Patents by Inventor Kengo Kimura

Kengo Kimura 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: 20120181941
    Abstract: An LED driving apparatus converts AC input power into predetermined DC output power and supplies the DC output power to an LED load. The LED driving apparatus includes a switching element Q1 to be turned on and off, a ripple current reducer 3a that is connected in series with the LED load and reduces current ripples of the LED load, and a controller CNT that turns on and off the switching element according to a feedback voltage taken from a connection point of the LED load and ripple current reducer, thereby controlling the DC output power to a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Kimura, Kazushige Hirata, Toshihiro Nakano
  • Publication number: 20120161640
    Abstract: An LED driving apparatus that converts input power into direct-current power and feeds the power to an LED unit, includes: a first transistor that turns current flowing to the LED unit between on-and-off; an LED current detector that detects the current flowing to the LED unit; a controller that outputs a control signal controlling power to be fed to the LED unit, based on an error between a detected voltage obtained by the LED current detector and a burst dimming signal to dim the LED unit; and a second transistor that controls the power to be fed to the LED unit, based on the control signal output from the controller, wherein the first transistor is turned on; based on the burst dimming signal, and wherein the first transistor is turned off, based on a delay signal that is delayed at a predetermined time from the burst dimming signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: SANKEN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 8193739
    Abstract: An apparatus for lighting LEDs includes an LED group load having the LEDs, a converter to generate a voltage applied to the LED group load, a current controller to control a current of the LED group load, a voltage controller to control an output voltage provided by the converter, a time division circuit to intermittently pass a current through the LED group load, and a selector. The selector, during a period in which the time division circuit passes a current through the LED group load, selects the current controller to control a current of the LED group load and thereby control an output voltage provided by the converter, and during a period in which the time division circuit passes no current through the LED group load, selects the voltage controller to control an output voltage provided by the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 8188617
    Abstract: A current balancing apparatus includes a first transformer having a first primary winding and a first secondary winding electromagnetically coupled with the first primary winding, the first primary winding having a first end connected to a first load that passes a first current; a second transformer having a second primary winding and a second secondary winding electromagnetically coupled with the second primary winding, the second primary winding having a first end connected to a second load that passes a second current having an AC component substantially having a 180-degree phase difference with respect to the first current; and a series circuit including the first secondary winding, the second secondary winding, and a current smoother, to balance the first current and second current with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Kimura, Shinji Aso
  • Patent number: 8169151
    Abstract: A DC/AC converter includes a resonant circuit having a first capacitor connected to at least one of a primary winding and a secondary winding of a transformer and an output end connected to a load, the resonant circuit receiving an alternating signal having a predetermined frequency and amplitude to pass a current, a variable impedance element connected in parallel with a part of the output end of the resonant circuit, the variable impedance element changing the impedance value thereof according to a current passing through the load, and a controller to control the current passing through the load to a predetermined value by changing the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit according to the changed impedance value of the variable impedance element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 8159145
    Abstract: A synchronous operating system for operating a plurality of discharge tube lighting apparatuses at the same frequency and same phase includes (1) an oscillator of a triangular wave signal whose inclination for charging a capacitor C2 and inclination for discharging the same are the same, (2) a signal generation part to generate, in a period shorter than a half period of the triangular wave signal, a first drive signal having a pulse width corresponding to a load current, and (3) a signal generation part of a second drive signal having a pulse width substantially equal to that of the first drive signal and a phase difference of about 180 degrees with respect to the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Publication number: 20120025725
    Abstract: The present invention includes a first DC converter converting AC voltage, into DC voltage while correcting a power factor, and a second DC converter electrically isolating the first DC converter from an LED group load, and converting the DC voltage, into a predetermined DC voltage and supply the resultant voltage to the LED group load. The second DC converter includes a current detection circuit disposed on the secondary side, and detecting current flowing into the LED group load, an error amplifier amplifying an error between a detected current value detected and a reference current value, a signal transmission isolation element transmitting a control signal based on an output signal from the error amplifier, to the primary side, and a switching element transferring power to the secondary side through the transformer by being turned on/off according to the control signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20110299310
    Abstract: A synchronous operating system for operating a plurality of discharge tube lighting apparatuses at the same frequency and same phase includes (1) an oscillator of a triangular wave signal whose inclination for charging a capacitor C2 and inclination for discharging the same are the same, (2) a signal generation part to generate, in a period shorter than a half period of the triangular wave signal, a first drive signal having a pulse width corresponding to a load current, and (3) a signal generation part of a second drive signal having a pulse width substantially equal to that of the first drive signal and a phase difference of about 180 degrees with respect to the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20110285307
    Abstract: An LED lighting apparatus includes a triac dimmer 3, a series circuit connected to the triac dimmer and including a primary winding P of a switching transformer T and a switching element Q1, the switching transformer having a plurality of windings, a controller 14 of the switching element, a rectifying-smoothing circuit of a voltage of a secondary winding S of the switching transformer, LEDs 1a to 1n connected to an output of the rectifying-smoothing circuit, a current detector 7 detecting a current of the, a voltage detector 11 configured to output a voltage detection signal of a voltage generated at one of the secondary winding when the first rectifying element is ON, the voltage at the secondary winding being proportional to the phase-controlled AC voltage, and an amplifier 13 amplifying a signal that is based on the current detection signal and voltage detection signal for the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo KIMURA, Mitsutomo Yoshinaga
  • Patent number: 8063569
    Abstract: An AC conversion circuit includes a main transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding to electrically insulate the AC power source side and the discharge tube side from each other, an IC1 arranged on the AC power source side, a plurality of switching elements arranged on the AC power source side and driven by the IC1, to pass a current through the primary winding of the main transformer based on the DC power, an IC2 arranged on the discharge tube side, to generate a pair of rectangular-wave signals for conducting PWM control on a current passing through the discharge tube and having the same pulse width with a duty ratio of less than 50% and a phase difference of about 180 degrees, and one or more signal transfer insulated elements to send the pair of rectangular-wave signals from the IC2 to the IC1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 8054008
    Abstract: The present invention includes a first DC converter converting AC voltage, into DC voltage while correcting a power factor, and a second DC converter electrically isolating the first DC converter from an LED group load, and converting the DC voltage, into a predetermined DC voltage and supply the resultant voltage to the LED group load. The second DC converter includes a current detection circuit disposed on the secondary side, and detecting current flowing into the LED group load, an error amplifier amplifying an error between a detected current value detected and a reference current value, a signal transmission isolation element transmitting a control signal based on an output signal from the error amplifier, to the primary side, and a switching element transferring power to the secondary side through the transformer by being turned on/off according to the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 8049435
    Abstract: An oscillator generates a triangular wave signal whose inclination for charging a capacitor and inclination for discharging the same are the same and which is used to turn on/off FETs Qp1 and Qn1. A signal generation part generates first drive signal in a period shorter than a half period of the triangular wave signal to drive the Qp1, and generates a second drive signal having a pulse width substantially equal to that of the first drive signal and a phase difference of about 180 degrees with respect to the first drive signal, to drive the Qn1 and provide a current to the discharge tube in a direction opposite to the current driven by the first drive signal. Furthermore a pulse current generation circuit converts a synchronization pulse voltage signal into a pulse current that alternates between positive and negative current values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 8040073
    Abstract: A gas-discharge lamp igniter is disclosed which has a group of gas-discharge lamps, such as those for LCD backlighting, connected in parallel with one another between the pair of outputs of an AC power supply. Provided one for each lamp to be energized, current-balancing transformers have their secondary windings serially interconnected. The lamps are connected to one of the pair of outputs of the AC power supply via the respective primary windings of the current-balancing transformers and the serial connection of the secondary windings thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Publication number: 20110235383
    Abstract: An oscillator generates a triangular wave signal whose inclination for charging a capacitor and inclination for discharging the same are the same and which is used to turn on/off FETs Qp1 and Qn1. A signal generation part generates first drive signal in a period shorter than a half period of the triangular wave signal to drive the Qp1, and generates a second drive signal having a pulse width substantially equal to that of the first drive signal and a phase difference of about 180 degrees with respect to the first drive signal, to drive the Qn1 and provide a current to the discharge tube in a direction opposite to the current driven by the first drive signal. Furthermore a pulse current generation circuit converts a synchronization pulse voltage signal into a pulse current that alternates between positive and negative current values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo KIMURA
  • Patent number: 7999602
    Abstract: It is possible to reliably prevent two switching elements comprising a half-bridge circuit from turning ON simultaneously even when two pulse signals allowing both the two switching elements to turn ON are input thereto. A first drive signal is allowed to be output from a first output terminal 4 to a P-type MOSFET 10 based on a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal, and a second drive signal is allowed to be output from a second output terminal 5 to an N-type MOSFET 11 that operates as a second switching element based on the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal, and a protecting circuit 20 is configured to allow at least one of the P-type MOSFET 10 and the N-type MOSFET 11 to turn OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 7986104
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting apparatus includes a first inverter, a second inverter to output a voltage whose phase is opposite to that of a voltage provided by the first inverter, a discharge lamp connected between a first output terminal of the first inverter and a first output terminal of the second inverter, a first current detection circuit arranged between a second output terminal of the first inverter and a common potential and having a first current detection element and a second current detection element that are connected in series, a second current detection circuit arranged between a second output terminal of the second inverter and the common potential and having a third current detection element and a fourth current detection element that are connected in series, and a protection circuit to detect a current abnormality according to a composite signal of outputs of the second and fourth current detection elements and stop the operation of the first and second inverters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Patent number: 7982415
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting apparatus includes a switch circuit for DC/AC converting, a discharge lamp connected to a secondary winding of a transformer, a current detector detecting an AC output current of the discharge lamp, an error amplifier outputting an error signal to a detected current, a control circuit generating control signals that turn on/off the switching elements in such a way as to control the AC output current at a predetermined value, and a time division signal generator generating a time division signal at the start of an ON/OFF operation of the switching elements, wherein the time division signal delays a change in a burst dimming signal or has a predetermined inclination on the burst dimming signal. The error amplifier changes the error signal according to the time division signal from the time division signal generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura
  • Publication number: 20110103109
    Abstract: An AC power source apparatus includes a first AC voltage generator having a first switch set, to output a first AC voltage having a positive-negative asymmetrical waveform by turning on/off the first switch set to a first end of a load; a second AC voltage generator having a second switch set, to output a second AC voltage having a positive-negative asymmetrical waveform and a phase difference of 180 degrees with respect to the first AC voltage by turning on/off the second switch set to a second end of the load; and a control circuit to turn on/off the first switch set, and by setting a phase difference of 180 degrees with respect to the turning on/off of the first switch set, turn on/off the second switch set. A voltage across the load is an AC voltage having a positive-negative symmetrical waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Ashikaga, Kengo Kimura
  • Publication number: 20110069510
    Abstract: A planar light source device (1) is provided with a light source unit (4B) wherein a semiconductor light-emitting element (43) is covered with a transparent resin part (44); a light guide body (3) having a side surface (3B) facing the light source unit (4B); and a holding body (5B), which has the light source unit (4B) fixed on one side and the light guide body (3) on the other side, and a space between a transparent resin part (44) and the side surface (3B), and connects the light source unit (4B) and the light body (3). The light source unit (4B) moves with extension and retraction of the light guide body (3). The holding body (5B) holds a distance constant between the transparent resin part (44) of the light source unit (4B) and the side surface (3B) of the light guide body (3) to extension and retraction of the light guide body (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicants: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd., Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toyomi YAMASHITA, Kengo Kimura, Yasunori Soga, Masanori Hoshino, Yoshiki Mukoo, Iichiro Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20110018455
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting apparatus includes a resonant circuit (5a to 5d) having a capacitor (C3a to C3d) connected to at least one of primary (P1 to P4) and secondary (S1 to S4) windings of a transformer (T1 to T4), an output of the resonant circuit being connected to a corresponding one of discharge lamps, a triangular wave generator 12 to PWM-control switching elements Qp1 and Qn1that pass a current to the primary winding of the transformer and the capacitor, a lighting monitor unit 8 configured to detect a current passing through at least one predetermined discharge lamp among the discharge lamps and output a detection signal when all of the discharge lamps have lighted, and a PWM comparator to control the switching elements according to the triangular signal and detection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Kimura