Patents by Inventor Kenzo Ohkubo

Kenzo Ohkubo 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: 20230296869
    Abstract: An optical scanning unit steers a light beam emitted from a laser diode in the main scanning direction by a polygon mirror. The laser diode, a collimator lens, an aperture, a first lens, the polygon mirror, and a condensing lens are sequentially placed in the optical system of the optical scanning unit. The laser diode emits a light beam in which divergent angles in intersecting two directions are different from each other. The direction in which the light beam divergent angle is large is aligned with the sub-scanning direction, and the direction in which the light beam divergent angle is small is aligned with the main scanning direction. The first lens has a first function to condense a beam in the sub-scanning direction and a second function to diffuse a beam in the main scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Hidenori SATO, HIROSHI YAMAMOTO, KENZO OHKUBO, TAKAHARU MOTOYAMA
  • Patent number: 11681239
    Abstract: An optical member that refracts a light beam to diverge or focus the light beam, includes: at least three pairs of opposing surfaces. Each of the three pairs of opposing surfaces include a lens. Curvatures of the lenses at one side surfaces of the respective three pairs of surfaces are all the same, or curvatures of the lenses at one side surfaces of respective pairs of at least two pairs of the three pairs of surfaces are different from each other, and respective shortest distances between optical axes of the lenses at the one side surfaces of respective pairs of the at least two pairs of surfaces, and reference sides which are each any one of respective sides surrounding surfaces including the lenses are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenzo Ohkubo, Manabu Matsuo, Takaharu Motoyama
  • Publication number: 20210349408
    Abstract: An optical member that refracts a light beam to diverge or focus the light beam, includes: at least three pairs of opposing surfaces. Each of the three pairs of opposing surfaces include a lens. Curvatures of the lenses at one side surfaces of the respective three pairs of surfaces are all the same, or curvatures of the lenses at one side surfaces of respective pairs of at least two pairs of the three pairs of surfaces are different from each other, and respective shortest distances between optical axes of the lenses at the one side surfaces of respective pairs of the at least two pairs of surfaces, and reference sides which are each any one of respective sides surrounding surfaces including the lenses are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: KENZO OHKUBO, MANABU MATSUO, TAKAHARU MOTOYAMA
  • Patent number: 10735613
    Abstract: In a light scanning device, a substrate equipped with a polygonal mirror is disposed astride an interior section and an exposed section of a housing. The substrate is provided with a separator that comes into contact with a front face thereof. The separator separates the substrate into a first region disposed in the interior section and a second region disposed in the exposed section. The polygonal mirror is provided in the second region of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenzo Ohkubo
  • Publication number: 20190199881
    Abstract: In a light scanning device, a substrate equipped with a polygonal mirror is disposed astride an interior section and an exposed section of a housing. The substrate is provided with a separator that comes into contact with a front face thereof. The separator separates the substrate into a first region disposed in the interior section and a second region disposed in the exposed section. The polygonal mirror is provided in the second region of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventor: KENZO OHKUBO
  • Patent number: 9194544
    Abstract: There are provided a light-emitting device, an illuminating apparatus, and a display apparatus in which, in order to apply light to an object to be illuminated with uniformity in light intensity, the quantity of light which is applied to a part of an edge of a to-be-illuminated region of the to-be-illuminated object located near a light-emitting section can be lessened. A backlight unit includes a printed substrate, a plurality of light-emitting sections each of which has a base support, an LED chip and a lens, and reflective members each of which is placed around the light-emitting section and has a first wall portion and a second wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Kenzo Ohkubo, Nobuhiro Shirai, Tetsushi Ito, Takasumi Wada
  • Publication number: 20150226400
    Abstract: The invention provides a light-emitting device for use in a backlight unit of a display apparatus including a display panel, which is capable of applying light to an illumination object with uniformity in brightness in the planar direction of the illumination object and can be made lower in profile, as well as an illuminating apparatus and a display apparatus including the light-emitting device. A backlight unit (1) is provided with a printed circuit board (12), a plurality of light-emitting portions (111) disposed on the printed circuit board (12) and having a base support (111b), an LED chip (111a) and a lens (112), and a reflective member (118) disposed around each light-emitting portion (111) and having a first reflecting member (1131) and a second reflecting member (1132).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takasumi Wada, Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Kenzo Ohkubo, Nobuhiro Shirai
  • Publication number: 20140376219
    Abstract: The invention provides a light-emitting device which is capable of applying light to a display panel with uniformity in brightness and can be made lower in profile. A light-emitting device (11) includes an LED chip (111a), a base support (111b) which supports the LED chip (111a), and a lens (112) disposed in contact with the LED chip (111a) so as to cover the LED chip (111a) and the base support (111b). The lens (112) has first curved sections (1122) which reflect light that has reached a top surface (112a) so that the reflected light is emitted from a side surface (112b), and second curved sections (1123) which refract light that has reached the top surface (112a) to outside so that the refracted light is emitted from the top surface (112a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Takasumi Wada, Kenzo Ohkubo, Nobuhiro Shirai
  • Publication number: 20140226311
    Abstract: There are provided a light-emitting device for use in a backlight unit of a display apparatus equipped with a display panel, which can be made lower in profile and is capable of applying light to the display panel with uniformity in the brightness of the display panel in the planar direction of the display panel, as well as a display apparatus equipped with the light-emitting device. A backlight unit includes a printed substrate, a plurality of light-emitting sections each having a base support, an LED chip and a lens, and a reflective member surrounding the light-emitting section. A specular reflection portion is formed in a first reflective region of the reflective member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Kenzo Ohkubo, Nobuhiro Shirai, Takasumi Wada
  • Publication number: 20140160733
    Abstract: There are provided a light-emitting device, an illuminating apparatus, and a display apparatus in which, in order to apply light to an object to be illuminated with uniformity in light intensity, the quantity of light which is applied to a part of an edge of a to-be-illuminated region of the to-be-illuminated object located near a light-emitting section can be lessened. A backlight unit includes a printed substrate, a plurality of light-emitting sections each of which has a base support, an LED chip and a lens, and reflective members each of which is placed around the light-emitting section and has a first wall portion and a second wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Kenzo Ohkubo, Nobuhiro Shirai, Tetsushi Ito, Takasumi Wada
  • Publication number: 20140140046
    Abstract: There are provided a light-emitting device for use in a backlight unit of a display apparatus equipped with a display panel, which can be made lower in profile and is capable of applying light to the display panel with uniformity in the brightness of the display panel in a planar direction of the display panel, as well as a display apparatus equipped with the light-emitting device. A backlight unit includes a plurality of light-emitting devices each having a printed substrate, a base support, an LED chip and a lens, and a reflective member surrounding the light-emitting device. A high-reflection portion is formed in a first reflective region of the reflective member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Kenzo Ohkubo, Nobuhiro Shirai, Takasumi Wada
  • Publication number: 20140092584
    Abstract: The invention provides a light-emitting device a light-emitting device for use in a backlight unit of a display apparatus including a display panel, which is capable of applying light to an illumination object with uniformity in brightness in a planar direction of the illumination object and can be made lower in profile. A backlight unit (1) is provided with: a printed circuit board (12); a plurality of light-emitting portions (111) disposed on the printed circuit board (12) and having a base support (111b), an LED chip (111a) and a lens (112); and a first reflective member (118) disposed on a periphery of each light-emitting portion (111) and having a first reflecting portion (1181) and a second reflecting portion (1182).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Kenzo Ohkubo, Nobuhiro Shirai, Takasumi Wada
  • Patent number: 8525863
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes an enclosure having a plurality of windows covered with transparent members. The enclosure houses a plurality of light sources, a scanning portion, optical elements and a light amount attenuation portion. The scanning portion deflects each of a plurality of light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources at a constant angular speed in a main scanning direction. The optical elements constitute respective light paths from the scanning portion to the windows for the plurality of light beams, respectively. The light amount attenuation portion attenuates light amount in a light path of a first light source among the plurality of light sources in a downstream side of the position where a light beam emitted from a second light source enters as stray light. The drive portion drives the first light source so as to compensate for light amount attenuated by the light amount attenuation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenzo Ohkubo, Nobuhiro Shirai, Takasumi Wada
  • Publication number: 20130013252
    Abstract: A backlight unit has a printed circuit board, a plurality of light-emitting portions each including a base, an LED chip, and a lens, and a reflective member surrounding the light-emitting portion. An area ? of a figure defining the contour of the reflective member as planarly viewed in an optical-axis direction parallel to an optical axis of the LED chip is determined on the basis of ?×?/? in which a quantity of light which exits through the transmitting region of the lens is represented by ?, a quantity of light which exits through the entire surface of the lens is represented by ?, and an area of the lens as planarly viewed in the optical-axis direction is represented by ?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Kenzo Ohkubo, Nobuhiro Shirai, Takasumi Wada
  • Publication number: 20120026267
    Abstract: In an optical scanning device, a beam outputted from a light source is deflected by an optical deflector, and an object to be scanned (for example, a photosensitive drum) is scanned by the deflected beam. The optical scanning device is provided with a light source that outputs a beam, an aperture provided with an opening that shapes the beam outputted from the light source, a reducing optical portion that reduces the beam shaped by the aperture, and a collimator, which is arranged within an interval from the light source to the reducing optical portion, and makes the beam parallel. The reducing optical portion outputs the incoming beam as a parallel beam. The aperture and the reducing optical portion are arranged within an interval from the light source to the optical deflector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Nobuhiro SHIRAI, Kenzo Ohkubo
  • Publication number: 20110310211
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes an enclosure having a plurality of windows covered with transparent members. The enclosure houses a plurality of light sources, a scanning portion, optical elements and a light amount attenuation portion. The scanning portion deflects each of a plurality of light beams emitted from a plurality of light sources at a constant angular speed in a main scanning direction. The optical elements constitute respective light paths from the scanning portion to the windows for the plurality of light beams, respectively. The light amount attenuation portion attenuates light amount in a light path of a first light source among the plurality of light sources in a downstream side of the position where a light beam emitted from a second light source enters as stray light. The drive portion drives the first light source so as to compensate for light amount attenuated by the light amount attenuation portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Kenzo OHKUBO, Nobuhiro Shirai, Takasumi Wada
  • Patent number: 7755809
    Abstract: A laser scanning optical system converts a plurality of beams emitted from the laser diode (LD) into parallel light using a collimator lens, shapes the parallel light using an aperture, and executes exposure of a plurality of lines simultaneously on a photoreceptor drum. To cause a necessary emitting point interval d determined uniquely from the magnification of the optical system to coincide with an emitting point interval of the LD used, the LD is rotated by an angle ? against the main optical axis plane thereof. In this case, a converting device that converts the aspect ratio of a profile of the light beam emitted from the LD is provided. A conversion characteristic of the converting device is adjusted such that the characteristic is matched with a condition within a predetermined region following a characteristic of the optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirokazu Fujita, Kenzo Ohkubo, Takasumi Wada, Yasuhiro Ono, Takayuki Ohno
  • Patent number: 7505187
    Abstract: According to the present invention, highly accurate adjustment of the angles and positions of optical elements constituting an optical scanning unit can be easily performed. For a cylindrical lens that makes the light beam for exposing a photoreceptor converge on the surface of the photoreceptor, a frame is provided for holding the cylindrical lens therein. The frame is supported by two support portions for a chassis of the optical scanning unit such that the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical lens becomes parallel to the scanning direction of the photoreceptor. The optical scanning unit is configured such that the angle of the cylindrical lens in the longitudinal direction is adjustable in the sub-scanning direction of the photoreceptor at the support portion on the front side (operational side) of these support portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ayumu Oda, Masaki Saka, Atsushi Ueda, Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Kenzo Ohkubo
  • Publication number: 20070146848
    Abstract: A laser scanning optical system converts a plurality of beams emitted from the laser diode (LD) into parallel light using a collimator lens, shapes the parallel light using an aperture, and executes exposure of a plurality of lines simultaneously on a photoreceptor drum. To cause a necessary emitting point interval d determined uniquely from the magnification of the optical system to coincide with an emitting point interval of the LD used, the LD is rotated by an angle ? against the main optical axis plane thereof. In this case, a converting device that converts the aspect ratio of a profile of the light beam emitted from the LD is provided. A conversion characteristic of the converting device is adjusted such that the characteristic is matched with a condition within a predetermined region following a characteristic of the optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Hirokazu FUJITA, Kenzo Ohkubo, Takasumi Wada, Yasuhiro Ono, Takayuki Ohno
  • Publication number: 20060262373
    Abstract: According to the present invention, highly accurate adjustment of the angles and positions of optical elements constituting an optical scanning unit can be easily performed. For a cylindrical lens that makes the light beam for exposing a photoreceptor converge on the surface of the photoreceptor, a frame is provided for holding the cylindrical lens therein. The frame is supported by two support portions for a chassis of the optical scanning unit such that the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical lens becomes parallel to the scanning direction of the photoreceptor. The optical scanning unit is configured such that the angle of the cylindrical lens in the longitudinal direction is adjustable in the sub-scanning direction of the photoreceptor at the support portion on the front side (operational side) of these support portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Ayumu Oda, Masaki Saka, Atsushi Ueda, Yasuhiro Ono, Makoto Masuda, Kenzo Ohkubo