Patents by Inventor Koji Mabuchi

Koji Mabuchi 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: 6685343
    Abstract: A surface light source device includes a light guide plate disposed on an upper surface of a liquid crystal panel unit and a linear light source disposed extending in a direction parallel to a side surface of the light guide plate. A plurality of linear prisms are formed on an upper surface of the light guide plate in a manner of extending in a direction oblique to the side surface. A light irradiated from the linear light source to the light guide plate through the side surface is reflected by a reflecting surface formed by each of linear prisms to be irradiated onto the liquid crystal panel unit provided below a lower surface of the plate. A height of the reflecting surface of each of linear prisms is changed in a lengthwise direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 6679613
    Abstract: A surface light source device includes a linear light source, and a light emitted from the linear light source is incident onto one side surface of a light guide plate. The light is then emitted from an upper surface of the light guide plate. A display panel is provided so as to cover an upper surface of the light guide plate. The display panel has two display areas that its translucent rates are different each other. In addition, a light-shielding sheet is provided between the light guide plate and the display area to shield the light emitted from the light guide plate. A light-shielding effect of the light guide plate deteriorates with to a distance from the side surface of the light guide plate, and a luminance irregularity of the light emitted from the light guide plate is absorbed in the light-shielding sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 6669349
    Abstract: This invention provides a beam light source which enables a light guide plate for receiving light to have a smooth end surface. A light emitting surface of the beam-shaped light guide for dispersing and emitting light emitted from a point light source in a form of beam light faces to a channel bottom surface as a scattering reflecting surface of a reflecting member. The light emitted from the light emitting surface is irregularly reflected on the channel bottom surface of the reflecting member so as to make viewing angle characteristics uniform. The light having the uniform viewing angle characteristics is transmitted from the light emitting surface of the beam-shaped light guide through a side surface opposite to the light emitting surface, and is emitted from another side surface opposite to the above side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 6565225
    Abstract: This invention was made to reduce cost and the number of assembly processes and improve productivity by making viewing angle characteristics of light emitted from a light emitting surface even irrespective of a point in a bar-shaped light guide. A bar-shaped light guide of this invention comprises a light incident surface for receiving light emitted from a point light source, a light emitting surface, which is orthogonal to the light incident surface, for emitting light received on the light incident surface in a form of beam light, and a pattern surface made up of a side of the light incident surface and a side of the light emitting surface and having a plurality of grooves formed thereon. The plurality of grooves are regularly arranged on the pattern surface. An angle formed by the groove 106 and the side of the light emitting surface on a side of the point light source is 35-55°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Mabuchi, Youichiro Goto, Toru Nose, Nobuo Iwatsuki
  • Publication number: 20030021100
    Abstract: A surface light source device includes a light guide plate disposed on an upper surface of a liquid crystal panel unit and a linear light source disposed extending in a direction parallel to a side surface of the light guide plate. A plurality of linear prisms are formed on an upper surface of the light guide plate in a manner of extending in a direction oblique to the side surface. A light irradiated from the linear light source to the light guide plate through the side surface is reflected by a reflecting surface formed by each of linear prisms to be irradiated onto the liquid crystal panel unit provided below a lower surface of the plate. A height of the reflecting surface of each of linear prisms is changed in a lengthwise direction thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Mabuchi
  • Publication number: 20020036905
    Abstract: A surface light source device includes a linear light source, and a light emitted from the linear light source is incident onto one side surface of a light guide plate. The light is then emitted from an upper surface of the light guide plate. A display panel is provided so as to cover an upper surface of the light guide plate. The display panel has two display areas that its translucent rates are different each other. In addition, a light-shielding sheet is provided between the light guide plate and the display area to shield the light emitted from the light guide plate. A light-shielding effect of the light guide plate deteriorates with to a distance from the side surface of the light guide plate, and a luminance irregularity of the light emitted from the light guide plate is absorbed in the light-shielding sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koji Mabuchi
  • Publication number: 20020034071
    Abstract: This invention provides a beam light source which enables a light guide plate for receiving light to have a smooth end surface. A light emitting surface of the beam-shaped light guide for dispersing and emitting light emitted from a point light source in a form of beam light faces to a channel bottom surface as a scattering reflecting surface of a reflecting member. The light emitted from the light emitting surface is irregularly reflected on the channel bottom surface of the reflecting member so as to make viewing angle characteristics uniform. The light having the uniform viewing angle characteristics is transmitted from the light emitting surface of the beam-shaped light guide through a side surface opposite to the light emitting surface, and is emitted from another side surface opposite to the above side surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Koji Mabuchi
  • Publication number: 20020008969
    Abstract: This invention was made to reduce cost and the number of assembly processes and improve productivity by making viewing angle characteristics of light emitted from a light emitting surface even irrespective of a point in a bar-shaped light guide. A bar-shaped light guide of this invention comprises a light incident surface for receiving light emitted from a point light source, a light emitting surface, which is orthogonal to the light incident surface, for emitting light received on the light incident surface in a form of beam light, and a pattern surface made up of a side of the light incident surface and a side of the light emitting surface and having a plurality of grooves formed thereon. The plurality of grooves are regularly arranged on the pattern surface. An angle formed by the groove 106 and the side of the light emitting surface on a side of the point light source is 35-55°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Mabuchi, Youichiro Goto, Toru Nose, Nobuo Iwatsuki
  • Patent number: 5864354
    Abstract: A UV-fixable thermal recording apparatus uses UV-fixable color thermal recording paper, uniformity of light intensity distribution, high efficiency and miniaturization of a fixing lamp to prevent degradation of the print quality this apparatus has at least one fixing lamp, and a row of heating resistors in the form of a plurality of heating resistors arranged parallel to the direction of paper delivery. The width in the direction of paper delivery of an area of the paper exposed by the fixing lamp is made larger than the length of the row of heating. resistors. The fixing lamp and the row of heating resistors are so arranged that the position of an (end on the upstream side in the forward direction of paper delivery) of the exposed area of the fixing lamp is on the downstream side of the position of an end (on the upstream side in this direction) of the row of heating resistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Hibino, Satoshi Kuwabara, Koji Mabuchi, Etuzi Shimizu