Patents by Inventor Masahiro Imai

Masahiro Imai 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: 20110038128
    Abstract: An FPC board (1) is mounted on a front bezel (BZ1) and a rear bezel (BZ2). The outer claw (CW1) of the front bezel (BZ1) and the inner claw (CW2) of the rear bezel (BZ2) are engaged with each other while holding the ground portion (12) of the FPC board (1) therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Kohei Kitagawa, Nobuaki Takahashi, Masahiro Imai, Koichi Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20110038112
    Abstract: Provided is a liquid crystal display device (69) including: a liquid crystal display panel unit (49); a backlight unit (59); and a front bezel (BZ1) and a rear bezel (BZ2) for housing the liquid crystal display panel unit and the backlight unit. The liquid crystal display panel unit includes an FPC board (1) which winds around side walls (WL2) and a bottom surface (31) of the rear bezel so as to cover the side walls (WL2) and the bottom surface (31). Outer claw sections (CW1) projecting inward from the side walls (WL1) of the front bezel and inner claw sections (CW2) projecting outward from the side walls of the rear bezel are engaged with each other through openings (HL) provided in the FPC board, thereby integrating the front bezel and the rear bezel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Inventors: Norihisa Shintani, Nobuaki Takahashi, Masahiro Imai, Koichi Yoshioka
  • Publication number: 20100066923
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a display device and, more particularly, to an active matrix-type display device employing a line inversion drive scheme as a drive scheme. In a liquid crystal display device employing the line inversion drive scheme as a drive scheme, a predetermined video signals are applied to video signal lines in a predetermined period after start of a vertical blanking period. When a vertical scanning period starts in an even-numbered frame, a source potential (VS) decreases by ½ of amplitude in an effective video period. After the decreased source potential (VS) is maintained only for one horizontal scanning period, source bus lines are set to a high-impedance state. When a vertical scanning period starts in an odd-numbered frame, the source potential (VS) rises by ½ of amplitude in the effective video period. After the risen source potential VS is maintained only in one horizontal scanning period, the source bus lines are set to a high-impedance state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventors: Masahiro Imai, Noriyuki Nakane
  • Publication number: 20090239136
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus that can achieve preferable holding and fixing of components constituting the power supply apparatus and can preferably prevent a liquid short-circuit and a leakage of current due to condensed water. The power supply apparatus includes a power supply unit having a plurality of power supply elements stacked with each other, an upper case and a lower case which house the power supply unit. The power supply further includes an auxiliary fastening portion which is fixed to the lower case and provides a space S between a lower surface of the power supply unit and the lower case, and fastening portions that are placed on the left and right of the power supply unit when viewed in a direction in which the power supply elements are stacked. The fastening portions fastening the power supply unit to the upper case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kouichi Nagamine, Masahiro Imai
  • Patent number: 6970755
    Abstract: An electronic information on a wire layout path is obtained based on an information on the shape of a wiring harness developed in a 2D plane; assisting jigs suited to the wire layout path are selected; an assembling table suited to the wire layout path is selected; and a 3D shape data of the assisting jigs 32 is read and located on an assembling table 23 together with 3D shapes of a wiring harness 19 and accessories 20, 21 in a virtual 3D space defined in a computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Sakakura, Masahiro Imai, Tsutomu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6867768
    Abstract: A curved state and other states of a wiring harness are displayed by dividing wires into wire segments and applying a polygon processing, and are compared with a 3D shape of the wiring harness represented by a reference layout data displayed as a background image. As compared to a case where a trial product is produced, an operation efficiency can be considerably improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Sakakura, Masahiro Imai, Tsutomu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6842173
    Abstract: A wiring harness Cmp is divided into a plurality of subassemblies Sub1 to Sub3, and 3D shapes of these subassemblies Sub1 to Sub3 are combined and displayed in such a state arranged on a harness assembling table 216 on a specified display. Display positions of the respective subassemblies Sub1 to Sub3 can be arbitrarily moved, for example, in a direction of Z-axis. An assembling order or procedure of a plurality of subassemblies Sub1 to Sub3 can be easily visually simulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Sakakura, Masahiro Imai, Tsutomu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20030023947
    Abstract: An electronic information on a wire layout path is obtained based on an information on the shape of a wiring harness developed in a 2D plane; assisting jigs suited to the wire layout path are selected; an assembling table suited to the wire layout path is selected; and a 3D shape data of the assisting jigs 32 is read and located on an assembling table 23 together with 3D shapes of a wiring harness 19 and accessories 20, 21 in a virtual 3D space defined in a computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Sakakura, Masahiro Imai, Tsutomu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20030020715
    Abstract: A wiring harness Cmp is divided into a plurality of subassemblies Sub1 to Sub3, and 3D shapes of these subassemblies Sub1 to Sub3 are combined and displayed in such a state arranged on a harness assembling table 216 on a specified display. Display positions of the respective subassemblies Sub1 to Sub3 can be arbitrarily moved, for example, in a direction of Z-axis. An assembling order or procedure of a plurality of subassemblies Sub1 to Sub3 can be easily visually simulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Sakakura, Masahiro Imai, Tsutomu Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20030020711
    Abstract: A curved state and other states of a wiring harness are displayed by dividing wires into wire segments and applying a polygon processing, and are compared with a 3D shape of the wiring harness represented by a reference layout data displayed as a background image. As compared to a case where a trial product is produced, an operation efficiency can be considerably improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Sakakura, Masahiro Imai, Tsutomu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6257027
    Abstract: A full-automatic washing machine includes a rotatable tub for accommodating laundry together with water, an agitator provided in the rotatable tub for agitating the water or the laundry, a variable-speed washing motor for directly driving the agitator, and a variable-speed dehydrating motor for directly driving the rotatable tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masahiro Imai
  • Patent number: 6256025
    Abstract: A driving voltage generating circuit of a matrix-type display device includes a voltage dividing resistor group composed of a plurality of voltage dividing resistors connected in series, for dividing a potential a difference of a reference voltage. It also includes operational amplifiers for generating and outputting row voltages (a selective voltage and a non-selective voltage) to be applied to row electrodes, by subjecting each voltage obtained by voltage division to impedance conversion. A p-channel MOSFET and an n-channel MOSFET as analog switches for altering a level of each voltage thus generated are provided in parallel with voltage dividing resistors at ends of the voltage dividing resistor group. With this arrangement, the number of elements necessary for the circuit, for example, MOSFETS and level shifters for controlling the MOSFETS, can be decreased. Therefore, the size of the driving voltage generating circuit can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiro Imai, Kunihiko Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6177917
    Abstract: A method for driving a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal panel which has a pair of substrates facing each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween and respectively having signal electrodes and scanning electrodes which are located perpendicular to each other, wherein the liquid crystal panel is divided into a plurality of display portions, and the signal electrodes and the scanning electrodes are driven on a display portion by display portion basis, thereby achieving display on the display portions individually, the method comprising the step of detecting and correcting distortion of a signal on each of the signal electrodes or each of the scanning electrodes on a display portion by display portion basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Koizumi, Masahiro Imai
  • Patent number: 6060851
    Abstract: A full-automatic washing machine includes an outer tub, a rotatable tub rotatably mounted in the outer tub, an agitator rotatably mounted in the rotatable tub, and a brushless motor for direct driving at least one of the rotatable tub and the agitator. The brushless motor including windings of a plurality of phases and a rotor. Also, the washing machine includes rotor position detecting elements to detect a rotational position of the rotor. The rotor position detecting element are less in number than the phases of the motor. An energizing signal forming element to generate a sinusoidal energizing signal for each of the phases based on the detected rotational position of the rotor. Last, a driving element to energize the windings of the phases based on the energizing signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masahiro Imai, Kazunobu Nagai, Hiroshi Ikeda, Yoshiyuku Makino
  • Patent number: 6041625
    Abstract: A full automatic washing machine includes an outer tub, a rotatable tub mounted for rotation in the outer tub, an agitator mounted for rotation in the rotatable tub, a brushless motor for directly driving the agitator or the rotatable tub and the agitator, and a Hall IC for detecting a rotational position of a rotor of the brushless motor, generating a position signal. A sinusoidal energization signal is formed on the basis of the position signal generated by the Hall IC. The brushless motor is energized on the basis of the formed energization signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazunobu Nagai, Masahiro Imai
  • Patent number: 5778703
    Abstract: A washing machine includes a hollow tub shaft mounted on a first stationary portion of the machine for rotation, a rotatable tub rotatably mounted on an upper end of the tub shaft, an agitator shaft concentrically inserted in the tub shaft for rotation, an agitator mounted on the upper end of the agitator shaft, a stator fixed to a second stationary portion of the machine to be concentric with the agitator shaft to constitute an electric motor together with the stator, and a clutch including a holder mounted on the tub shaft for rotation with the tub shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masahiro Imai, Hiroshi Nishimura, Masaru Koshimizu, Koichi Hosomi, Kazunobu Nagai, Isamu Nitta, Yutaka Inagaki
  • Patent number: 5737944
    Abstract: A washing machine includes an outer tub, a rotatable tub rotatably mounted in the outer tub, an agitator mounted in the rotatable tub, a hollow tub shaft transmitting a rotating force to the rotatable tub, an agitator shaft inserted in the tub shaft for transmitting a rotating force to the agitator and having a lower end, an electric motor including a stator concentric with the agitator shaft and a rotor mounted on the lower end of the agitator shaft, a clutch for changing between a first mode in which the tub shaft is operatively coupled to the agitator shaft in a dehydration step so that the motor rotor, the agitator shaft and the tub shaft are rotated together and a second mode in which the tub shaft is decoupled from the agitator shaft in a wash step so that the tub shaft is prevented from being rotated with the motor rotor and the agitator shaft, and a mechanism housing mounted on an outer bottom of the outer tub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nishimura, Masaru Koshimizu, Masahiro Imai, Koichi Hosomi, Yutaka Inagaki
  • Patent number: 5694793
    Abstract: A full automatic washing machine includes in an operation panel a display device together with power ON and OFF switches and a light-emitting diode serving as a pilot lamp. The display device is formed into the shape of a rectangular flat plate and has elasticity. The display device is constituted by a nematic curvilinear aligned phase (NCAP) liquid crystal panel and a reflecting plate. The display device includes a plurality of display sections for displaying a plurality of pieces of information about the washing operation. A membrane switch is disposed on the back of the display device. The membrane switch is turned on when the display device is depressed. The membrane switch has a plurality of key switches positioned so as to correspond to the display sections of the display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Nobuichi Nishimura, Masahiro Imai, Kazutoshi Tani, Yoshiyuki Makino, Satoru Matsumoto, Toru Imai
  • Patent number: 5586455
    Abstract: An automatic washing machine includes a clutch float having external gear teeth. The clutch float is located around a shaft which is driven by an electric motor and to which an agitator is secured. The clutch float couples the shaft to an inner rotatable tub when its external gear teeth are engaged with internal gear teeth at the inner tub side in a dehydration step. The clutch float moves upwardly in subjection to buoyancy when water is supplied into the inner tub in a wash step. The external gear teeth of the clutch float are disengaged from the internal gear teeth so that the shaft is decoupled from the inner tub. The washing machine further includes a rotation restricting float which moves upwardly in subjection to the buoyancy in the wash step to couple the inner tub to an outer stationary tub and which decouples the inner tub from the outer tub in the dehydration step. A device delivers a position signal indicative of the position of the clutch float which is vertically movable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tooru Imai, Hiroshi Nishimura, Nobuichi Nishimura, Masahiro Imai, Kazutoshi Tani, Takayuki Hirano
  • Patent number: D450652
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique, S.A.
    Inventors: Toyoshige Shimizu, Masahiro Imai