Patents by Inventor Minoru Makino

Minoru Makino 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).

  • Publication number: 20170045766
    Abstract: The front of a fixing optical sheet (24) is bonded to the back of a liquid crystal display panel (22) having a rectangular plate shape. The front of a rectangular plate-shaped backlight unit (30) is brought into contact with the back of the fixing optical sheet (24). Extension portions (24b) extending from the four sides of the fixing optical sheet (24) are bonded to the four side portions of the back of the backlight unit (30). In this manner, a narrow picture frame of the liquid crystal display unit is achieved, while adopting a simple and easy-to-assemble structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru MAKINO, Kenzoh DAIMON
  • Patent number: 8594753
    Abstract: The mobile terminal includes the rotary housing and the rotation support mechanism for supporting the rotary housing so as to rotate between the vertical position and the horizontal position. The rotation support mechanism includes a guide plate. A first slide pin and a second slide pin sliding relative to the guide plate upon rotation of the rotary housing are connected to the rotary housing. A guide hole for restricting sliding of the first slide pin is formed in the guide plate. The second slide pin and a rotary shaft provided in the guide plate are connected together through a linking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Makino, Yuta Saito
  • Publication number: 20120231859
    Abstract: The mobile terminal includes the rotary housing and the rotation support mechanism for supporting the rotary housing so as to rotate between the vertical position and the horizontal position. The rotation support mechanism includes a guide plate. A first slide pin and a second slide pin sliding relative to the guide plate upon rotation of the rotary housing are connected to the rotary housing. A guide hole for restricting sliding of the first slide pin is formed in the guide plate. The second slide pin and a rotary shaft provided in the guide plate are connected together through a linking member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventors: Minoru Makino, Yuta Saito
  • Publication number: 20110143818
    Abstract: In a mobile device that can be switched between the portrait orientation and the landscape orientation, improvements are made so that a swivel casing can be supported stably while maintaining a good appearance of the mobile device. A swivel casing 3 of a mobile phone 1 is supported by a swivel support mechanism 10 so that it swivels from the portrait orientation to the landscape orientation or from the landscape orientation to the portrait orientation. A movement opening 25 for allowing the swivel support mechanism 10 to move therethrough is formed in a middle portion in a thickness direction of a side surface of the swivel casing 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Minoru Makino, Yuta Saito, Hiroshi Konishi
  • Patent number: 7957778
    Abstract: A folding mobile phone (folding portable communications device) includes a first housing including a liquid crystal display part (display part) provided at a surface thereof, a second housing including an operating part provided at a surface thereof, and a hinge connecting the first and second housings to allow the first and second housings to be freely opened and closed in their folded form. A cam mechanism (support mechanism) supports the liquid crystal display part switchably between a vertical position and a horizontal position and to allow the liquid crystal display part to turn both clockwise and counterclockwise as viewed from the front.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Minoru Makino, Kimiaki Imai
  • Patent number: 7587226
    Abstract: A folding cellular phone includes a hinge for connecting a first housing and a second housing having an operation part in a pivotable manner to open/close the folding cellular phone. A liquid crystal display part is supported on the first housing by a support mechanism such that the orientation of the liquid crystal display part is changeable between portrait and landscape. The folding cellular phone further includes a rod-shaped restriction member (an open/close restriction means) which is operated together with the support mechanism and the hinge such that the movement of the first and second housings is restricted so as not to reduce the angle formed between the first and second housings less than the predetermined angle (e.g., 120°).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minoru Makino
  • Patent number: 7546150
    Abstract: A folding cellular phone includes a first housing provided with a liquid crystal display part on the surface thereof, a second housing including an operation part formed on the surface thereof and a hinge for connecting the first housing and the second housing in a pivotable manner to open/close the folding cellular phone. The liquid crystal display part is supported on the first housing by a support mechanism such that the orientation of the liquid crystal display part is changeable between portrait and landscape. The support mechanism is configured to support and guide the liquid crystal display part such that a bottom corner of the liquid crystal display part moves along the hinge when the orientation of the liquid crystal display part is changed between portrait and landscape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Minoru Makino
  • Publication number: 20080026799
    Abstract: A folding mobile phone (folding portable communications device) includes a first housing including a liquid crystal display part (display part) provided at a surface thereof, a second housing including an operating part provided at a surface thereof, and a hinge connecting the first and second housings to allow the first and second housings to be freely opened and closed in their folded form. A cam mechanism (support mechanism) supports the liquid crystal display part switchably between a vertical position and a horizontal position and to allow the liquid crystal display part to turn both clockwise and counterclockwise as viewed from the front.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Inventors: Minoru Makino, Kimiaki Imai
  • Publication number: 20060199606
    Abstract: A folding cellular phone includes a hinge for connecting a first housing and a second housing having an operation part in a pivotable manner to open/close the folding cellular phone. A liquid crystal display part is supported on the first housing by a support mechanism such that the orientation of the liquid crystal display part is changeable between portrait and landscape. The folding cellular phone further includes a rod-shaped restriction member (an open/close restriction means) which is operated together with the support mechanism and the hinge such that the movement of the first and second housings is restricted so as not to reduce the angle formed between the first and second housings less than the predetermined angle (e.g., 120°).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Inventor: Minoru Makino
  • Publication number: 20060172764
    Abstract: A folding cellular phone includes a first housing provided with a liquid crystal display part on the surface thereof, a second housing including an operation part formed on the surface thereof and a hinge for connecting the first housing and the second housing in a pivotable manner to open/close the folding cellular phone. The liquid crystal display part is supported on the first housing by a support mechanism such that the orientation of the liquid crystal display part is changeable between portrait and landscape. The support mechanism is configured to support and guide the liquid crystal display part such that a bottom corner of the liquid crystal display part moves along the hinge when the orientation of the liquid crystal display part is changed between portrait and landscape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Publication date: August 3, 2006
    Inventor: Minoru Makino