Patents by Inventor Osamu Tanahashi

Osamu Tanahashi 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: 10240730
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source unit; and a light guide plate configured to guide light from the light source unit and to emit the light outward. The light guide plate includes an incidence surface which constitutes one end surface of the light guide plate and on which the light from the light source unit is incident, and emission surfaces which constitute opposite main surfaces of the light guide plate and from which the light incident on the incidence surface is emitted. The emission surfaces include dots formed by micro prism processing. The dots on one of the emission surfaces and the dots on the other emission surface are position-shifted in rotational symmetry with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiro Saimi, Osamu Tanahashi
  • Publication number: 20180267229
    Abstract: A light guide includes: an incident surface onto which light is emitted; a light exit surface which intersects with the incident surface and from which light is emitted; and a facing surface opposite to the light exit surface. The light guide includes a plurality of clusters of diffusion dots which diffuse light, and the plurality of clusters being regularly arranged at least on the facing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki SEKII, Shinichi ANAMI, Osamu TANAHASHI
  • Patent number: 10048426
    Abstract: A light guide includes a front surface. A back surface is opposite the front surface and includes a depression. A light incident surface introduces light. The light reflects off the depression and is emitted through the front surface. The depression includes an inclined side surface that faces the light incident surface. The inclined side surface includes a reflective curved surface that includes at least 50% of a surface area of the inclined side surface. In a cross section view of the depression in a plane substantially orthogonal to the front surface, a first tangent that touches a curved line defining the reflective curved surface of the inclined side surface and a second tangent that touches the curved line in a different location than the first tangent form a first angle that is greater than or equal to 0° and less than or equal to 30°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Tanahashi, Hiroyuki Sekii
  • Patent number: 10018767
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source unit and a light guide plate configured to guide light coming from the light source unit. The light guide plate includes an incidence surface, main emission surfaces from which the light incident on the incidence surface is emitted, and an end emission surface which is opposed to the incidence surface and from which the light is emitted. At least one of the main emission surfaces has a stepped surface which is formed such that the thickness of the light guide plate becomes thinner at a side of the end emission surface than at a side of the incidence surface. The stepped surface is configured to reflect the light in a direction opposite to a light guide direction extending from the incidence surface toward the end emission surface and inclined with respect to the light guide direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu Kawachi, Shinichi Anami, Osamu Tanahashi, Hiroyuki Sekii
  • Patent number: 9874336
    Abstract: The light emitting module includes a light source unit and a base plate where the light source unit is detachably mounted. The light source unit has an installation mechanism for installation to the base plate, and the base plate has an installation mechanism counterpart engaged with the installation mechanism. In addition, the light emitting module has a hook mechanism that catches the light source unit and the base plate when the installation mechanism and the installation mechanism counterpart are not engaged with each other. The hook mechanism is contained within a thickness of the light source unit when the light source unit is mounted to the base plate. In this configuration, it is possible to prevent the light source unit from dropping from the base plate using the hook mechanism even when engagement between the installation mechanism and the installation mechanism counterpart is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryusuke Kotera, Osamu Tanahashi, Akihiro Hirano, Hideharu Kawachi, Yohei Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9851076
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes: a holder having an elongate shape and flexibility; and a flat light-emitting element held by the holder and having a rectangular shape and flexibility. The holder includes a frame portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the holder, and a holding part protruding from the frame portion in a plan view. The frame portion of the holder and the flat light-emitting element overlap in a lateral-view direction, and the flat light-emitting element is joined to and held by the holding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru Onishi, Osamu Tanahashi
  • Patent number: 9835783
    Abstract: An optical fiber holding structure includes a light-transmitting tube configured to cover a surface-light-emitting optical fiber and a fixture configured to fix the tube to a building material. The tube is made of a material having such rigidity that the tube is not bent even when the tube is horizontally fixed by the fixture. The tube has a notch through which the optical fiber is introduced into the tube. The fixture includes an engaging portion, a mounting portion and a leg portion. The engaging portion is inserted into the tube through the notch to engage with an inner circumference of the tube. The mounting portion is mounted to the building material. The leg portion is configured to interconnect the engaging portion and the mounting portion with a predetermined gap left therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Tanahashi, Hideharu Kawachi, Shinichi Anami
  • Publication number: 20170212294
    Abstract: A light guide includes a front surface. A back surface is opposite the front surface and includes a depression. A light incident surface introduces light. The light reflects off the depression and is emitted through the front surface. The depression includes an inclined side surface that faces the light incident surface. The inclined side surface includes a reflective curved surface that includes at least 50% of a surface area of the inclined side surface. In a cross section view of the depression in a plane substantially orthogonal to the front surface, a first tangent that touches a curved line defining the reflective curved surface of the inclined side surface and a second tangent that touches the curved line in a different location than the first tangent form a first angle that is greater than or equal to 0° and less than or equal to 30°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu TANAHASHI, Hiroyuki SEKII
  • Patent number: 9699860
    Abstract: A light emitting module includes light source units having a rectangular plate shape, and a base unit having an elongated rectangular plate shape. The light source units are disposed along a straight line and removably mounted to the base unit. Each of the light source units includes a pair of engaging portions used in bringing each of the light source units into engagement with the base unit. The engaging portions are disposed in two opposite sides of a mounting surface of each of the light source units to be mounted to the base unit. The base unit includes holding portions provided along a longitudinal direction of the base unit on an attachment surface of the base unit to which the light source units are attached and holding-portion-attachment portions to which the holding portions are detachably attached at a predetermined interval along the longitudinal direction of the base unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yohei Hayashi, Osamu Tanahashi, Hideharu Kawachi, Masanao Okawa
  • Patent number: 9557029
    Abstract: A lighting device 1 includes a planar light-emitting panel 4 and a translucent material 5 disposed on a light-emitting surface side of the planar light-emitting panel 4. The planar light-emitting panel 4 has a light-emitting region 4A and a non-light-emitting region 4B. The translucent material 5 has a reflection part 51 in a region facing the non-light-emitting region 4B. Light emitted from the planar light-emitting panel 4 and guided into the translucent material 5 is reflected by the reflection part 51 and emitted to the front side of the non-light-emitting region 4B. Accordingly, the front side of the non-light-emitting region 4B does not become a dark section, so that it is capable of increasing the light irradiation region and giving the light irradiation surface having uniform illuminance even if the plural lighting devices 1 are arranged in a matrix form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Tanahashi, Yoshiyuki Miyake, Tadashi Murakami, Hideharu Kawachi
  • Publication number: 20160377783
    Abstract: An optical fiber holding structure includes a light-transmitting tube configured to cover a surface-light-emitting optical fiber and a fixture configured to fix the tube to a building material. The tube is made of a material having such rigidity that the tube is not bent even when the tube is horizontally fixed by the fixture. The tube has a notch through which the optical fiber is introduced into the tube. The fixture includes an engaging portion, a mounting portion and a leg portion. The engaging portion is inserted into the tube through the notch to engage with an inner circumference of the tube. The mounting portion is mounted to the building material. The leg portion is configured to interconnect the engaging portion and the mounting portion with a predetermined gap left therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu TANAHASHI, Hideharu KAWACHI, Shinichi ANAMI
  • Publication number: 20160377793
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source unit; and a light guide plate configured to guide light from the light source unit and to emit the light outward. The light guide plate includes an incidence surface which constitutes one end surface of the light guide plate and on which the light from the light source unit is incident, and emission surfaces which constitute opposite main surfaces of the light guide plate and from which the light incident on the incidence surface is emitted. The emission surfaces include dots formed by micro prism processing. The dots on one of the emission surfaces and the dots on the other emission surface are position-shifted in rotational symmetry with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiro SAIMI, Osamu TANAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20160377794
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source unit and a light guide plate configured to guide light coming from the light source unit. The light guide plate includes an incidence surface, main emission surfaces from which the light incident on the incidence surface is emitted, and an end emission surface which is opposed to the incidence surface and from which the light is emitted. At least one of the main emission surfaces has a stepped surface which is formed such that the thickness of the light guide plate becomes thinner at a side of the end emission surface than at a side of the incidence surface. The stepped surface is configured to reflect the light in a direction opposite to a light guide direction extending from the incidence surface toward the end emission surface and inclined with respect to the light guide direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideharu KAWACHI, Shinichi ANAMI, Osamu TANAHASHI, Hiroyuki SEKII
  • Patent number: 9518717
    Abstract: A lighting device 1 includes a planar light-emitting panel 4 and a translucent material 5 disposed on a light-emitting surface side of the planar light-emitting panel 4. The planar light-emitting panel 4 has a light-emitting region 4A and a non-light-emitting region 4B. The translucent material 5 has a reflection part 51 in a region facing the non-light-emitting region 4B. Light emitted from the planar light-emitting panel 4 and guided into the translucent material 5 is reflected by the reflection part 51 and emitted to the front side of the non-light-emitting region 4B. Accordingly, the front side of the non-light-emitting region 4B does not become a dark section, so that it is capable of increasing the light irradiation region and giving the light irradiation surface having uniform illuminance even if the plural lighting devices 1 are arranged in a matrix form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Tanahashi, Yoshiyuki Miyake, Tadashi Murakami, Hideharu Kawachi
  • Patent number: 9400095
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus includes: a light source unit that has a case storing therein a light-emitting panel and a wiring board mounted on a non-light emitting face thereof; and an attachment unit that has a housing storing therein a circuit board and configured to be detachably attached to the light source unit. The case has a wiring board storage. The housing has a circuit board storage. The case and the housing are arranged such that a whole of the wiring board storage and a whole of the circuit board storage are arranged at different positions in a direction perpendicular to an attachment direction of the light source unit and the attachment unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideharu Kawachi, Noboru Miyakawa, Hirofumi Konishi, Osamu Tanahashi
  • Patent number: 9370100
    Abstract: Auxiliary wiring boards 5a and 5b have electrode pads 51a and 51b which are electrically connected to electrode extraction units 26a and 26b of an organic EL device 21 and metal pads 52a and 52b which are electrically connected to the electrode pads 51a and 51b. The metal pads 52a and 52b are wire-bonded to metal lands 31a and 31b of a wiring board 3 by ultrasonic waves at a low joining temperature. Accordingly, a thermal denaturation of the organic EL device 21 can be suppressed and moreover, the organic EL device 21 can be electrically connected to the wiring board 3 regardless of whether the electrode extraction units 26a and 26b are made up of the metal material or the non-metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Osamu Tanahashi
  • Patent number: 9310046
    Abstract: A light emitting module includes a surface emitting panel and an optical member located at the light emitting surface side of the surface emitting panel. The surface emitting panel has a light emitting region and a non-light emitting region. The optical member has a reflector in the region corresponding to the light emitting region. The reflector has a reflectivity distribution in which the average reflectance per unit area varies. According to this configuration, light emitted from the surface emitting panel and guided by the optical member is reflected by the reflector and emitted in front of the non-light emitting region. By this way, a region in front of the non-light emitting region is difficult to be dark, thus allowing the light emission area to be increased. Further, where a number of light emitting modules are arranged in a matrix as a lighting device, a uniform illumination surface is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Ohta, Osamu Tanahashi
  • Publication number: 20160010810
    Abstract: A light source unit which constitutes the present illumination device includes a planar light-emitting panel and a translucent material. The planar light-emitting panel has a light-emitting region from which light is emitted and a non-light-emitting region from which light is not emitted. The translucent material has a light incident surface which faces the light-emitting region and an inclined surface which faces the non-light-emitting region. The light incident surface is smaller than the light-emitting region. According to this configuration, even when a misalignment occurs between the planar light-emitting panel and the translucent material, the non-light-emitting region does not face the light incident surface, so that a front direction of the non-light-emitting region does not become dark section, and thus an appearance of the illumination device is improved. Moreover, the planar light-emitting panel and the translucent material do not need to be accurately arranged, so that higher yield is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Osamu TANAHASHI, Yoshiyuki MIYAKE, Tadashi MURAKAMI, Hideharu KAWACHI
  • Publication number: 20150377456
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes: a holder having an elongate shape and flexibility; and a flat light-emitting element held by the holder and having a rectangular shape and flexibility. The holder includes a frame portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the holder, and a holding part protruding from the frame portion in a plan view. The frame portion of the holder and the flat light-emitting element overlap in a lateral-view direction, and the flat light-emitting element is joined to and held by the holding part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Itaru ONISHI, Osamu TANAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20150377459
    Abstract: The light emitting module includes a light source unit and a base plate where the light source unit is detachably mounted. The light source unit has an installation mechanism for installation to the base plate, and the base plate has an installation mechanism counterpart engaged with the installation mechanism. In addition, the light emitting module has a hook mechanism that catches the light source unit and the base plate when the installation mechanism and the installation mechanism counterpart are not engaged with each other. The hook mechanism is contained within a thickness of the light source unit when the light source unit is mounted to the base plate. In this configuration, it is possible to prevent the light source unit from dropping from the base plate using the hook mechanism even when engagement between the installation mechanism and the installation mechanism counterpart is released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryusuke KOTERA, Osamu TANAHASHI, Akihiro HIRANO, Hideharu KAWACHI, Yohei HAYASHI