Patents by Inventor Reiko Nagahama

Reiko Nagahama 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: 20230168628
    Abstract: A regulator of the present disclosure includes a regulator pin having a pair of leg portions in which a hairspring is loosely fitted in a gap between the pair of leg portions, a regulator body configured to hold the regulator pin, and a pin support having an attachment portion that is detachably attached to the regulator pin or the regulator body, and a receiving portion that prevents the hairspring from being detached from the pair of leg portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventor: Reiko NAGAHAMA
  • Patent number: 11429067
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece enables driving by appropriate drive conditions even when the load on a motor changes. The electronic timepiece includes a motor having a coil; a driver that is controlled to an on state supplying drive current to the coil, and an off state not supplying the drive current; a driver controller configured to control the driver to the on state or the off state based on a control parameter and current value through the coil; and a control parameter setter configured to maintain or change the control parameter based on the on state or the off state control state of the driver controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventors: Reiko Nagahama, Takashi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 11296627
    Abstract: An electronic watch includes a motor including a coil, a driver controlled to an ON state for supplying a driving current to the coil and an OFF state for not supplying the driving current, a driver controller configured to control the driver to the ON state or the OFF state depending on a value of a current flowing through the coil, and a polarity switcher configured to switch a polarity of the driving current when a prescribed condition is satisfied after detecting that an ON time, which is a duration of the ON state of the driver controller, reaches a maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Inventors: Reiko Nagahama, Takashi Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20220075324
    Abstract: A stepping motor, a driver, a current detection circuit, a first driving circuit configured to output a first driving signal to the driver, a rotation detection circuit configured to detect rotation of the rotor, and a second driving circuit configured to output a second driving signal selected from plural kinds of the second driving signals with different supply times of the driving current supplied to the coil, and configured to output a correction driving pulse that is preset to the driver when, after outputting the second driving signal, the rotation detection circuit detects that the rotor is not rotating, are included, and a resistance value R[?] of the coil and the driving voltage V [V] of the stepping motor satisfy 900 V[?]?R?1100 V[?], and 1.8 [V]?V?2.4 [V].
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Reiko NAGAHAMA, Tomoki OKUHATA
  • Patent number: 10958199
    Abstract: Provided is a motor drive circuit capable of driving a stepper motor even if the load on the stepper motor varies. A motor drive circuit has a first drive circuit that outputs a first drive signal to the driver; a second drive circuit that outputs a second drive signal to the driver; a controller that controls the first drive circuit and second drive circuit. The first drive circuit is configured to output a first drive signal based on the current value of current flow of a coil of a stepper motor. The second drive circuit is configured to output multiple types of second drive signals that differ by the supply time of drive current supplied to the coil. Based on a result of driving by the first drive circuit, the controller selects the type of second drive signal the second drive circuit outputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Inventors: Reiko Nagahama, Takashi Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20210006187
    Abstract: An electronic watch includes a motor including a coil, a driver controlled to an ON state for supplying a driving current to the coil and an OFF state for not supplying the driving current, a driver controller configured to control the driver to the ON state or the OFF state depending on a value of a current flowing through the coil, and a polarity switcher configured to switch a polarity of the driving current when a prescribed condition is satisfied after detecting that an ON time, which is a duration of the ON state of the driver controller, reaches a maximum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Reiko NAGAHAMA, Takashi KAWAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20200285200
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece enables driving by appropriate drive conditions even when the load on a motor changes. The electronic timepiece includes a motor having a coil; a driver that is controlled to an on state supplying drive current to the coil, and an off state not supplying the drive current; a driver controller configured to control the driver to the on state or the off state based on a control parameter and current value through the coil; and a control parameter setter configured to maintain or change the control parameter based on the on state or the off state control state of the driver controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Reiko NAGAHAMA, Takashi KAWAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20200036309
    Abstract: Provided is a motor drive circuit capable of driving a stepper motor even if the load on the stepper motor varies. A motor drive circuit has a first drive circuit that outputs a first drive signal to the driver; a second drive circuit that outputs a second drive signal to the driver; a controller that controls the first drive circuit and second drive circuit. The first drive circuit is configured to output a first drive signal based on the current value of current flow of a coil of a stepper motor. The second drive circuit is configured to output multiple types of second drive signals that differ by the supply time of drive current supplied to the coil. Based on a result of driving by the first drive circuit, the controller selects the type of second drive signal the second drive circuit outputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Reiko NAGAHAMA, Takashi KAWAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9740171
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece has a plurality of modes and includes a plurality of indicating hands including a first indicating hand as a mode hand that indicates each mode, an operation section that allows mode switching operation that instructs switching among the modes, and a display control section that moves the plurality of indicating hands to be moved on the basis of the mode switching operation in such a way that periods for which the plurality of indicating hands move in high-speed advance action do not overlap with one another. The display control section first moves the first indicating hand among the plurality of indicating hands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Reiko Nagahama
  • Patent number: 9575526
    Abstract: An electronic device is equipped with power generating means (unit), a secondary battery, a device, charging detection means (unit), battery voltage detection means (unit), and a time display control means (unit). The time display control means (unit) is equipped with an operation suspension portion, an operation resumption portion, a timer, a persistence display control portion and a timer updating portion. The timer updating portion updates the remaining time of the timer to the persistence time according to the detected voltage detected by the battery voltage detection means (unit) is longer than the remaining time, and operates the timer in operation as it is when the persistence time according to the detected voltage is equal to or less than the remaining time of the timer in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Reiko Nagahama, Keiichi Mukaiyama
  • Publication number: 20160299471
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece has a plurality of modes and includes a plurality of indicating hands including a first indicating hand as a mode hand that indicates each mode, an operation section that allows mode switching operation that instructs switching among the modes, and a display control section that moves the plurality of indicating hands to be moved on the basis of the mode switching operation in such a way that periods for which the plurality of indicating hands move in high-speed advance action do not overlap with one another. The display control section first moves the first indicating hand among the plurality of indicating hands.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventor: Reiko NAGAHAMA
  • Patent number: 8934322
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece with a solar cell is provided with a solar cell, a solar cell holding member, a light-transmissive character plate, a ground plate, and a ring-shaped calendar wheel. The solar cell includes a base material that is made of an insulating material, and a light-receiving unit that is arranged on a first surface of the base material. The solar cell holding member is fixedly attached to a second surface of the base material. The light-transmissive character plate is arranged on a timepiece front side of the solar cell. The ground plate is arranged on a back surface of the solar cell. The ring-shaped calendar wheel is disposed between the character plate and the ground plate. The solar cell holding member is arranged on a character plate side of the calendar wheel to position the calendar wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Reiko Nagahama
  • Publication number: 20140286135
    Abstract: An electronic timepiece with a solar cell is provided with a solar cell, a solar cell holding member, a light-transmissive character plate, a ground plate, and a ring-shaped calendar wheel. The solar cell includes a base material that is made of an insulating material, and a light-receiving unit that is arranged on a first surface of the base material. The solar cell holding member is fixedly attached to a second surface of the base material. The light-transmissive character plate is arranged on a timepiece front side of the solar cell. The ground plate is arranged on a back surface of the solar cell. The ring-shaped calendar wheel is disposed between the character plate and the ground plate. The solar cell holding member is arranged on a character plate side of the calendar wheel to position the calendar wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventor: Reiko NAGAHAMA
  • Patent number: 8810109
    Abstract: A motor includes a vibrating plate having a projection part to be pressed against a driven member and a piezoelectric material provided on the vibrating plate, wherein a Young's modulus EL in the pressing direction of the vibrating plate and a Young's modulus ES in a direction crossing the pressing direction are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Kamijo, Osamu Miyazawa, Akihiro Sawada, Reiko Nagahama
  • Patent number: 8787121
    Abstract: To provide an electronic timepiece with a solar cell whereby a movement can be reduced in size and whereby a calendar function using a calendar wheel can be achieved, an electronic timepiece with a solar cell is provided with: a solar cell, a character plate, a ground plate arranged on a back surface of the solar cell, a ring-shaped date wheel arranged between the character plate and the ground plate, and a circuit board electrically connected to an electrode of the solar cell via a conduction spring. The conduction spring is arranged on the inside of the date wheel when in plan view seen from the character plate side. In comparison to a case where a conduction spring is provided to the outside of a date wheel, the movement can be reduced in size, and because the date wheel can be arranged, a calendar function can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Reiko Nagahama
  • Publication number: 20140172181
    Abstract: An electronic device is equipped with power generating means (unit), a secondary battery, a device, charging detection means (unit), battery voltage detection means (unit), and a time display control means (unit). The time display control means (unit) is equipped with an operation suspension portion, an operation resumption portion, a timer, a persistence display control portion and a timer updating portion. The timer updating portion updates the remaining time of the timer to the persistence time according to the detected voltage detected by the battery voltage detection means (unit) is longer than the remaining time, and operates the timer in operation as it is when the persistence time according to the detected voltage is equal to or less than the remaining time of the timer in operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Reiko NAGAHAMA, Keiichi MUKAIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20130313945
    Abstract: A motor includes a vibrating plate having a projection part to be pressed against a driven member and a piezoelectric material provided on the vibrating plate, wherein a Young's modulus EL in the pressing direction of the vibrating plate and a Young's modulus ES in a direction crossing the pressing direction are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi KAMIJO, Osamu MIYAZAWA, Akihiro SAWADA, Reiko NAGAHAMA
  • Patent number: 8525387
    Abstract: A motor includes a vibrating plate having a projection part to be pressed against a driven member and a piezoelectric material provided on the vibrating plate, wherein a Young's modulus EL in the pressing direction of the vibrating plate and a Young's modulus ES in a direction crossing the pressing direction are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Kamijo, Osamu Miyazawa, Akihiro Sawada, Reiko Nagahama
  • Publication number: 20120248805
    Abstract: A motor includes a vibrating plate having a projection part to be pressed against a driven member and a piezoelectric material provided on the vibrating plate, wherein a Young's modulus EL in the pressing direction of the vibrating plate and a Young's modulus ES in a direction crossing the pressing direction are different.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichi KAMIJO, Osamu MIYAZAWA, Akihiro SAWADA, Reiko NAGAHAMA
  • Patent number: 7514843
    Abstract: A generally diamond-shaped detection electrode is formed in the approximate center of the piezoelectric element. The strain resulting from the bending secondary vibration mode in the vicinity of the detection electrode is minimized because the detection electrode is formed in such a manner as to include a vibrational node of the longitudinal primary vibrational mode and a vibrational node of the bending secondary vibrational mode. As a result, when the phase difference between the drive signal and the detection signal is detected, the effect of vibration in the bending secondary vibration mode on the detected phase difference can be suppressed and a single drive frequency can be determined with respect to a prescribed phase difference. Thus, the drive performance of the vibrating body with respect to a driven body (i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Reiko Nagahama, Yutaka Yamazaki