Patents by Inventor Naoki Tatehata

Naoki Tatehata 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: 20100140069
    Abstract: A concavo-convex light emitting section provided on an under surface of a base material is formed of a synthetic resin with inorganic oxide dispersed therein. A larger amount of light is reflected by inorganic oxide having a large refractive index and dispersed inside the synthetic resin, to cause a plurality of light emitting sections to emit bright light with a small number of light emitting elements. A light guiding sheet capable of making bright and uniform illumination and a movable contact body using the same are realized with a simple configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki TATEHATA, Tsutomu AISAKA, Hirotoshi WATANABE, Yousuke CHIKAHISA
  • Patent number: 7718910
    Abstract: A movable contact assembly includes a movable contact having a dome shape, a base sheet contacting an upper surface of the movable contact, a columnar portion provided on an upper surface of the base sheet, and a light guide sheet provided on an upper surface of the columnar portion. The light guide sheet has a light-receiving surface for introducing light into the light guide sheet, and allows the introduced light to be emitted from an upper surface of the light guide sheet. The base sheet includes a dome portion having a concave lower surface, and a flat portion connected with an outer edge of the dome portion. The columnar portion is positioned on the upper surface of the dome portion away from the outer edge of the dome portion of the base sheet. This movable contact assembly provides a switch illuminating its upper surface and being activated easily with a preferable feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Takefumi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20100020567
    Abstract: A light guide sheet includes a material sheet having a film shape, first and second illuminations portion provided on the material sheet for diffusing light. The material sheet has a slit having substantially a strip shape provided therein and provided around the first illumination portion. The slit has a first edge and a second edge opposite to the first edge. The first edge faces the first illumination portion. The material sheet includes a first bridge and a second bridge linking the first edge of the first slit to the second edge across the first slit. This light guide sheet provides a movable contact assembly which is easily fabricated and provides preferable illuminating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Nobuhisa Takahashi, Masahiro Ito, Makoto Sadakane, Shinji Ohkawa
  • Patent number: 7626773
    Abstract: A lens unit includes a lens barrel (7) with a through hole (6), a first lens (8a) press-fitted into the through-hole (6), a first step (9a) catching an outer edge of the first lens (8a) in the through-hole (6), a second lens (8b) press-fitted into the through-hole (6) in a direction of an optical axis of the first lens (8a), and a second step (9b) catching an outer edge of the second lens (8b) in the through-hole (6). The second lens (8b) has a diameter larger than that of the first lens (8a). A third step (10a) or a sloped portion broadening the through hole from the first lens to the second lens is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshinari Noda, Naoki Tatehata, Yoshihiko Tsujikawa, Satoshi Ueda, Katsuya Morinaka
  • Publication number: 20090268454
    Abstract: A light guide sheet and a movable contact element using the single sheet have a simple structure and can be variously illuminated. The light guide sheet includes irregular-shaped light emitting elements formed on a film-like base material; and light-transmissive, belt-shaped light guide parts each connecting a predetermined number of groups of the light emitting elements. In addition, dome-shaped movable contacts formed of a conductive sheet metal are arranged on the bottom surfaces of the light emitting elements. This structure allows the light emitting elements to emit light of different colors from each other or to emit light with a time difference by making the light guide parts introduce the light of the light-emitting devices corresponding thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Naoki TATEHATA, Yousuke Chikahisa, Tsutomu Aisaka, Koji Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20090179872
    Abstract: It comprises a touch panel with a plurality of band-like optically transmissive lower electrodes and upper electrodes formed at predetermined intervals in directions perpendicular to each other on an upper surface of an optically transparent base sheet, a dome-like movable contact formed from a conductive metal sheet which is mounted under the touch panel, and a light guide sheet with a plurality of convex-concave light emitting portions formed on an optically transparent substrate, which is disposed between the touch panel and the movable contact. Accordingly, uniform illumination can be attained by using only one or two light emitting elements, and it is possible to obtain a movable contact body capable of inexpensive and reliable illumination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Yousuke Chikahisa, Koji Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20090179871
    Abstract: A touch panel includes multiple belt-like lower electrodes formed on a light transparent base sheet and multiple belt-like upper electrodes placed away from the lower electrodes with a predetermined distance therebetween and in a direction crossing with the lower electrodes at right angles. The lower and upper electrodes are made of light transmissive and electrically conductive resin, so that they can be formed in a simple way such as printing. The foregoing structure thus allows obtaining the touch panel manufactured in a simple way at a lower cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Yousuke Chikahisa, Koji Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20090173608
    Abstract: A light-guide sheet includes a light transmissive film substrate, and luminescent protrusions formed at predetermined points on the substrate. At least one of the substrate and each of the luminescent protrusions is colored to a color tone that absorbs yellow light more than blue light. Alternatively, a reflective layer colored to a color tone that absorbs yellow light more than blue light is provided on at least one of the top and bottom faces of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Naoki TATEHATA, Yousuke Chikahisa, Tsutomu Aisaka, Koji Tanabe, Hirotoshi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20090145733
    Abstract: The movable contact unit with a light-guiding function has the following structure. An uneven section is formed in a section that is to be lighted on the lower surface of a TPU-made base sheet. A film with a refractive index of light lower than that of the base sheet is disposed beneath the lower surface of the base sheet in a manner that the uneven section is embedded in the film. Besides, an adhesive layer is disposed beneath the film so as to hold a movable contact. The movable contact unit structured above is effectively employed for a lighted panel switch capable of reducing loss in amount of light and providing the section that is to be lighted with required illuminance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Naoki TATEHATA, Tsutomu Aisaka, Yousuke Chikahisa
  • Patent number: 7542221
    Abstract: A lens unit includes a first lens (2) and a second lens (3) housed in a holder (1) which may improve aberration. The first lens (2) is cylindrical having a top that functions as a lens (2a), and the second lens (3) is pressed into the cylindrical portion (2b) of the first lens (2) having a top in such a manner that the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion (2b) of the first lens (2) is pressed by the outer periphery of the second lens (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari Nishihara, Shigeo Furukawa, Toshinari Noda, Naoki Tatehata
  • Publication number: 20090133594
    Abstract: A light shielding part includes a slit provided between a first light guide body and a second light guide body, and an attenuation part which has unevenness formed by print and is additionally provided near end sides of the first light guide body and the second light guide body. The light shielding part can prevent light from being transmitted between the first light guide body and the second light guide body. With this configuration, when illumination parts of the first and second light guide bodies are illuminated, it is possible to illuminate the illumination parts of the first and second light guide bodies at different timings without the illumination part of one light guide body being illuminated with light leaked from the other light guide body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Naoki TATEHATA, Tsutomu Aisaka, Naoki Sera, Yousuke Chikahisa
  • Patent number: 7525084
    Abstract: An input device includes an input detection portion which enables detection of position inputs according to change of capacitance; a position detection portion which reads detection signals from the input detection portion and detects positions thereof; a light emitting portion placed near the input detecting portion; driving portion which drives the light emitting portion; a monitoring portion which monitors a driving voltage applied from the driving portion to the light emitting portion; and a control portion which controls a generation of pulse signals at times when the position detection portion reads the position inputs from the input detection portion, the generation of the times being based on the driving voltage monitored by the monitoring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Norifumi Sata, Naoki Tatehata
  • Publication number: 20090095607
    Abstract: A switch of the present invention has a light guide part having optical transparency formed between a light emitting device, which is arranged at an end of a light guide sheet, and a lower surface of the end of the light guide sheet, so that the light from the light emitting device passes through the light guide part and sufficient light can be introduced into the inside of the light guide sheet from the lower surface of the end, whereby a switch capable of realizing bright and satisfactory illumination is obtained with a simple configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Naoki TATEHATA, Yousuke Chikahisa, Tsutomu Alsaka
  • Publication number: 20090083659
    Abstract: A planar image and a mark are displayed on a display having an outer periphery. A region is provided on the display. The region has a boundary distanced from the outer periphery of the display. The mark is moved with respect to the planar image on the display when the mark is positioned in the region. The planar image is scrolled in a direction directed from the region to the mark on the display when the mark is positioned at an outside of the region. This method allows the mark to be positioned efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Teruyuki Kimata
  • Publication number: 20090079695
    Abstract: A dial is displayed in display unit showing a plurality of menus, and a control unit connected to an operation unit and the display unit rotates the dial in response to the move of a finger on the operation unit, and thereby a desired menu is selected, and when selecting the menu shown in the display unit, while the finger is touching the operation unit, the dial is rotated by observing the display unit, so that the menu can be selected. Hence, it is not necessary to observe visually the operating position of the operation unit every time, and the input device capable of controlling various operations of an appliance by a simple manipulation can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Teruyuki Kimata
  • Publication number: 20090033514
    Abstract: A remote controller includes a capacitive touch panel having flexibility, push switches beneath a lower surface of the capacitive touch panel, a control unit for detecting a position on an upper surface of the capacitive touch panel which is touched, and a transmitter for transmitting a first remote-control signal indicating the detected position and a second remote-control signal indicating the activating of the push switches. The remote controller is capable of remotely controlling various operations of an apparatus with a simple operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventors: Tsutomu Yamagiwa, Naoki Tatehata, Takaya Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20080314722
    Abstract: A movable contact assembly includes a movable contact having a dome shape, a base sheet contacting an upper surface of the movable contact, a columnar portion provided on an upper surface of the base sheet, and a light guide sheet provided on an upper surface of the columnar portion. The light guide sheet has a light-receiving surface for introducing light into the light guide sheet, and allows the introduced light to be emitted from an upper surface of the light guide sheet. The base sheet includes a dome portion having a concave lower surface, and a flat portion connected with an outer edge of the dome portion. The columnar portion is positioned on the upper surface of the dome portion away from the outer edge of the dome portion of the base sheet. This movable contact assembly provides a switch illuminating its upper surface and being activated easily with a preferable feeling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Takefumi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20080309638
    Abstract: An input device comprises a wiring board having stationary contacts and a module unit placed on the wiring board. The module unit has a structure formed integrally with actuating key portions, movable contacts, cushioning members and protruding portions. The movable contacts are disposed under the actuating key portions, and actuated by a push-on operation of the actuating key portions. The cushioning members are disposed in a space between a lower surface of the actuating key portions and an upper surface of a movable contact retainer bearing the movable contacts to make the space shrinkable when subjected to the push-on operation whereas it maintains an uniform height when not subjected to the push-on operation. The protruding portions depress top center portions of the movable contacts. The input device includes switch elements, each comprising the movable contact and the stationary contact, and the switch element is actuated by the push-on operation on the actuating key portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoki Tatehata
  • Publication number: 20080302642
    Abstract: A movable contact point made of a thin conductive metal sheet in an approximate dome shape is attached to the lower surface of a transparent base sheet, and the base sheet is provided at the upper or the lower surface with a fluorescent layer in the location above the movable contact point. Since, in the make-up, light can be made available for illumination in many colors other than that generated from a light emitting device, a movable contact element, as well as a switch formed using the contact element, that offers various illuminating modes can be implemented in a simple structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Takefumi Inoue, Koji Tanabe, Yousuke Chikahisa
  • Publication number: 20080252614
    Abstract: A touch panel has a lower substrate, an upper substrate, and a polarizing plate. The upper substrate is stacked on the upper surface of the lower substrate, and the polarizing plate is stacked on the upper surface of the upper substrate. Lower conductive layers that are insulated from each other and arranged in a first direction are formed on the upper surface of the lower substrate. Upper conductive layers that are insulated from each other and arranged in the second direction perpendicular to the first direction are formed on the upper surface of the upper substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Naoki Tatehata, Kenichi Matsumoto