Patents by Inventor Kenji Nakayama

Kenji Nakayama 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: 8287131
    Abstract: A wavelength conversion laser is provided with a solid-state laser having a cavity, and a wavelength converting element arranged within the cavity. The solid-state laser includes two or more types of laser crystals and oscillates solid-state laser light of multiple wavelengths. The wavelength converting element converts the solid-state laser light of multiple wavelengths into light of second harmonic waves and sum-frequency wave of multiple wavelengths and simultaneously generates the second harmonic waves and sum-frequency wave of multiple wavelengths. The wavelength conversion laser outputs converted wavelength light having a broad spectral width and low coherency, thereby enabling it to carry out highly efficient and stable high-output oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Toshifumi Yokoyama, Tatsuo Itoh, Kenji Nakayama, Kiminori Mizuuchi, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8264636
    Abstract: Provided are a laser backside irradiation device and a liquid crystal display device reducing a thickness of the respective device and improving a contrast while making a luminance distribution substantially uniform. The laser backside irradiation device includes a laser light source, a splitting optical system splitting laser light emitted from the laser light source into a plurality of laser beams, and a plurality of illumination optical systems illuminating a liquid crystal panel for two-dimensionally modulating a light intensity from a backside thereof, wherein the illumination optical systems expand the laser beams split by the splitting optical system to illuminate divided regions on the liquid crystal panel, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Shikii, Kenji Nakayama, Tetsuro Mizushima, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8254421
    Abstract: A wavelength conversion laser light source includes a fundamental wave laser light source; a wavelength conversion element for converting a fundamental wave emitted from the fundamental wave laser light source into a harmonic wave; and an element temperature holding section for holding the wavelength conversion element at a temperature as set, wherein the element temperature holding section includes a magnetic metal formed on at least a part of the surface of the wavelength conversion element via an insulating material, and a magnetic flux application section for heating the magnetic metal with an application of a magnetic flux to the magnetic metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Furuya, Tetsuro Mizushima, Koichi Kusukame, Kenji Nakayama, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8235534
    Abstract: A projector has: light source (1R, 1G, 1B); a light modulation unit (6) that modulates a light emitted from the light source based on image signals; a display control unit (41) that outputs the image signals including main cyclic image signals to the light modulation unit, and controls the display thereof; a projection unit (7) that projects the image based on the light modulated by the light modulation unit; and an imaging unit (40) that captures an image to be displayed based on the light projected from the projection unit, and the display control unit inserts a correction image signal for projecting a correction image, which is visually recognized as a uniform white or gray screen when time integration is performed, between the cyclic main image signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nakayama, Tatsuo Itoh, Hiroyuki Furuya, Shinichi Kadowaki, Kazuhisa Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20120182527
    Abstract: An image display apparatus having a case supporting laser light source apparatuses emitting laser light of green color, red color, and blue color, a projection optical system; and a cooler that cools the laser light source apparatuses. The case includes: a front wall to which the blue color laser light source apparatus is mounted and a projection outlet of the projection optical system is provided; and a side wall that is connected to the front wall and to which the red color laser light source apparatus and the green color laser light source apparatus are mounted. The cooler is provided on the side wall side. The image display apparatus further includes dichroic mirrors guiding the laser light of respective colors to the projection optical system side. Either of the dichroic mirrors reflects laser light having a wavelength shorter than or equal to the wavelength of the green color laser light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi ENOMOTO, Tetsuro MIZUSHIMA, Kenji NAKAYAMA, Yuichi HATASE, Yoshitaka KITAOKA
  • Patent number: 8212426
    Abstract: A bicycle electrical wiring unit is provided with a junction housing, a wiring junction and a cable winding structure. The wiring junction is mounted to the junction housing for connecting at least two electrical cables. The cable winding structure is disposed on the junction housing with the cable winding structure including at least one electrical cable holder for selectively retaining different lengths of an intermediate section of a first electrical cable of the electrical cables to the junction housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Nakayama, Kazuhiro Fujii
  • Publication number: 20120147334
    Abstract: There is provided a laser projector, including: a laser source section for emitting laser beams; a spatial light modulator which modulates the laser beams to generate image light; a projector lens from which the image light is emitted; a beam shaper which shapes the laser beams into a shape of the spatial light modulator; and a pupil uniformizer which makes a light intensity distribution uniform at an exit pupil of the projector lens, wherein the pupil uniformizer is situated between the laser source section and the beam shaper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventors: Tetsuro Mizushima, Tatsuo Itoh, Kenichi Kasazumi, Kenji Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8154685
    Abstract: A laser light source (1) emits a beam. A collimator lens (2) converts the beam emitted from the laser light source (1) into first substantially parallel light. A lenticular lens (3) expands a beam of the first substantially parallel light converted by the collimator lens (2) into a linear shape in a first direction. A Fresnel lens (4) converts the beam expanded in the first direction by the lenticular lens (3) into second substantially parallel light. A free curved surface mirror (5) has a reflecting surface formed into a free curved surface, and expands a beam of the second substantially parallel light converted by the Fresnel lens (4) into a planar shape in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. This arrangement enables to provide a planar illumination device with a small thickness and high light use efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Nakayama, Shinichi Shikii, Kazuhisa Yamamoto, Takayuki Nagata
  • Publication number: 20120079742
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a construction of a shoe that includes a tongue that has a first fastener attached along a portion of either a medial side or a lateral side of the tongue. Additionally, a stretchable member is attached near a portion of the medial side or the lateral side of the tongue that is opposite of the first fastener. The first fastener is attachable to the upper near the location of the first fastener on the tongue. Similarly, the stretchable member is attached to the upper near the location of the stretchable member on the tongue.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: CONVERSE INC.
    Inventors: Chris Ferreira, Kenji Nakayama, Pamela Bogert Stauffer
  • Publication number: 20120079746
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to the construction of a shoe that is comprised of a disengageable-heel portion that may be disengaged from an upper. Disengagement of the heel portion from the upper allows the heel portion to fold away from the upper, which exposes a heel-end opening that a foot may pass through to gain entry to the interior of the shoe. Additionally, a stretchable lacing material may be utilized to allow the shoe to absorb energy exerted on to it by a wearer of the shoe without disengaging the heel portion from the upper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: CONVERSE INC.
    Inventors: Chris Ferreira, Kenji Nakayama, Pamela Bogert Stauffer
  • Publication number: 20120057219
    Abstract: In a laser light source apparatus using a wavelength converting device (35), the position and angle of the wavelength converting device are allowed to be varied so as to maximize the laser output. The angular adjustment of the wavelength converting device is simplified by accurately positioning the wavelength converting device. A holder (57) for retaining the wavelength converting device may be supported by a support portion (56) formed in a base (38) so as to be moveable in the depthwise direction of the poled inverted domain regions and tiltable with respect to the optical path. Preferably, the holder may be rotatable around an axial line substantially perpendicular to the optical axial line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kohei SUYAMA, Hirohiko Oowaki, Tomohiro MATSUO, Yuichi HATASE, Kenji NAKAYAMA, Takafumi HAMANO
  • Publication number: 20120050690
    Abstract: An image display device using a semiconductor laser as a light source, includes a green laser light source device that converts a wavelength of infrared laser light and outputs green laser light; a spatial light modulator that modulates the green laser light input from the green laser light source device based on an image signal; an optical element that is provided in a path between the green laser light source device and the spatial light modulator, and reflects the green laser light to direct it to the spatial light modulator; an optical element support device that supports the optical element; and a case to which the green laser light source device, the spatial light modulator and the optical element support device are attached. The optical element support device rotates about at least one rotation axis in a state of holding the optical element to displace an optical axis of the green laser light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirofumi ENOMOTO, Junichi MUTOH, Tetsuro MIZUSHIMA, Kenji NAKAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20120044467
    Abstract: A projector for projecting an image light including: a laser light source for emitting a laser beam; a light modulator for modulating the laser beam to generate the image light; a projection portion for projecting the image light; a detector for detecting a fixation degree of the projector; and a controller for controlling the power of the image light on the basis of the fixation degree.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Kenji Nakayama, Tetsuro Mizushima, Tatsuo Itoh, Shinichi Kadowaki
  • Publication number: 20120044280
    Abstract: A wavelength conversion device includes an excitation light source (11) that generates excitation light, a laser medium (12) that generates fundamental light by means of the excitation light, two resonator mirrors (13) that are disposed with the laser medium (12) being interposed therebetween and resonate the fundamental light, a wavelength conversion element (14) that is disposed between the two resonator mirrors (13) and wavelength-converts the fundamental light to harmonic light, and a drive unit (15) that generates a pulse modulation signal to pulse-drive the excitation light source (11). The laser medium (12) is formed of a material having a thermo-optical effect and a positive thermo-optical constant. The pulse modulation signal generated by the drive unit (15) has an initial interval (P1) including a rising edge of a pulse and a remaining interval (P2) subsequent to the initial interval.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Kenji Nakayama, Tetsuro Mizushima, Tatsuo Itoh, Hiroyuki Furuya
  • Publication number: 20120012664
    Abstract: Disclosed is a jump ramp for a toy car including a slope which slants obliquely upward, and the toy car which is running is made to fly upward along the slope and a tilting portion which is tiltable toward a back side of the slope is provided at a tip portion of the slope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: TOMY COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Nakayama, Tomohito Nagai
  • Patent number: 8031252
    Abstract: A solid-state image-capturing device which has built in an image-capturing area including a light receiving element provided on a semiconductor substrate, a substrate bias circuit, and a clamp circuit for receiving output of the substrate bias circuit and applying the output of the substrate bias circuit to the semiconductor substrate in accordance with a substrate pulse, comprises a substrate bias control circuit for controlling so as to reduce an electric current of the clamp circuit during a predetermined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Segami, Kenji Nakayama, Isao Hirota
  • Patent number: 8009218
    Abstract: When a signal is read from a CCD solid-state image pickup element, the CCD solid-state image pickup element is driven with at least two driving voltages so that high-speed reading is performed with generation of noise due to interference between the driving voltages reduced. The CCD solid-state image includes a charge storage section between a vertical transfer register and a horizontal transfer register. By performing the transfer of charge in the direction of columns during an effective transfer period of the transfer in the direction of rows, signal charge of one row generated by a light receiving sensor is transferred to the charge storage section, and by performing the transfer outside the effective transfer period in the transfer in the direction of the row, the signal charge of one row transferred to the charge storage section is transferred to the horizontal transfer register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Masahiro Segami, Kenji Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20110177755
    Abstract: An automobile toy, including, a wing member; and a stay member attaching the wing member to the automobile body with the stay member put between the wing member and the automobile body, wherein the stay member includes a bent portion bent into a front and rear direction of the automobile body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: TOMY COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji NAKAYAMA, Tomohito Nagai
  • Patent number: D652088
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Tomy Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Nakayama
  • Patent number: D656724
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Converse Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Ferreira, Kenji Nakayama, Pamela Stauffer