Patents by Inventor Koji Dono

Koji Dono 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: 7628616
    Abstract: A connecting unit for establishing a connection with external connecting portions of an electronic device includes a base and a plurality of spiral contactors having a conductive layer and an auxiliary resilient layer. The top face, the bottom face, and both side faces of the conductive layer are completely surrounded by the auxiliary resilient layer. The conductive layer is composed of a material having a specific resistance lower than the specific resistance of the auxiliary resilient layer. The auxiliary resilient layer is composed of a material having a yield point and an elastic modulus higher than the yield point and the elastic modulus of the conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: ALPS Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Yoshida, Shinichi Nagano, Koji Dono, Shuuichi Chiba
  • Patent number: 7331798
    Abstract: A connecting element includes a support member, a flexible substrate wrapped around the support member, and elastic contacts provided on the flexible substrate. A positioning hole is formed in the support member. A first positioning component is positioned and soldered on a metal layer formed on a motherboard, and a second positioning component is positioned and soldered on a metal layer formed on an electronic component. The first positioning component is inserted into the positioning hole in the connecting element, and the second positioning member is fitted to the first positioning component. Accordingly, the connecting element is positioned with respect to both the motherboard and the electronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Yoshida, Taiji Okamoto, Koji Dono, Nobuyuki Okuda
  • Publication number: 20070020962
    Abstract: A connecting element includes a support member, a flexible substrate wrapped around the support member, and elastic contacts provided on the flexible substrate. A positioning hole is formed in the support member. A first positioning component is positioned and soldered on a metal layer formed on a motherboard, and a second positioning component is positioned and soldered on a metal layer formed on an electronic component. The first positioning component is inserted into the positioning hole in the connecting element, and the second positioning member is fitted to the first positioning component. Accordingly, the connecting element is positioned with respect to both the motherboard and the electronic component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Shin Yoshida, Taiji Okamoto, Koji Dono, Nobuyuki Okuda
  • Publication number: 20050146414
    Abstract: A connecting unit for establishing a connection with external connecting portions of an electronic device includes a base and a plurality of spiral contactors having a conductive layer and an auxiliary resilient layer. The top face, the bottom face, and both side faces of the conductive layer are completely surrounded by the auxiliary resilient layer. The conductive layer is composed of a material having a specific resistance lower than the specific resistance of the auxiliary resilient layer. The auxiliary resilient layer is composed of a material having a yield point and an elastic modulus higher than the yield point and the elastic modulus of the conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2005
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Shin Yoshida, Shinichi Nagano, Koji Dono, Shuuichi Chiba
  • Patent number: 6844509
    Abstract: A switch device that prevents a contact failure from occurring between electrode contact points by having a self-cleaning function is provided. When a key top 4 is pushed downward, a portion between a winding start end 7b and a winding terminal end 7c of a spiral contactor 7 is extended by an operation part 3B provided in an actuator 3. At this time, the winding start end 7c slides along the surface of a stationary electrode 5. As a result, dusts or stains attached to the winding terminal end 7c and/or the stationary electrode 5, oxide films formed on the surfaces of the electrodes, etc., is self-cleaned. Therefore, it is possible to solve a contact failure problem between the movable electrode 6 and the stationary electrode 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junji Tsuchiya, Koji Dono
  • Publication number: 20040259406
    Abstract: A connecting unit for establishing a connection with external connecting portions of an electronic device includes a base and a plurality of spiral contactors having a conductive layer and an auxiliary resilient layer. The top face, the bottom face, and both side faces of the conductive layer are completely surrounded by the auxiliary resilient layer. The conductive layer is composed of a material having a specific resistance lower than the specific resistance of the auxiliary resilient layer. The auxiliary resilient layer is composed of a material having a yield point and an elastic modulus higher than the yield point and the elastic modulus of the conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: ALPS Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Shin Yoshida, Shinichi Nagano, Koji Dono, Shuuichi Chiba
  • Publication number: 20040149561
    Abstract: A switch device that prevents a contact failure from occurring between electrode contact points by having a self-cleaning function is provided. When a key top 4 is pushed downward, a portion between a winding start end 7b and a winding terminal end 7c of a spiral contactor 7 is extended by an operation part 3B provided in an actuator 3. At this time, the winding start end 7c slides along the surface of a stationary electrode 5. As a result, dusts or stains attached to the winding terminal end 7c and/or the stationary electrode 5, oxide films formed on the surfaces of the electrodes, etc., is self-cleaned. Therefore, it is possible to solve a contact failure problem between the movable electrode 6 and the stationary electrode 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junji Tsuchiya, Koji Dono