Patents by Inventor Mitsuru Nakajima

Mitsuru Nakajima 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: 9036237
    Abstract: A laser scanner includes an optical source emitting a laser beam; and an optical deflector deflecting the laser beam emitted from the optical source to scan an object with the laser beam deflected thereby, wherein the optical deflector includes a reflecting mirror; a motor rotating the reflecting mirror around an axis of the mirror: a first member fixed on a shaft of the motor, rotating with the shaft and a second member fixed on the axis of the mirror, engaging with the first member when the shaft rotates to rotate with the axis of the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuusuke Hayashi, Mitsuru Nakajima, Shuichi Suzuki, Kenichi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 9020750
    Abstract: A drive assist device includes a light source that irradiates a detection target with light, a first lens having a first area through which the irradiated light from the light source passes, a second lens having a second area through which reflected light reflected from the detection target passes, and a light receiving element that receives the reflected light that passes the second lens. The first area and the second area are arranged to be in align with each other, in width direction of the drive assist device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Nakajima, Shuichi Suzuki, Motoyasu Murai
  • Patent number: 9019378
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a lens barrel which holds at least one optical element; an image sensor which converts an image of a photographic subject obtained by the optical element into an electrical signal; a circuit board on which the image sensor is mounted; and a fixing wall body which is a different body from the lens barrel, and where the lens barrel is mounted to an end part of the fixing wall body on a photographic subject side, and the circuit board is mounted to an end part of the fixing wall body on a side opposite to the photographic subject side by a bond structure by an adhesive agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Nakajima, Toshiyuki Kawasaki, Shinobu Kanatani, Tetsuya Ogata, Kenichi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8988664
    Abstract: Disclosed is a distance measuring device configured to irradiate an object with light and receive reflected light therefrom to measure a distance from the object, including a light source device having at least one light-emitting part, a deflection part being provided rotatably around a predetermined axis line and having plural deflection faces configured to reflect light from the light source device toward the object, a reflection part being provided rotatably around the axis line and integrally with the deflection part and having plural reflection faces being provided to correspond to the plural deflection faces individually and reflecting a portion of light reflected from a corresponding deflection face and reflected from the object, and a light-receiving part having at least one light-receiving element configured to receive light reflected from the reflection part, wherein respective inclination angles of the plural deflection faces with respect to the axis line are mutually different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Suzuki, Mitsuru Nakajima, Kenichi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 8970700
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: an electronic circuit unit (30) including an imaging device (31) to acquire an object image formed by an imaging optical system (20); and a housing member (13) housing the electronic circuit unit (30). The electronic circuit unit (30) includes a thermally-conductive heat transfer member (37) in contact with an outer peripheral surface thereof which is in parallel with a fitting direction of the electronic circuit unit (30) into the housing member (13). The heat transfer member (37) includes a soft material portion (37b) in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the electronic circuit unit (37), and a plate portion (37a) in contact with the soft material portion (37b) and an inner peripheral wall surface of the housing member (13). The soft material portion (37b) is made of a shape-conformable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokiko Inoue, Norihiko Sasaki, Mitsuru Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20150029487
    Abstract: A detection apparatus attachable to a structure includes a transmission unit to transmit a transmission signal; a receiving unit to receive a reflection signal of the transmission signal reflected from a detection target; and a detection processing unit to detect the detection target based on the reflection signal. The structure includes a transmission translucent portion and a receiving translucent portion. The transmission signal having a given wavelength range passes through the transmission translucent portion, and the reflection signal having a given wavelength range passes through the receiving translucent portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Mitsuru NAKAJIMA, Shuichi SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 8928956
    Abstract: An illumination system includes a light source unit including light emitting elements arranged in array in a main scan direction to project light beams radially, and an optical guide of a long length made from a translucent material to guide incident beams from an exit surface of the light source unit in a certain direction for output, and including at least one surface with a diffuse structure to diffuse a transmitted beam or a reflected beam among the incident beams, wherein the diffuse structure is configured to diffuse the beam at a center at a larger divergence angle than at ends in the main scan direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Iwamatsu, Mitsuru Nakajima, Tetsuya Ogata, Tsuyoshi Fujimoto, Tokiko Inoue, Chihiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20150002638
    Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus is installed in a thing and a distance between the thing and a measuring target varies. The distance measuring apparatus includes a plurality of imaging devices; a first distance acquisition part that acquires a first distance to the measuring target based on respective sets of image data taken by the plurality of imaging devices; a second distance acquisition part that acquires a second distance to the measuring target based on a reflected wave of an electromagnetic wave irradiated onto the measuring target; and a holding member that holds the plurality of imaging devices and the second distance acquisition part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Shuichi SUZUKI, Mitsuru NAKAJIMA, Motoyasu MURAl
  • Patent number: 8908036
    Abstract: An image-capturing device including: an imaging optical system which is configured to capture an optical image of a subject; an imaging optical system retaining member which retains the imaging optical system; an imaging element which is configured to convert the optical image into an electrical signal; a substrate which is arranged on a back side of the imaging optical system retaining member and retains the imaging element; and a plurality of substrate joint pieces each of which extends from the imaging optical system retaining member toward the substrate, wherein tip parts of the plurality of substrate joint pieces on a substrate side and the substrate are joined by an indirect bond structure using at least one joint intermediate member which is adhered to at least one of the tip parts of the plurality of substrate joint pieces and the substrate with an adhesive, and a fixation structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chihiro Tanaka, Hiroshi Takemoto, Mitsuru Nakajima, Shinobu Kanatani, Kohei Shimizu, Norihiko Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20140358418
    Abstract: A drive assist device includes a light source that irradiates a detection target with light, a first lens having a first area through which the irradiated light from the light source passes, a second lens having a second area through which reflected light reflected from the detection target passes, and a light receiving element that receives the reflected light that passes the second lens. The first area and the second area are arranged to be in align with each other, in width direction of the drive assist device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Mitsuru NAKAJIMA, Shuichi SUZUKI, Motoyasu MURAl
  • Patent number: 8848262
    Abstract: An optical radiation device includes a long light source unit in which light emitting elements are arranged in array, a long substrate on which the light source unit is mounted, a long optical guide to guide the light beams from the light emitting elements to a predetermined plane, and an optical collector to collect the light beams reflected by the predetermined plane. The length of an effective read area from a reading center of the optical collector to one end of the predetermined plane is different from that of an effective read area from the reading center to the other end thereof. The optical guide formed by injection molding includes a gate at one end in a length direction and a surface at the other end to exert total reflection, and is disposed so that the gate is positioned on the a same side as a shorter effective read area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Iwamatsu, Tsuyoshi Fujimoto, Mitsuru Nakajima, Tokiko Inoue, Chihiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140264202
    Abstract: The problem of the present invention is to overcome drawbacks of conventional optical filters such as near-infrared cut filters and to provide an optical filter which generates little scatted light even during light absorption and has excellent transmittance property. The optical filter of the present invention is characterized by containing a squarylium-based compound and a compound which absorbs or quenches fluorescence of the squarylium-based compound. The optical filter of the present invention preferably contains a near-infrared absorbing dye containing a squarylium compound (A) and at least one compound (B) selected from the group consisting of a phthalocyanine-based compound (B-1) and a cyanine-based compound (B-2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: JSR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuya Nagaya, Hiroyuki Kishida, Takashi Tsubouchi, Mitsuru Nakajima, Ran Mitsuboshi, Yukie Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8780416
    Abstract: A light irradiator including multiple point light sources arranged in a straight line, a light-transmissive light guiding member provided in front of the point light sources in an emission direction of beams of light emitted from the point light sources, the light guiding member guiding the beams of light in a predetermined direction toward a surface to be irradiated; and two or more protrusions protruding toward the point light sources, provided on a light entering surface of the light guiding member and arranged in the same direction as the point light sources. The light guiding member and the point light sources are positioned such that a distance between the protrusions provided to the light guiding member and irradiation surfaces of the point light sources is equal at two positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tokiko Inoue, Mitsuru Nakajima, Tsuyoshi Fujimoto, Akihiro Iwamatsu, Chihiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8773644
    Abstract: An optical beam scanner includes a light source, an optical scanner configured to scan a light beam irradiated from the light source, and an input optical system configured to direct the light beam irradiated from the light source to the optical scanner, wherein the optical scanner includes a rotating mirror configured to rotate around a rotational axis and reflect the light beam irradiated from the light source; the rotating mirror is rotated around the rotational axis so that the light beam is irradiated on differing positions of a mirror surface of the rotating mirror; and the mirror surface of the rotating mirror has a mirror surface inclining angle with respect to a direction parallel to the rotational axis that is arranged to gradually increase from a first side to a second side of the rotating mirror in a direction parallel to a plane perpendicular to the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shuichi Suzuki, Mitsuru Nakajima, Kenichi Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20140146214
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a welded part on a lens barrel side that is hardened after a contact portion of a lens barrel or a contact part on the lens barrel side is softened, where the contact portion of the lens barrel and the contact part on the lens barrel side are fixed, and a welded part on a light-receiving circuit side that is hardened after a contact portion of the light-receiving circuit or a contact part on a light-receiving circuit side is softened, where the contact portion of the light-receiving circuit and the contact part on the light-receiving circuit side are fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Nakajima, Tetsuya Ogata, Kenichi Yoshimura, Kohei Shimizu, Chihiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8717656
    Abstract: The optical scanning device scans an object with plural laser beams, and includes a light source, which emits plural parallel laser beams in a predetermined direction and which has a stem portion having a first notch; and a support having an opening, with which the light source is engaged so as to be rotatable on an axis parallel to the plural light beams, and a second notch located on a part of the opening so as to overlap with the first notch when the light source is engaged with the opening. By inserting a slotted screwdriver, etc., into the space formed by the two notches and rotating the screwdriver, the angle of the light source can be adjusted and thereby the pitches of the laser beams can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Shimizu, Mitsuru Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8675127
    Abstract: An imaging device includes a welded part on a lens barrel side that is hardened after a contact portion of a lens barrel or a contact part on the lens barrel side is softened, where the contact portion of the lens barrel and the contact part on the lens barrel side are fixed, and a welded part on a light-receiving circuit side that is hardened after a contact portion of the light-receiving circuit or a contact part on a light-receiving circuit side is softened, where the contact portion of the light-receiving circuit and the contact part on the light-receiving circuit side are fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Nakajima, Tetsuya Ogata, Kenichi Yoshimura, Kohei Shimizu, Chihiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140071428
    Abstract: A distance measurement apparatus that measures distance to a target by irradiating the target with laser beams and detecting light reflected by the target includes a light projection unit. The distance measurement apparatus also includes a plurality of light emission units to emit a plurality of laser beams onto the target while setting optical paths of the plurality of laser beams radially along a given virtual plane; and a light receiving unit including a plurality of light receivers to receive the plurality of laser beams projected from the light projection unit and reflected by the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Shuichi SUZUKI, Kenichi Yoshimura, Mitsuru Nakajima, Yusuke Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20140034817
    Abstract: An object detection apparatus includes an incident optical system, which includes light source units and a combining unit combining light beams emitted from the light source units; a deflection unit including rotating reflection parts that deflect the light beams to scan and be irradiated on a predetermined range of an object; an imaging unit forming an image based on the light from the predetermined range of the object; and an optical detection unit detecting the object based on the light received via the imaging unit. Further the combining unit combines the light beams such that each of the combined light beams passes a single light path when projected onto a predetermined plane, and each of the light paths exists outside a region of the deflection unit when projected onto the first plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Tadashi NAKAMURA, Shigeaki Imai, Shuichi Suzuki, Mitsuru Nakajima, Kenichi Yoshimura, Hiroyoshi Funato
  • Publication number: 20140009747
    Abstract: Disclosed is a laser radar device including a modulated light beam generator that emits light beams to a target, a photodetector that receives reflected light; a reflected light condenser that condenses the reflected light; a rotator that rotates around a rotation axis; and mirrors included in the rotator that scan the light beams, and guide the reflected light to the reflected light condenser, wherein an angular detection range in a vertical direction is divided into a plurality of layers, wherein mirror surfaces of the mirrors are tilted by corresponding tilt angles relative to the rotation axis, the tilt angles being different from each other, wherein the modulated light beam generator emits the light beams in the vertical direction, the light beams having different emission angles, and wherein a difference between the emission angles corresponds to the angular detection range of one layer in the vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Shuichi SUZUKI, Mitsuru NAKAJIMA, Kenichi YOSHIMURA, Shigeaki IMAI, Tadashi NAKAMURA, Hiroyoshi FUNATO