Patents by Inventor Mitsuru Toyama

Mitsuru Toyama 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: 11845182
    Abstract: An encoder unit includes a magnetic encoder having a main gear fixed to a rotation shaft, a plurality of auxiliary gears meshing with the main gear, magnets placed in the respective auxiliary gears, and a plurality of magnetic sensors on which magnetic fields of the corresponding magnets act, an optical encoder placed apart from the magnetic encoder in an axial direction of the rotation shaft and having an optical scale fixed to the rotation shaft and an optical sensor receiving light reflected by the optical scale, and a substrate placed between the magnets and the optical scale and having one surface with the magnetic sensors mounted thereon and another surface with the optical sensor mounted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Inventor: Mitsuru Toyama
  • Patent number: 11506679
    Abstract: An encoder includes a base section, a spindle gear attached to a turning shaft section, a counter-shaft gear configured to mesh with the spindle gear and including a cylindrical gear section, a magnet provided in the counter-shaft gear, and an annular bearing member provided in the base section and configured to support the counter-shaft gear. When a straight line extending along the shaft section is represented as a first axis and a straight line orthogonal to the first axis is represented as a second axis, the magnet is disposed to overlap the bearing member in a plan view from a direction in which the second axis extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Inventor: Mitsuru Toyama
  • Patent number: 11389952
    Abstract: A robot arm includes a distal end unit having a gripping part and a first supporting part that supports the gripping part, a first drive unit that, with an axis along a direction in which the gripping part and the first supporting part are arranged as a first axis, pivots the gripping part about a first pivot axis along the first axis relative to the first supporting part, a second supporting part that supports the first supporting part, and a second drive unit that, with an axis orthogonal to the first axis as a second axis, pivots the distal end unit about a second pivot axis along the second axis relative to the second supporting part, wherein the first drive unit includes a piezoelectric motor, and the second pivot axis crosses the distal end unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Inventors: Tomohisa Iwazaki, Yutaka Arakawa, Mitsuru Toyama
  • Publication number: 20220161416
    Abstract: An encoder unit includes a magnetic encoder having a main gear fixed to a rotation shaft, a plurality of auxiliary gears meshing with the main gear, magnets placed in the respective auxiliary gears, and a plurality of magnetic sensors on which magnetic fields of the corresponding magnets act, an optical encoder placed apart from the magnetic encoder in an axial direction of the rotation shaft and having an optical scale fixed to the rotation shaft and an optical sensor receiving light reflected by the optical scale, and a substrate placed between the magnets and the optical scale and having one surface with the magnetic sensors mounted thereon and another surface with the optical sensor mounted thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventor: Mitsuru Toyama
  • Publication number: 20200319224
    Abstract: An encoder includes a base section, a spindle gear attached to a turning shaft section, a counter-shaft gear configured to mesh with the spindle gear and including a cylindrical gear section, a magnet provided in the counter-shaft gear, and an annular bearing member provided in the base section and configured to support the counter-shaft gear. When a straight line extending along the shaft section is represented as a first axis and a straight line orthogonal to the first axis is represented as a second axis, the magnet is disposed to overlap the bearing member in a plan view from a direction in which the second axis extends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventor: Mitsuru TOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20200030969
    Abstract: A robot arm includes a distal end unit having a gripping part and a first supporting part that supports the gripping part, a first drive unit that, with an axis along a direction in which the gripping part and the first supporting part are arranged as a first axis, pivots the gripping part about a first pivot axis along the first axis relative to the first supporting part, a second supporting part that supports the first supporting part, and a second drive unit that, with an axis orthogonal to the first axis as a second axis, pivots the distal end unit about a second pivot axis along the second axis relative to the second supporting part, wherein the first drive unit includes a piezoelectric motor, and the second pivot axis crosses the distal end unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Tomohisa IWAZAKI, Yutaka ARAKAWA, Mitsuru TOYAMA
  • Patent number: 9684147
    Abstract: A changeable lens barrel includes a fixed barrel formed in an annular shape a straight-advancing barrel housed in the fixed barrel during non-photographing and extended to an outside of the fixed barrel during photographing, and a first annular member that turns according to manual operation. When the changeable lens barrel is in a photographable state, a part of an outer circumference of the first annular member is exposed to an outside and a front end face of the annular member forward in an optical axis direction is located further forward than a front end face of the fixed barrel, and, when the changeable lens barrel is in an un-photographable state, a rear end face backward in the optical axis direction is within the fixed barrel and the rear end face is present further backward in the optical axis direction than when the changeable lens barrel is in the photographable state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Tamotsu Koiwai, Shigeo Hayashi, Naohiro Kageyama, Mitsuru Toyama
  • Patent number: 9557517
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lens barrel that holds a lens system including a plurality of lens groups in which an object-side fixed lens group and image-side fixed lens group that are fixed to both ends of a cylindrical fixed barrel are arranged, and a first focusing lens group and a second focusing lens group that are moving lens groups are arranged inside the fixed barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsuru Toyama, Kazuyuki Iwasa
  • Publication number: 20150331221
    Abstract: A changeable lens barrel includes a fixed barrel formed in an annular shape a straight-advancing barrel housed in the fixed barrel during non-photographing and extended to an outside of the fixed barrel during photographing, and a first annular member that turns according to manual operation. When the changeable lens barrel is in a photographable state, a part of an outer circumference of the first annular member is exposed to an outside and a front end face of the annular member forward in an optical axis direction is located further forward than a front end face of the fixed barrel, and, when the changeable lens barrel is in an un-photographable state, a rear end face backward in the optical axis direction is within the fixed barrel and the rear end face is present further backward in the optical axis direction than when the changeable lens barrel is in the photographable state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Tamotsu Koiwai, Shigeo Hayashi, Naohiro Kageyama, Mitsuru Toyama
  • Patent number: 8660419
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a fixed portion with an optical system including a focusing lens. An operation member is placed so as to be movable to first and second positions along an optical axis of the fixed portion, and turnable around the optical axis at the first and second positions. A turning member turns along with the operation member when moved to the second position, and does not operate with the operation member when moved from the second position to the first position. Positioning means position the operation member at the first or second position through a plurality of balls. When the operation member is at the first position it is urged to the first position by the plurality of balls. When the operation member is at the second position, it is urged to the second position by the plurality of balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Toyama, Tamotsu Koiwai, Takeshi Ito
  • Publication number: 20140009847
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a fixed portion with an optical system including a focusing lens. An operation member is placed so as to be movable to first and second positions along an optical axis of the fixed portion, and turnable around the optical axis at the first and second positions. A turning member turns along with the operation member when moved to the second position, and does not operate with the operation member when moved from the second position to the first position. Positioning means position the operation member at the first or second position through a plurality of balls. When the operation member is at the first position it is urged to the first position by the plurality of balls. When the operation member is at the second position, it is urged to the second position by the plurality of balls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Toyama, Tamotsu Koiwai, Takeshi Ito
  • Publication number: 20130329310
    Abstract: The present invention provides a lens barrel that holds a lens system including a plurality of lens groups in which an object-side fixed lens group and image-side fixed lens group that are fixed to both ends of a cylindrical fixed barrel are arranged, and a first focusing lens group and a second focusing lens group that are moving lens groups are arranged inside the fixed barrel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Mitsuru TOYAMA, Kazuyuki IWASA
  • Patent number: 8565591
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes an operation member adapted to be movable to a first position and a second position and turnable at each of the positions, a turning member adapted to turnably engage with the operation member at the second position, and disengage from the operation member at the first position, a first detection unit adapted to detect a turning position of the turning member configured to turn in engagement with the operation member, a second detection unit adapted to detect a turning amount and a rotational direction of the operation member when the operation member is disengaged from the turning member, and a moving unit adapted to move the focusing lens along the optical axis based on an output from the first detection unit or the second detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Toyama, Tamotsu Koiwai, Takeshi Ito
  • Patent number: 8559807
    Abstract: A lens barrel of the present invention includes: a first barrel; a second barrel capable of relative rotation around an optical axis with respect to the first barrel; a focusing lens; a drive portion that drives the focusing lens; a rotational operation member that can move in the optical axis direction to a first position, and a second position; and an engagement portion that, when the rotational operation member is at the second position, causes the second barrel and the rotational operation member to engage with each other and rotates the second barrel accompanying rotation of the rotational operation member, and when the rotational operation member is at the first position, disengages the second barrel and the rotational operation member from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Toyama, Takeshi Ito, Tamotsu Koiwai
  • Patent number: 8553136
    Abstract: A camera system of this invention includes: a fixed member; a focusing lens; a drive portion that drives the focusing lens; a rotational member to be engaged; an operation ring that can be positioned at a first position and a second position in the optical axis direction; an engagement portion that, when the operation ring is at the second position, causes the rotational member to be engaged and the operation ring to engage with each other; and a control portion that, when the operation ring is at the first position and the operation ring is rotated, drives the focusing lens in accordance with the rotation, and when the operation ring is at the second position, drives the focusing lens in accordance with a relative movement position between the rotational member to be engaged and the fixed member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Toyama, Takeshi Ito, Tamotsu Koiwai
  • Publication number: 20120328276
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes an operation member adapted to be movable to a first position and a second position and turnable at each of the positions, a turning member adapted to turnably engage with the operation member at the second position, and disengage from the operation member at the first position, a first detection unit adapted to detect a turning position of the turning member configured to turn in engagement with the operation member, a second detection unit adapted to detect a turning amount and a rotational direction of the operation member when the operation member is disengaged from the turning member, and a moving unit adapted to move the focusing lens along the optical axis based on an output from the first detection unit or the second detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Toyama, Tamotsu Koiwai, Takeshi Ito
  • Patent number: 7554754
    Abstract: A lens barrel has a first group frame provided with a rotating frame having a cam groove and made of a synthetic resin and a cam follower made of a synthetic resin integrated with the circumferential face for relative movement with the rotating frame and engaged with the cam groove, in which a shaft member made of metal is inserted into the center portion of the cam follower. If the lens barrel is dropped and the first group frame undergoes a relatively large impact force, the impact force acts between the cam groove and the cam follower, but since the shaft member is inserted into the cam follower as mentioned above, breakage of a root portion of the cam follower is prevented, and since the cam groove and the cam follower are both resin, plastic deformation on the cam groove side is also prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignees: Olympus Corporation, Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Takashi Miyazawa, Mitsuru Toyama
  • Publication number: 20080252998
    Abstract: A lens barrel has a first group frame provided with a rotating frame having a cam groove and made of a synthetic resin and a cam follower made of a synthetic resin integrated with the circumferential face for relative movement with the rotating frame and engaged with the cam groove, in which a shaft member made of metal is inserted into the center portion of the cam follower. If the lens barrel is dropped and the first group frame undergoes a relatively large impact force, the impact force acts between the cam groove and the cam follower, but since the shaft member is inserted into the cam follower as mentioned above, breakage of a root portion of the cam follower is prevented, and since the cam groove and the cam follower are both resin, plastic deformation on the cam groove side is also prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Takashi Miyazawa, Mitsuru Toyama