Patents by Inventor Norinao Kouma

Norinao Kouma 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).

  • Micro mirror unit including mirror substrate and wiring substrate spaced by conductive spacer
    Patent number: 6806992
    Abstract: A micro mirror unit includes a micro mirror substrate, a wiring substrate and an electroconductive spacer disposed between these substrates. The micro mirror substrate includes a moving part, a frame and torsion bars connecting the moving part to the frame. The moving part is provided with a mirror-formed portion. The wiring substrate is formed with a wiring pattern. The electroconductive spacer electrically connects the frame to the wiring pattern, while also providing a space between the micro mirror substrate and the wiring substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Media Devices Limited
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Soneda, Satoshi Ueda, Hisao Okuda, Ippei Sawaki, Osamu Tsuboi, Yoshihiro Mizuno, Norinao Kouma, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Fumio Yamagishi
  • Micromirror unit fabrication method and micromirror unit made by the same
    Publication number: 20040141894
    Abstract: A method of making a micromirror unit is provided. In accordance with the method, a micromirror unit is made from a material substrate having a multi-layer structure composed of silicon layers and at least one intermediate layer. The resulting micromirror unit includes a mirror forming base, a frame and a torsion bar. The method includes the following steps. First, a pre-torsion bar is formed by subjecting one of the silicon layers to etching. The obtained pre-torsion bar is rendered smaller in thickness than the mirror forming base and is held in contact with the intermediate layer. Then, the desired torsion bar is obtained by removing the intermediate layer contacting with the pre-torsion bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Applicants: FUJITSU LIMITED, FUJITSU MEDIA DEVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Mizuno, Satoshi Ueda, Osamu Tsuboi, Ippei Sawaki, Hisao Okuda, Fumio Yamagishi, Norinao Kouma
  • Micromirror unit fabrication method and micromirror unit made by the same
    Patent number: 6723659
    Abstract: A method of making a micromirror unit is provided. In accordance with the method, a micromirror unit is made from a material substrate having a multi-layer structure composed of silicon layers and at least one intermediate layer. The resulting micromirror unit includes a mirror forming base, a frame and a torsion bar. The method includes the following steps. First, a pre-torsion bar is formed by subjecting one of the silicon layers to etching. The obtained pre-torsion bar is rendered smaller in thickness than the mirror forming base and is held in contact with the intermediate layer. Then, the desired torsion bar is obtained by removing the intermediate layer contacting with the pre-torsion bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignees: Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Media Devices Limited
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Mizuno, Satoshi Ueda, Osamu Tsuboi, Ippei Sawaki, Hisao Okuda, Fumio Yamagishi, Norinao Kouma
  • Method of making device chips collectively from common material substrate
    Publication number: 20040014300
    Abstract: A plurality of micromirror chips are collectively made from a common substrate. Each of the micromirror chips is formed with a micromirror unit including a frame, a mirror-forming portion separate from the frame via spaces, and torsion bars connecting the mirror-forming portion to the frame. The common substrate is subjected to etching to provide the spaces and make division grooves for dividing the common substrate into the individual micromirror chips. The etching for the spaces and the etching for the division grooves are performed in parallel with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicants: FUJITSU LIMITED, FUJITSU MEDIA DEVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Norinao Kouma, Yoshihiro Mizuno, Hisao Okuda, Ippei Sawaki, Osamu Tsuboi, Yoshitaka Nakamura
  • Micro mirror unit and method of making the same
    Publication number: 20030227700
    Abstract: A micro mirror unit includes a moving part carrying a mirror portion, a frame and torsion bars connecting the moving part to the frame. The moving part, the frame and the torsion bars are formed integral from a material substrate. The frame includes a portion thicker than the moving part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Applicants: FUJITSU LIMITED, FUJITSU MEDIA DEVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Mizuno, Satoshi Ueda, Osamu Tsuboi, Ippei Sawaki, Hisao Okuda, Norinao Kouma, Hiromitsu Soneda, Fumio Yamagishi
  • Micro mirror unit including mirror substrate and wiring substrate spaced by conductive spacer
    Publication number: 20030218793
    Abstract: A micro mirror unit includes a micro mirror substrate, a wiring substrate and an electroconductive spacer disposed between these substrates. The micro mirror substrate includes a moving part, a frame and torsion bars connecting the moving part to the frame. The moving part is provided with a mirror-formed portion. The wiring substrate is formed with a wiring pattern. The electroconductive spacer electrically connects the frame to the wiring pattern, while also providing a space between the micro mirror substrate and the wiring substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2002
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Applicants: FUJITSU LIMITED, FUJITSU MEDIA DEVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Soneda, Satoshi Ueda, Hisao Okuda, Ippei Sawaki, Osamu Tsuboi, Yoshihiro Mizuno, Norinao Kouma, Yoshitaka Nakamura, Fumio Yamagishi
  • Micromirror unit fabrication method and micromirror unit made by the same
    Publication number: 20030035192
    Abstract: A method of making a micromirror unit is provided. In accordance with the method, a micromirror unit is made from a material substrate having a multi-layer structure composed of silicon layers and at least one intermediate layer. The resulting micromirror unit includes a mirror forming base, a frame and a torsion bar. The method includes the following steps. First, a pre-torsion bar is formed by subjecting one of the silicon layers to etching. The obtained pre-torsion bar is rendered smaller in thickness than the mirror forming base and is held in contact with the intermediate layer. Then, the desired torsion bar is obtained by removing the intermediate layer contacting with the pre-torsion bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Mizuno, Satoshi Ueda, Osamu Tsuboi, Ippei Sawaki, Hisao Okuda, Fumio Yamagishi, Norinao Kouma