Patents by Inventor Kotaro Hirano
Kotaro Hirano 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: 11137048Abstract: A transmission mechanism includes a first gear coaxially fixed to a rotational shaft having a hollow shape, a second gear, and a third gear. The second and third gears are rotatably and coaxially disposed on an outer periphery of the rotational shaft such that the second and third gears are opposed to each other. A gear select clutch is disposed between the second and third gears, and configured to select one of a state in which the second and first gears are coupled and the third and first gears are decoupled, and a state in which the third and first gears are coupled and the second and first gears are decoupled. A clutch operation unit is configured to couple an operation shaft disposed in a hollow part of the rotational shaft to operate the gear select clutch by advancing and retreating the operation shaft in an axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2017Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: Univance CorporationInventors: Kotaro Hirano, Yasuyuki Nishiyama, Hironobu Aoki
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Patent number: 10968983Abstract: Provided is a power transmission device that can increase a torque that a second motor outputs to an output shaft. The power transmission device includes: a first input shaft and a second input shaft coupled to a first motor and a second motor, respectively, and disposed on the same axis; a first speed reduction mechanism transmitting a rotation of the first input shaft to an output shaft via an intermediate shaft; a second speed reduction mechanism transmitting a rotation of the second input shaft to the output shaft via the intermediate shaft at a speed reduction ratio different from the speed reduction ratio of the first speed reduction mechanism; and a first clutch disconnecting or connecting the power of the first speed reduction mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2018Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: UNIVANCE CORPORATIONInventors: Tomoyuki Hara, Kotaro Hirano
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Patent number: 10571262Abstract: There is provided a method for controlling a surface texture measuring apparatus equipped with a probe that cannot detect an edge portion so as to automatically perform edge detection and automatically set a workpiece coordinate system. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce discrepancies by individual operators when setting a coordinate system, and improve the workability of coordinate system setting. A surface to be measured is scanned with a probe along a preset preliminary measurement path. When a detection error which causes when the surface to be measured is out of the tracking range of the probe occurs, a measurement value immediately before the detection error has occurred is temporarily registered as a temporary edge point. When the detection error continues during the subsequent scanning for a predetermined distance along the preliminary measurement path, the temporarily registered temporary edge point is set to an edge point.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2018Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATIONInventor: Kotaro Hirano
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Publication number: 20200003279Abstract: Provided is a power transmission device that can increase a torque that a second motor outputs to an output shaft. The power transmission device includes: a first input shaft and a second input shaft coupled to a first motor and a second motor, respectively, and disposed on the same axis; a first speed reduction mechanism transmitting a rotation of the first input shaft to an output shaft via an intermediate shaft; a second speed reduction mechanism transmitting a rotation of the second input shaft to the output shaft via the intermediate shaft at a speed reduction ratio different from the speed reduction ratio of the first speed reduction mechanism; and a first clutch disconnecting or connecting the power of the first speed reduction mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2018Publication date: January 2, 2020Applicant: UNIVANCE CORPORATIONInventors: Tomoyuki Hara, Kotaro Hirano
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Publication number: 20190234491Abstract: A transmission mechanism includes a first gear coaxially fixed to a rotational shaft having a hollow shape, a second gear, and a third gear. The second and third gears are rotatably and coaxially disposed on an outer periphery of the rotational shaft such that the second and third gears are opposed to each other. A gear select clutch is disposed between the second and third gears, and configured to select one of a state in which the second and first gears are coupled and the third and first gears are decoupled, and a state in which the third and first gears are coupled and the second and first gears are decoupled. A clutch operation unit is configured to couple an operation shaft disposed in a hollow part of the rotational shaft to operate the gear select clutch by advancing and retreating the operation shaft in an axial direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2017Publication date: August 1, 2019Inventors: Kotaro Hirano, Yasuyuki Nishiyama, Hironobu Aoki
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Publication number: 20190072382Abstract: There is provided a method for controlling a surface texture measuring apparatus equipped with a probe that cannot detect an edge portion so as to automatically perform edge detection and automatically set a workpiece coordinate system. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce discrepancies by individual operators when setting a coordinate system, and improve the workability of coordinate system setting. A surface to be measured Sw is scanned with a probe 260 along a preset preliminary measurement path PL. When a detection error which causes when the surface to be measured Sw is out of the tracking range of the probe 260 occurs, a measurement value immediately before the detection error has occurred is temporarily registered as a temporary edge point. When the detection error continues during the subsequent scanning is performed for a predetermined distance along the preliminary measurement path, the temporarily registered temporary edge point is set to an edge point.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Inventor: Kotaro Hirano
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Patent number: 9746302Abstract: A method of placing a work piece on a measuring device in which a work piece is placed on a table of a measuring device is provided. The method includes: using a retainer capable of holding the work piece above the table and a lifting/lowering device lifting and lowering a top surface of the table; holding the work piece above the table with the retainer; lifting the top surface of the table with the lifting/lowering device to bring the top surface of the table into contact with a bottom surface of the work piece; and, after a load of the work piece is borne by the table, releasing the hold of the retainer on the work piece.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2015Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATIONInventors: Kotaro Hirano, Ryousuke Watanabe, Hisayoshi Sakai
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Patent number: 9644950Abstract: A positioning unit includes two or more the laser light sources disposed around a point sensor. Laser light beams from the two or more the laser light sources intersect at an adjustment point separated from a detection point, which is away from the point sensor, by a predetermined distance. The adjustment point is positioned on a desired measurement start point on a work, the point sensor is moved close to the work by the predetermined distance, and a measurement scan of the work is started.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2015Date of Patent: May 9, 2017Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATIONInventors: Kotaro Hirano, Naoki Izumi, Hideki Shindo
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Publication number: 20160131302Abstract: A method of placing a work piece on a measuring device in which a work piece is placed on a table of a measuring device is provided. The method includes: using a retainer capable of holding the work piece above the table and a lifting/lowering device lifting and lowering a top surface of the table; holding the work piece above the table with the retainer; lifting the top surface of the table with the lifting/lowering device to bring the top surface of the table into contact with a bottom surface of the work piece; and, after a load of the work piece is borne by the table, releasing the hold of the retainer on the work piece.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATIONInventors: Kotaro HIRANO, Ryousuke WATANABE, Hisayoshi SAKAI
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Publication number: 20160097635Abstract: A positioning unit includes two or more the laser light sources disposed around a point sensor. Laser light beams from the two or more the laser light sources intersect at an adjustment point separated from a detection point, which is away from the point sensor, by a predetermined distance. The adjustment point is positioned on a desired measurement start point on a work, the point sensor is moved close to the work by the predetermined distance, and a measurement scan of the work is started.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2015Publication date: April 7, 2016Inventors: Kotaro Hirano, Naoki Izumi, Hideki Shindo
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Patent number: 9250053Abstract: A surface roughness measuring unit according to the present invention includes a contact pin unit having a contact pin and a displacement detector, the contact pin being provided so as to project and retract through a through-hole of a skid and scanning and moving along a surface of a work piece, the displacement detector detecting displacement of the contact pin in a direction perpendicular to the work piece surface; a driver moving the contact pin unit forward and backward along the surface of the work piece; and a joint coupling the contact pin unit and the driver to a measurement head holder of a coordinate measuring system. The surface roughness measuring unit further includes a contact detector that detects contact of the skid on the surface of the work piece.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2013Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATIONInventors: Kotaro Hirano, Nobuyuki Hama, Masanori Arai, Sadayuki Matsumiya
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Publication number: 20140109422Abstract: A surface roughness measuring unit according to the present invention includes a contact pin unit having a contact pin and a displacement detector, the contact pin being provided so as to project and retract through a through-hole of a skid and scanning and moving along a surface of a work piece, the displacement detector detecting displacement of the contact pin in a direction perpendicular to the work piece surface; a driver moving the contact pin unit forward and backward along the surface of the work piece; and a joint coupling the contact pin unit and the driver to a measurement head holder of a coordinate measuring system. The surface roughness measuring unit further includes a contact detector that detects contact of the skid on the surface of the work piece.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2013Publication date: April 24, 2014Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATIONInventors: Kotaro HIRANO, Nobuyuki HAMA, Masanori ARAI, Sadayuki MATSUMIYA
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Patent number: 8650939Abstract: A surface texture measuring machine includes: a stage, a contact-type detector having a stylus, an image probe, a relative movement mechanism and a controller. The controller includes: a center position calculating unit that, when the image probe enters position data of at least three points on a circular contour of a circular concave portion or a circular convex portion of an object, approximates the entered position data to a circle to obtain a center position of the circle; and a stylus setting unit that, after calculating the center position, operates the relative movement mechanism to position the stylus of the contact-type detector at the center position.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2010Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Mitutoyo CorporationInventors: Sadayuki Matsumiya, Yoshiyuki Omori, Sadaharu Arita, Kotaro Hirano, Yasushi Fukumoto, Koichi Komatsu, Fumihiro Takemura
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Patent number: 8654351Abstract: An offset amount calibrating method that obtains the offset amount between a contact-type detector and an image probe for a surface profile measuring machine is provided. The method includes: setting on a stage a calibration jig that has a surface being provided with a lattice pattern with a level difference; measuring the lattice pattern of the calibration jig by the contact-type detector to obtain a first reference position of the lattice pattern; capturing the image of the lattice pattern of the calibration jig by the image probe to obtain a second reference position of the lattice pattern; and obtaining the offset amount from a difference between the first and second reference positions.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2010Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Mitutoyo CorporationInventors: Yasushi Fukumoto, Koichi Komatsu, Fumihiro Takemura, Sadaharu Arita, Kotaro Hirano
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Publication number: 20110083497Abstract: A surface texture measuring machine includes: a stage, a contact-type detector having a stylus, an image probe, a relative movement mechanism and a controller. The controller includes: a center position calculating unit that, when the image probe enters position data of at least three points on a circular contour of a circular concave portion or a circular convex portion of an object, approximates the entered position data to a circle to obtain a center position of the circle; and a stylus setting unit that, after calculating the center position, operates the relative movement mechanism to position the stylus of the contact-type detector at the center position.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2010Publication date: April 14, 2011Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATIONInventors: Sadayuki MATSUMIYA, Yoshiyuki OMORI, Sadaharu ARITA, Kotaro HIRANO, Yasushi FUKUMOTO, Koichi KOMATSU, Fumihiro TAKEMURA
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Publication number: 20110085177Abstract: An offset amount calibrating method that obtains the offset amount between a contact-type detector and an image probe for a surface profile measuring machine is provided. The method includes: setting on a stage a calibration jig that has a surface being provided with a lattice pattern with a level difference; measuring the lattice pattern of the calibration jig by the contact-type detector to obtain a first reference position of the lattice pattern; capturing the image of the lattice pattern of the calibration jig by the image probe to obtain a second reference position of the lattice pattern; and obtaining the offset amount from a difference between the first and second reference positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2010Publication date: April 14, 2011Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATIONInventors: Yasushi FUKUMOTO, Koichi KOMATSU, Fumihiro TAKEMURA, Sadaharu ARITA, Kotaro HIRANO
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Patent number: 7869060Abstract: A jig for measuring an object shape includes a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first plate and two reference balls fixed to the plate, each ball surface being exposed on both the first and second surfaces. A reference plane is fixed to the plate, the reference plane having a first plane and a second plane that are parallel to each other, the first and second planes being exposed on the first and second surfaces of the plate, respectively. An object-holding portion is fixed to the plate, the object-holding portion having a hole passing through the plate, the object-holding portion being able to hold an object in the hole with the front and back surfaces of the object being exposed on the first and second surfaces of the plate, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2009Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: Mitutoyo CorporationInventors: Kotaro Hirano, Hirofumi Kakiuchi, Yoshiyuki Omori
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Publication number: 20090323081Abstract: A jig for measuring an object shape includes a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first plate and two reference balls fixed to the plate, each ball surface being exposed on both the first and second surfaces. A reference plane is fixed to the plate, the reference plane having a first plane and a second plane that are parallel to each other, the first and second planes being exposed on the first and second surfaces of the plate, respectively. An object-holding portion is fixed to the plate, the object-holding portion having a hole passing through the plate, the object-holding portion being able to hold an object in the hole with the front and back surfaces of the object being exposed on the first and second surfaces of the plate, respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2009Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: MITUTOYO CORPORATIONInventors: Kotaro Hirano, Hirofumi Kakiuchi, Yoshiyuki Omori
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Patent number: D678787Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2011Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: Mitutoyo CorporationInventors: Sadayuki Matsumiya, Kotaro Hirano, Shigeru Ohtani, Kenji Iwamoto