Patents by Inventor Kou Ohno

Kou Ohno 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: 20220349731
    Abstract: An encoder for detecting rotation information of a first rotation shaft includes a first detector which detects a pattern provided in the first rotation shaft, a first housing case which houses the pattern provided in the first rotation shaft and the first detector, a second housing case which houses at least a part of a shaft portion different from a portion where the pattern is provided, of the first rotation shaft, and an adjusting mechanism which adjusts at least one of an atmospheric pressure and a temperature in the first housing case to be higher than at least one of an atmospheric pressure and a temperature in the second housing case. The inflow of the high-humidity air from a motor into the encoder is prevented or suppressed, so that the condensation in the encoder can be prevented or suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kou OHNO, Hiroyuki KISHIDA
  • Patent number: 10557707
    Abstract: An encoder includes: a first scale which has a first index portion; a second scale which has a second index portion; a first detection unit which outputs a first signal based on the first index portion, regarding first relative rotation between a fixing member and a first rotating member; a second detection unit which outputs a second signal based on the second index portion, regarding second relative rotation between the fixing member and a second rotating member; and a signal-processing unit which calculates information regarding the first relative rotation on the basis of the first signal and which calculates information regarding the second relative rotation on the basis of the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Omata, Takashi Nagase, Kou Ohno, Masami Kikyo, Shintaro Hikichi
  • Patent number: 9534931
    Abstract: An encoder includes a first rotator connectable to a rotating shaft and including a first pattern, and a first detection unit positioned at a non-rotatory member and configured to detect the first pattern. The encoder also includes a second rotator connectable to an output shaft that is rotatable around a predetermined axis and is configured to output rotation caused by the rotating shaft. The encoder also includes a second detection unit positioned at the non-rotatory member and configured to detect the second pattern, and a reference unit configured to position the first detection unit and the second detection unit by a common position reference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignees: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED, NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Ueda, Kou Ohno, Toru Morita
  • Patent number: 9306434
    Abstract: A joint of a robot includes a driving motor, a speed reducer that reduces rotation of an output shaft of the motor, and an arm connected to the speed reducer. The joint includes an input encoder that detects a rotational position of the motor and an output encoder that detects a rotational position of the arm. A controller controls the motor based on data indicating the rotational positions of the motor and the arm detected by the input encoder and the output encoder, respectively. The input encoder is arranged with a register that latches and retains an input EC value. The output encoder includes a register that latches and retains an output EC value, and an edge pulse output section that outputs an edge pulse to both registers every time the output EC value changes. In response to the edge pulse, both registers concurrently output EC values to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignees: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED, NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Ueda, Yoshiji Takahashi, Toru Morita, Kou Ohno
  • Patent number: 9020774
    Abstract: An encoder system includes: a first single-rotation absolute encoder that outputs a first signal corresponding to an angular position of a first rotatable shaft; a power transmission device that transmits the power of the first shaft to a second rotatable shaft with a predetermined transmission ratio; a second single-rotation absolute encoder that outputs a second signal corresponding to an angular position of the second shaft; and a signal processing section that generates data related to the rotation count of the first shaft based on at least the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kishida, Toru Morita, Yoshiji Takahashi, Kou Ohno, Takashi Nagase, Kenji Omata, Hirofumi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8977516
    Abstract: An encoder system includes: a first single-rotation absolute encoder that outputs a first signal corresponding to an angular position of a first rotatable shaft; a power transmission device that transmits the power of the first shaft to a second rotatable shaft with a predetermined transmission ratio; a second single-rotation absolute encoder that outputs a second signal corresponding to an angular position of the second shaft; and a signal processing section that generates data related to the rotation count of the first shaft based on at least the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kishida, Toru Morita, Yoshiji Takahashi, Kou Ohno, Takashi Nagase, Kenji Omata, Hirofumi Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20150053040
    Abstract: An encoder includes a first rotator connectable to a rotating shaft and including a first pattern, and a first detection unit positioned at a non-rotatory member and configured to detect the first pattern. The encoder also includes a second rotator connectable to an output shaft that is rotatable around a predetermined axis and is configured to output rotation caused by the rotating shaft. The encoder also includes a second detection unit positioned at the non-rotatory member and configured to detect the second pattern, and a reference unit configured to position the first detection unit and the second detection unit by a common position reference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Takeshi UEDA, Kou OHNO, Toru MORITA
  • Publication number: 20150048724
    Abstract: A joint of a robot includes a driving motor, a speed reducer that reduces rotation of an output shaft of the motor, and an arm connected to the speed reducer. The joint includes an input encoder that detects a rotational position of the motor and an output encoder that detects a rotational position of the arm. A controller controls the motor based on data indicating the rotational positions of the motor and the arm detected by the input encoder and the output encoder, respectively. The input encoder is arranged with a register that latches and retains an input EC value. The output encoder includes a register that latches and retains an output EC value, and an edge pulse output section that outputs an edge pulse to both registers every time the output EC value changes. In response to the edge pulse, both registers concurrently output EC values to the controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Takeshi Ueda, Yoshiji Takahashi, Toru Morita, Kou Ohno
  • Publication number: 20110202308
    Abstract: An encoder system includes: a first single-rotation absolute encoder that outputs a first signal corresponding to an angular position of a first rotatable shaft; a power transmission device that transmits the power of the first shaft to a second rotatable shaft with a predetermined transmission ratio; a second single-rotation absolute encoder that outputs a second signal corresponding to an angular position of the second shaft; and a signal processing section that generates data related to the rotation count of the first shaft based on at least the first signal and the second signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KISHIDA, Toru MORITA, Yoshiji TAKAHASHI, Kou OHNO, Takashi NAGASE, Kenji OMATA, Hirofumi TAKEUCHI
  • Patent number: 6107621
    Abstract: Each component of a modular encoder can be formed so as to be fixed to a rotary shaft of a rotating unit in a horizontal direction (a direction of a shaft line of a rotary shaft). Consequently, the modular encoder can easily be assembled and fixed, and reliability of fixation can be enhanced at the same time. In addition, the modular encoder has an elliptical shape so that a size thereof can be reduced in a direction in which a dimension should be decreased. Furthermore, if the holding member is rotatably fitted in the locking member in such a manner that the holding member can be rotated around the rotary shaft of the rotating unit, a sign plate can easily be aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Motokatsu Imai, Kou Ohno, Yasuhiko Hashimoto, Shigeki Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 5663557
    Abstract: A disclosed multiple rotating absolute encoder comprises an encoding plate with a first pattern and a second pattern formed thereon, a first detection unit for reading the first pattern and outputting an information in one rotation of the encoding plate, a second detection unit for reading the second pattern and outputting a first rotation information of the encoding plate, a calculation unit for calculating a second rotation data based on the information in one rotation and the first rotation data, a selection unit for monitoring a rotation speed of the encoding plate and selecting either the first rotation data or the second rotation data in accordance with the rotation speed, and a data calculation unit for calculating rotation information of the encoding plate on the basis of either the first rotation data or the second rotation data selected by the selection unit and the information in one rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Tohru Morita, Kou Ohno, Motokatsu Imai, Yuuji Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 5565864
    Abstract: An encoder includes a code plate, a detector, a transformer, and first and second calculators. The code plate is formed with an absolute pattern including a plurality of bit patterns, each bit pattern formed by a predetermined number of bits and representing one absolute position. The detector moves relatively with respect to the code plate, has a plurality of detecting elements arranged to be opposed to the predetermined number of bits, and reads the bit pattern from the absolute pattern to output a bit pattern signal representing the bit pattern. The transformer can transform only specific bit pattern signals corresponding to specific bit patterns out of a plurality of the bit pattern signals corresponding to the plurality of bit patterns, into the absolute positions. The first calculator calculates a relative, positional relation between the bit pattern corresponding to the bit pattern signal, read from the detector, and the specific bit pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kou Ohno, Tadashi Horikawa, Toru Morita, Yuuji Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 5563408
    Abstract: An absolute encoder having a coder in which an incremental pattern and an absolute pattern are arranged in parallel and a detector including sensors for detecting the incremental pattern and the absolute pattern respectively. The absolute encoder comprises a discriminater to discriminate a relative phase position of the coder and the detector in one pitch of the incremental pattern from an output of the sensor for detecting the incremental pattern, and a signal generator to generate a synchronizing signal when a discriminated phase position coincides with a predetemined phase position by means of an electric circuit in one pitch of the incremental pattern. The absolute pattern is read on the basis of the synchronizing signal at a position except for the boundary region between the minimum reading units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Matsumoto, Kou Ohno
  • Patent number: 5068529
    Abstract: An absolute position detection encoder includes a coder having a track provided with first graduations of an absolute pattern and second graduations of an incremental pattern, plural sensors movable relative to the coder along the longitudinal direction of the track, and a signal processing circuit for processing detection pulse trains, obtained upon reading the first graduations by the sensors, in synchronism with the time point corresponding to approximately the mid position of the minimum reading unit of the first graduation. The encoder outputs the relative position between the coder and the sensors in the form of parallel code signals as the absolute position read out from the absolute pattern graduations on the coder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kou Ohno, Tetsuo Hattori, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto