Patents by Inventor Kiyokazu Watanabe
Kiyokazu Watanabe 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: 11754878Abstract: The backlight device has a substrate, a plurality of light emitting elements disposed on a surface of the substrate, a diffuser plate having an incident surface disposed facing to the surface of the substrate, and an emitting surface disposed on the opposite side of the incident surface, diffuses light incident on the incident surface from the plurality of light emitting elements, and emits the diffused light from the emitting surface, and a frame defining a light emitting region on which the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed, wherein the frame is disposed so as not to form a region less than the half value outside the light emitting elements disposed along the frame, and all of the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed so that a ratio less than the half value is 20% or less, the ratio less than the half value is a ratio of an area of the region less than the half value to an area of a surrounding region formed by connecting at least three light emitting elements disposed around thType: GrantFiled: April 1, 2022Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATIONInventors: Toshinobu Katsumata, Takumi Miyashita, Kiyokazu Watanabe, Takuma Horiuchi
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Patent number: 11681181Abstract: The backlight device has a substrate, a plurality of light emitting elements disposed on a surface of the substrate, a diffuser plate having an incident surface disposed facing to the surface of the substrate, and an emitting surface disposed on the opposite side of the incident surface, diffuses light incident on the incident surface from the plurality of light emitting elements, and emits the diffused light from the emitting surface, and a frame defining a light emitting region on which the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed, wherein the frame is disposed so as not to form a region less than the half value outside the light emitting elements disposed along the frame, and all of the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed so that a ratio less than the half value is 20% or less, the ratio less than the half value is a ratio of an area of the region less than the half value to an area of a surrounding region formed by connecting at least three light emitting elements disposed around thType: GrantFiled: August 21, 2019Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATIONInventors: Toshinobu Katsumata, Takumi Miyashita, Kiyokazu Watanabe, Takuma Horiuchi
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Patent number: 11675230Abstract: To provide a backlight that reduces the number of LEDs used while facilitating the attempt to make the backlight smaller in thickness. On a mount substrate (11), LEDs (13) are mounted in a square lattice arrangement. Over a portion near the center of each unit of the square lattice, protrusions (15) of a diffusion plate (14) are disposed. Among light emitted from the LEDs (13), light traveling in lateral directions between the mount substrate (11) and the diffusion plate (14) is captured by the protrusions (15). The captured light is refracted and reflected by the interfaces of the protrusions (15), and diffused due to diffusing particles, with the result that the light is turned into upward illumination light.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2022Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATIONInventors: Takuma Horiuchi, Takumi Miyashita, Kiyokazu Watanabe
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Publication number: 20230044687Abstract: To provide a backlight that reduces the number of LEDs used while facilitating the attempt to make the backlight smaller in thickness. On a mount substrate (11), LEDs (13) are mounted in a square lattice arrangement. Over a portion near the center of each unit of the square lattice, protrusions (15) of a diffusion plate (14) are disposed. Among light emitted from the LEDs (13), light traveling in lateral directions between the mount substrate (11) and the diffusion plate (14) is captured by the protrusions (15). The captured light is refracted and reflected by the interfaces of the protrusions (15), and diffused due to diffusing particles, with the result that the light is turned into upward illumination light.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2022Publication date: February 9, 2023Inventors: Takuma HORIUCHI, Takumi MIYASHITA, Kiyokazu WATANABE
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Patent number: 11506935Abstract: To provide a backlight that reduces the number of LEDs used while facilitating the attempt to make the backlight smaller in thickness. On a mount substrate (11), LEDs (13) are mounted in a square lattice arrangement. Over a portion near the center of each unit of the square lattice, protrusions (15) of a diffusion plate (14) are disposed. Among light emitted from the LEDs (13), light traveling in lateral directions between the mount substrate (11) and the diffusion plate (14) is captured by the protrusions (15). The captured light is refracted and reflected by the interfaces of the protrusions (15), and diffused due to diffusing particles, with the result that the light is turned into upward illumination light.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2021Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATIONInventors: Takuma Horiuchi, Takumi Miyashita, Kiyokazu Watanabe
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Publication number: 20220221761Abstract: The backlight device has a substrate, a plurality of light emitting elements disposed on a surface of the substrate, a diffuser plate having an incident surface disposed facing to the surface of the substrate, and an emitting surface disposed on the opposite side of the incident surface, diffuses light incident on the incident surface from the plurality of light emitting elements, and emits the diffused light from the emitting surface, and a frame defining a light emitting region on which the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed, wherein the frame is disposed so as not to form a region less than the half value outside the light emitting elements disposed along the frame, and all of the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed so that a ratio less than the half value is 20% or less, the ratio less than the half value is a ratio of an area of the region less than the half value to an area of a surrounding region formed by connecting at least three light emitting elements disposed around thType: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2022Publication date: July 14, 2022Inventors: Toshinobu KATSUMATA, Takumi MIYASHITA, Kiyokazu WATANABE, Takuma HORIUCHI
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Publication number: 20210341793Abstract: The backlight device has a substrate, a plurality of light emitting elements disposed on a surface of the substrate, a diffuser plate having an incident surface disposed facing to the surface of the substrate, and an emitting surface disposed on the opposite side of the incident surface, diffuses light incident on the incident surface from the plurality of light emitting elements, and emits the diffused light from the emitting surface, and a frame defining a light emitting region on which the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed, wherein the frame is disposed so as not to form a region less than the half value outside the light emitting elements disposed along the frame, and all of the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed so that a ratio less than the half value is 20% or less, the ratio less than the half value is a ratio of an area of the region less than the half value to an area of a surrounding region formed by connecting at least three light emitting elements disposed around thType: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2019Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Toshinobu KATSUMATA, Takumi MIYASHITA, Kiyokazu WATANABE, Takuma HORIUCHI
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Publication number: 20210278723Abstract: To provide a backlight that reduces the number of LEDs used while facilitating the attempt to make the backlight smaller in thickness. On a mount substrate (11), LEDs (13) are mounted in a square lattice arrangement. Over a portion near the center of each unit of the square lattice, protrusions (15) of a diffusion plate (14) are disposed. Among light emitted from the LEDs (13), light traveling in lateral directions between the mount substrate (11) and the diffusion plate (14) is captured by the protrusions (15). The captured light is refracted and reflected by the interfaces of the protrusions (15), and diffused due to diffusing particles, with the result that the light is turned into upward illumination light.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2021Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: Takuma HORIUCHI, Takumi MIYASHITA, Kiyokazu WATANABE
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Patent number: 11054700Abstract: To provide a backlight that reduces the number of LEDs used while facilitating the attempt to make the backlight smaller in thickness. On amount substrate (11), LEDs (13) are mounted in a square lattice arrangement. Over a portion near the center of each unit of the square lattice, protrusions (15) of a diffusion plate (14) are disposed. Among light emitted from the LEDs (13), light traveling in lateral directions between the mount substrate (11) and the diffusion plate (14) is captured by the protrusions (15). The captured light is refracted and reflected by the interfaces of the protrusions (15), and diffused due to diffusing particles, with the result that the light is turned into upward illumination light.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2018Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignees: CITIZEN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.Inventors: Takuma Horiuchi, Takumi Miyashita, Kiyokazu Watanabe
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Publication number: 20210109405Abstract: To provide a backlight that reduces the number of LEDs used while facilitating the attempt to make the backlight smaller in thickness. On amount substrate (11), LEDs (13) are mounted in a square lattice arrangement. Over a portion near the center of each unit of the square lattice, protrusions (15) of a diffusion plate (14) are disposed. Among light emitted from the LEDs (13), light traveling in lateral directions between the mount substrate (11) and the diffusion plate (14) is captured by the protrusions (15). The captured light is refracted and reflected by the interfaces of the protrusions (15), and diffused due to diffusing particles, with the result that the light is turned into upward illumination light.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2018Publication date: April 15, 2021Inventors: Takuma HORIUCHI, Takumi MIYASHITA, Kiyokazu WATANABE
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Patent number: 10302840Abstract: There is provided a backlight capable of easily eliminating a bright portion generated near lateral surfaces of a light guide plate, even when a plate-like reflective member is brought close to the lateral, surfaces of the light guide plate. The backlight includes, a light guide plate including a light emission surface, a reflective surface, and at least one of the lateral surface as an incident surface, a light source disposed to face the incident surface, a reflective member which is disposed to face another lateral surface other than the incident surface and includes a diffusion reflective surface, and an adhesive member for adhering the reflective member to the another lateral surface of the light guide plate, wherein a length of the adhesive member in a thickness direction of the light guide plate is smaller than a thickness of the light guide plate.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignees: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD, CITIZEN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiyokazu Watanabe, Naoya Kashiwagi, Takuma Horiuchi, Takashi Watanabe
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Patent number: 10001672Abstract: A side edge planar lighting unit includes a light emitting diode, a light guide plate, and a transparent flexible resin between the light emitting diode and the light guide plate. The light emitting diode and the light guide plate are brought into close contact by the transparent flexible resin. The light guide plate includes a light exit face on a first main surface, a reflective face on a side opposite the light exit face, and a recessed portion in a first side edge. The recessed portion includes the light entrance face on a bottom surface, a pair of light entrance side faces facing each other across the light entrance face, and an anti-slip portion made of an uneven structure on at least one of the light entrance side faces. The transparent flexible resin is fitted in the recessed portion of the light guide plate.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2017Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignees: CITIZEN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiyokazu Watanabe, Yoshihiro Sho, Naoya Kashiwagi, Takashi Watanabe, Takumi Miyashita, Toshinobu Katsumata, Takuma Horiuchi, Junji Miyashita, Tomoo Udagawa, Kazuhiro Uwajima
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Publication number: 20180120643Abstract: A side edge planar lighting unit includes a light emitting diode, a light guide plate, and a transparent flexible resin between the light emitting diode and the light guide plate. The light emitting diode and the light guide plate are brought into close contact by the transparent flexible resin. The light guide plate includes a light exit face on a first main surface, a reflective face on a side opposite the light exit face, and a recessed portion in a first side edge. The recessed portion includes the light entrance face on a bottom surface, a pair of light entrance side faces facing each other across the light entrance face, and an anti-slip portion made of an uneven structure on at least one of the light entrance side faces. The transparent flexible resin is fitted in the recessed portion of the light guide plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2017Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventors: Kiyokazu WATANABE, Yoshihiro SHO, Naoya KASHIWAGI, Takashi WATANABE, Takumi MIYASHITA, Toshinobu KATSUMATA, Takuma HORIUCHI, Junji MIYASHITA, Tomoo UDAGAWA, Kazuhiro UWAJIMA
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Publication number: 20170276861Abstract: There is provided a backlight capable of easily eliminating a bright portion generated near lateral surfaces of a light guide plate, even when a plate-like reflective member is brought close to the lateral, surfaces of the light guide plate. The backlight includes, a light guide plate including a light emission surface, a reflective surface, and at least one of the lateral surface as an incident surface, a light source disposed to face the incident surface, a reflective member which is disposed to face another lateral surface other than the incident surface and includes a diffusion reflective surface, and an adhesive member for adhering the reflective member to the another lateral surface of the light guide plate, wherein a length of the adhesive member in a thickness direction of the light guide plate is smaller than a thickness of the light guide plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2017Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicants: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD., CITIZEN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiyokazu Watanabe, Naoya Kashiwagi, Takuma Horiuchi, Takashi Watanabe
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Publication number: 20150168632Abstract: A planar lighting device includes a light-guide plate and a light source including a light-emitting surface that faces a first side surface. A center line passes through a center of the light-emitting surface and is perpendicular to the first side surface of the light-guide plate. The device also includes a first prism sheet including a prism arranged on a lower surface of the first prism sheet, the lower surface facing an upper surface of the light-guide plate, and a ridge line of the prism extending in parallel with the center line of the light-emitting surface of the light source, and a second prism sheet positioned over the first prism sheet and including a prism arranged on an upper surface of the second prism sheet, a ridge line of the prism of the second prism sheet extending substantially perpendicularly to the center line of the light-emitting surface of the light source.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2013Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventors: Makoto Yasuhara, Junji Miyashita, Kiyokazu Watanabe, Izumi Nakamura
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Patent number: 8616749Abstract: A planar light-emitting device includes a first reflecting surface, a rectangular support disposed adjacent to the first reflecting surface, light sources each including a light-emitting surface and disposed along, at least one side portion of the rectangular support, and a lens including a light-receiving surface disposed to face the light-emitting surfaces of the light sources, and configured to introduce light emitted from the light sources into a space that is demarcated by at least the first reflecting surface and the rectangular support.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2012Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignees: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd., Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takahiro Shimizu, Koichi Hada, Junji Miyashita, Kiyokazu Watanabe, Makoto Yasuhara
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Publication number: 20120250313Abstract: A planar light-emitting device includes a first reflecting surface, a rectangular support disposed adjacent to the first reflecting surface, light sources each including a light-emitting surface and disposed along, at least one side portion of the rectangular support, and a lens including a light-receiving surface disposed to face the light-emitting surfaces of the light sources, and configured to introduce light emitted from the light sources into a space that is demarcated by at least the first reflecting surface and the rectangular support.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicants: CITIZEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD., CITIZEN ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Takahiro SHIMIZU, Koichi HADA, Junji MIYASHITA, Kiyokazu WATANABE, Makoto YASUHARA
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Patent number: 7527411Abstract: A double-sided emitting backlight unit has a first light-emitting surface for illuminating a first liquid crystal display panel disposed to face the first light-emitting surface, a second light-emitting surface provided parallel to the first light-emitting surface to illuminate a second liquid crystal display panel that is smaller than the first liquid crystal display panel and disposed to face the second light-emitting surface, and a peripheral surface extending between the first and second light-emitting surfaces and each groove having a light-receiving surface that receives light from a light source. The second light-emitting surface is a prism surface provided with a multiplicity of grooves extending parallel to the light-receiving surface and having a triangular section.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2007Date of Patent: May 5, 2009Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kiyokazu Watanabe, Junji Miyashita
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Patent number: 7488103Abstract: A lighting device for a liquid crystal display and the like comprises: a light guide plate having a top surface serving as a light exiting surface, a bottom reflective surface and a circumferential surface; and a least one LED unit disposed adjacent to the circumferential surface of the light guide plate. The LED unit comprises at least one LED chip, a light emission section facing the circumferential surface of the light guide plate, and a substrate is disposed on and covering the back surface of the light emission section and electrically connected to the LED chip. A flat reflective member is disposed over a top of the light emission section and extending in parallel with and partly overlapping the light guide plate's top surface adjacent to the circumferential surface which faces the LED unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2006Date of Patent: February 10, 2009Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kiyokazu Watanabe, Toshinobu Katsumata
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Patent number: 7478938Abstract: A back light unit including a light source, a light guiding plate having an entrance surface to receive light emitted from the light source, a first emission surface and a second emission surface, a semi-transmissive/reflective member disposed to face one of the first emission surface and the second emission surface, and a chromatic correcting member, the semi-transmissive/reflective member having an incident surface to receive light emitted from one of the first emission surface and the second emission surface and an exit surface, the chromatic correcting member being configured to correct chromaticity of light emitted from the exit surface of the semi-transmissive/reflective member and emit corrected light.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2006Date of Patent: January 20, 2009Assignee: Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kiyokazu Watanabe, Daisaku Okuwaki