriage below the movable spring portion provided a spring seat portion to limit a downward displacement of the movable spring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1987
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazunari Kume
  • Patent number: 4492479
    Abstract: A small electronic timer comprises a circuit arrangement including a time unit pulse generating circuit for generating a time unit pulse, a time counter for counting the time unit pulse, a data memory circuit, a coincidence detecting circuit for comparing data stored in the data memory circuit and data of the time counter and producing a coincidence signal, and a control circuit operated by the coincidence signal; a sound emitting means driven by the control circuit; a time setting means for feeding a set time to the data memory circuit; and a first housing and a second housing for accommodating the circuit arrangement, sound emitting means and time setting means. The first and second housings permits their relative position to be changed, and by changing it, the time setting means is operated and the timer is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 8, 1985
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikazu Hatsuse, Kazunari Kume
  • Patent number: 4407590
    Abstract: A battery unit for an electric timepiece is disclosed in which disclosed the battery compartment is formed in the member provided in the timepiece for supporting other parts of the device and wall means of the compartment is constructed to serve as a part of the container of the battery. The supporting member of the timepiece includes a watch case such as a middle, edge portion, back, and casing ring, and an inside supporting member such as a base, base plate, bridge, substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideshi Ohno, Kazunari Kume, Takatoshi Osaka, Katsuo Nishimura, Munetaka Tamaru, Sadao Ode
  • Patent number: 4336609
    Abstract: A digital input means for miniature type electronic devices comprising an external actuator, mechano-electrical converter and circuit means. The mechano-electrical converter is excited to deliver an output signal which is then supplied to the circuit means and the circuit is operative in response to the operation of the external actuator to deliver an output signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1982
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Kume, Sizuo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 4312057
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece is arranged to give an audible time signal indicative of the current time when a user operates an externally manually operable switch means. The operation of the switch means causes a signal emitting means responsive to information relating to the current time to emit a time signal which preferably includes a portion representing a zone within which the current time lies, and a further portion indicative of the current unit of time within the zone. In a preferred embodiment, the signal comprises two parts, one indicating the current hour and the other indicating the current minute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1978
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1982
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Company Limited
    Inventor: Kazunari Kume
  • Patent number: 4297838
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece comprising a step-motor including a stator and rotor is disclosed. The timepiece is so constructed and arranged that a coil winding core of the stator is located between the stator and a dial of the timepiece and that said stator is disposed on said coil winding core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1981
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Watanabe, Kazunari Kume, Hideshi Ohno, Munetaka Tamaru
  • Patent number: 4290131
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece having time indicating hands driven by a motor through a gear train, and having an analog-to-digital conversion system for time data comprising code disks rotated by the wheel train to provide hours and minutes information in digital coded form, together with means for converting this encoded digital information into digital signals representing hours and minutes information corresponding to the time information indicated by the hands and synchronized with the time indicated by the seconds hand of the timepiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1981
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Company Limited
    Inventors: Kazunari Kume, Hideshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 4274153
    Abstract: A movement structure for an electronic timepiece, in which a wheel train of a time indicating mechanism is supported between a wheel train bridge and a base plate. The base plate carries thereon a stepping motor connected to the time indicating mechanism, and the wheel train bridge carries thereon an integrated circuit chip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1981
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Company Limited
    Inventors: Kazunari Kume, Minoru Watanabe, Hideshi Ohno, Munetaka Tamaru
  • Patent number: 4262349
    Abstract: A system for signalling the termination of the lifetime of a battery for an electronic timepiece is disclosed. The system includes a hand display device, an electro-optical display device, a battery voltage detecting circuit adapted to produce a signal when voltage of the battery lowers below a predetermined value, and means for modulating the time display pulse to be applied to one of the display devices in response to the signal generated in the battery voltage detecting circuit, thereby to modifying the time display for informing the end of the battery lifetime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1981
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fukuo Sekiya, Takashi Yamada, Kazunari Kume
  • Patent number: 4232510
    Abstract: Timepiece comprising means for attaining the function of measuring the time, a time display means, at least part of which is mechanically formed, a means for changing the displayed content of the time display means in response to the operation of an external actuating member and a means for setting information for setting the condition of a timepiece function in accordance with the operation of the external actuating member, the time display means serving as the display of the information to be set upon the setting of the information whereby there may be easily effected the setting of functions except the time setting without increase of the complication of the display means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1980
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Munetaka Tamaru, Akira Tsuzuki, Shigeru Morokawa, Minoru Watanabe, Kazunari Kume, Hideshi Oono
  • Patent number: 4209970
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece in which a higher frequency signal from a frequency standard is divided down to a lower frequency drive signal by a frequency converter. The drive signal is applied through a driver circuit to an electro-mechanical transducer which actuates time-representing members to indicate time. A control means is coupled to intermediate stages of the frequency converter and produces higher frequency drive signals. At least one contact plate made of flexible, electrically conductive material is adapted to be depressed from outside the watch case through a recess formed therein whereby the control means is connected to the driver circuit to apply the higher frequency drive signals to the electro-mechanical transducer thereby rapidly advancing the time-representing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1980
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Kume, Minoru Watanabe, Hideshi Oono, Munetaka Tamaru
  • Patent number: 4199699
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece including a battery, a drive motor, a drive, a display, and electronic circuits for driving said motor. The motor is a pulse motor and comprises a core, coil, yoke and rotor. The rotor includes a worm gear having worm teeth which engage with a gear wheel. The teeth on the worm gear are arranged and configured such that the initial and final portions of each tooth which engage with the gear wheel are parallel to the plane of rotation of the rotor thereby preventing torque applied to the gear wheel from being transmitted to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1980
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Kume, Minoru Watanabe, Hideshi Ohno, Munetaka Tamaru, Takayasu Machida, Seiichi Nakamura, Shigeru Morokawa
  • Patent number: 4196577
    Abstract: An extremely thin digital electronic timepiece comprising an electrooptical display element is disclosed. The timepiece essentially consists of a connector frame, supporting plate, flexible film-shaped circuit substrate and base plate. These constitutional members are manufactured in mass production scale by injection molding process, press working process etc. The circuit substrate is sandwiched between the supporting plate and the base plate. A portion of the connector frame is used to secure together the constitutional members into one integral body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1980
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideshi Ohno, Tadamichi Mouri, Kazuo Teramoto, Kazunari Kume, Takatoshi Osaka, Minoru Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4194351
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece having a molded casing made of resin for incorporating in one body, timepiece components including a windshield, display means including an electro-optical display element or pointers, timepiece driving means, battery cell case and external switch means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1980
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Kume, Yasushi Nomura
  • Patent number: 4183629
    Abstract: An electronic optical display device comprising two substrates and an electronic optical substance sealed in a gap formed between said substrates and displaying when an electric voltage is applied thereto is disclosed. The device comprises two upper and lower substrates which are the same in plane configuration and a lead electrode extending along the side surface of said substrates and is most suitable for use in a thin type digital watch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1980
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuo Nishimura, Hisao Wakabayashi, Takatoshi Osaka, Kazunari Kume, Yasuhiro Ogura, Yukio Miya
  • Patent number: 4175372
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece is disclosed which has at least one display function in addition to an ordinary time display function and comprises a sole electro-mechanical transducer for dividing a kept time and driving a first display function and a second display function separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1977
    Date of Patent: November 27, 1979
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Munetaka Tamaru, Kazunari Kume, Minoru Watanabe, Hideshi Ohno, Minoru Natori
  • Patent number: 4092820
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece in which a higher frequency signal from a frequency standard is divided down to a lower frequency drive signal by a frequency converter. The drive signal is applied through a driver circuit to an electro-mechanical transducer which actuates time-representing members to indicate time. A control means is coupled to intermediate stages of the frequency converter and produces higher frequency drive signals. At least one contact plate made of flexible, electrically conductive material is adapted to be depressed from outside the watch case through a recess formed therein whereby the control means is connected to the driver circuit to apply the higher frequency drive signals to the electro-mechanical transducer thereby rapidly advancing the time-representing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1978
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Company Limited
    Inventors: Kazunari Kume, Minoru Watanabe, Hideshi Oono, Munetaka Tamaru
  • Patent number: 4079582
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece comprising a means for generating a base signal, an electromechanical transducer to convert the base signal into mechanical motion of a rotatable shaft, only a back side chain of wheels and a driving means whereby the back side chain of wheels is directly driven by the rotatable shaft. Furthermore, the driving means is coupled to the rotatable shaft such that idling rotation of the driving means occurs without rotation of the rotatable shaft when the timepiece is being set externally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1978
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Munetaka Tamaru, Kazunari Kume, Minoru Watanabe, Hideshi Ohno
  • Patent number: RE30588
    Abstract: In a battery operated electric timepiece operated by a battery of the type including a time display, such as a second hand, when the voltage of the battery decreases below a predetermined value, the movement of the second hand is modified to give an alarm that the life of the battery has terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1978
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1981
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Munetaka Tamaru, Kazunari Kume, Hideshi Oono, Minoru Watanabe, Hideo Sato, Shigeru Morokawa