Patents by Inventor Seiji Horii

Seiji Horii 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: 20230250310
    Abstract: A water-based paint composition includes a manganese oxide-based catalyst, activated carbon, at least one water-soluble resin selected from a group consisting of acrylic resin, modified acrylic resin, and fluorocarbon resin, a polyacrylate-based dispersant, and a water-based solvent. The water-based paint composition, although including the manganese oxide-based catalyst, allows a coating film to be resistant to chalking and weather.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayoshi TAKAHIRA, Seiji HORII, Toshiki SAWAUE, Toru TANAKA, Hidetaka ASANO
  • Patent number: 10448170
    Abstract: A sound generator includes at least one piezoelectric vibrator including a piezoelectric element, a vibration unit in one of a non-contact state not contacting the at least one piezoelectric vibrator and a contact state contacting the at least one piezoelectric vibrator. While in the contact state, the at least one piezoelectric vibrator generates vibration in response to a signal, and causes a contact surface contacted by the vibration unit to vibrate and generate a sound to be emitted from the contact surface. The sound generator can detect driving allowed and driving denied states, and control application of a sound signal in accordance with the two states to the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Fukami, Hiroshi Taimura, Atsuo Chiba, Yuta Sakamoto, Akinori Wada, Daisuke Tsuiki, Takashi Ikegami, Kazuya Sono, Hideaki Fujimoto, Seiji Horii
  • Patent number: 10231059
    Abstract: A sound generator includes a housing and a vibrator. The vibrator includes at least one piezoelectric element and has at least of a part thereof inside the housing. A contact portion on the at least one piezoelectric element is configured to transmit generated vibration to an object outside of the sound generator. The at least one piezoelectric element generates vibration in response to a signal from outside the vibrator, and causes the object to vibrate and generate a sound to emit from the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Ozasa, Kosuke Teruyama, Masahiro Shinya, Talchi Kim, Seiji Horii
  • Patent number: 10231058
    Abstract: An audio apparatus includes a housing, a piezoelectric vibration unit provided to the housing and having a piezoelectric element, and a communication unit for receiving an audio signal. When a received audio signal is applied to the piezoelectric element while a load of the audio apparatus is applied to the piezoelectric vibration unit, the piezoelectric element is deformed causing deformation of the piezoelectric vibration unit, whereby a contact surface in contact with the audio apparatus vibrates and generate a sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seiji Horii
  • Patent number: 10123127
    Abstract: A sound generator and sound generation system including the sound generator includes a piezoelectric element of a stack type having a multilayer structure. The piezoelectric element stretches and contracts along a stacking direction generates vibration according to a sound signal. An object, different from the sound generator and from a human body, generates a sound using the vibration and acts as a speaker while in contact with the sound generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Horii
  • Publication number: 20180160232
    Abstract: A sound generator and sound generation system including the sound generator includes a piezoelectric element of a stack type having a multilayer structure. The piezoelectric element stretches and contracts along a stacking direction generates vibration according to a sound signal. An object, different from the sound generator and from a human body, generates a sound using the vibration and acts as a speaker while in contact with the sound generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seiji HORII
  • Publication number: 20180084347
    Abstract: A sound generator includes at least one piezoelectric vibrator including a piezoelectric element, a vibration unit in one of a non-contact state not contacting the at least one piezoelectric vibrator and a contact state contacting the at least one piezoelectric vibrator. While in the contact state, the at least one piezoelectric vibrator generates vibration in response to a signal, and causes a contact surface contacted by the vibration unit to vibrate and generate a sound to be emitted from the contact surface. The sound generator can detect driving allowed and driving denied states, and control application of a sound signal in accordance with the two states to the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi FUKAMI, Hiroshi TAIMURA, Atsuo CHIBA, Yuta SAKAMOTO, Akinori WADA, Daisuke TSUIKI, Takashi IKEGAMI, Kazuya SONO, Hideaki FUJIMOTO, Seiji HORII
  • Publication number: 20180084348
    Abstract: A sound generator includes a housing and a vibrator. The vibrator includes at least one piezoelectric element and has at least of a part thereof inside the housing. A contact portion on the at least one piezoelectric element is configured to transmit generated vibration to an object outside of the sound generator. The at least one piezoelectric element generates vibration in response to a signal from outside the vibrator, and causes the object to vibrate and generate a sound to emit from the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi OZASA, Kosuke TERUYAMA, Masahiro SHINYA, Talchi KIM, Seiji HORII
  • Patent number: 9913047
    Abstract: A sound generator includes a vibration unit including a piezoelectric element having a multilayer structure. The vibration generates vibration according to a sound signal, and an object generates a sound using the vibration and acts as a speaker. The object is different from the sound generator and from a human body, and is in contact with the sound generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Horii
  • Patent number: 9913046
    Abstract: A sound generator includes a housing (20), a piezoelectric vibrator (60) including a piezoelectric element (61), at least a portion of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) protruding from the housing (20), and an anchor (10) applying a load to the piezoelectric vibrator (60). A portion or all of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) withdraws into the housing (20) under a force of a predetermined load or greater. While the load from the anchor (10) is being applied to the piezoelectric vibrator (60), the piezoelectric vibrator (60) deforms in response to a sound signal, and deformation of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) vibrates a contact surface contacted by the piezoelectric vibrator (60), causing sound to be emitted from the contact surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Fukami, Hiroshi Taimura, Kazuchika Suzuki, Seiji Horii
  • Publication number: 20180017800
    Abstract: A virtual image display apparatus that improves a visibility of a displayed virtual image is provided. The virtual image display apparatus includes a display and an optical member. The optical member reflects a light of an image displayed by a display to eyes of a subject and displays a virtual image of the image in the field of vision of the subject. The optical member includes a plurality of mirrors, each having an angle with respect to a reference plane of the optical member different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji HORII
  • Patent number: 9872110
    Abstract: A sound generator includes a piezoelectric vibrator (60) including a piezoelectric element (61), an anchor applying a load to the piezoelectric vibrator (60), and a control unit (130) configured to control an input voltage based on a frequency characteristic, the input voltage being applied to the piezoelectric element (61) as a sound signal. While the load from the anchor is being applied to the piezoelectric vibrator (60), the piezoelectric vibrator (60) deforms in accordance with the input voltage applied to the piezoelectric element (61) from the control unit (130), and deformation of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) vibrates a contact surface (150) contacted by the sound generator, causing sound to be emitted from the contact surface (150).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Fukami, Hiroshi Taimura, Atsuo Chiba, Yuta Sakamoto, Akinori Wada, Daisuke Tsuiki, Takashi Ikegami, Kazuya Sono, Hideaki Fujimoto, Seiji Horii
  • Publication number: 20180014129
    Abstract: An audio apparatus includes a housing, a piezoelectric vibration unit provided to the housing and having a piezoelectric element, and a communication unit for receiving an audio signal. When a received audio signal is applied to the piezoelectric element while a load of the audio apparatus is applied to the piezoelectric vibration unit, the piezoelectric element is deformed causing deformation of the piezoelectric vibration unit, whereby a contact surface in contact with the audio apparatus vibrates and generate a sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventor: Seiji HORII
  • Patent number: 9843865
    Abstract: A sound generator includes a housing (20), a stand (90) supporting the housing (20), a piezoelectric vibrator (60) including a piezoelectric element (61), and an anchor applying a load to the piezoelectric vibrator (60). While the load from the anchor is being applied to the piezoelectric vibrator (60), the piezoelectric vibrator (60) deforms in response to a sound signal, and deformation of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) vibrates a mounting surface (150) on which the sound generator is mounted, causing sound to be emitted from the mounting surface (150).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Ozasa, Kosuke Teruyama, Masahiro Shinya, Talchi Kim, Seiji Horii
  • Patent number: 9807514
    Abstract: An audio apparatus includes a housing, a piezoelectric vibration unit provided to the housing and having a piezoelectric element, and a communication unit for receiving an audio signal. When a received audio signal is applied to the piezoelectric element while a load of the audio apparatus is applied to the piezoelectric vibration unit, the piezoelectric element is deformed causing deformation of the piezoelectric vibration unit, whereby a contact surface in contact with the audio apparatus vibrates and generate a sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seiji Horii
  • Publication number: 20170311087
    Abstract: A sound generator includes a vibration unit including a piezoelectric element having a multilayer structure. The vibration generates vibration according to a sound signal, and an object generates a sound using the vibration and acts as a speaker. The object is different from the sound generator and from a human body, and is in contact with the sound generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Seiji HORII
  • Patent number: 9712922
    Abstract: A sound generator includes a vibration unit (60) having a piezoelectric element (61) and also includes a weight (10) for applying a load to the vibration unit (60). The vibration unit (60) deforms based on a sound signal while receiving the load from the weight (10), thereby vibrating a contact surface (150) in contact with the sound generator (10) and generating a sound from the contact surface (150).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Horii
  • Publication number: 20170105073
    Abstract: A sound generator includes a housing (20), a piezoelectric vibrator (60) including a piezoelectric element (61), at least a portion of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) protruding from the housing (20), and an anchor (10) applying a load to the piezoelectric vibrator (60). A portion or all of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) withdraws into the housing (20) under a force of a predetermined load or greater. While the load from the anchor (10) is being applied to the piezoelectric vibrator (60), the piezoelectric vibrator (60) deforms in response to a sound signal, and deformation of the piezoelectric vibrator (60) vibrates a contact surface contacted by the piezoelectric vibrator (60), causing sound to be emitted from the contact surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Applicant: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi FUKAMI, Hiroshi TAIMURA, Kazuchika SUZUKI, Seiji HORII
  • Patent number: 9619028
    Abstract: Frequency characteristics of an air conduction sound and a human body vibration sound are adjusted. An electronic apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes a panel 10, a piezoelectric element 30, a housing 60 for mounting the panel 10, and a member 80 attached to the piezoelectric element 30, wherein the member 80 and the panel 10 deform due to deformation of the piezoelectric element 30 and thus deliver the air conduction sound and the human body vibration sound to an object in contact with the panel 10 that is deforming, and the member 80 adjusts the frequency characteristics of the air conduction sound and the human body vibration sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Seiji Horii, Kenichi Ozasa, Keiichi Nagoshi
  • Patent number: 9622000
    Abstract: Provided is an audio device, including: a vibrator 10 that includes a piezoelectric element 101 configured to undergo flexure and a panel 102 configured to be bent directly by the piezoelectric element 101 to vibrate; and a holder 60 that includes a behind-the-ear portion 602 to be hooked over a helix of a user's ear and that holds the vibrator 10 in a position that allows the vibrator 10 to abut against the user's ear, wherein sound is heard by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Horii