Patents by Inventor Kazuo Kitada

Kazuo Kitada 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: 20120160420
    Abstract: A continuous manufacturing method and system for liquid-crystal display elements which enhances accuracy, increases speed and improves in yield in the continuous production of liquid crystal elements. The continuous method and system performs steps of, defining a plurality of defective and normal-polarizing-sheet slitting positions on a continuous web of optical film, based on positions of defects existing in the optical film, and applying only normal polarizing sheets to a liquid-crystal panel. The polarizing sheet includes the defective and normal-polarizing-sheet slitting positions recorded as encoded information which is used to determine whether the polarizing sheet defined between slit lines sequentially formed in the continuous web, is a normal polarizing sheet, peeling the normal polarizing sheet from the carrier film and applying the normal polarizing sheet to the liquid-crystal panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji KIMURA, Takayoshi YAMANO, Takuya NAKAZONO, Kazuo KITADA, Tomokazu YURA, Fumihito SHIMANOE, Satoru KOSHIO
  • Publication number: 20120132369
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing an optical display device includes an optical display unit feeding apparatus with a counting section counting the number of optical display units fed, an optical film feeding apparatus with a roll exchanging section exchanging a roll of a previous category for a roll of a latter category and joining the optical films on each, a bonding apparatus bonding a cut optical film onto a surface of an optical display unit, and a controller storing the number N of optical display units that are bonded correspondingly with the optical films that are present from a joining position to a bonding position of the optical film, and stops the apparatuses when the number of remaining sheets of the optical display units of the previous category prior to bonding becomes substantially equal to the number N at the time of exchanging categories based on information from the counting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomokazu Yura, Kazuo Kitada, Satoru Koshio, Takuya Nakazono
  • Patent number: 8187048
    Abstract: A system and a method for manufacturing an optical display device. The system includes a first cutting and bonding apparatus to handle a first roll of sheet material including a first optical film with a width corresponding to the short side of an optical display unit and to bond the first optical film to one surface of the optical display unit and then to cut the first optical film into a length corresponding to the long side of the optical display unit. A second cutting and bonding apparatus handles a second roll of sheet material including a second optical film with a width corresponding to the long side of the optical display unit and bonds the second optical film to the other surface of the optical display unit and then cuts the second optical film into a length corresponding to the short side of the optical display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitada, Tomokazu Yura, Satoru Koshio, Takuya Nakazono
  • Patent number: 8147288
    Abstract: A method for aligning film sheets and rectangular panels in a continuous manufacturing system of display panels, each of the film sheets being formed between two longitudinally adjacent slit lines, one on an upstream side and the other on a downstream side, and extending in a transverse direction with respect to a feeding direction of a strip shaped film laminate, such that the rectangular panels conveyed to the lamination position are overlapped with the film sheets conveyed to the lamination position. The method includes steps of; angularly adjusting the rectangular panel conveyed to the lamination position such that a center line extending in the feeding direction of the rectangular panels is parallel to the center line extending in the feeding direction of the film sheets conveyed to the lamination position; and position adjusting the angularly adjusted rectangular panels by shifting for a displacement from a position of the film sheets conveyed to the lamination position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Nakazono, Kazuo Kitada, Tomokazu Yura, Satoru Koshio
  • Publication number: 20120048460
    Abstract: The invention provides a manufacturing system and a manufacturing method of an optical display device which can bond an optical film to one surface and the other surface of an optical display unit in such a manner that optical anisotropies are orthogonal, by using two material rolls in which their optical anisotropies are the same direction such as an absorption axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitada, Tomokazu Yura, Satoru Koshio, Takuya Nakazono
  • Patent number: 8114237
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for producing a material roll for use in a process including unwinding a long sheet material from a roll of the long sheet material, wherein the long sheet material includes an optical film, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a release film laminated in this order, and the optical film includes a polarizing plate, cutting at least the optical film to form an optical film having a specific length, and then bonding the optical film to a surface of a rectangular optical display unit, while feeding the optical film, the method comprising the steps of: lengthwise slitting a long material having a longitudinal direction parallel to an absorption axis of the polarizing plate, so that a long sheet material having a width corresponding to a short or long side of the optical display unit is obtained; and winding the long sheet material into a roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitada, Takuya Nakazono, Satoru Koshio, Tomokazu Yura
  • Publication number: 20120002153
    Abstract: An information storage/readout device for use in a system for continuously manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements comprises an information storage medium which stores therein slitting position information created based on the position of a defect detected by an inspection of a continuous polarizing composite film included in a continuous optical film laminate including a continuous polarizing composite film formed with an adhesive layer and a continuous carrier film releasably laminated on the adhesive layer, to indicate defective-polarizing-sheet slitting positions defining a defective or defect-containing polarizing sheet, and normal-polarizing-sheet slitting positions defining a normal or defect-free polarizing sheet, in the continuous inspected optical film laminate, and a roll of the continuous inspected optical film laminate which is provided with an identification indicia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji KIMURA, Kazuo KITADA, Tomokazu YURA, Satoru KOSHIO, Fumihito SHIMANOE, Takuya NAKAZONO
  • Publication number: 20120002154
    Abstract: An information storage/readout device for use in a system for continuously manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements comprises an information storage medium which stores therein slitting position information created based on the position of a defect detected by an inspection of a continuous polarizing composite film included in a continuous optical film laminate including a continuous polarizing composite film formed with an adhesive layer and a continuous carrier film releasably laminated on the adhesive layer, to indicate defective-polarizing-sheet slitting positions defining a defective or defect-containing polarizing sheet, and normal-polarizing-sheet slitting positions defining a normal or defect-free polarizing sheet, in the continuous inspected optical film laminate, and a roll of the continuous inspected optical film laminate which is provided with an identification indicia.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kouji KIMURA, Kazuo KITADA, Tomokazu YURA, Satoru KOSHIO, Fumihito SHIMANOE, Takuya NAKAZONO
  • Patent number: 8088463
    Abstract: A set of material rolls is used for the process of bonding their pieces to both sides of an optical display unit, respectively, and includes: a first roll that is a roll of a long sheet material including a first optical film, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a release film laminated in this order, wherein the first optical film includes a polarizing plate, and having undergone a slitting process in a direction parallel to the absorption axis of the polarizing plate so that it has a width corresponding to the short side of the optical display unit; and a second roll that is a roll of another long sheet material with a similar structure having undergone a slitting process in a direction parallel to the absorption axis of the polarizing plate so that it has a width corresponding to the long side of the optical display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitada, Takuya Nakazono, Satoru Koshio, Tomokazu Yura
  • Patent number: 8087140
    Abstract: A processing speed of each mechanisms in a cutting section is controlled such that all polarizing films housed in a container in advance are used in a joining process and simultaneously a new container with polarizing films housed therein that are cut by a size of a liquid crystal panel is loaded from the cutting section. Here, a fracture included in the polarizing film is cut and removed in the cutting section while a delayed time due to this process is shortened by controlling at least a processing speed in a processing mechanism in a cutting mechanism among mechanisms provided in the cutting section and the joining section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Koshio, Kazuo Kitada, Tomokazu Yura, Takuya Nakazono
  • Publication number: 20110315297
    Abstract: The invention is a method for continuously manufacturing an inspected liquid crystal display panel, includes: a liquid crystal cell feeding step including feeding a liquid crystal cell having a first substrate and a second substrate; a first polarizing plate providing step including providing a first polarizing plate from a first polarizing plate roll; a first polarizing plate laminating step including laminating the first polarizing plate to the first substrate; a second polarizing plate providing step including providing a second polarizing plate from a second polarizing plate roll; a second polarizing plate laminating step including laminating the second polarizing plate to the second substrate to obtain a liquid crystal display panel after laminating the first polarizing plate to the first substrate; and an inspecting step including optically inspecting the liquid crystal display panel without applying voltage to the liquid crystal panel, wherein the first substrate is less susceptible to electrostatic de
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Koshio, Kazuo Kitada, Tomokazu Yura, Takuya Nakazono, Masahiro Takigawa
  • Patent number: 8083885
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for manufacturing an optical display device comprising an optical film including a polarizing plate and a rectangular optical display unit having a surface to which the optical film is bonded, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a material roll which is a roll of a long sheet material obtained by lengthwise slitting a long material comprising an optical film into a width corresponding to a short or long side of the optical display unit, wherein the optical film includes a polarizing plate having a longitudinal direction parallel to its absorption axis; and unwinding the long sheet material from the material roll, cutting at least the optical film of the long sheet material to form an optical film having a length corresponding to a long or short side of the optical display unit, and then bonding the optical film to a surface of the optical display unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitada, Takuya Nakazono, Satoru Koshio, Tomokazu Yura
  • Publication number: 20110306263
    Abstract: A method for aligning film sheets and rectangular panels in a continuous manufacturing system of display panels, each of the film sheets being formed between two longitudinally adjacent slit lines, one on an upstream side and the other on a downstream side, and extending in a transverse direction with respect to a feeding direction of a strip shaped film laminate, such that the rectangular panels conveyed to the lamination position are overlapped with the film sheets conveyed to the lamination position. The method includes steps of; angularly adjusting the rectangular panel conveyed to the lamination position such that a center line extending in the feeding direction of the rectangular panels is parallel to the center line extending in the feeding direction of the film sheets conveyed to the lamination position; and position adjusting the angularly adjusted rectangular panels by shifting for a displacement from a position of the film sheets conveyed to the lamination position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya NAKAZONO, Kazuo KITADA, Tomokazu YURA, Satoru KOSHIO
  • Patent number: 8057619
    Abstract: An optical display device manufacturing system for bonding a first optical member to an optical display unit, comprising an excluding device for excluding a second optical member as an object to be excluded from a long release film that carries the first and second optical members, wherein the excluding device includes a tape member; a tape member rolling means on which the tape member is rolled; a roller for exclusion around which the tape member unrolled from the tape member rolling means is wound; a drive mechanism for shifting the roller for exclusion; and a take-up means for taking up the tape member wound around the roller for exclusion, wherein the excluding device being configured so that when the roller for exclusion is shifted, the second optical member is attached to the tape member and taken up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Koshio, Kazuo Kitada, Tomokazu Yura, Takuya Nakazono
  • Patent number: 8052827
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for producing a material roll for use in a process including unwinding a long sheet material from a roll of the long sheet material, wherein the long sheet material includes an optical film, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a release film laminated in this order, and the optical film includes a polarizing plate, cutting at least the optical film to form an optical film having a specific length, and then bonding the optical film to a surface of a rectangular optical display unit, while feeding the optical film, the method comprising the steps of: lengthwise slitting a long material having a longitudinal direction parallel to an absorption axis of the polarizing plate, so that a long sheet material having a width corresponding to a short or long side of the optical display unit is obtained; and winding the long sheet material into a roll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitada, Takuya Nakazono, Satoru Koshio, Tomokazu Yura
  • Patent number: 8002010
    Abstract: Provided are a manufacturing system and a manufacturing method for an optical display device, which are enabled to adhere upper and lower optical films to an optical display device by using two rolls having optical anisotropies such as absorption axes in the same direction, so that the optical anisotropies may be orthogonal to each other. In the manufacturing system for the optical display device, the optical films are adhered to an optical display unit (W). The manufacturing system comprises a feeding device (M2) for a first optical film (F11) to be fed after cut to a predetermined length, and a feeding device (M5) for a second optical film (F21) to be fed after cut to a predetermined length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitada, Tomokazu Yura, Takuya Nakazono, Satoru Koshio
  • Patent number: 7993476
    Abstract: A method and a system for continuously manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements, using a continuous optical film laminate which comprises at least an optically functional film having an adhesive layer provided thereon and a carrier film releasably laminated on said adhesive layer, the optically functional film including at least one defect-free region and at least one defect-containing region, the defect-free region having a predefined length corresponding to a dimension of a liquid-crystal panel, the defect-containing region including at least one defect and defined as a region having a predefined length which is different from the length of the defect-free region, slit lines being sequentially formed to extend in a transverse direction of the optical film laminate to form defect-free, normal optically functional film sheets and defect-containing optically functional film sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Nakazono, Kazuo Kitada, Tomokazu Yura, Satoru Koshio, Shouji Shibata
  • Patent number: 7980285
    Abstract: A system for manufacturing an optical display device having an optical display unit and an optical film bonded thereto and including a polarizing plate, the system including: a first cutting and bonding unit which performs a process including unwinding a long sheet material from a first roll of the long sheet material, wherein the long sheet material includes a first optical film, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a release film laminated in this order; a second cutting and bonding unit which performs a process including unwinding a long sheet material from a second roll of the long sheet material, wherein the long sheet material includes a second optical film, a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer and a release film laminated in this order; and a turning unit which turns the optical display unit to the direction of bonding in the other cutting and bonding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitada, Takuya Nakazono, Satoru Koshio, Tomokazu Yura
  • Patent number: 7976657
    Abstract: A method for continuously manufacturing liquid-crystal display elements includes steps of; continuously feeding an optical film laminate, calculating a length measurement data based on the feed length of the optical film laminate, detecting a mark provided to the optical film laminate indicating defect information in a polarizing composite film being detected in a preliminary inspection, sequentially forming slit lines in a transverse direction with respect to the feed direction of the optical film laminate, determining the polarizing composite film sheet separated by the respective slit lines is a defective polarizing sheet or a normal polarizing sheet, peeling a sheet determined to be a normal polarizing sheet from the carrier film, and laminating the normal polarizing sheet to a respective one of liquid-crystal panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Kimura, Kazuo Kitada, Fumihito Shimanoe, Tomokazu Yura, Satoru Koshio, Takuya Nakazono, Teruaki Osawa
  • Publication number: 20110126988
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for manufacturing an optical display device comprising an optical film including a polarizing plate and a rectangular optical display unit having a surface to which the optical film is bonded, the method comprising the steps of: preparing a material roll which is a roll of a long sheet material obtained by lengthwise slitting a long material comprising an optical film into a width corresponding to a short or long side of the optical display unit, wherein the optical film includes a polarizing plate having a longitudinal direction parallel to its absorption axis; and unwinding the long sheet material from the material roll, cutting at least the optical film of the long sheet material to form an optical film having a length corresponding to a long or short side of the optical display unit, and then bonding the optical film to a surface of the optical display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuo Kitada, Takuya Nakazono, Satoru Koshio, Tomokazu Yura