Patents by Inventor Masateru Asayama

Masateru Asayama 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: 10948684
    Abstract: An interchangeable lens that is removably attachable to a camera body includes: a lens-side mount; a cylindrical portion; a lens-side terminal group; a first lens-side projecting portion disposed at an outer periphery side of the lens-side terminal group, the first lens-side projecting portion projecting outwardly from the cylindrical portion and extending in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion; a third lens-side projecting portion at least partly disposed at a position facing the first lens-side projecting portion across the optical axis, the third lens-side projecting portion projecting outwardly from the cylindrical portion and extending in the circumferential direction; and a cutout provided on the third lens-side projecting portion in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Nagaoka, Masateru Asayama, Satoshi Kazahaya
  • Patent number: 10739553
    Abstract: A lens barrel, in one configuration, includes a moving member that has a cam pin and moves in an optical axis direction of a lens while holding the lens; a first barrel; a second barrel; a recess groove that is formed along a circumferential direction around the optical axis in one of a surface, which faces the first barrel, of the second barrel and a surface, which faces the second barrel, of the first barrel; and a biasing portion that faces the recess groove and applies a biasing force in a direction intersecting with the optical axis. The biasing force applied by the biasing portion changes according to a relative rotation between the first barrel and the second barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masateru Asayama
  • Publication number: 20200026023
    Abstract: An interchangeable lens that is removably attachable to a camera body includes: a lens-side mount; a cylindrical portion; a lens-side terminal group; a first lens-side projecting portion disposed at an outer periphery side of the lens-side terminal group, the first lens-side projecting portion projecting outwardly from the cylindrical portion and extending in a circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion; a third lens-side projecting portion at least partly disposed at a position facing the first lens-side projecting portion across the optical axis, the third lens-side projecting portion projecting outwardly from the cylindrical portion and extending in the circumferential direction; and a cutout provided on the third lens-side projecting portion in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji NAGAOKA, Masateru ASAYAMA, Satoshi KAZAHAYA
  • Publication number: 20180224627
    Abstract: A lens barrel, in one configuration, includes a moving member that has a cam pin and moves in an optical axis direction of a lens while holding the lens; a first barrel; a second barrel; a recess groove that is formed along a circumferential direction around the optical axis in one of a surface, which faces the first barrel, of the second barrel and a surface, which faces the second barrel, of the first barrel; and a biasing portion that faces the recess groove and applies a biasing force in a direction intersecting with the optical axis. The biasing force applied by the biasing portion changes according to a relative rotation between the first barrel and the second barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masateru ASAYAMA
  • Patent number: 9958635
    Abstract: A lens barrel, in one configuration, includes: a first barrel in which a cam groove having a shape curved with respect to a predetermined axis direction is formed to pierce through the first barrel; a second barrel capable of rotating around the predetermined axis along an outer circumferential surface of the first barrel, a straight groove extending in the predetermined axis direction being formed in the second barrel; a moving member that has a cam pin moving along the cam groove and the straight groove and moves in the predetermined axis direction while holding a lens inside the first barrel as the second barrel rotates with respect to the first barrel; and a damping mechanism that applies damping force depending on an angle of the cam groove to the predetermined axis direction to the second barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masateru Asayama
  • Publication number: 20160124179
    Abstract: A lens barrel, in one configuration, includes: a first barrel in which a cam groove having a shape curved with respect to a predetermined axis direction is formed to pierce through the first barrel; a second barrel capable of rotating around the predetermined axis along an outer circumferential surface of the first barrel, a straight groove extending in the predetermined axis direction being formed in the second barrel; a moving member that has a cam pin moving along the cam groove and the straight groove and moves in the predetermined axis direction while holding a lens inside the first barrel as the second barrel rotates with respect to the first barrel; and a damping mechanism that applies damping force depending on an angle of the cam groove to the predetermined axis direction to the second barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masateru Asayama
  • Patent number: 9268109
    Abstract: Provided is a lens barrel capable of providing good operational feeling, the lens barrel including: a first barrel in which a cam groove having a shape curved with respect to a predetermined axis direction is formed to pierce through the first barrel; a second barrel capable of rotating around the predetermined axis along an outer circumferential surface of the first barrel, a straight groove extending in the predetermined axis direction being formed in the second barrel; a moving member that has a cam pin moving along the cam groove and the straight groove and moves in the predetermined axis direction while holding a lens inside the first barrel as the second barrel rotates with respect to the first barrel; and a damping mechanism that applies damping force depending on an angle of the cam groove to the predetermined axis direction to the second barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masateru Asayama
  • Publication number: 20140092486
    Abstract: Provided is a lens barrel capable of providing good operational feeling, the lens barrel including: a first barrel in which a cam groove having a shape curved with respect to a predetermined axis direction is formed to pierce through the first barrel; a second barrel capable of rotating around the predetermined axis along an outer circumferential surface of the first barrel, a straight groove extending in the predetermined axis direction being formed in the second barrel; a moving member that has a cam pin moving along the cam groove and the straight groove and moves in the predetermined axis direction while holding a lens inside the first barrel as the second barrel rotates with respect to the first barrel; and a damping mechanism that applies damping force depending on an angle of the cam groove to the predetermined axis direction to the second barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masateru Asayama
  • Patent number: 6554503
    Abstract: A bayonet mount includes a mount main body constituted of resin and a metal member that, at least partially, reinforces a bayonet tab portion at the mount main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Nikon, Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Imanari, Masateru Asayama, Hidefumi Iinuma, Satoshi Hara
  • Publication number: 20010053289
    Abstract: A bayonet mount includes a mount main body constituted of resin and a metal member that, at least partially, reinforces a bayonet tab portion at the mount main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2001
    Publication date: December 20, 2001
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Imanari, Masateru Asayama, Hidefumi Iinuma, Satoshi Hara
  • Patent number: 6094538
    Abstract: A lens barrel capable of selecting an autofocus mode and a manual focus mode includes a fixed drum, a focusing lens movable in an optical axis direction, a driving motor, constructed of a rotor and a stator, for moving the focusing lens, the rotor rotating with respect to the stator when in an autofocus mode, the rotor and the stator rotating together as a whole with respect to the fixed drum when in the manual focus mode, a focusing lens moving mechanism for converting a rotational motion of the rotor into a motion in an optical axis direction and transmitting the optical-axis-directional motion to the focusing lens, and a subassembly constructed of a manual focus ring, a connection member for connecting the stator to the manual focus ring, and an elastic member, provided between the manual focus ring and the connection member, for making the manual focus ring and the connection member frictionally engaged with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masateru Asayama, Tsuneo Watanabe