Patents by Inventor Masashi Hirai

Masashi Hirai 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: 10451778
    Abstract: The present invention provides a diffuser plate and a method for producing a diffuser plate that can improve variations in luminance of transmitted light or reflected light in a simple structure and that enable easy design and production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: KURARAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Uchida, Masashi Hirai, Masaru Karai
  • Patent number: 10126549
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for designing a light diffusion pattern with which a light diffusion pattern to exhibit desired light diffusion properties can be designed depending on a few systematic procedures. The method includes a lens data preparation step of preparing lens data having desired light diffusion properties, a placement step of placing a plurality of lens data (100) prepared in the lens data preparation step in a predetermined region (200), a cutting step of, when an overlap (210) of lenses (100) occurs in the placement step, cutting out a part (421) of a lens shape to eliminate the overlap (210), and a repositioning step of replicating a shape of the cutout part (421) and repositioning it to another place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: KURARAY Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Uchida, Masashi Hirai, Masaru Karai
  • Publication number: 20180309044
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator device adapted to miniaturization while saving a region to be bonded to an external circuit board is provided, which includes an external connection terminal with a highly recognizable distinguishing mark. A crystal resonator 1 includes: a base 2 having a substrate 20, a first frame 21 and a second frame 22; a crystal resonator element 3 housed in a first recessed portion E1; a thermistor 4 housed in a second recessed portion E2; and a lid 5 hermetically sealing the first recessed portion E2. L-shaped external connection terminals 9a to 9d are respectively formed at four corners of a top surface of the second frame. Non-electrode bank regions 9e, 9f, 9g and 9h are formed between respective inner edges of the external connection terminals at the four corners and an inner peripheral edge 221 of the second frame. On the external connection terminal 9c, a protrusion 92c is formed spaced apart from an outer peripheral edge 220 and the inner peripheral edge 221 of the second frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicant: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventor: Masashi HIRAI
  • Patent number: 10044339
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device has an insulated container including a frame portion. Four external connection terminals to be solder-bonded to an external substrate each have a shape with a bent portion in plan view in which the external connection terminal is extending from one of the four corners on a bottom surface of the frame portion in a long-side direction and a short-side direction of an outer peripheral edge of the frame portion. The four external connection terminals are spaced from an opening end of a recess with an electrode-absent region interposed therebetween. The four external connection terminals each have a plurality of angular parts in plan view, and at least one of the plurality of angular parts is in proximity to the inner peripheral edge of the frame portion in an arc shape or a chamfered shape at each of the four corners thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventors: Hidenori Takase, Masashi Hirai
  • Publication number: 20170235028
    Abstract: The present invention provides a diffuser plate and a method for producing a diffuser plate that can improve variations in luminance of transmitted light or reflected light in a simple structure and that enable easy design and production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: KURARAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi UCHIDA, Masashi HIRAI, Masaru KARAI
  • Publication number: 20170031156
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for designing a light diffusion pattern with which a light diffusion pattern to exhibit desired light diffusion properties can be designed depending on a few systematic procedures. The method includes a lens data preparation step of preparing lens data having desired light diffusion properties, a placement step of placing a plurality of lens data (100) prepared in the lens data preparation step in a predetermined region (200), a cutting step of, when an overlap (210) of lenses (100) occurs in the placement step, cutting out a part (421) of a lens shape to eliminate the overlap (210), and a repositioning step of replicating a shape of the cutout part (421) and repositioning it to another place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: KURARAY Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi UCHIDA, Masashi HIRAI, Masaru KARAI
  • Publication number: 20170026028
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device has an insulated container including a frame portion. Four external connection terminals to be solder-bonded to an external substrate each have a shape with a bent portion in plan view in which the external connection terminal is extending from one of the four corners on a bottom surface of the frame portion in a long-side direction and a short-side direction of an outer peripheral edge of the frame portion. The four external connection terminals are spaced from an opening end of a recess with an electrode-absent region interposed therebetween. The four external connection terminals each have a plurality of angular parts in plan view, and at least one of the plurality of angular parts is in proximity to the inner peripheral edge of the frame portion in an arc shape or a chamfered shape at each of the four corners thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Hidenori TAKASE, Masashi HIRAI
  • Patent number: 9128420
    Abstract: A belt unit is provided with an endless belt, a driving roller, and a pair of guide ribs. The driving roller is disposed on an inner peripheral surface side of the endless belt and drives the endless belt. The pair of guide ribs is placed on each opposite widthwise end of the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt and contacts both end faces of the driving roller, thus preventing meandering of the endless belt. Additionally, the driving roller is equipped with a low friction region at both opposite lengthwise ends in a predetermined width and the low friction region is configured to have a friction coefficient that is lower than a friction coefficient of a region adjacent to the low friction region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Fumito Mizoguchi, Masashi Hirai, Toshiki Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 9091967
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (100) is equipped with a plurality of photoreceptor drums (31A to 31D), an intermediate transfer belt (41), a separating and contacting mechanisms (20), a tension roller (44), a meandering correction mechanism, and a controller. The separating and contacting mechanism (20) displaces the intermediate transfer belt (41). The meandering correction mechanism increases and decreases a biasing force applied to each of the opposite end portions of the tension roller (44) according to the amount of movement of the intermediate transfer belt (41) in the axial direction (94) of the tension roller (44). The controller, during a non-image forming period, at a predetermined timing during rotation of the intermediate transfer belt (41), executes a belt displacement process in which the intermediate transfer belt (41) is displaced from a predetermined reference position and then returned to the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Hirai, Masaki Saka, Toshiki Takiguchi
  • Publication number: 20150153685
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus (100) is equipped with a plurality of photoreceptor drums (31A to 31D), an intermediate transfer belt (41), a separating and contacting mechanisms (20), a tension roller (44), a meandering correction mechanism, and a controller. The separating and contacting mechanism (20) displaces the intermediate transfer belt (41). The meandering correction mechanism increases and decreases a biasing force applied to each of the opposite end portions of the tension roller (44) according to the amount of movement of the intermediate transfer belt (41) in the axial direction (94) of the tension roller (44). The controller, during a non-image forming period, at a predetermined timing during rotation of the intermediate transfer belt (41), executes a belt displacement process in which the intermediate transfer belt (41) is displaced from a predetermined reference position and then returned to the reference position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masashi Hirai, Masaki Saka, Toshiki Takiguchi
  • Publication number: 20150030357
    Abstract: A belt unit is provided with an endless belt, a driving roller, and a pair of guide ribs. The driving roller is disposed on an inner peripheral surface side of the endless belt and drives the endless belt. The pair of guide ribs is placed on each opposite widthwise end of the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt and contacts both end faces of the driving roller, thus preventing meandering of the endless belt. Additionally, the driving roller is equipped with a low friction region at both opposite lengthwise ends in a predetermined width and the low friction region is configured to have a friction coefficient that is lower than a friction coefficient of a region adjacent to the low friction region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Fumito MIZOGUCHI, Masashi HIRAI, Toshiki TAKIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8881891
    Abstract: A belt unit is provided with an endless belt, a driving roller, and a pair of guide ribs. The driving roller is disposed on an inner peripheral surface side of the endless belt and drives the endless belt. The pair of guide ribs is placed on each opposite widthwise end of the inner peripheral surface of the endless belt and contacts both end faces of the driving roller, thus preventing meandering of the endless belt. Additionally, the driving roller is equipped with a low friction region at both opposite lengthwise ends in a predetermined width and the low friction region is configured to have a friction coefficient that is lower than a friction coefficient of a region adjacent to the low friction region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumito Mizoguchi, Masashi Hirai, Toshiki Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 8824916
    Abstract: A belt conveyor member includes an endless belt and a cleaning blade. The cleaning blade is configured to remove residual toner remaining on a surface of the endless belt which is processed into a smooth surface. The endless belt has a first region and a second region. The first region is a region in contact with the cleaning blade which is located outside a region for a recording sheet of a maximum usable width to pass therethrough. The second region is located outside the first region. A contact surface between the cleaning blade and the first region is in a rough condition free from intimate contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Hirai, Toshiki Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 8699902
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a PTC and a toner concentration sensor that are disposed adjacent to and downstream of a fourth image forming unit. The PTC and the toner concentration sensor are opposed to an intermediate transfer belt. A counter roller is opposed to the PTC across the intermediate transfer belt. The counter roller moves to, during the toner concentration detection, a position opposed to the toner concentration sensor across the intermediate transfer belt. Compared to the PTC and the toner concentration sensor each having a counter roller, less rollers may be provided, thereby reducing degradation of the intermediate transfer belt due to wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masashi Hirai
  • Publication number: 20130084097
    Abstract: A belt conveyor member includes an endless belt and a cleaning blade. The cleaning blade is configured to remove residual toner remaining on a surface of the endless belt which is processed into a smooth surface. The endless belt has a first region and a second region. The first region is a region in contact with the cleaning blade which is located outside a region for a recording sheet of a maximum usable width to pass therethrough. The second region is located outside the first region. A contact surface between the cleaning blade and the first region is in a rough condition free from intimate contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Masashi HIRAI, Toshiki TAKIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8355659
    Abstract: A fixing device of the present invention includes: an external heating belt which is to contact with a surface of a fixing roller so as to heat up the fixing roller; and a cleaning member (a scraper and/or cleaning pad) which is to contact with the external heating belt. The cleaning pad which is impregnated with silicone oil is to contact with a surface of the external heating belt, thereby applying the silicone oil (release agent) to the surface of the external heating belt. This makes it possible to prevent generation of an offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kagawa, Susumu Murakami, Masashi Hirai, Atsushi Ide, Takashi Mukai
  • Patent number: 8295726
    Abstract: In a fixing device including (i) an external heat belt which abuts against a surface of a fixing roller so as to heat the fixing roller and (ii) a cleaning member which abuts against the external heat belt, a fixing temperature, which is a surface temperature of the fixing roller during a fixing process, is set per group into which recording media to be subjected to the fixing process are divided according to their widths in a direction of a rotary axis of the fixing roller, in such a way that the fixing temperature is set to a lower temperature for a group of narrower widths. This makes it possible to prevent a reduction in releasability of the fixing roller caused by a material, which is scraped off from the external heat belt by the cleaning member and then adhered to the fixing roller, thereby preventing the high-temperature offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kagawa, Susumu Murakami, Masashi Hirai, Atsushi Ide, Takashi Mukai
  • Publication number: 20120020686
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a PTC and a toner concentration sensor that are disposed adjacent to and downstream of a fourth image forming unit. The PTC and the toner concentration sensor are opposed to an intermediate transfer belt. A counter roller is opposed to the PTC across the intermediate transfer belt. The counter roller moves to, during the toner concentration detection, a position opposed to the toner concentration sensor across the intermediate transfer belt. Compared to the PTC and the toner concentration sensor each having a counter roller, less rollers may be provided, thereby reducing degradation of the intermediate transfer belt due to wear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masashi HIRAI
  • Patent number: 7919908
    Abstract: A piezoelectric resonator device includes a base holding a piezoelectric resonator element and a lid bonded to the base in order to hermetically seal the piezoelectric resonator element held on the base. In addition, the region of bonding of the base to the lid is composed of at least a nickel-cobalt layer comprising nickel and cobalt, and a metal layer laminated on the nickel-cobalt layer, with the base and lid bonded by heat-melting using a metallic braze material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Daishinku Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuya Murakami, Masashi Hirai, Makoto Miyagawa, Akihiro Kanbara
  • Patent number: 7917071
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt unit which has an intermediate transfer belt for supporting toner images and primary transfer rollers for pressing the intermediate transfer belt against corresponding photoreceptor drums and moves the intermediate transfer belt along the surface of each photoreceptor drum to transfer the toner images to the intermediate transfer belt. The intermediate transfer belt is formed so as to be 30 ?m to 50 ?m in average thickness, each primary transfer roller is arranged at a position, along the moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt, which is deviated downstream with respect to the moving direction from the position where the intermediate transfer belt is in contact with the photoreceptor and which is projected toward the photoreceptor drum side so as to press the intermediate transfer belt against photoreceptor with a nip pressure ranging from 10 gf/cm2 to 40 gf/cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Hirai, Mikio Kakui, Yoshiaki Masuda, Susumu Murakami, Kuniaki Nakano, Kazuaki Ishikawa, Tomomi Tanaka