Patents by Inventor Shigeomi Chono

Shigeomi Chono 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: 8363172
    Abstract: A liquid crystal motor, which makes use of the flow of liquid crystal, is provided. A mechanism for causing a flow of liquid crystal comprising (i) a channel “L” defined by at least one wall surface “B,” (ii) liquid crystal “LC” which is put in the channel “L” and movable along said at least one wall surface “B”, and (iii) a means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B.” The mechanism makes use of the flow of the liquid crystal “LC” which is caused when the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” are turned. When the means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” turns the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B,” the liquid crystal “LC” flows along said at least one wall surface “B.” The flow of the liquid crystal “LC” can easily be utilized for making object-moving devices, sensors, actuators, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Kochi University of Technology
    Inventors: Shigeomi Chono, Tomohiro Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20110058114
    Abstract: An object-moving mechanism, which makes use of the flow of liquid crystal, is provided. A mechanism for causing a flow of liquid crystal comprising (i) a channel “L” defined by at least one wall surface “B,” (ii) liquid crystal “LC” which is put in the channel “L” and movable along said at least one wall surface “B”, and (iii) a means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B.” The mechanism makes use of the flow of the liquid crystal “LC” which is caused when the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” are turned. When the means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” turns the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B,” the liquid crystal “LC” flows along said at least one wall surface “B.” The flow of the liquid crystal “LC” can easily be utilized for making object-moving devices, sensors, actuators, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: KOCHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Shigeomi Chono, Tomohiro Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7826029
    Abstract: A mechanism and a method for causing a flow of liquid crystal, which can be utilized industrially, and an object-moving mechanism, which makes use of the flow of liquid crystal, are provided. A mechanism for causing a flow of liquid crystal comprising (i) a channel “L” defined by at lease one wall surface “B,” (ii) liquid crystal “LC” which is put in the channel “L” and movable along said at least one wall surface “B”, and (iii) a means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B.” The mechanism makes use of the flow of the liquid crystal “LC” which is caused when the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” are turned. When the means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” turns the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B,” the liquid crystal “LC” flows along said at least one wall surface “B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Kochi University of Technology
    Inventors: Shigeomi Chono, Tomohiro Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20090009670
    Abstract: A mechanism and a method for causing a flow of liquid crystal, which can be utilized industrially, and an object-moving mechanism, which makes use of the flow of liquid crystal, are provided. A mechanism for causing a flow of liquid crystal comprising (i) a channel “L” defined by at lease one wall surface “B,” (ii) liquid crystal “LC” which is put in the channel “L” and movable along said at least one wall surface “B”, and (iii) a means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B.” The mechanism makes use of the flow of the liquid crystal “LC” which is caused when the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” are turned. When the means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” turns the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B,” the liquid crystal “LC” flows along said at least one wall surface “B.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventors: Shigeomi Chono, Tomohiro Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7324182
    Abstract: In a rotating mechanism including a pair of members 11 and 11 having opposed surfaces B which are opposed to each other and provided to be relatively movable in a state in which the opposed surfaces B are opposed to each other, a liquid crystal LC provided between the opposed surfaces B and B of the members 11 and 11, and liquid crystal molecule rotating means for rotating a liquid crystal molecule m of the liquid crystal LC in a crossing surface crossing one of the opposed surfaces B and B, the liquid crystal molecule rotating means includes a pair of orientation films 12 and 12 formed on the opposed surfaces B and B, and the orientation films 12 and 12 are subjected to a rubbing treatment in which directions of a rotation around an identical crossing line crossing the members 11 and 11 are reverse to each other along a circumference of a circle having a center on the crossing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Kochi University of Technology
    Inventors: Shigeomi Chono, Tomohiro Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20060238686
    Abstract: In a rotating mechanism including a pair of members 11 and 11 having opposed surfaces B which are opposed to each other and provided to be relatively movable in a state in which the opposed surfaces B are opposed to each other, a liquid crystal LC provided between the opposed surfaces B and B of the members 11 and 11, and liquid crystal molecule rotating means for rotating a liquid crystal molecule m of the liquid crystal LC in a crossing surface crossing one of the opposed surfaces B and B, the liquid crystal molecule rotating means includes a pair of orientation films 12 and 12 formed on the opposed surfaces B and B, and the orientation films 12 and 12 are subjected to a rubbing treatment in which directions of a rotation around an identical crossing line crossing the members 11 and 11 are reverse to each other along a circumference of a circle having a center on the crossing line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Shigeomi Chono, Tomohiro Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20050018096
    Abstract: A mechanism and a method for causing a flow of liquid crystal, which can be utilized industrially, and an object-moving mechanism, which makes use of the flow of liquid crystal, are provided. A mechanism for causing a flow of liquid crystal comprising (i) a channel “L” defined by at lease one wall surface “B,” (ii) liquid crystal “LC” which is put in the channel “L” and movable along said at least one wall surface “B”, and (iii) a means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B.” The mechanism makes use of the flow of the liquid crystal “LC” which is caused when the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” are turned. When the means for turning the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” turns the molecules “m” of the liquid crystal “LC” in a plane intersecting said at least one wall surface “B,” the liquid crystal “LC” flows along said at least one wall surface “B.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Shigeomi Chono, Tomohiro Tsuji