Patents by Inventor Kenichi Hirano
Kenichi Hirano 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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Patent number: 11233467Abstract: Provided is a motor control device which can accurately perform velocity control over a sliding door. The motor control device has a control unit which determines a command value for a duty ratio such that a moving velocity of the sliding door of a vehicle follows a target velocity set in advance while the sliding door is being opened and closed. The motor control device includes a plurality of upper stage switching elements that are connected between terminals of windings of the electric motor and the power source, and a plurality of lower stage switching elements that are connected between the terminals and a ground potential. The control unit causes all the upper stage switching elements or all the lower stage switching elements to be in a turned-on state in accordance with the command value.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2017Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: MITSUBA CorporationInventors: Akira Kadoya, Kenichi Hirano, Justin Valencia
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Publication number: 20180183361Abstract: Provided is a motor control device which can accurately perform velocity control over a sliding door. The motor control device has a control unit which determines a command value for a duty ratio such that a moving velocity of the sliding door of a vehicle follows a target velocity set in advance while the sliding door is being opened and closed. The motor control device includes a plurality of upper stage switching elements that are connected between terminals of windings of the electric motor and the power source, and a plurality of lower stage switching elements that are connected between the terminals and a ground potential. The control unit causes all the upper stage switching elements or all the lower stage switching elements to be in a turned-on state in accordance with the command value.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2017Publication date: June 28, 2018Applicant: MITSUBA CorporationInventors: AKIRA KADOYA, KENICHI HIRANO, JUSTIN VALENCIA
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Patent number: 8199957Abstract: A speaker unit includes: a speaker that contains a magnet for vibrating a diaphragm to output sound; a speaker housing unit that houses the speaker so that the front of the diaphragm is exposed outside; an opening-and-closing unit that is attached to the speaker housing unit so that the opening-and-closing unit can both open, with respect to the speaker housing unit, to expose the front of the diaphragm outside and close to cover the front of the diaphragm; and a metallic component that is, when the opening-and-closing unit is closed with respect to the speaker housing unit, attracted to the magnet of the speaker to pull the opening-and-closing unit in a closing direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2008Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Nobuhiko Ohguchi, Wataru Kokubo, Kenichi Hirano, Toshihiro Kusunoki
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Patent number: 7714526Abstract: The control device for a closure member of a vehicle according to the present invention comprises: estimated load calculation means (8b) for obtaining an estimated load from a rotation speed, acceleration, and drive voltage of a DC motor (3) for driving a closure member (9); motor torque calculation means (8b) for calculating a motor torque from the rotation speed and drive voltage of the motor; reference torque calculation means (8f) for calculating a reference torque based on a stationary state of the motor torque; and pinching determination means (8c) for determining a pinching of an object based on the estimated load, motor torque and reference torque, wherein the pinching determination means determines that there is no pinching when at least one of the estimated load and the motor torque is below the reference torque even when the estimated load is greater than a prescribed threshold value.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2007Date of Patent: May 11, 2010Assignee: Mitsuba CorporationInventors: Takayuki Kawakura, Narimitsu Kobori, Takao Arai, Kenichi Hirano, Masahiro Fueki
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Publication number: 20090211882Abstract: The present invention simplifies the configuration of a rotary encoder. In the present invention, a plate spring 3, which includes a plurality of arm sections 3BX to 3FX where curving projection sections 3BZ to 3FZ are formed and whose tips are movable contacts 3BX to 3FX, is attached to a base 2 including a plurality of fixed contacts 6 to 10. In addition, a gear 4, whose one surface's concentric positions are equipped with a plurality of curving-line-shaped projection sections 4C to 4G, is attached so that it can rotate. When the gear 4 rotates, the curving-line-shaped projection sections 4C to 4G push the curving projection sections 3BZ to 3FZ and the movable contacts 3BX to 3FX of the arm sections 3B to 3F touch the fixed contacts 6 to 10. Accordingly, since there is no component between the gear 4 and the plate spring 3 to push down the arm sections 3B to 3F, the configuration of the rotary encoder 1 can be simplified.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2006Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: sony corporationInventors: Kenichi Hirano, Xuefeng Jiao
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Publication number: 20090064596Abstract: When the opening-and-closing unit is pushed toward the base unit as if making them close such that the facing surfaces of the rotational body pinching units cover the outer surfaces of the rotational body to attach the opening-and-closing unit to the rotational body, the shaft end sections and the angle reference sections fit in the shaft supporting sections and the angle adjustment sections respectively, and thereby hold the rotational body so as to align the rotational range with the opening-and-closing range.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2008Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Wataru Kokubo, Kenichi Hirano, Toshihiro Kusunoki
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Publication number: 20090067662Abstract: A speaker unit includes: a speaker that contains a magnet for vibrating a diaphragm to output sound; a speaker housing unit that houses the speaker so that the front of the diaphragm is exposed outside; an opening-and-closing unit that is attached to the speaker housing unit so that the opening-and-closing unit can both open, with respect to the speaker housing unit, to expose the front of the diaphragm outside and close to cover the front of the diaphragm; and a metallic component that is, when the opening-and-closing unit is closed with respect to the speaker housing unit, attracted to the magnet of the speaker to pull the opening-and-closing unit in a closing direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2008Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: Sony CorporationInventors: Nobuhiko Ohguchi, Wataru Kokubo, Kenichi Hirano, Toshihiro Kusunoki
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Patent number: 7373648Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus has a disk transfer mechanism, a mechanical chassis lifting/lowering mechanism, and a gear switching mechanism. The disk transfer mechanism transfers a disk onto a disk table with a motor. The disk transfer mechanism has a rotation transmitting assembly having a gear train including a swing gear and another gear. The mechanical chassis lifting/lowering mechanism lifts and lowers a mechanical chassis with respect to the disk, which is transferred onto the disk table by the disk transfer mechanism. The gear switching mechanism brings the swing gear out of mesh with the other gear of the gear train after the disk is transferred onto the disk table by the disk transfer mechanism, thereby preventing the disk transfer mechanism from being actuated by the motor, and actuating the mechanical chassis lifting/lowering mechanism with the motor.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2004Date of Patent: May 13, 2008Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kenichi Hirano, Takeshi Suzuki, Shinji Ito, Takeshi Sano
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Publication number: 20080054115Abstract: Disclosed herein is a tape drive device including: a flywheel; a pair of reel bases; an end detecting lever; and a selector lever; wherein the selector lever including a cam engaging member configured to engage the first cam of the flywheel to provide the tape transport mode and engage the second cam of the flywheel to provide the tape transport stop mode, depending on whether the selector lever is urged by the end detecting lever or not, a spring retainer fixed to the one of the reel bases between the chassis and the end detecting lever, a first load adjustment spring disposed between the spring retainer and the chassis configured to adjust a load applied in the direction of a rotational shaft of the one of the reel bases with respect to the chassis, and a second load adjustment spring disposed between the spring retainer and the end detecting lever configured to adjust a load applied in the direction of a rotational shaft of the end detecting lever with respect to the one of the reel bases.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2007Publication date: March 6, 2008Applicant: Sony CorporationInventor: Kenichi Hirano
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Patent number: 7322036Abstract: A structure on a base plate is simplified, and the thickness of the structure on the base plate is reduced. A disk transfer mechanism includes a housing having a disk slot. A disk is inserted from the disk slot between a base plate and a top panel of the housing. A disk transfer mechanism has a motor and a rotation transmitting assembly for transmitting rotation of the motor to the transfer rollers. The disk transfer mechanism rotates the transfer rollers to transfer the disk onto a disk table. The rotation transmitting assembly includes a base-plate rotation transmitter disposed on the base plate and a top panel rotation transmitter disposed on the top panel. Thus, the components of the rotation transmitting assembly are distributed on the base plate and the top panel.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2004Date of Patent: January 22, 2008Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kenichi Hirano, Takeshi Suzuki, Shinji Ito
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Patent number: 7290269Abstract: A plurality of switches are pressed by a single switch operating member. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus has a switch mechanism operable when a pair of turn arms is turned so as to be spread away from each other by a disk inserted from a disk slot. The switch mechanism includes a plurality of switches, a rotary cam rotatable in ganged relation to angular movement of the turn arms, and a switch operating lever interposed between the rotary cam and the switches for successively pressing the switches in response to rotation of the rotary cam.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2004Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kenichi Hirano, Takeshi Suzuki, Shinji Ito, Takeshi Sano
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Publication number: 20070216330Abstract: The control device for a closure member of a vehicle according to the present invention comprises: estimated load calculation means (8b) for obtaining an estimated load from a rotation speed, acceleration, and drive voltage of a DC motor (3) for driving a closure member (9); motor torque calculation means (8b) for calculating a motor torque from the rotation speed and drive voltage of the motor; reference torque calculation means (8f) for calculating a reference torque based on a stationary state of the motor torque; and pinching determination means (8c) for determining a pinching of an object based on the estimated load, motor torque and reference torque, wherein the pinching determination means determines that there is no pinching when at least one of the estimated load and the motor torque is below the reference torque even when the estimated load is greater than a prescribed threshold value.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2007Publication date: September 20, 2007Inventors: Takayuki Kawakura, Narimitsu Kobori, Takao Arai, Kenichi Hirano, Masahiro Fueki
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Patent number: 7231645Abstract: A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus has a disk centering member having a disk abutment assembly and an operating member, and angularly movably supported at a portion thereof between the disk abutment assembly and the operating member by a shaft, wherein when a transferred disk abuts against the disk abutment assembly to press the disk abutment assembly, the disk centering member is angularly moved about the shaft, and then prevented from being angularly moved by a stopper, centering the disk, and a gear switching mechanism operable by being pressed by the operating member. The disk abutment assembly has a first disk abutment for angularly moving the disk centering member by a predetermined angular interval, and a second disk abutment for angularly moving the disk centering member by an angular interval, which is substantially the same as the angular interval of the first disk abutment.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2004Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Kenichi Hirano, Takeshi Suzuki, Shinji Ito
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Publication number: 20060259719Abstract: A control terminal is provided which is capable of improving a usage efficiency of a main memory means. An elapsed time measuring unit measures an elapsed time (unused time) since a control program of a device stored in the a main memory (main memory means) has been lastly used in a computer (control terminal). Then, the computer automatically unloads a control program having an elapsed time equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value from the main memory.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2006Publication date: November 16, 2006Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Hirano, Masakazu Urade, Mitsuya Nakahara
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Publication number: 20060067691Abstract: A communication system is provided for preventing delivery of unnecessary packets to a user terminal and thereby improving transmission efficiency. In the communication system, an OLT communication interface transfers packets between a local office and a subscriber or transmits filter-setting data and receives filter-state data. An ONU communication interface transfers packets between the local office and the subscriber or receives the filter-setting data and transmitting the filter-state data. A terminal address managing unit obtains and manages a terminal address from a connected terminal. A packet filter performs an operation of filtering packets transmitted from an optical line terminal with respect to the connected terminal on the basis of at least one of delivery information, registered information and the filter-setting data.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2005Publication date: March 30, 2006Inventors: Kenichi Hirano, Kazuhiro Uchida, Katsuhiko Hirashima, Masamichi Kasa
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Patent number: 6968859Abstract: Disclosed is a solenoid type electromagnetic operating device which needs a relatively large current only for a limited short period at an excitation start initial stage and is adapted to achieve the speeding up at an excitation start stage and an improvement in responsiveness as well as power saving without increasing a power load on each of a drive circuit and power supply.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2000Date of Patent: November 29, 2005Assignee: Yuken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Taku Nagano, Koichi Ohba, Yasuyuki Shingu, Kenichi Hirano
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Publication number: 20050066343Abstract: A recording medium transporting apparatus and a disc changer apparatus in which a number of recording mediums can be exchanged at a time and in which the operation of exchanging the recording mediums may be facilitated are provided. The recording medium transporting apparatus or the disc changer apparatus includes a main body unit of the apparatus, a stocker for housing a recording medium, and a stocker transporting mechanism for transporting the stocker across the inner side and the outside of the main body unit of the apparatus, in a direction parallel to the major surface of the recording medium. The stocker is set upright outside the main body unit of the apparatus to permit the exchange of the recording medium by gripping the outer rim part of the recording medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2004Publication date: March 24, 2005Inventors: Hajime Mizuno, Takeshi Sano, Kenichi Hirano, Hiroyuki Sato, Shinji Ito
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Publication number: 20050060727Abstract: A gear switching mechanism is pressed at the time the centering of disks having different diameters is finished. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus has a disk centering member having a disk abutment assembly and an operating member, and angularly movably supported at a portion thereof between the disk abutment assembly and the operating member by a shaft, wherein when a transferred disk abuts against the disk abutment assembly to press the disk abutment assembly, the disk centering member is angularly moved about the shaft, and then prevented from being angularly moved by a stopper, centering the disk, and a gear switching mechanism operable by being pressed by the operating member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2004Publication date: March 17, 2005Inventors: Kenichi Hirano, Takeshi Suzuki, Shinji Ito
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Publication number: 20050047758Abstract: A plurality of switches are pressed by a single switch operating member. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus has a switch mechanism operable when a pair of turn arms is turned so as to be spread away from each other by a disk inserted from a disk slot. The switch mechanism includes a plurality of switches, a rotary cam rotatable in ganged relation to angular movement of the turn arms, and a switch operating lever interposed between the rotary cam and the switches for successively pressing the switches in response to rotation of the rotary cam.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2004Publication date: March 3, 2005Inventors: Kenichi Hirano, Takeshi Suzuki, Shinji Ito, Takeshi Sano
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Publication number: 20050050561Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus has a disk transfer mechanism, a mechanical chassis lifting/lowering mechanism, and a gear switching mechanism. The disk transfer mechanism transfers a disk onto a disk table with a motor. The disk transfer mechanism has a rotation transmitting assembly having a gear train including a swing gear and another gear. The mechanical chassis lifting/lowering mechanism lifts and lowers a mechanical chassis with respect to the disk, which is transferred onto the disk table by the disk transfer mechanism. The gear switching mechanism brings the swing gear out of mesh with the other gear of the gear train after the disk is transferred onto the disk table by the disk transfer mechanism, thereby preventing the disk transfer mechanism from being actuated by the motor, and actuating the mechanical chassis lifting/lowering mechanism with the motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2004Publication date: March 3, 2005Inventors: Kenichi Hirano, Takeshi Suzuki, Shinji Ito, Takeshi Sano