Patents by Inventor Noboru Wakitani

Noboru Wakitani 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: 11951387
    Abstract: A controller includes a key top, a substrate, and an elastic member. The elastic member includes a pressed portion, a base, a skirt portion, and a pressing member. The substrate includes a contact. When viewed in the first direction, the pressing member is surrounded by an outer peripheral edge of a prescribed region. In the second direction, a distance between an end of the outer peripheral edge of the prescribed region on a side of a swing center of the key top and an end of a top surface on the side of the swing center is longer than a distance between an end of the outer peripheral edge of the prescribed region opposite to the swing center and an end of the top surface opposite to the swing center. In the second direction, the contact is located closer to the swing center than the top surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Ebihara, Hiroki Goto, Noboru Wakitani
  • Publication number: 20230200551
    Abstract: A connection structure includes a first apparatus and a second apparatus. The first apparatus includes a first contact portion and a surrounding wall surface. The second apparatus includes a second contact portion and a hollow projection. The first apparatus and the second apparatus are connected as being rotatable relatively to each other around a magnetic force direction and attachable to and detachable from each other, as a result of attraction by magnetic force. The projection is located with a clearance being interposed between the wall surface and the first contact portion, where the projection can be tilted in accordance with pulling including a direction component perpendicular to the magnetic force direction. In the first apparatus, a clearance between a top portion and the projection in a first direction is larger than a clearance between the top portion and the projection in a second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Kensuke MORITA, Noboru WAKITANI, Masaki AMANO, Tetsuji KAWAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220362661
    Abstract: A controller includes a key top, a substrate, and an elastic member. The elastic member includes a pressed portion, a base, a skirt portion, and a pressing member. The substrate includes a contact. When viewed in the first direction, the pressing member is surrounded by an outer peripheral edge of a prescribed region. In the second direction, a distance between an end of the outer peripheral edge of the prescribed region on a side of a swing center of the key top and an end of a top surface on the side of the swing center is longer than a distance between an end of the outer peripheral edge of the prescribed region opposite to the swing center and an end of the top surface opposite to the swing center. In the second direction, the contact is located closer to the swing center than the top surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Kazuki EBIHARA, Hiroki GOTO, Noboru WAKITANI
  • Patent number: 11422299
    Abstract: An electronic device includes a housing, a display, a light source, a light guide plate, and a mark portion. The light source is provided inside the housing and below the display. The mark portion is provided in the rear surface of the housing and includes a portion that shines as light from the light source passes therethrough. A lower end of the mark portion is defined as a first end and an upper end of the mark portion is defined as a second end. When viewed in a direction from the rear surface toward the front surface, the light source is located between the first end and the second end, and a distance from the second end to the light source is longer than a distance from the first end to the light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Ebihara, Fumihiko Inoue, Shinji Yamamoto, Hiroki Goto, Noboru Wakitani
  • Patent number: 9555330
    Abstract: An example of a configuration of an information processing system of the exemplary embodiment includes a first input device on which at least a portion of a user's body is allowed to be put and an information processing apparatus for processing data obtained from the first input device. The first input device includes a first platform on which at least a portion of a user's body is put; and a distance data output unit. The distance data output unit outputs distance data determined in accordance with a distance to an object positioned in a direction away from a platform surface of the first platform. The information processing apparatus includes a data acquisition unit and a processing unit. The data acquisition unit acquires the distance data outputted by the distance data output unit. The processing unit performs a predetermined process, based on the distance data acquired by the data acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Genyo Takeda, Noboru Wakitani
  • Patent number: 9474980
    Abstract: A controller cover includes a main body portion attached to an outer surface of a controller, and the main body portion includes a contacted portion where a contacted inner surface is in contact with the outer surface of the controller and a non-contacted portion where a non-contacted inner surface is not in contact with the outer surface of the controller. Elastic deforming protrusions are formed on the non-contacted inner surface. When the controller attached with the cover interferes with other thing, and the non-contacted portion of the cover is subjected to shock, the elastic deforming protrusion of the non-contacted portion is deformed to ease the shock, so that the controller and the interfering other thing are protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Wakitani, Junji Takamoto, Kenichiro Ashida, Masato Ibuki
  • Patent number: 8910338
    Abstract: A lens cleaner (10) cleans a pickup lens (38) within an optical disk device (12). The lens cleaner (10) includes a disk portion (16) and a grip (20) provided at the rear end thereof. A user inserts the lens cleaner (10) into a slot (14) of the optical disk device (12) with the grip (20) holding with a hand (18) to thereby load the lens cleaner (10) into the interior of the optical disk device 12. When the user turns the lens cleaner (10) right and left with the grip (20) holding, a lens surface is cleaned by a cleaning member upheaving on a bottom surface of the disk portion (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Nagata, Junji Takamoto, Noboru Wakitani, Yuji Hori, Junichi Takatori, Toshiaki Iwao, Masahiko Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8900058
    Abstract: An operating apparatus for game machine includes a depressing member. A main body of the depressing member is provided with three engaging protrusions and two depressing protrusions that downwardly protrude. For example, the two depressing protrusions are provided between the three engaging protrusions. In response to a beating operation, the right side of the depressing member is depressed, and an engaging portion of the engaging protrusion at the left side is engaged with a rear surface of an upper surface panel. Accordingly, the depressing member depressed at the right side without being upwardly actuated, and a rubber switch depressed by the depressing protrusion is brought into contact with a board. At this time, a contact provided on the board and a contact provided on the rubber switch are brought into contact with each other, and an operation signal according to the beating operation is output to the game machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignees: Nintendo Co., Ltd., Kabushiki Kaisha Bandai Namco Games
    Inventors: Noboru Wakitani, Junji Takamoto, Takeshi Nagareda, Kuniaki Ito, Hideo Nagata, Hiroshi Igarashi, Akio Onda
  • Publication number: 20140342208
    Abstract: A battery accommodation structure includes, in an accommodation case configured to accommodating a battery, a positive electrode terminal, a negative electrode terminal, and a clamping spring. The positive electrode terminal is connected to a positive electrode of the battery. The negative electrode terminal is connected to a negative electrode of the battery. The clamping spring is provided between the positive electrode terminal and the negative electrode terminal and clamps a part of an outer peripheral surface of the battery. Thus, it is possible to accommodate the battery without supporting the battery with a cover to be attached after the accommodation of the battery, using a holding member or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki IWAO, Junji TAKAMOTO, Noboru WAKITANI, Masato IBUKI, Yoshitaka TAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140342206
    Abstract: A battery accommodation structure includes an accommodation case and a movable partition portion. The accommodation case accommodates a first battery and a second battery. The partition portion is provided in the accommodation case and partitions the accommodation case into a first accommodation space for accommodating a first battery and a second accommodation space for accommodating a second battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: NINTENDO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki IWAO, Yoshitaka TAMURA, Masato IBUKI, Noboru WAKITANI, Junji TAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20140323230
    Abstract: A controller cover includes a main body portion attached to an outer surface of a controller, and the main body portion includes a contacted portion where a contacted inner surface is in contact with the outer surface of the controller and a non-contacted portion where a non-contacted inner surface is not in contact with the outer surface of the controller. Elastic deforming protrusions are formed on the non-contacted inner surface. When the controller attached with the cover interferes with other thing, and the non-contacted portion of the cover is subjected to shock, the elastic deforming protrusion of the non-contacted portion is deformed to ease the shock, so that the controller and the interfering other thing are protected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Noboru WAKITANI, Junji TAKAMOTO
  • Patent number: 8777745
    Abstract: A controller cover includes a main body portion attached to an outer surface of a controller, and the main body portion includes a contacted portion where a contacted inner surface is in contact with the outer surface of the controller and a non-contacted portion where a non-contacted inner surface is not in contact with the outer surface of the controller. Elastic deforming protrusions are formed on the non-contacted inner surface. When the controller attached with the cover interferes with other thing, and the non-contacted portion of the cover is subjected to shock, the elastic deforming protrusion of the non-contacted portion is deformed to ease the shock, so that the controller and the interfering other thing are protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Wakitani, Junji Takamoto, Kenichiro Ashida, Masato Ibuki
  • Patent number: 8702514
    Abstract: An example controller system includes a terminal device, and an input device as an additional device configured to be attachable to and detachable from the terminal device. The terminal device includes a generally plate-shaped housing, and an LCD 51 provided on the front side of the housing. The input device includes an operation section such as a stick, a bar-shaped first grip portion, and a support portion. The support portion detachably supports the terminal device so that the screen of the LCD is in a generally vertical direction when the first grip portion is in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ashida, Noboru Wakitani, Yositomo Goto, Yuji Hori, Takafumi Nishida, Hiroki Ikuta, Junji Takamoto, Masato Ibuki, Shinji Yamamoto, Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Fumiyoshi Suetake, Akiko Suga, Naoya Yamamoto, Daisuke Kumazaki
  • Publication number: 20130190091
    Abstract: An operating apparatus for game machine includes a depressing member, and a main body of the depressing member is provided with three engaging protrusions and two depressing protrusions that downwardly protrude. For example, the two depressing protrusions are provided between the three engaging protrusions. In response to a beating operation by a player, the right side of the depressing member is depressed, and then, an engaging portion of the engaging protrusion at the left side is engaged with a rear surface of an upper surface panel. Accordingly, the depressing member is sure to be depressed at the right side without being upwardly actuated, and a rubber switch depressed by the depressing protrusion is brought into contact with a board. At this time, a contact provided on the board and a contact provided on the rubber switch are brought into contact with each other, and an operation signal according to the beating operation is output to the game machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Bandai Namco Games, Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru WAKITANI, Junji TAKAMOTO, Takeshi NAGAREDA, Kuniaki ITO, Hideo NAGATA, Hiroshi IGARASHI, Akio ONDA
  • Patent number: 8439753
    Abstract: An operating apparatus for game machine includes a depressing member, and a main body of the depressing member is provided with three engaging protrusions and two depressing protrusions that downwardly protrude. For example, the two depressing protrusions are provided between the three engaging protrusions. In response to a beating operation by a player, the right side of the depressing member is depressed, and then, an engaging portion of the engaging protrusion at the left side is engaged with a rear surface of an upper surface panel. Accordingly, the depressing member is sure to be depressed at the right side without being upwardly actuated, and a rubber switch depressed by the depressing protrusion is brought into contact with a board. At this time, a contact provided on the board and a contact provided on the rubber switch are brought into contact with each other, and an operation signal according to the beating operation is output to the game machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignees: Nintendo Co., Ltd, Kabushiki Kaisha Bandai Namco Games
    Inventors: Noboru Wakitani, Junji Takamoto, Takeshi Nagareda, Kuniaki Ito, Hideo Nagata, Hiroshi Igarashi, Akio Onda
  • Patent number: 8384565
    Abstract: An expanding operating device has a first connector, a second connector and a sensor. The first connector has a first shape physically and electrically connectable with a connector provided with an operating device. Thus, by connecting the first connector to the connector of the operating device, the expanding operating device can be used with the operating device as a single unit, which eventually adds the sensor to the operating device. On the other hand, the second connector has a second shape connectable with a connector with the first shape. This allows a connector conventionally connected to the connector of another operating device to be also connected with the second connector. Accordingly, if the connector of another device is connected to the second connector in a state that the first connector is connected to the connector of the operating device, the another device is eventually connected to the operating device via the expanding operating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Urata, Haruki Tojo, Jumpei Wada, Junji Takamoto, Noboru Wakitani, Kuniaki Itou, Junpei Ueki, Masato Ibuki, Fumiyoshi Suetake
  • Patent number: D682946
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ashida, Masato Ibuki, Shinji Yamamoto, Fumiyoshi Suetake, Akiko Suga, Naoya Yamamoto, Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Noboru Wakitani
  • Patent number: D684916
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ashida, Masato Ibuki, Shinji Yamamoto, Fumiyoshi Suetake, Akiko Suga, Naoya Yamamoto, Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Junji Takamoto, Noboru Wakitani, Yasuhisa Kitano, Toshiaki Iwao, Yuji Hori, Takafumi Nishida, Hiroki Ikuta
  • Patent number: D706357
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ashida, Masato Ibuki, Shinji Yamamoto, Fumiyoshi Suetake, Akiko Suga, Naoya Yamamoto, Hitoshi Tsuchiya, Junji Takamoto, Noboru Wakitani, Yasuhisa Kitano, Toshiaki Iwao, Yuji Hori, Takafumi Nishida, Hiroki Ikuta
  • Patent number: D706358
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Nintendo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Yamamoto, Fumiyoshi Suetake, Masato Ibuki, Kenichiro Ashida, Noboru Wakitani, Hiroki Ikuta, Xiaoming Jin, Junji Takamoto