Patents by Inventor Mikio Kurachi

Mikio Kurachi 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: 7515321
    Abstract: A multifunction ophthalmic apparatus, capable of efficiently measuring and examining eye characteristics respectively, has an measurement part including a unit blowing fluid to a cornea via a nozzle for measuring intraocular pressure of an examinee's eye, a reflection member having a reflection surface, arranged insertably and removably between the eye and the nozzle, an examination part storing an optical system, which photo-receives reflection light from the eye reflected by the member for examination, a main body storing the parts, a first unit moving the body relative to the eye in working distance direction, a second unit moving the measurement part relative to the body in the direction, a third moving unit inserting and removing the member, a device for emitting a switching signal between a first mode for examination and a second mode for measurement, and a unit controlling driving of the second and third moving units on the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Nidek Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mimura, Mikio Kurachi, Naoto Honda
  • Patent number: 7399081
    Abstract: A multifunction ophthalmic apparatus, capable of efficiently measuring and examining eye characteristics respectively, has an measurement part including a unit blowing fluid to a cornea via a nozzle for measuring intraocular pressure of an examinee's eye, a reflection member having a reflection surface, arranged insertably and removably between the eye and the nozzle, an examination part storing an optical system, which photo-receives reflection light from the eye reflected by the member for examination, a main body storing the parts, a first unit moving the body relative to the eye in working distance direction, a second unit moving the measurement part relative to the body in the direction, a third moving unit inserting and removing the member, a device for emitting a switching signal between a first mode for examination and a second mode for measurement, and a unit controlling driving of the second and third moving units on the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mimura, Mikio Kurachi, Naoto Honda
  • Publication number: 20080165321
    Abstract: A multifunction ophthalmic apparatus, capable of efficiently measuring and examining eye characteristics respectively, has an measurement part including a unit blowing fluid to a cornea via a nozzle for measuring intraocular pressure of an examinee's eye, a reflection member having a reflection surface, arranged insertably and removably between the eye and the nozzle, an examination part storing an optical system, which photo-receives reflection light from the eye reflected by the member for examination, a main body storing the parts, a first unit moving the body relative to the eye in working distance direction, a second unit moving the measurement part relative to the body in the direction, a third moving unit inserting and removing the member, a device for emitting a switching signal between a first mode for examination and a second mode for measurement, and a unit controlling driving of the second and third moving units on the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mimura, Mikio Kurachi, Naoto Honda
  • Patent number: 7364298
    Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus with which it is easy to open eyelids of an examinee at the time of intraocular pressure measurement has a measurement unit including an measurement part measuring intraocular pressure by blowing fluid to a cornea of an examinee's eye via a nozzle to deform the cornea and a measurement part having a measurement optical system for measuring eye characteristics of the eye, wherein the intraocular pressure measurement part is placed above the eye characteristic measurement part, a device making a selective changeover between an intraocular pressure measurement mode and an eye characteristic measurement mode, and a first movement mechanism part moving the measurement unit in an up-and-down direction with respect to the eye so that a measurement optical axis of either of the measurement parts to be used for the selected mode is positioned at approximately the same height as the examinee's eye.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Hayashi, Masaaki Hanebuchi, Tetsuyuki Miwa, Mikio Kurachi
  • Patent number: 7344247
    Abstract: An ocular accommodative function examination apparatus for examining an accommodative function of an examinee's eye, includes: a fixation target presenting optical system which presents a fixation target at a presenting position to the eye, the presenting position being changeable in a direction of a visual axis of the eye; a refractive power measuring optical system which measures refractive power of the eye; an analysis part which acquires variation or fluctuation in the refractive power of the eye gazing at the fixation target at a certain presenting position within a predetermined time based on a result of measurement by the measuring optical system, and determines tho accommodative function of the eye based on the acquired variation or fluctuation; a display part which displays a result determined by the analysis part; and a control part which controls presenting of the fixation target to perform at least one of simple examination for determining the accommodative function with respect to a first present
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Isogai, Noriji Kawai, Miwako Hanaki, Akihiro Hayashi, Mikio Kurachi, Toshiya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7316480
    Abstract: An eye refractive power measurement apparatus which is capable of measuring even an eye with a small pupil diameter and measuring a normal eye with a large enough pupil diameter with accuracy and stability. The apparatus includes a measurement optical system for photo-receiving measurement light from a fundus via a ring-shaped aperture arranged at an approximately conjugate position with a pupil by using a photodetector, a changing device for changing a size of the ring-shaped aperture on a pupillary surface to a size different in both inside diameter and outside diameter, and a calculation device for calculating the eye refractive power based on a photo-receiving result obtained by the photodetector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Hanebuchi, Mitsuhiro Gono, Mikio Kurachi, Naoki Isogai
  • Publication number: 20070097317
    Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus with which it is easy to open eyelids of an examinee at the time of intraocular pressure measurement has a measurement unit including an measurement part measuring intraocular pressure by blowing fluid to a cornea of an examinee's eye via a nozzle to deform the cornea and a measurement part having a measurement optical system for measuring eye characteristics of the eye, wherein the intraocular pressure measurement part is placed above the eye characteristic measurement part, a device making a selective changeover between an intraocular pressure measurement mode and an eye characteristic measurement mode, and a first movement mechanism part moving the measurement unit in an up-and-down direction with respect to the eye so that a measurement optical axis of either of the measurement parts to be used for the selected mode is positioned at approximately the same height as the examinee's eye.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Hayashi, Masaaki Hanebuchi, Tetsuyuki Miwa, Mikio Kurachi
  • Publication number: 20050068497
    Abstract: An eye refractive power measurement apparatus which is capable of measuring even an eye with a small pupil diameter and measuring a normal eye with a large enough pupil diameter with accuracy and stability. The apparatus includes a measurement optical system for photo-receiving measurement light from a fundus via a ring-shaped aperture arranged at an approximately conjugate position with a pupil by using a photodetector, a changing device for changing a size of the ring-shaped aperture on a pupillary surface to a size different in both inside diameter and outside diameter, and a calculation device for calculating the eye refractive power based on a photo-receiving result obtained by the photodetector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2004
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Applicant: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Hanebuchi, Mitsuhiro Gono, Mikio Kurachi, Naoki Isogai
  • Publication number: 20050041210
    Abstract: An ocular accommodative function examination apparatus for examining an accommodative function of an examinee's eye, includes: a fixation target presenting optical system which presents a fixation target at a presenting position to the eye, the presenting position being changeable in a direction of a visual axis of the eye; a refractive power measuring optical system which measures refractive power of the eye; an analysis part which acquires variation or fluctuation in the refractive power of the eye gazing at the fixation target at a certain presenting position within a predetermined time based on a result of measurement by the measuring optical system, and determines tho accommodative function of the eye based on the acquired variation or fluctuation; a display part which displays a result determined by the analysis part; and a control part which controls presenting of the fixation target to perform at least one of simple examination for determining the accommodative function with respect to a first present
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Isogai, Noriji Kawai, Miwako Hanaki, Akihiro Hayashi, Mikio Kurachi, Toshiya Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20040189936
    Abstract: A multifunction ophthalmic apparatus, capable of efficiently measuring and examining eye characteristics respectively, has an measurement part including a unit blowing fluid to a cornea via a nozzle for measuring intraocular pressure of an examinee's eye, a reflection member having a reflection surface, arranged insertably and removably between the eye and the nozzle, an examination part storing an optical system, which photo-receives reflection light from the eye reflected by the member for examination, a main body storing the parts, a first unit moving the body relative to the eye in working distance direction, a second unit moving the measurement part relative to the body in the direction, a third moving unit inserting and removing the member, a device for emitting a switching signal between a first mode for examination and a second mode for measurement, and a unit controlling driving of the second and third moving units on the signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Mimura, Mikio Kurachi, Naoto Honda
  • Patent number: 6616278
    Abstract: An eye examination device includes an eye examination unit for examining or measuring an eye of an examinee; a carrying case including a first housing part for housing the eye examination unit and a base part which mounts thereon the eye examination unit; a horizontal movement unit which moves the eye examination unit in a horizontal direction with respect to the base part; and a vertical movement unit which moves the eye examination unit in a vertical direction with respect to the base part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Gohno, Mikio Kurachi, Naoki Isogai
  • Publication number: 20020027639
    Abstract: An eye examination device includes an eye examination unit for examining or measuring an eye of an examinee; a carrying case including a first housing part for housing the eye examination unit and a base part which mounts thereon the eye examination unit; a horizontal movement unit which moves the eye examination unit in a horizontal direction with respect to the base part; and a vertical movement unit which moves the eye examination unit in a vertical direction with respect to the base part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Applicant: NIDEK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Gohno, Mikio Kurachi, Naoki Isogai
  • Patent number: 5909269
    Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus comprising a measuring device for inspecting or measuring a patient's eye, a moving device for moving the measuring device relative to the patient's eye, a designating device for designating an eye to be measured, photographing device capable of photographing a face including both eyes, first detecting device for detecting positional relationship between the measuring device and each of right and left eyes respectively based on an image signal from the photographing device, an alignment detecting device for detecting an alignment condition of the measuring device relative to the eye, and a leading device for leading the moving device so that the measuring device may be alined within the predetermined range relative to the eye based on results detected by the first detecting device and the alignment detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Isogai, Mikio Kurachi
  • Patent number: 5521700
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lens meter capable of accurately measuring the optical characteristics of a lens including additive diopter and of providing highly reliable data representing the optical characteristics of the lens. The lens meter projects measuring light through a target mark on a lens, focuses an image of the target mark in a target image on a photo-detecting device, and determines the optical characteristics of the lens on the basis of a locus of the target image detected by the photo-detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1996
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Kajino, Mikio Kurachi, Noritsugu Nozawa, Masanao Fujieda
  • Patent number: 5396324
    Abstract: A lens meter including an illumination light source for illuminating a measurement target, a target projection optical system for projecting the measurement target onto an inspected lens, an observation optical system for observing a focused state of the projected target image and target moving device for moving the measurement target in an optical axis direction or the like to thereby measure a refracting power of the inspected lens on the basis of an amount in which the measurement target is moved in the optical axis direction. This lens meter includes a lens holder for holding the inspected lens substantially parallel to a plane on which the lens meter is installed, and a reflection system optical element for reflecting a measurement light passed through the inspected lens even times so that the measurement light is introduced into the observation optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Kurachi, Noritsugu Nozawa, Yasuhisa Murakami
  • Patent number: 5379111
    Abstract: A lens meter projects measuring light onto a lens, detects the measuring light traveled through the lens at a light detecting element, and determines the optical characteristics of the lens on the basis of the detected data obtained from the light detecting element. The lens meter provides a display device for displaying the relation to adjust the lens to the optical axis of the measuring optical path, measuring mode selector device for selecting a measuring mode from a single focus lens measuring mode to a progressive focus lens measuring mode, a control device for measuring the lens at position measuring points distributed at predetermined intervals on the lens successively on a measuring optical axis and measuring the refractive power of the lens at each measuring point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Kajino, Mikio Kurachi
  • Patent number: 5247341
    Abstract: An automatic lensmeter for measuring optical characteristics of a lens to be examined is disclosed. The automatic lensmeter includes a display for displaying thereon an alignment target, first and second calculation devices for converting a shift between the optical center of the lens to be examined and a measurement optical axis into a prism power and a deviation respectively, and device for forming the alignment target at a predetermined position, whereby highly accurate alignment can be attained and accurate marking can be readily obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Kurachi, Toshiaki Mizuno, Hirokatsu Obayashi
  • Patent number: 5173739
    Abstract: An automatic lensmeter according to the present invention is used for accurately measuring optical characteristics of a lens to be examined. The automatic lensmeter incorporates a mode change-over switch for switching to an addition diopter measurement mode, memory means for storing cylindrical diopter of a measured far-vision area of the lens, calculation means for calculating a difference between the cylindrical diopter measured in the addition diopter measurement mode and the cylindrical diopter of the far vision portion, and display means for indicating a calculated result of the calculation means thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1992
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Kurachi, Toshiaki Mizuno, Hirokatsu Obayashi
  • Patent number: 5152067
    Abstract: A lens meter for measuring the optical character of spectacle lenses by projecting a measurement target onto the spectacle lens comprises a first position control member for moving a spectacle frame in a horizontal direction, and a second position control member for moving the spectacles in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the first position control member. The position of the second position control member is detected by a potentiometer, and the pupilary distance is calculated based on the distances from the second position control member to the bridge center of the spectacle frame and to each lens optical center on the spectacle frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Nidek Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Kurachi, Toshiaki Mizuno, Noritugu Nozawa