Patents by Inventor Nozomu HIROKUBO

Nozomu HIROKUBO 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: 20140340686
    Abstract: An etalon is provided with a fixed substrate and a movable substrate opposed to the fixed substrate. The fixed substrate is provided with a first bonding surface to be bonded to the movable substrate via a bonding film and a first electrode surface on which a part of the first electrode is formed. The movable substrate is provided with a second bonding surface to be bonded to the first bonding surface via the bonding film and a second electrode surface on which a part of the second electrode is formed. In the state in which the fixed substrate and the movable substrate are bonded to each other with the bonding film, the first electrode formed on the first electrode surface and the second electrode formed on the second electrode surface have contact with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Akira SANO, Nozomu HIROKUBO
  • Patent number: 8848196
    Abstract: A spectrophotometer includes a fixed substrate having a fixed reflecting film, a movable substrate having a movable reflecting film, a tunable interference filter having a static actuator changing the gap distance of an inter-reflecting film gap between the fixed reflecting film and the movable reflecting film, a detecting section detecting the light intensity of a light extracted by the tunable interference filter, a voltage setting section and a voltage controlling section that apply a continuously-varying analog voltage to the static actuator, a voltage monitoring section monitoring the voltage applied to the static actuator, and a light intensity obtaining section obtaining the light intensity detected by the detecting section when the voltage monitored by the voltage monitoring section becomes a predetermined voltage to be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Teruyuki Nishimura, Nozomu Hirokubo
  • Patent number: 8848293
    Abstract: An optical filter includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, a first optical film provided on a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, a second optical film provided on the second substrate and opposed to the first optical film via a gap, a first electrode provided on the surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, and a second electrode provided on the second substrate and opposed to the first electrode, wherein a first charged body film with charge is formed on top of the first optical film, a second charged body film with charge is formed on top of the second optical film, and the first charged body film and the second charged body film are charged with the same polarity and opposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Teruyuki Nishimura, Nozomu Hirokubo
  • Publication number: 20140263983
    Abstract: An interference filter includes a first substrate on which a fixed reflection film is provided, a second substrate which faces the first substrate and on which a movable reflection film is provided, a first bonding film that bonds the first substrate and the second substrate to each other, and a sealer that is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate in a first interspace that allows a first internal space sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate to communicate with a space outside the interference filter, the sealer sealing the first internal space, and an inter-substrate distance between the first substrate and the second substrate in the first interspace decreases in a direction from outer circumferential edges of the substrates toward an inner portion of the first interspace in a plan view viewed in a substrate thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nozomu Hirokubo
  • Patent number: 8830586
    Abstract: An etalon is provided with a fixed substrate and a movable substrate opposed to the fixed substrate. The fixed substrate is provided with a first bonding surface to be bonded to the movable substrate via a bonding film and a first electrode surface on which a part of the first electrode is formed. The movable substrate is provided with a second bonding surface to be bonded to the first bonding surface via the bonding film and a second electrode surface on which a part of the second electrode is formed. In the state in which the fixed substrate and the movable substrate are bonded to each other with the bonding film, the first electrode formed on the first electrode surface and the second electrode formed on the second electrode surface have contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Sano, Nozomu Hirokubo
  • Publication number: 20140071445
    Abstract: An optical module includes a wavelength variable interference filter having a fixed reflective film, a movable reflective film which faces the fixed reflective film with a gap between reflective films interposed therebetween, and an electrostatic actuator that changes the gap between reflective films, and a gap control unit that controls the electrostatic actuator. The gap control unit controls the electrostatic actuator on the basis of an order which is set in accordance with a wavelength to be measured, and changes the gap between the reflective films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori MATSUSHITA, Nozomu Hirokubo
  • Publication number: 20140063501
    Abstract: A variable wavelength interference filter includes a first substrate having a stationary mirror, a second substrate bonded to the first substrate and provided with a movable section and a movable mirror fixed to the movable section, and a third substrate bonded to the second substrate on an opposite side to the first substrate, and is provided with a first inner space sandwiched by the first substrate and the second substrate, a first gap, through which the first inner space communicates with the outside, a second inner space sandwiched by the second substrate and the third substrate, and a second gap, through which the second inner space communicates with the outside, and the first gap and the second gap are each sealed by a sealing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nozomu HIROKUBO
  • Publication number: 20140022643
    Abstract: A variable wavelength interference filter includes a stationary substrate and a movable substrate opposed to each other, the stationary substrate includes a stationary reflecting film, a first drive electrode, and a first capacitance detecting electrode, and the movable substrate includes a movable reflecting film arranged to have an inter-reflecting film gap with the stationary substrate, a second drive electrode arranged to have an inter-drive electrode gap with the first drive electrode, and a second capacitance detecting electrode arranged to have an inter-capacitance detecting electrode gap with the first capacitance detecting electrode. The capacitance detecting electrodes detect the capacitance between the electrodes. The gap amount of the inter-reflecting film gap is changed by the drive electrodes. The gap amounts of the inter-reflecting film gap, the inter-drive electrode gap, and the inter-capacitance detecting electrode gap are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventor: Nozomu Hirokubo
  • Publication number: 20130308134
    Abstract: A optical module includes, a wavelength variable interference filter which include reflection films opposite to each other and an electrostatic actuator portion including a first electrostatic actuator and a second electrostatic actuator and changing a gap between the reflection films, and a voltage control portion which controls voltage which is applied to the electrostatic actuator portion, the voltage control portion includes, a bias driving portion which applies bias voltage to the first electrostatic actuator, a gap detector, and a feedback control portion which applies feedback voltage corresponding to a detected gap amount to the second electrostatic actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Nozomu HIROKUBO
  • Publication number: 20130038876
    Abstract: A variable wavelength interference filter includes a first substrate having a fixed mirror, a second substrate bonded to the first substrate and having a movable portion and a movable mirror fixed to the movable portion, a third substrate bonded to the second substrate on the side opposite to the first substrate, and an electrostatic actuator which displaces the movable portion in a substrate thickness direction, wherein a penetration hole connecting a light exiting-side space between the first substrate and the second substrate and a light incident-side space between the second substrate and the third substrate to a space outside the filter is formed, and the penetration hole is sealed with a sealant which tightly closes each space in a reduced-pressure state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuji ARAKAWA, Nozomu HIROKUBO, Hiroshi KOMATSU
  • Publication number: 20120287438
    Abstract: An optical filter includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, a first optical film provided on a surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, a second optical film provided on the second substrate and opposed to the first optical film via a gap, a first electrode provided on the surface of the first substrate facing the second substrate, and a second electrode provided on the second substrate and opposed to the first electrode, wherein a first charged body film with charge is formed on top of the first optical film, a second charged body film with charge is formed on top of the second optical film, and the first charged body film and the second charged body film are charged with the same polarity and opposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teruyuki NISHIMURA, Nozomu HIROKUBO
  • Publication number: 20120257205
    Abstract: A tunable interference filter includes: a first substrate; a second substrate; a first drive electrode provided on the first substrate ; a second drive electrode provided on the second substrate; a first detection electrode provided on the first substrate; a second detection electrode provided on the second substrate, wherein the first drive electrode includes a first partial drive electrode and a second partial drive electrode, a first lead drive electrode extending from the first partial drive electrode and a second lead drive electrode extending from the second partial drive electrode are provided on the first substrate, the first detection electrode includes a first partial detection electrode and a second partial detection electrode provided along a virtual circle, a first lead detection electrode extending from the first partial detection electrode and a second lead detection electrode extending from the second partial detection electrode are provided on the first substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nozomu HIROKUBO
  • Publication number: 20120206731
    Abstract: An etalon is provided with a fixed substrate and a movable substrate opposed to the fixed substrate. The fixed substrate is provided with a first bonding surface to be bonded to the movable substrate via a bonding film and a first electrode surface on which a part of the first electrode is formed. The movable substrate is provided with a second bonding surface to be bonded to the first bonding surface via the bonding film and a second electrode surface on which a part of the second electrode is formed. In the state in which the fixed substrate and the movable substrate are bonded to each other with the bonding film, the first electrode formed on the first electrode surface and the second electrode formed on the second electrode surface have contact with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira SANO, Nozomu HIROKUBO
  • Publication number: 20120188552
    Abstract: A variable wavelength interference filter includes a fixed substrate having a fixed reflecting film, a movable substrate having a movable reflecting film, and an electrostatic actuator including a fixed electrode and a movable electrode. The fixed electrode includes first and second fixed partial electrodes electrically isolated from each other. First and second extraction electrodes extending from the first and second fixed partial electrodes, respectively, are formed on the fixed substrate. The movable electrode is formed in a ring shape covering first and second facing regions facing the first and second fixed partial electrodes, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nozomu HIROKUBO
  • Publication number: 20120154915
    Abstract: A variable wavelength interference filter includes an electrostatic actuator that includes a fixed electrode and a movable electrode. The fixed electrode includes a plurality of fixed partial electrodes, the movable electrode includes a plurality of movable partial electrodes, and each partial actuator is configured by the fixed partial electrode and the movable partial electrode that face each other. The partial actuators have an equal area, have centers of gravity thereof arranged at equal angular intervals on a virtual circle having a center point of the movable portion as its center, and are electrically connected in series between partial electrodes for voltage application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nozomu HIROKUBO
  • Publication number: 20120120402
    Abstract: A wavelength variable interference filter includes: a first movable mirror disposed on a first substrate; a second movable mirror disposed so as to be opposed to the first movable mirror with a predetermined gap interposed therebetween; and an electrostatic actuator which varies the length of the gap between the mirrors. The first substrate has a first movable portion on which the first movable mirror is disposed, and a first linkage portion which holds the first movable portion in such a manner that the first movable portion can shift in the thickness direction of the substrate. The second substrate has a second movable portion on which the second movable mirror is disposed, and a second linkage portion which holds the second movable portion in such a manner that the second movable portion can shift in the thickness direction of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nozomu HIROKUBO, Koji KITAHARA
  • Publication number: 20120086945
    Abstract: A tunable interference filter comprising a first substrate, a second substrate facing the first substrate, a first reflection film formed on the first substrate, a second reflection film formed on the second substrate, the second reflection film facing the first reflection film by interposing a gap, and a gap adjustable-part that adjusts the gap, wherein the second substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface, wherein the second substrate includes a first groove on the first surface, and wherein the second substrate includes a second groove on the second surface, the second groove facing the first groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nozomu HIROKUBO, Akira SANO
  • Publication number: 20110194118
    Abstract: A wavelength variable interference filter includes: a first substrate which has a light transmissive property; a second substrate which has a light transmissive property and is disposed to face one surface of the first substrate and is bonded thereto; a first reflection film which is provided on the first substrate; a second reflection film which is provided on the second substrate; and a variable section which varies the gap; wherein the second substrate includes: a first layer which has a movable section; and a second layer which is laminated to a surface of the first layer facing the first substrate, is formed in a plate shape with a uniform thickness, and has a support section configured to displaceably support the movable section; and the first layer is not laminated to at least a region overlapping with the support section in the planar view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nozomu HIROKUBO, Seiji YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20100302660
    Abstract: An optical filter includes: a first substrate and a second substrate that are disposed to face each other; a first mirror and a first electrode that are disposed on the second substrate side of the first substrate; and a second mirror and a second electrode that are disposed on the first substrate side of the second substrate, wherein the first mirror and the second mirror are connected via a wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nozomu HIROKUBO, Tsukasa FUNASAKA