Patents by Inventor Kouichi Ohtaka

Kouichi Ohtaka 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: 7697179
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Publication number: 20090174922
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Takeshi NANJYO, Seiichi KATOH, Kouichi OHTAKA
  • Patent number: 7538923
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 7457019
    Abstract: A light deflecting apparatus deflecting input light in directions for at least one deflection-axis includes a plate-like-shaped member configured to reflect input light, a substrate above which the plate-like-shaped member is placed with no fixed portion relative to the substrate, a supporting member serving as a fulcrum for the plate-like-shaped member to tilt, a plurality of space regulating members configured to regulate a space in which the plate-like-shaped member placed on the supporting member above the substrate is freely movable, and a plurality of electrodes arranged around the supporting member on the substrate and facing a bottom surface of the plate-like-shaped member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 7391551
    Abstract: A method for driving a light deflector the method includes turning over a direction of an electric field acting on the plate shape member, in an optional period. In the method, the light deflector deflects a beam incident on a light reflection area by displacing a plate shape member having the light reflection area with an electrostatic force. The light deflector includes a substrate, a plurality of control members, a fulcrum member, the plate shape member, and a plurality of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Publication number: 20080117488
    Abstract: A light deflecting apparatus deflecting input light in directions for at least one deflection-axis includes a plate-like-shaped member configured to reflect input light, a substrate above which the plate-like-shaped member is placed with no fixed portion relative to the substrate, a supporting member serving as a fulcrum for the plate-like-shaped member to tilt, a plurality of space regulating members configured to regulate a space in which the plate-like-shaped member placed on the supporting member above the substrate is freely movable, and a plurality of electrodes arranged around the supporting member on the substrate and facing a bottom surface of the plate-like-shaped member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2008
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Takeshi NANJYO, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Publication number: 20080094680
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Takeshi NANJYO, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 7342702
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 7333256
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Publication number: 20070146854
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 7215452
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 7166486
    Abstract: A center beam which is formed out of a thin film constituted to be combined with a light reflection film provided on one surface of the center beam, which has both ends fixed and which is deformed by an electronic force; a substrate electrode which is opposed to the center beam through a gap formed on the other surface of the center beam; an opposed surface which is a surface of the substrate electrode opposed to the center beam modulating the incident light on the light reflection film, the opposed surface restricting deformation of the center beam due to application of a driving voltage to the substrate electrode by abutting on the center beam; and a substrate which has the substrate electrode having the opposed surface, formed in a concave section, and which holds a to-be-held section of the center beam, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Ohtaka, Seiichi Katoh, Takeshi Nanjyo, Masanori Horike, Eiichi Ohta
  • Patent number: 7113321
    Abstract: A miniaturized and highly integrated optical deflection apparatus is realized in which the number of electrodes for driving the optical deflection apparatus is reduced. The optical deflection apparatus implements a sheet member that is electrically floating and plural electrodes that are implemented on a substrate. The sheet member includes a member having a light reflection region and an electret member that is charged at a predetermined electric potential. The sheet member is tilted by applying an electric potential that is substantially equivalent to an electric potential of the electret member to one of the electrodes and applying a ground potential to another one of the electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 7099060
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Publication number: 20060187515
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Publication number: 20060187514
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Publication number: 20060171015
    Abstract: A method for driving a light deflector the method includes turning over a direction of an electric field acting on the plate shape member, in an optional period. In the method, the light deflector deflects a beam incident on a light reflection area by displacing a plate shape member having the light reflection area with an electrostatic force. The light deflector includes a substrate, a plurality of control members, a fulcrum member, the plate shape member, and a plurality of electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 7075562
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes optical modulation means having an one-dimensional optical modulator array wherein a plurality of optical modulators are arranged one-dimensionally; lighting means; and a scanning optical system for deflecting the beams modulated by the optical modulators in the one-dimensional optical modulator array in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the optical modulators. A plurality of the one-dimensional optical modulator arrays are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the optical modulators. The beams modulated by respective optical modulators of the one-dimensional optical modulator arrays can be irradiated on a pixel in piles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Ohtaka, Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh
  • Patent number: 7064878
    Abstract: Method of deflecting light includes the steps of providing a substrate and forming a supporting member on the substrate. Next forming step forms electrodes at predetermined positions on the substrate. Next forming step forms a plate-like-shaped thin film member including light reflecting means. Placing step places the plate-like-shaped thin film member on the supporting member so that an opposite surface thereof faces the electrodes. Forming step forms space regulating members on edges of the substrate for regulating a space formed above the substrate in which the plate-like-shaped thin film member is freely movable. Applying step applies predetermined voltages to the electrodes to change a tilt direction of the plate-like-shaped thin film member in accordance with the voltages applied to deflect the input light in an arbitrary direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka
  • Patent number: 7050217
    Abstract: A method for driving a light deflector the method includes turning over a direction of an electric field acting on the plate shape member, in an optional period. In the method, the light deflector deflects a beam incident on a light reflection area by displacing a plate shape member having the light reflection area with an electrostatic force. The light deflector includes a substrate, a plurality of control members, a fulcrum member, the plate shape member, and a plurality of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Nanjyo, Seiichi Katoh, Kouichi Ohtaka