Patents by Inventor Michio Nagai

Michio Nagai 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: 11906865
    Abstract: Provided are a reflective sheet including a cholesteric liquid crystal layer and having excellent reflection wavelength range, diffuse reflectivity, reflectivity, hardness, and scratch resistance; and a transfer film for a reflective sheet that is used for the reflective sheet. The reflective sheet includes a substrate, an adhesive layer, a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, and a hard coat layer in this order, in which in a cross-section of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer observed, at least a part of bright portions and dark portions has a flapping structure, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a pitch gradient structure in which a helical pitch changes in a thickness direction, and the helical pitch on the adhesive layer side is larger than that on the hard coat layer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuji Saneto, Akira Yamamoto, Hideki Kaneiwa, Makoto Ishiguro, Michio Nagai
  • Patent number: 11789185
    Abstract: Provided is a reflective sheet that includes a reflective layer having a wide reflection wavelength range, excellent diffusion reflection properties, and inconspicuous defects. The reflective sheet includes a plurality of reflective layers that are laminated, the reflective layers being obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, in a cross-section of the reflective layer observed with a scanning electron microscope, at least a part of bright portions and dark portions derived from the cholesteric liquid crystalline phase has a flapping structure, a helical pitch in one or more reflective layers changes in a thickness direction, and a thickness of a reflective layer that is formed on a surface other than a surface of the reflective layer is less than those of other reflective layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Ishiguro, Hideki Kaneiwa, Nobuhiko Ichihara, Akira Yamamoto, Ryuji Saneto, Michio Nagai
  • Publication number: 20220011618
    Abstract: Provided are a reflective sheet including a cholesteric liquid crystal layer and having excellent reflection wavelength range, diffuse reflectivity, reflectivity, hardness, and scratch resistance; and a transfer film for a reflective sheet that is used for the reflective sheet. The reflective sheet includes a substrate, an adhesive layer, a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, and a hard coat layer in this order, in which in a cross-section of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer observed, at least a part of bright portions and dark portions has a flapping structure, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a pitch gradient structure in which a helical pitch changes in a thickness direction, and the helical pitch on the adhesive layer side is larger than that on the hard coat layer side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuji SANETO, Akira YAMAMOTO, Hideki KANEIWA, Makoto ISHIGURO, Michio NAGAI
  • Publication number: 20210379786
    Abstract: Provide a safer cutting machine. A front portion detection means that is spaced downward from the lower end of the clamp gauge by a first predetermined distance and is positioned near the front edge of the clamp gauge in die front-rear direction of the clamp gauge, and a first predetermined distance from the lower end of the clamp gauge. The rear portion detection means and the clamp gauge which arc spaced apart from each other by a second predetermined distance different from the above distance and which are arranged at the rear portion of the front portion detection means in the front-rear direction of the clamp gauge move in the vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Michio NAGAI, Yasuhito NAGAI
  • Patent number: 11092730
    Abstract: An object is to provide an optical element that is thin and can gather and reflect light in a specific wavelength range in a predetermined direction, and a sensor including the above-described optical element. The optical element includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, in which the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and in a case where a length over which the direction of the optical axis rotates by 180° in the in-plane direction in which the direction of the optical axis changes while continuously rotating is set as a single period, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has in-plane regions having different lengths of the single periods in the liquid crystal alignment pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Yanai, Michio Nagai, Hiroshi Sato
  • Publication number: 20210223445
    Abstract: Provided is a reflective sheet that includes a reflective layer having a wide reflection wavelength range, excellent diffusion reflection properties, and inconspicuous defects. The reflective sheet includes a plurality of reflective layers that are laminated, the reflective layers being obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, in a cross-section of the reflective layer observed with a scanning electron microscope, at least a part of bright portions and dark portions derived from the cholesteric liquid crystalline phase has a flapping structure, a helical pitch in one or more reflective layers changes in a thickness direction, and a thickness of a reflective layer that is formed on a surface other than a surface of the reflective layer is less than those of other reflective layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto ISHIGURO, Hideki KANEIWA, Nobuhiko ICHIHARA, Akira YAMAMOTO, Ryuji SANETO, Michio NAGAI
  • Patent number: 11054561
    Abstract: An object is to provide an optical element that is thin and can gather and reflect light in a specific wavelength range in a predetermined direction, and a sensor including the above-described optical element. The optical element includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, in which the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and in a case where a length over which the direction of the optical axis rotates by 180° in the in-plane direction in which the direction of the optical axis changes while continuously rotating is set as a single period, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has in-plane regions having different lengths of the single periods in the liquid crystal alignment pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Yanai, Michio Nagai, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 11015977
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an optical laminated film capable of detecting a light polarization state with a simple configuration using components which are superior in productivity and have high versatility, and a polarization imaging sensor using the optical laminated film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Yanai, Jun Takeda, Michio Nagai, Akira Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11009754
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a decorative sheet exhibiting high lustrousness even when observed from a direction deviated from a specular reflection of illumination light, and a liquid crystal display device and an automobile interior material each using the decorative sheet. The object is achieved by a decorative sheet including a cholesteric liquid crystal layer having wavelength-selective reflectivity and satisfying Expression (1), R[?45,20](?1)/R[?45,20](?2)?5??Expression (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Ichihara, Yujiro Yanai, Rikio Inoue, Michio Nagai, Jun Takeda
  • Patent number: 10996550
    Abstract: The present invention provides a transparent screen which is excellent in transparency and in which a reflection part contour at the time of not displaying an image is unlikely to be recognized. An optical sheet of the present invention includes a substrate; and a cholesteric liquid crystal layer on the substrate, in which the entire cholesteric liquid crystal layer is surrounded by an imaginary contour line, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a uniform region and a modulation region that is located between the uniform region and at least a part of the imaginary contour line, a shortest distance between the imaginary contour line and the uniform region is 10 mm or longer, and a reflectance of the modulation region monotonously decreases from the uniform region side toward the imaginary contour line side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Yamamoto, Hideki Kaneiwa, Yujiro Yanai, Michio Nagai
  • Patent number: 10908491
    Abstract: Provided is an optical film having high contrast and excellent visibility. The optical film includes: a transparent screen; and a transparent reflecting layer that is disposed on one main surface of the transparent screen, in which in the transparent screen, a ratio T15/T30 of a light amount T15 of transmitted light at an angle of 15 degrees with respect to a normal direction of the main surface to a light amount T30 of transmitted light at an angle of 30 degrees with respect to the normal direction of the main surface is 2.0 or higher, and the ratio R15/R30 of the light amount R15 of reflected light at an angle of 15 degrees with respect to the normal direction of the main surface to the light amount R30 of reflected light at an angle of 30 degrees with respect to the normal direction of the main surface is 2.0 or lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Yanai, Michio Nagai, Akira Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 10852459
    Abstract: Provided are a reflective sheet having selective reflection in a wide wavelength range and a small change in tint depending on angles at which light is visually recognized, a decorative sheet, and a method of manufacturing a reflective sheet, the reflective sheet including a pitch gradient layer in which a helical pitch changes in a thickness direction of the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Ishiguro, Nobuhiko Ichihara, Michio Nagai
  • Patent number: 10831058
    Abstract: Provided are a decorative sheet for making the element using external light, for example, a camera or a sensor inconspicuous to an observer and an optical device and an image display device that include the above-described decorative sheet. The decorative sheet including a circularly polarized light reflecting layer, a ?/4 plate A, a linear polarizer, and a ?/4 plate B in this order, in which the circularly polarized light reflecting layer includes one or more cholesteric liquid crystal layers having wavelength selective reflecting properties, in a case where an integral reflectivity at a wavelength ? nm is represented by I-R(?), I-R(630), I-R(550), and I-R(450) of the circularly polarized light reflecting layer are 30% or higher, and an angle between a slow axis of the ?/4 plate A and an absorption axis of the linear polarizer and an angle between a slow axis of the ?/4 plate B and the absorption axis of the linear polarizer are 45°±10°, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Ishiguro, Nobuhiko Ichihara, Michio Nagai
  • Publication number: 20200326462
    Abstract: An object is to provide an optical element that is thin and can gather and reflect light in a specific wavelength range in a predetermined direction, and a sensor including the above-described optical element. The optical element includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer, in which the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from a liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction, and in a case where a length over which the direction of the optical axis rotates by 180° in the in-plane direction in which the direction of the optical axis changes while continuously rotating is set as a single period, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has in-plane regions having different lengths of the single periods in the liquid crystal alignment pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro YANAI, Michio NAGAI, Hiroshi SATO
  • Patent number: 10795254
    Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a plurality of protruding portions that are formed on one surface of the support and have inclined surfaces parallel to each other; a cholesteric liquid crystal layer that is formed on each of the inclined surfaces of the protruding portions; and an overcoat layer that is laminated on the surface of the support on which the protruding portions are formed so as to cover the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, in which a normal line of each of the inclined surfaces of the protruding portions is parallel to a spiral axis of the cholesteric structure of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, an angle formed between a normal line of a surface of the overcoat layer and the spiral axis of the cholesteric structure is 5° to 42°, a difference in refractive index between the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the protruding portion and a difference in refractive index between the cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the overcoat layer are 0.2 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Yanai, Akira Yamamoto, Michio Nagai
  • Publication number: 20200225387
    Abstract: Provided are a reflective sheet having selective reflection in a wide wavelength range and a small change in tint depending on angles at which light is visually recognized, a decorative sheet, and a method of manufacturing a reflective sheet, the reflective sheet including a pitch gradient layer in which a helical pitch changes in a thickness direction of the layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto ISHIGURO, Nobuhiko ICHIHARA, Michio NAGAI
  • Patent number: 10663827
    Abstract: An object is to provide: a transparent screen having high transparency in which a hot spot caused by transmitted light can be reduced; and an image display system in which visibility of a screen is excellent and a hot spot is reduced by using the transparent screen. The object is achieved by the transparent screen including: a dot array in which dots obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase are two-dimensionally arranged; and a layer that is obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Yanai, Akira Yamamoto, Michio Nagai
  • Patent number: 10642145
    Abstract: Provided are a transparent screen having high transparency in which a hot spot caused by transmitted light can be reduced; and an image display system in which visibility of a screen is excellent and a hot spot is reduced by using the transparent screen. The transparent screen includes, in this order: a first ?/4 plate; a reflecting layer that has a structure obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase and reflects a part of incidence light; and a polarizing film that has an absorption axis in a thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yujiro Yanai, Michio Nagai, Akira Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20200073173
    Abstract: Provided are a decorative sheet for making the element using external light, for example, a camera or a sensor inconspicuous to an observer and an optical device and an image display device that include the above-described decorative sheet. The decorative sheet including a circularly polarized light reflecting layer, a ?/4 plate A, a linear polarizer, and a ?/4 plate B in this order, in which the circularly polarized light reflecting layer includes one or more cholesteric liquid crystal layers having wavelength selective reflecting properties, in a case where an integral reflectivity at a wavelength ? nm is represented by I-R(?), I-R(630), I-R(550), and I-R(450) of the circularly polarized light reflecting layer are 30% or higher, and an angle between a slow axis of the ?/4 plate A and an absorption axis of the linear polarizer and an angle between a slow axis of the ?/4 plate B and the absorption axis of the linear polarizer are 45°±10°, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Ishiguro, Nobuhiko Ichihara, Michio Nagai
  • Publication number: 20200012181
    Abstract: The present invention provides a transparent screen which is excellent in transparency and in which a reflection part contour at the time of not displaying an image is unlikely to be recognized. An optical sheet of the present invention includes a substrate; and a cholesteric liquid crystal layer on the substrate, in which the entire cholesteric liquid crystal layer is surrounded by an imaginary contour line, the cholesteric liquid crystal layer has a uniform region and a modulation region that is located between the uniform region and at least a part of the imaginary contour line, a shortest distance between the imaginary contour line and the uniform region is 10 mm or longer, and a reflectance of the modulation region monotonously decreases from the uniform region side toward the imaginary contour line side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Yamamoto, Hideki Kaneiwa, Yujiro Yanai, Michio Nagai