Patents by Inventor RYO NAKAE
RYO NAKAE 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).
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Patent number: 11954292Abstract: An input device includes a fixed electrode, first and second movable electrodes, a first elastic member having a portion and being configured to deform so as to displace the portion of the first elastic member in accordance with a movement of the first movable electrode, a second elastic member having a portion and being configured to deform so as to displace the portion of the second elastic member in accordance with a movement of the second movable electrode, and a terminal configured to output a signal corresponding to a change in a capacitance between the first and second movable electrodes. The input device is responsible to various manipulations while not preventing a click feeling from being generated.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2020Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuta Saito, Masaaki Yamabayashi, Kenichi Matsumoto, Ryo Nakae
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Patent number: 11909389Abstract: An input device includes a detection surface configured to be operated by an operation body, a first fixed electrode, a movable electrode, first and second terminals configured to be connected to an outside of the input device, and a direct-connection line electrically connecting the movable electrode to the second terminal via no capacitor. The movable electrode has a lower surface facing an upper surface of the first fixed electrode to be capacitively coupled to the first fixed electrode. The movable contact is displaceable to approach the first fixed electrode in response to a pressing of the detection surface by the operation body. The first terminal is configured to output, to the outside of the input device, a first electric signal containing a change in a capacitance between the first fixed electrode and the movable electrode.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2020Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Masaaki Yamabayashi, Yuta Saito, Kenichi Matsumoto, Ryo Nakae
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Publication number: 20230290591Abstract: This input system includes an input device, an electrostatic sensor, a conduction sensor, a controller, and a determiner. When a movable contact of the input device is pressed, electrostatic capacitance between a first electrode and a second electrode changes, and when the movable contact of the input device is further pressed after the electrostatic capacitance changes, a third electrode and a fourth electrode are electrically conductive to each other. The conduction sensor detects the conduction between the third electrode and the fourth electrode. The controller switches the sensing operation of the electrostatic sensor from the OFF state to the ON state after the conduction sensor detects the conduction between the third electrode and the fourth electrode. In the ON state, the electrostatic sensor outputs a detected value related to the electrostatic capacitance between the first electrode and the second electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2021Publication date: September 14, 2023Inventors: RYO NAKAE, YASUNORI YANAI, TAKEHIKO NARA, YUTA SAITO
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Patent number: 11460932Abstract: An input device includes a pressure sensitive unit and a sensing unit. The pressure sensitive unit includes a clicking part and a pressure sensor. The clicking part has a press surface and is configured to provide a sense of click to an operation body which applies pushing force to the press surface. The pressure sensor is disposed on an opposite side of the clicking part from the press surface. The sensing unit is aligned with the pressure sensitive unit when viewed from a front side of the press surface and is configured to sense that the operation body comes in proximity to or comes into contact with a second detection surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2019Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuta Saito, Masaaki Yamabayashi, Ryo Nakae, Kenichi Matsumoto
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Publication number: 20220216868Abstract: An input device includes a detection surface configured to be operated by an operation body, a first fixed electrode, a movable electrode, first and second terminals configured to be connected to an outside of the input device, and a direct-connection line electrically connecting the movable electrode to the second terminal via no capacitor. The movable electrode has a lower surface facing an upper surface of the first fixed electrode to be capacitively coupled to the first fixed electrode. The movable contact is displaceable to approach the first fixed electrode in response to a pressing of the detection surface by the operation body. The first terminal is configured to output, to the outside of the input device, a first electric signal containing a change in a capacitance between the first fixed electrode and the movable electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2020Publication date: July 7, 2022Inventors: MASAAKI YAMABAYASHI, YUTA SAITO, KENICHI MATSUMOTO, RYO NAKAE
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Publication number: 20220155903Abstract: An input device includes a fixed electrode, first and second movable electrodes, a first elastic member having a portion and being configured to deform so as to displace the portion of the first elastic member in accordance with a movement of the first movable electrode, a second elastic member having a portion and being configured to deform so as to displace the portion of the second elastic member in accordance with a movement of the second movable electrode, and a terminal configured to output a signal corresponding to a change in a capacitance between the first and second movable electrodes. The input device is responsible to various manipulations while not preventing a click feeling from being generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2020Publication date: May 19, 2022Inventors: YUTA SAITO, MASAAKI YAMABAYASHI, KENICHI MATSUMOTO, RYO NAKAE
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Patent number: 11262852Abstract: An input device includes one or more pressure detectors. Each of the one or more pressure detectors includes an electrode, an elastic body on the electrode, a pressing member disposed on an opposite side of the elastic body from the electrode, and a protective member. The protection member is disposed between the elastic body and the pressing member and has higher strength than the elastic body.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2019Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuta Saito, Kenichi Matsumoto, Ryo Nakae, Masanori Mitsuoka
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Publication number: 20220011879Abstract: An input device includes a pressure sensitive unit and a sensing unit. The pressure sensitive unit includes a clicking part and a pressure sensor. The clicking part has a press surface and is configured to provide a sense of click to an operation body which applies pushing force to the press surface. The pressure sensor is disposed on an opposite side of the clicking part from the press surface. The sensing unit is aligned with the pressure sensitive unit when viewed from a front side of the press surface and is configured to sense that the operation body comes in proximity to or comes into contact with a second detection surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2019Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Yuta SAITO, Masaaki YAMABAYASHI, Ryo NAKAE, Kenichi MATSUMOTO
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Patent number: 11114259Abstract: The switch body includes: a wiring substrate where first to fourth fixed contact members are formed; and a movable contact member including a pressure receiving part opposite from the second fixed contact member, a first outer edge facing the first fixed contact member, and a second outer edge facing the third fixed contact member. The fourth fixed contact member is formed in a region outside a projection region being a projection of the movable contact member on the wiring substrate and is in a position facing the first outer edge when the second outer edge is moved to a region where the second fixed contact member is formed.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2017Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kojiro Yano, Kenichi Matsumoto, Ryo Nakae, Masanori Mitsuoka
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Publication number: 20210165498Abstract: An input device includes one or more pressure detectors. Each of the one or more pressure detectors includes an electrode, an elastic body on the electrode, a pressing member disposed on an opposite side of the elastic body from the electrode, and a protective member. The protection member is disposed between the elastic body and the pressing member and has higher strength than the elastic body.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2019Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventors: Yuta SAITO, Kenichi MATSUMOTO, Ryo NAKAE, Masanori MITSUOKA
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Publication number: 20200312585Abstract: The switch body includes: a wiring substrate where first to fourth fixed contact members are formed; and a movable contact member including a pressure receiving part opposite from the second fixed contact member, a first outer edge facing the first fixed contact member, and a second outer edge facing the third fixed contact member. The fourth fixed contact member is formed in a region outside a projection region being a projection of the movable contact member on the wiring substrate and is in a position facing the first outer edge when the second outer edge is moved to a region where the second fixed contact member is formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2017Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kojiro Yano, Kenichi Matsumoto, Ryo Nakae, Masanori Mitsuoka
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Publication number: 20200004288Abstract: The input device includes a metal dome, and a pressure sensor facing a concave surface of the metal dome and supporting the metal dome.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2017Publication date: January 2, 2020Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kojiro Yano, Kenichi Matsumoto, Ryo Nakae, Masanori Mitsuoka
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Publication number: 20190362914Abstract: The determination system includes; an obtaining unit configured to obtain changes in electrostatic capacitances of the first and second pressure sensors from the input device; and a determining unit configured to determine which part of the input device has been pressed, based on a balance between changes in electrostatic capacitances of the first and second pressure sensors.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2017Publication date: November 28, 2019Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kojiro Yano, Kenichi Matsumoto, Ryo Nakae, Masanori Mitsuoka
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Publication number: 20190278317Abstract: An input device according to the present disclosure includes: an elastic body; a pressing portion at a first end of the elastic body, which is capable of pressing the elastic body in a first direction from the first end toward a second end of the elastic body; and a pressure sensor at the second end of the elastic body, which detects, via the elastic body, a pressing force applied by the pressing portion. Furthermore, the elastic body is located between the pressing portion and the pressure sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2017Publication date: September 12, 2019Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ryo Nakae, Kenichi Matsumoto, Kojiro Yano
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Publication number: 20140015633Abstract: A pressure-sensitive switch includes a pressing member, a flexible base member under the pressing member, a resistance layer on an underside of the base member, an electrode group, a third electrode, and a resistance element. The electrode group includes first and second electrodes and confronts the base member so as to be brought into contact with the resistance layer when the pressing member is pressed. The third electrode is disposed apart from the electrode group and confronts the base member same as the electrode group. The resistance element is connected to the first and second electrodes in series therebetween. The first electrode is located nearer a pressing center of the pressing member than the second electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: Panasonic CorporationInventors: RYO NAKAE, TAMOTSU YAMAMOTO