Patents by Inventor Norihiko Saka

Norihiko Saka 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: 8780456
    Abstract: A lens barrel of the present invention includes: a fixing frame having a plurality of cam grooves that are formed an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame and also having a protrusion provided between any adjacent two of the cam grooves among a plurality of the cam grooves; and a drive frame having cam followers that are provided to an outer circumferential surface of drive frame, are engaged with the cam grooves, and are movable along the cam grooves. With this configuration, when an external force is applied to the drive frame, an end portion of the drive frame comes into contact with the protrusion to prevent the cam followers from coming out of the cam grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Shinano, Tetsuya Uno, Norihiko Saka, Kazuaki Matsui
  • Publication number: 20130342917
    Abstract: A lens barrel of the present invention includes: a fixing frame having a plurality of cam grooves that are formed an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame and also having a protrusion provided between any adjacent two of the cam grooves among a plurality of the cam grooves; and a drive frame having cam followers that are provided to an outer circumferential surface of drive frame, are engaged with the cam grooves, and are movable along the cam grooves. With this configuration, when an external force is applied to the drive frame, an end portion of the drive frame comes into contact with the protrusion to prevent the cam followers from coming out of the cam grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio SHINANO, Tetsuya UNO, Norihiko SAKA, Kazuaki MATSUI
  • Patent number: 8547647
    Abstract: A lens barrel of the present invention includes: a fixing frame having a plurality of cam grooves that are formed an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame and also having a protrusion provided between any adjacent two of the cam grooves among a plurality of the cam grooves; and a drive frame having cam followers that are provided to an outer circumferential surface of drive frame, are engaged with the cam grooves, and are movable along the cam grooves. With this configuration, when an external force is applied to the drive frame, an end portion of the drive frame comes into contact with the protrusion to prevent the cam followers from coming out of the cam grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Shinano, Tetsuya Uno, Norihiko Saka, Kazuaki Matsui
  • Patent number: 8456755
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a fixing frame provided with cam grooves formed in an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame, and a drive frame provided with cam followers formed on an outer circumferential surface of the drive frame and a plurality of engaging teeth to the outer circumferential surface of the drive frame, located on substantially the same circumference as the cam followers. With the drive frame incorporated in the fixing frame, the cam followers are fitted in the cam grooves, drive force is transmitted via the engaging teeth, and the drive frame can move relative to the fixing frame in the optical axis direction of a lens as the cam followers move along the cam grooves. In this lens barrel, cam followers are less likely to come out of the cam grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Shinano, Tetsuya Uno, Norihiko Saka, Kazuaki Matsui
  • Publication number: 20120307380
    Abstract: A lens barrel includes a fixing frame provided with cam grooves formed in an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame, and a drive frame provided with cam followers formed on an outer circumferential surface of the drive frame and a plurality of engaging teeth to the outer circumferential surface of the drive frame, located on substantially the same circumference as the cam followers. With the drive frame incorporated in the fixing frame, the cam followers are fitted in the cam grooves, drive force is transmitted via the engaging teeth, and the drive frame can move relative to the fixing frame in the optical axis direction of a lens as the cam followers move along the cam grooves. In this lens barrel, cam followers are less likely to come out of the cam grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumio SHINANO, Tetsuya UNO, Norihiko SAKA, Kazuaki MATSUI
  • Patent number: 8223441
    Abstract: A lens barrel of the present invention includes a fixing frame 100 provided with cam grooves 103-105 formed in an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame, and a drive frame 200 provided with cam followers 201-203 formed on an outer circumferential surface of the drive frame and a plurality of engaging teeth 200a provided to the outer circumferential surface of the drive frame so as to be located on substantially the same circumference as the cam followers 201-203. The drive frame 200 is adapted such that, with the drive frame incorporated in the fixing frame 100, the cam followers 201-203 are fitted in the cam grooves 103-105, drive force is transmitted via the engaging teeth 200a, and the drive frame 200 can move relative to the fixing frame 100 in the optical axis direction of a lens as the cam followers 201-203 move along the cam grooves 103-105.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Shinano, Tetsuya Uno, Norihiko Saka, Kazuaki Matsui
  • Publication number: 20100296176
    Abstract: A lens barrel of the present invention includes: a fixing frame having a plurality of cam grooves that are formed an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame and also having a protrusion provided between any adjacent two of the cam grooves among a plurality of the cam grooves; and a drive frame having cam followers that are provided to an outer circumferential surface of drive frame, are engaged with the cam grooves, and are movable along the cam grooves. With this configuration, when an external force is applied to the drive frame, an end portion of the drive frame comes into contact with the protrusion to prevent the cam followers from coming out of the cam grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumio Shinano, Tetsuya Uno, Norihiko Saka, Kazuaki Matsui
  • Publication number: 20100290132
    Abstract: A lens barrel of the present invention includes a fixing frame 100 provided with cam grooves 103-105 formed in an inner circumferential surface of the fixing frame, and a drive frame 200 provided with cam followers 201-203 formed on an outer circumferential surface of the drive frame and a plurality of engaging teeth 200a provided to the outer circumferential surface of the drive frame so as to be located on substantially the same circumference as the cam followers 201-203. The drive frame 200 is adapted such that, with the drive frame incorporated in the fixing frame 100, the cam followers 201-203 are fitted in the cam grooves 103-105, drive force is transmitted via the engaging teeth 200a, and the drive frame 200 can move relative to the fixing frame 100 in the optical axis direction of a lens as the cam followers 201-203 move along the cam grooves 103-105.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumio Shinano, Tetsuya Uno, Norihiko Saka, Kazuaki Matsui
  • Patent number: 5939804
    Abstract: A linear actuator in a simple structure with an excellent S/N characteristic has a movable coil incorporating a pair of magnetic circuits 8a and 8b. The magnetic circuit 8a comprises yokes 6a and 7a, and a magnet 5a of which polarization direction is vertical with regard to a driving direction. The magnetic circuit 8b has the same structure as 8a. As a position detector, a magnetic sensor 10 and a magnetic scale 11 are disposed opposite with each other on a stator side and on a movable element side respetively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suguru Nakao, Tomokazu Tokunaga, Yosuke Yamane, Norihiko Saka