Patents by Inventor Mikio Iwasa

Mikio Iwasa 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: 8428293
    Abstract: A speaker device includes a plurality of speaker units arranged in a line when seen from the front side of the speaker device. At least one of intervals between effective vibration regions of adjacent speaker units is set to a predetermined length. The predetermined length is a length that is set such that a difference between a distance from an end of one of the effective vibration regions, which form the at least one of intervals therebetween, to a listening position, and a distance from an end of the other of the effective vibration regions to the listening position can be less than half the shortest wavelength of a reproduced sound of each of the speaker units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Akiko Fujise, Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa
  • Publication number: 20100158282
    Abstract: A speaker device according to the present invention is a speaker device including a plurality of speaker units arranged in a line when seen from the front side of the speaker device. At least one of intervals between effective vibration regions of adjacent speaker units is set to a predetermined length. The predetermined length is a length that is set such that a difference between a distance from an end of one of the effective vibration regions, which form the at least one of intervals therebetween, to a listening position, and a distance from an end of the other of the effective vibration regions to the listening position can be less than half the shortest wavelength of a reproduced sound of each of the speaker units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Akiko Fujise, Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa
  • Patent number: 7447328
    Abstract: A loudspeaker includes a diaphragm, an edge, and a voice coil. The diaphragm includes a groove having a concave cross section. Also, the diaphragm is in a horizontally or vertically elongated shape. The edge is coupled to an outer circumference of the diaphragm, and has a roughly half-round shaped cross section. The voice coil is bonded to the groove. The voice coil is thicker than a depth of the groove. Also, the voice coil has a cross section in which a dimension in a direction along a plane of the diaphragm is longer than a dimension in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa, Atsushi Inaba, Satoshi Koura
  • Patent number: 7054459
    Abstract: The surrounding structure of the loudspeaker forms an annular structure, including attaching parts and curved part. The cross section of the curved part is in a hollow and approximately elliptical form. The height along the major axis of the ellipse is made parallel to the center axis of the vibrating diaphragm of the loudspeaker while the width along the major axis of the ellipse is set in the direction orthogonal to the center axis of the vibrating diaphragm. In the elliptical surrounding structure having such a structure, the width in the cross section of the surrounding structure of the loudspeaker can be made narrow in comparison with a semi-circular surround, whereby the linearity of the amplitude and the maximum displacement are increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsukazu Kuze, Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa
  • Patent number: 6973194
    Abstract: A speaker includes: a frame; a magnetic circuit fixed to the frame; a diaphragm fixed to the frame so as to be capable of vibrating in a predetermined direction; a driving force transmitting member connected to the diaphragm; and a damper for supporting the driving force transmitting member, wherein the magnetic circuit is positioned between a first plane and a second plane, the first plane being parallel to the diaphragm and defined as a plane with which at least a portion of the magnetic circuit is in contact, and the second plane being parallel to the diaphragm and defined as a plane with which at least a portion of the magnetic circuit is in contact, and one end of the damper is connected at a position between the first and second planes, and the other end of the damper is connected at another position between the first and second planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Iwasa, Hiroyuki Takewa
  • Publication number: 20050041830
    Abstract: A loudspeaker includes a diaphragm, an edge, and a voice coil. The diaphragm includes a groove having a concave cross section. Also, the diaphragm is in a horizontally or vertically elongated shape. The edge is coupled to an outer circumference of the diaphragm, and has a roughly half-round shaped cross section. The voice coil is bonded to the groove. The voice coil is thicker than a depth of the groove. Also, the voice coil has a cross section in which a dimension in a direction along a plane of the diaphragm is longer than a dimension in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the diaphragm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa, Atsushi Inaba, Satoshi Koura
  • Publication number: 20040146174
    Abstract: A speaker includes: a frame; a magnetic circuit fixed to the frame; a diaphragm fixed to the frame so as to be capable of vibrating in a predetermined direction; a driving force transmitting member connected to the diaphragm; and a damper for supporting the driving force transmitting member, wherein the magnetic circuit is positioned between a first plane and a second plane, the first plane being parallel to the diaphragm and defined as a plane with which at least a portion of the magnetic circuit is in contact, and the second plane being parallel to the diaphragm and defined as a plane with which at least a portion of the magnetic circuit is in contact, and one end of the damper is connected at a position between the first and second planes, and the other end of the damper is connected at another position between the first and second planes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Mikio Iwasa, Hiroyuki Takewa
  • Patent number: 6757404
    Abstract: A diaphragm is gained by the co-molded of a dome part, a voice coil junction part, a cone part and a peripheral part through the injection mold of thermoplastic resin. The thickness of the central part of the dome is made great so that the resonance amplitude in this part becomes small. In addition, an annular rib is integrally provided to the voice coil junction part so as to increase the junction strength between the diaphragm and the voice coil bobbin. Thus, the electromagnetic driving force of the voice coil can be effectively transmitted to the diaphragm so that a loud speaker with excellent characteristics can be gained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa, Mitsukazu Kuze, Shinya Tabata, Shinya Mizone, Yoshiyuki Takahashi, Satoshi Koura, Takashi Suzuki, Teruo Doi, Kiyoshi Ikeda, Hiroko Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6747395
    Abstract: A piezoelectric loudspeaker includes: a piezoelectric vibrator including a diaphragm and a piezoelectric member provided on at least one face of the diaphragm, the diaphragm being vibrated by the piezoelectric member; a frame for supporting the piezoelectric vibrator; and a visco-elastic member provided on at least one face of the piezoelectric vibrator. The visco-elastic member is disposed in a substantial center of the piezoelectric vibrator. The visco-elastic member has a bottom face area which accounts for about 11% to about 80% of a bottom face area of the diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazue Satoh, Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa, Mitsukazu Kuze
  • Patent number: 6714655
    Abstract: A speaker includes: a frame; a magnetic circuit fixed to the frame; a diaphragm fixed to the frame so as to be capable of vibrating in a predetermined direction; a driving force transmitting member connected to the diaphragm; and a damper for supporting the driving force transmitting member, wherein the magnetic circuit is positioned between a first plane and a second plane, the first plane being parallel to the diaphragm and defined as a plane with which at least a portion of the magnetic circuit is in contact, and the second plane being parallel to the diaphragm and defined as a plane with which at least a portion of the magnetic circuit is in contact, and one end of the damper is connected at a position between the first and second planes, and the other end of the damper is connected at another position between the first and second planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Iwasa, Hiroyuki Takewa
  • Publication number: 20030231784
    Abstract: The surrounding structure of the loudspeaker forms an annular structure, including attaching parts and curved part. The cross section of the curved part is in a hollow and approximately elliptical form. The height along the major axis of the ellipse is made parallel to the center axis of the vibrating diaphragm of the loudspeaker while the width along the major axis of the ellipse is set in the direction orthogonal to the center axis of the vibrating diaphragm. In the elliptical surrounding structure having such a structure, the width in the cross section of the surrounding structure of the loudspeaker can be made narrow in comparison with a semi-circular surround, whereby the linearity of the amplitude and the maximum displacement are increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Inventors: Mitsukazu Kuze, Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa
  • Patent number: 6655495
    Abstract: A damper 3A is provided with an inner peripheral waveform portion 11 and an outer peripheral waveform portion 12. A flat portion 10 is provided between the inner peripheral waveform portion 11 and the outer peripheral waveform portion 12. When the damper is used for a loudspeaker, the flat portion 10 does not elastically deform in a radial direction R, so that linearity of the damper 3A in a vibrating direction Z is ensured by elastic deformation of the waveform portions. In addition, a rolling phenomenon of a voice coil bobbin and a diaphragm can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsukazu Kuze, Hiroyuki Takewa, Kazue Satoh, Mikio Iwasa
  • Publication number: 20030079936
    Abstract: A damper 3A is provided with an inner peripheral waveform portion 11 and an outer peripheral waveform portion 12. A flat portion 10 is provided between the inner peripheral waveform portion 11 and the outer peripheral waveform portion 12. When the damper is used for a loudspeaker, the flat portion 10 does not elastically deform in a radial direction R, so that linearity of the damper 3A in a vibrating direction Z is ensured by elastic deformation of the waveform portions. In addition, a rolling phenomenon of a voice coil bobbin and a diaphragm can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Mitsukazu Kuze, Hiroyuki Takewa, Kazue Satoh, Mikio Iwasa
  • Publication number: 20020172392
    Abstract: A speaker includes: a frame; a magnetic circuit fixed to the frame; a diaphragm fixed to the frame so as to be capable of vibrating in a predetermined direction; a driving force transmitting member connected to the diaphragm; and a damper for supporting the driving force transmitting member, wherein the magnetic circuit is positioned between a first plane and a second plane, the first plane being parallel to the diaphragm and defined as a plane with which at least a portion of the magnetic circuit is in contact, and the second plane being parallel to the diaphragm and defined as a plane with which at least a portion of the magnetic circuit is in contact, and one end of the damper is connected at a position between the first and second planes, and the other end of the damper is connected at another position between the first and second planes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Mikio Iwasa, Hiroyuki Takewa
  • Publication number: 20020061117
    Abstract: A diaphragm is gained by the co-molded of a dome part, a voice coil junction part, a cone part and a peripheral part through the injection mold of thermoplastic resin. The thickness of the central part of the dome is made great so that the resonance amplitude in this part becomes small. In addition, an annular rib is integrally provided to the voice coil junction part so as to increase the junction strength between the diaphragm and the voice coil bobbin. Thus, the electromagnetic driving force of the voice coil can be effectively transmitted to the diaphragm so that a loud speaker with excellent characteristics can be gained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa, Mitsukazu Kuze, Shinya Tabata, Shinya Mizone, Yoshiyuki Takahashi, Satoshi Koura, Takashi Suzuki, Teruo Doi, Kiyoshi Ikeda, Hiroko Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 6305491
    Abstract: A speaker includes a diaphragm, a frame accommodating the diaphragm and an edge attached to an outer periphery of the diaphragm as well as to an inner periphery of the frame so as to retain the diaphragm within an interior of the frame. The edge has a thickness which is smallest at substantially a central portion between the diaphragm and the frame and the vicinity thereof, and increases toward the diaphragm and the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Iwasa, Hiroyuki Takewa, Kazue Sato, Mitsuhiro Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20010011615
    Abstract: A speaker includes a diaphragm, a frame accommodating the diaphragm and an edge attached to an outer periphery of the diaphragm as well as to an inner periphery of the frame so as to retain the diaphragm within an interior of the frame. The edge has a thickness which is smallest at substantially a central portion between the diaphragm and the frame and the vicinity thereof, and increases toward the diaphragm and the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Inventors: MIKIO IWASA, HIROYUKI TAKEWA, KAZUE SATO
  • Patent number: 6069965
    Abstract: The loudspeaker includes: a frame; a magnetic circuit portion; a diaphragm transmitting air vibration; a cylindrical voice coil bobbin connected to the diaphragm; a voice coil fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the voice coil bobbin; and a damper holding the voice coil in such a manner that the voice coil is capable of vibrating in a magnetic gap formed between an annular top plate and a center pole included in the magnetic circuit portion. The damper includes a flat portion which has a hole for passing the voice coil bobbin therethrough at its center, and a plurality of roll structures connected to a periphery of the flat portion and having a cross-section including a bent periphery. Each of the plurality of roll structures is fixed to the frame, and the hole of the flat portion is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the voice coil bobbin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takewa, Kazue Satoh, Mikio Iwasa, Tohru Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 5862242
    Abstract: A speaker has a diaphragm of which plane shape as seen from a vibrating direction has a major axis and a minor axis, a band-shaped edge connected to the outer circumference of the diaphragm for holding so that the diaphragm may be free to vibrate, and a frame for holding the outer circumference of the edge, wherein a viscoelastic member is affixed to part of the edge and/or diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Takewa, Akihiro Furuta, Kazue Satoh, Mikio Iwasa, Kuniaki Sakai
  • Patent number: 5664024
    Abstract: The loudspeaker of the invention includes: a frame; a diaphragm, a planar shape thereof being non-axisymmetric having a larger diameter and a smaller diameter when the diaphragm is viewed from a vibration direction thereof; a band-shaped edge portion provided around an outer periphery of the diaphragm, an outer periphery of the edge portion being connected to the frame and an inner periphery of the edge portion being connected to the diaphragm; a cylindrical voice coil bobbin in a non-axisymmetric shape having a larger diameter and a smaller diameter which includes a pair of opposed faces parallel to each other in a larger diameter direction, one end portion of the voice coil bobbin being connected to the diaphragm; a voice coil wound around the voice coil bobbin; a plurality of voice coil bobbin reinforcing members in a plate shape which are bridged between the pair of opposed faces parallel to each other of the voice coil bobbin; and a plurality of magnetic circuits having a gap for applying magnetic fluxes
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Furuta, Kazue Satoh, Hiroyuki Takewa, Mikio Iwasa, Shinya Mizone, Kuniaki Sakai