Patents by Inventor Sawako Ito

Sawako Ito 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: 9177690
    Abstract: An insulating film-coated metal foil having on one or both surfaces thereof an organic-inorganic hybrid layer containing dimethylsiloxane and a metalloxane comprising a metal other than Si. Relative to the concentration [Si]1/4t of the Si at a depth of ¼t from the surface of the organic-inorganic hybrid layer in the thickness direction of the hybrid layer, the concentration [Si]3/4t of the Si at a depth of ¾t from the surface of the organic-inorganic hybrid layer in the thickness direction of the hybrid layer satisfies [Si]1/4t<[Si]3/4t, and ([Si]3/4t?[Si]1/4t)/[Si]3/4t is 0.02-0.23. Provided is a metal foil that can be used in solar cell substrates, flexible circuit substrates, etc., that exhibits surface flatness, pliability, insulating properties and thermal resistance properties, and that has a layer having a surface which is not susceptible to scratching by processes in which substrates are handled, such as conveyance and transshipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN MATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toyoshi Ogura, Noriko Yamada, Yuji Kubo, Sawako Ito
  • Publication number: 20140166337
    Abstract: An insulating film-coated metal foil having on one or both surfaces thereof an organic-inorganic hybrid layer containing dimethylsiloxane and a metalloxane comprising a metal other than Si. Relative to the concentration [Si]1/4t of the Si at a depth of ¼t from the surface of the organic-inorganic hybrid layer in the thickness direction of the hybrid layer, the concentration [Si]3/4t of the Si at a depth of ¾t from the surface of the organic-inorganic hybrid layer in the thickness direction of the hybrid layer satisfies [Si]1/4t<[Si]3/4t, and ([Si]3/4t?[Si]1/4t)/[Si]3/4t is 0.02-0.23. Provided is a metal foil that can be used in solar cell substrates, flexible circuit substrates, etc., that exhibits surface flatness, pliability, insulating properties and thermal resistance properties, and that has a layer having a surface which is not susceptible to scratching by processes in which substrates are handled, such as conveyance and transshipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN MATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toyoshi Ogura, Noriko Yamada, Yuji Kubo, Sawako Ito
  • Patent number: 8390689
    Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which can prevent displacement of subject images due to an initializing operation of the image stabilizing unit from being seen by a photographer through a finder. The apparatus comprises an image-stabilizing unit which includes a movable unit movable for image stabilization and balls movable in conjunction with the movement of the movable unit, and a controller which controls operations of the movable unit. The controller causes the movable unit to perform a specific operation for moving the balls to a specific position in response to mounting of the optical apparatus on another optical apparatus, the specific operation being a different operation from an image stabilization operation of the image-stabilizing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Inoue, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Hiroshi Akada, Sawako Ito
  • Publication number: 20110234827
    Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which can prevent displacement of subject images due to an initializing operation of the image stabilizing unit from being seen by a photographer through a finder. The apparatus comprises an image-stabilizing unit which includes a movable unit movable for image stabilization and balls movable in conjunction with the movement of the movable unit, and a controller which controls operations of the movable unit. The controller causes the movable unit to perform a specific operation for moving the balls to a specific position in response to mounting of the optical apparatus on another optical apparatus, the specific operation being a different operation from an image stabilization operation of the image-stabilizing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro INOUE, Masanori ISHIKAWA, Jun SUGITA, Hiroshi AKADA, Sawako ITO
  • Patent number: 7856177
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a photographic optical system including an image stabilizing unit supported by a support member via a plurality of elastic members, an actuator configured to drive the image stabilizing unit in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis thereof, a position detection unit configured to detect a position in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the image stabilizing unit, a gravitational direction determination unit configured to determine a gravitational direction based on an output from the position detection unit, a setting unit configured to set a holding position at which the image stabilizing unit is held based on information concerning the gravitational direction output from the gravitational direction determination unit, and a control unit configured to control the actuator based on information concerning the holding position to move the image stabilizing unit to the holding position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Hiroshi Akada, Katsuhiro Inoue, Sawako Ito
  • Patent number: 7830414
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical apparatus having a vibration detector that detects vibration, a holding member that holds an image stabilizing optical system, an elastic member that elastically supports the holding member so that the holding member can shift within a plane perpendicular to an optical axis, a drive unit that generates a drive force resisting against an elastic force of the elastic member, a drive circuit that drives the drive unit, a control circuit that controls the position of the holding member, a temperature sensor that measures temperature, and a viscous damper that damps movement of the holding member in the drive direction. The control circuit changes the image stabilizing drive control characteristic of the drive circuit to compensate for changes in viscosity of the viscous damper with temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Inoue, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Hiroshi Akada, Sawako Ito
  • Patent number: 7702227
    Abstract: An optical device includes a lens holding member that holds a lens and that is movable in a direction along a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens, and an actuator that moves the lens holding member in the direction along the plane. In the optical device, the actuator includes an actuator element, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the lens holding member to the actuator element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sawako Ito, Yuichiro Kato, Takehiko Sato, Shigeru Ogino
  • Patent number: 7586692
    Abstract: The image-pickup apparatus includes a controller that controls the energization of the actuator for driving the aperture stop. The controller receives from a lens apparatus information on a time period for controlling the energization of the actuator, the information being set corresponding to the type of the actuator. During an image-pickup period in a state in which the aperture stop has been driven to a target aperture position, the controller outputs to the lens apparatus an instruction for stopping the energization of the actuator or reducing the energization amount thereof in response to the elapse of the time period. This can reduce power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Sugita, Masanori Ishikawa, Hiroshi Akada, Katsuhiro Inoue, Sawako Ito
  • Patent number: 7548257
    Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which can prevent displacement of subject images due to the initializing operation of the image stabilizing unit from being seen by a photographer through a finder. The apparatus comprises an image-stabilizing unit which includes a movable unit movable for image stabilization and balls movable in conjunction with the movement of the movable unit, and a controller which controls operations of the movable unit. The controller causes the movable unit to perform a specific operation for moving the balls to a specific position within a disappearance period of a subject image in a finder for observing the subject, the specific operation being a different operation from an image stabilization operation of the image-stabilizing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Sawako Ito, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Hiroshi Akada, Katsuhiro Inoue
  • Publication number: 20090080875
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a photographic optical system including an image stabilizing unit supported by a support member via a plurality of elastic members, an actuator configured to drive the image stabilizing unit in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis thereof, a position detection unit configured to detect a position in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the image stabilizing unit, a gravitational direction determination unit configured to determine a gravitational direction based on an output from the position detection unit, a setting unit configured to set a holding position at which the image stabilizing unit is held based on information concerning the gravitational direction output from the gravitational direction determination unit, and a control unit configured to control the actuator based on information concerning the holding position to move the image stabilizing unit to the holding position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Hiroshi Akada, Katsuhiro Inoue, Sawako Ito
  • Patent number: 7466910
    Abstract: An optical device includes a base member, an image-stabilizing lens, a lens holding member mounted to the base member and configured to hold the image-stabilizing lens, a driving unit configured to drive the lens holding member in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis, a plurality of elastic members fixed between the base member and the lens holding member, a vibration detecting unit configured to detect vibration, and a control circuit configured to control the position of the lens holding member on the basis of vibration information from the vibration detecting unit. The center position of the driving range of the image-stabilizing lens is controlled on the basis of vibration information obtained during a predetermined period between the time when a first trigger signal is input and the time when a second trigger signal is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akada, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Katsuhiro Inoue, Sawako Ito
  • Publication number: 20080129830
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical apparatus having a vibration detector that detects vibration, a holding member that holds an image stabilizing optical system, an elastic member that elastically supports the holding member so that the holding member can shift within a plane perpendicular to an optical axis, a drive unit that generates a drive force resisting against an elastic force of the elastic member, a drive circuit that drives the drive unit, a control circuit that controls the position of the holding member, a temperature sensor that measures temperature, and a viscous damper that damps movement of the holding member in the drive direction. The control circuit changes the image stabilizing drive control characteristic of the drive circuit to compensate for changes in viscosity of the viscous damper with temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Inoue, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Hiroshi Akada, Sawako Ito
  • Publication number: 20080074965
    Abstract: The image-pickup apparatus includes a controller that controls the energization of the actuator for driving the aperture stop. The controller receives from a lens apparatus information on a time period for controlling the energization of the actuator, the information being set corresponding to the type of the actuator. During an image-pickup period in a state in which the aperture stop has been driven to a target aperture position, the controller outputs to the lens apparatus an instruction for stopping the energization of the actuator or reducing the energization amount thereof in response to the elapse of the time period. This can reduce power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jun Sugita, Masanori Ishikawa, Hiroshi Akada, Katsuhiro Inoue, Sawako Ito
  • Publication number: 20080031605
    Abstract: An optical device includes a base member, an image-stabilizing lens, a lens holding member mounted to the base member and configured to hold the image-stabilizing lens, a driving unit configured to drive the lens holding member in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis, a plurality of elastic members fixed between the base member and the lens holding member, a vibration detecting unit configured to detect vibration, and a control circuit configured to control the position of the lens holding member on the basis of vibration information from the vibration detecting unit. The center position of the driving range of the image-stabilizing lens is controlled on the basis of vibration information obtained during a predetermined period between the time when a first trigger signal is input and the time when a second trigger signal is input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akada, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Katsuhiro Inoue, Sawako Ito
  • Publication number: 20070146883
    Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which is capable of acquiring images with a good quality and saving power. The optical apparatus comprises a movable unit which is supported by an elastic member and movable for image stabilization and a controller. The controller performs a first control operation which controls drive of the movable unit with respect to a first position as the center of movement where the weight of the movable unit itself and a supporting force of the elastic member are balanced, and a second control operation which controls drive of the movable unit with respect to a second position as the center of movement, the second position being shifted from the first position in the direction opposite to the gravity direction toward the optical axis of an optical system that forms an object image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Inventors: Hiroshi Akada, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Katsuhiro Inoue, Sawako Ito
  • Publication number: 20070132855
    Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which can prevent displacement of subject images due to an initializing operation of the image stabilizing unit from being seen by a photographer through a finder. The apparatus comprises an image-stabilizing unit which includes a movable unit movable for image stabilization and balls movable in conjunction with the movement of the movable unit, and a controller which controls operations of the movable unit. The controller causes the movable unit to perform a specific operation for moving the balls to a specific position in response to mounting of the optical apparatus on another optical apparatus, the specific operation being a different operation from an image stabilization operation of the image-stabilizing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Inoue, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Hiroshi Akada, Sawako Ito
  • Publication number: 20070133091
    Abstract: An optical apparatus is disclosed which can prevent displacement of subject images due to the initializing operation of the image stabilizing unit from being seen by a photographer through a finder. The apparatus comprises an image-stabilizing unit which includes a movable unit movable for image stabilization and balls movable in conjunction with the movement of the movable unit, and a controller which controls operations of the movable unit. The controller causes the movable unit to perform a specific operation for moving the balls to a specific position within a disappearance period of a subject image in a finder for observing the subject, the specific operation being a different operation from an image stabilization operation of the image-stabilizing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Inventors: Sawako Ito, Masanori Ishikawa, Jun Sugita, Hiroshi Akada, Katsuhiro Inoue
  • Publication number: 20070041721
    Abstract: An optical device includes a lens holding member that holds a lens and that is movable in a direction along a plane that is orthogonal to an optical axis of the lens, and an actuator that moves the lens holding member in the direction along the plane. In the optical device, the actuator includes an actuator element, formed of electroactive polymer, and a connecting member that connects the lens holding member to the actuator element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sawako Ito, Yuichiro Kato, Takehiko Sato, Shigeru Ogino