Patents by Inventor Sawako Chatani

Sawako Chatani 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: 7133217
    Abstract: An image-taking optical system according to the present invention for forming an image of a two-dimensional object on an image-taking surface comprises a plurality of reflecting surfaces which reflect light from the two-dimensional object sequentially and guides the light to the image-taking surface, and a reference axis passing through the center of the pupil of the image-taking system and the center of the optical image formed on the image-taking surface is inclined with respect to the normal line of the two-dimensional object. The present invention provides an image-taking optical system which achieves a reduction in size, ensures a ratio of an amount of peripheral light, allows correction of trapezoidal distortion of a formed image, and is suitable for oblique image-taking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sawako Chatani, Toshihiro Sunaga
  • Patent number: 6991338
    Abstract: A projection optical system having a plurality of reflecting surfaces is disclosed in which a sufficiently large angle is provided between an incident side reference axis and an emerging side reference axis while tilt angles of the respective reflecting surfaces can remain small. The projection optical system projects luminous flux from an image forming element which forms an original image onto a projection surface. The incident side reference axis and the emerging side reference axis of the projection optical system are oblique to each other. The projection optical system has a plurality of reflecting surfaces each having a curvature. The reflecting surfaces are arranged such that the reference axis has at least one intersection in the projection optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Sunaga, Katsumi Kurematsu, Takayuki Ishii, Yoshiaki Kurioka, Sawako Chatani
  • Patent number: 6984044
    Abstract: A projection optical system which can project a bright image with less distortion and a small projection distance without causing aberration or an increase in size of reflective surfaces is disclosed. The projection optical system projects luminous flux from an original image onto a projection surface which is oblique to a central principal ray which is a principal ray of luminous flux traveling from the center of the original image to the center of a projected image. The projection optical system comprises a refractive optical system which includes a plurality of refractive optical elements through which the luminous flux from the original image passes through, and a reflective optical system which includes a plurality of reflective surfaces each having an optical power and guides the luminous flux emerging from the refractive optical system to the projection surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kurioka, Katsumi Kurematsu, Takayuki Ishii, Toshihiro Sunaga, Sawako Chatani
  • Patent number: 6951395
    Abstract: A projection optical system which has a short projection distance and a compact structure, and allows oblique projection. The projection optical system projects luminous flux from an image forming element for forming an original image onto a projection surface which is oblique to a central principal ray which is a principal ray of luminous flux traveling from the center of the original image to the center of a finally formed image. The system includes a plurality of reflecting surfaces each having a curvature. In addition, the projection optical system satisfies a predetermined expression (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sawako Chatani, Katsumi Kurematsu, Takayuki Ishii, Toshihiro Sunaga, Yoshiaki Kurioka
  • Publication number: 20040032571
    Abstract: A projection optical system having a plurality of reflecting surfaces is disclosed in which a sufficiently large angle is provided between an incident side reference axis and an emerging side reference axis while tilt angles of the respective reflecting surfaces can remain small. The projection optical system projects luminous flux from an image forming element which forms an original image onto a projection surface. The incident side reference axis and the emerging side reference axis of the projection optical system are oblique to each other. The projection optical system has a plurality of reflecting surfaces each having a curvature. The reflecting surfaces are arranged such that the reference axis has at least one intersection in the projection optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Toshihiro Sunaga, Katsumi Kurematsu, Takayuki Ishii, Yoshiaki Kurioka, Sawako Chatani
  • Publication number: 20040027662
    Abstract: A projection optical system which can project a bright image with less distortion and a small projection distance without causing aberration or an increase in size of reflective surfaces is disclosed. The projection optical system projects luminous flux from an original image onto a projection surface which is oblique to a central principal ray which is a principal ray of luminous flux traveling from the center of the original image to the center of a projected image. The projection optical system comprises a refractive optical system which includes a plurality of refractive optical elements through which the luminous flux from the original image passes through, and a reflective optical system which includes a plurality of reflective surfaces each having an optical power and guides the luminous flux emerging from the refractive optical system to the projection surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Kurioka, Katsumi Kurematsu, Takayuki Ishii, Toshihiro Sunaga, Sawako Chatani
  • Publication number: 20040027544
    Abstract: A projection optical system which has a short projection distance and a compact structure, and allows oblique projection. The projection optical system projects luminous flux from an image forming element for forming an original image onto a projection surface which is oblique to a central principal ray which is a principal ray of luminous flux traveling from the center of the original image to the center of a finally formed image. The system includes a plurality of reflecting surfaces each having a curvature. In addition, the projection optical system satisfies a predetermined expression (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Sawako Chatani, Katsumi Kurematsu, Takayuki Ishii, Toshihiro Sunaga, Yoshiaki Kurioka
  • Publication number: 20030090794
    Abstract: An image-taking optical system according to the present invention for forming an image of a two-dimensional object on an image-taking surface comprises a plurality of reflecting surfaces which reflect light from the two-dimensional object sequentially and guides the light to the image-taking surface, and a reference axis passing through the center of the pupil of the image-taking system and the center of the optical image formed on the image-taking surface is inclined with respect to the normal line of the two-dimensional object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Sawako Chatani, Toshihiro Sunaga