Patents by Inventor Shinji Minamisawa

Shinji Minamisawa 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: 20190137780
    Abstract: The disclosure reduces the size of an optical unit with a shake correction function provided with a filter switching function and reduces the power consumption. An optical unit with a shake correction function includes a fixed body; a movable body having an optical element; an oscillation support mechanism configured to oscillatably support he movable body with respect to the fixed body; and a shake correction drive mechanism configured to oscillate the movable body, such that the movable body includes a filter and a filter switching mechanism configured to switch the presence or absence of the filter, and the oscillation support mechanism is arranged at a position overlapping the shake correction drive mechanism when seen from a direction perpendicular to a direction of an optical axis of the optical element, and the filter and the filter switching mechanism are arranged at a subject side of the optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsutomu ARAI, Takeshi SUE, Shinji MINAMISAWA
  • Publication number: 20190124237
    Abstract: A coil unit may include coil holding member configured to hold a coil; and a coil held by the coil holding member and formed by a conducting wire in a wound state. A direction perpendicular to a length direction of the conducting wire is a thickness direction of the coil. The coil holding member may include an abutment surface configured to abut against one end surface in the thickness direction of the coil, a convex unit protruding from the abutment surface and around which the conducting wire is wound, and a coil pressing unit extending from a front end surface of the convex unit and configured to press the other end surface in the thickness direction of the coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Toshiyuki WATANABE, Shinji MINAMISAWA, Kazuhiko YANAGISAWA
  • Patent number: 10185156
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function may include a movable body which may include an optical module and a holder for holding the optical module, and a gimbal mechanism which swingably supports the movable body with respect to a fixed body. The gimbal mechanism may include a movable frame which is a gimbal spring. The movable frame may include a supporting point part and a connecting part including a meandering part. The meandering part has a cross-sectional shape in which on the assumption that a direction perpendicular to first and second axial lines is a first direction and a direction perpendicular to the first direction and a meandering path of the meandering part is a second direction, a thickness in the second direction is larger than a thickness in the first direction of each plate-shaped spring which structures the movable frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Minamisawa, Takeshi Sue
  • Publication number: 20190018259
    Abstract: An optical unit with shake correction function capable of reducing a weight of a rotation member to be rotated in rolling correction. An optical unit with shake correction function includes: a movable member; a swing supporting mechanism supporting the movable member such that the movable member is able to swing; and a fixation member supporting the movable member via the swing supporting mechanism. The movable member includes: an imaging module; a rotation seat supporting the imaging module; a rotation supporting mechanism supporting the rotation seat such that the rotation seat is able to rotate on an optical axis of the imaging module; a supporting member supporting the rotation seat via the rotation supporting mechanism; and a rolling magnetic driving mechanism causing the rotation seat to rotate. The imaging module and the rotation seat configure the rotation member to be rotated by the rolling magnetic driving mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji MINAMISAWA, Takeshi SUE, Masato GOMYO
  • Publication number: 20190018260
    Abstract: Regarding an optical unit, a swing driving magnet is held at a holding area of a fixed member in such a manner that the swing driving magnet is movable, and a position-recovering magnetic member is held on a movable unit at a position where the position-recovering magnetic member is able to face the swing driving magnet (Step ST1). Next, a deviated amount between the axis line of the optical unit and the optical axis of an optical module is obtained (Step ST2). Then, the swing driving magnet is moved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji MINAMISAWA
  • Publication number: 20190020799
    Abstract: An optical unit with rolling correction function is provided and performs rolling correction by fixing a circuit board on which an imaging element is mounted and a heat dissipating member to a rotation member, transmitting heat from the circuit board to the heat dissipating member, and rotating the rotation member. A rotation shaft of a rotation supporting mechanism is fixed to the rotation member via the heat dissipating member. Accordingly, it is possible to dissipate heat by transmitting heat that is generated from the imaging element, from the circuit board to the heat dissipating member, and then transmitting the heat from the heat dissipating member to the rotation shaft. The imaging element and the heat dissipating member overlap with the rotation shaft at an identical position when the imaging element and the heat dissipating member are seen from an optical axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji MINAMISAWA, Masato GOMYO, Takeshi SUE
  • Publication number: 20190018258
    Abstract: To draw a flexible printed circuit board in a small space with high flexibility in an optical unit with shake correction function. In an optical unit with rolling correction function, a first flexible printed circuit board for an imaging element is drawn around an optical axis of the optical unit with rolling correction function such that the first flexible printed circuit board is wound by substantially a turn in a circumferential direction at an identical height in an optical axis direction. Furthermore, in a portion wound in the circumferential direction (i.e., a connection part), one end and the other end in the circumferential direction are at an identical height in the optical axis direction. Furthermore, a second flexible printed circuit board for a rolling magnetic driving mechanism and a third flexible printed circuit board for a swing magnetic driving mechanism are also drawn in a similar manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2018
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Applicant: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji MINAMISAWA, Masato GOMYO, Takeshi SUE
  • Publication number: 20180321506
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function may include a movable body having an optical element, a turnable support mechanism structured to turnably support the movable body around an optical axis of the optical element, a fixed body supporting the movable body through the turnable support mechanism, a magnetic rolling drive mechanism structured to turn the movable body, and an angular position return mechanism structured to return the movable body to a reference angular position around the optical axis. The magnetic rolling drive mechanism may include a coil and a magnet facing the coil. The magnet is polarized and magnetized in a circumferential direction. The angular position return mechanism includes a magnetic member attached to the movable body and, when the movable body is located at the reference angular position, an imaginary plane which includes a magnetizing polarized line of the magnet passes a center of the magnetic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Applicant: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji MINAMISAWA, Takeshi SUE
  • Publication number: 20180321505
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function include a movable body having an optical element, a swing support mechanism swingably supporting the movable body between a reference posture and a tilted posture, a fixed body supporting the movable body through the swing support mechanism, a magnetic swing drive mechanism structured to swing the movable body, and a posture return mechanism structured to return the movable body to the reference posture. The magnetic swing drive mechanism includes a coil and a magnet, the magnet is polarized and magnetized to have different magnetic poles in an axial line direction, the posture return mechanism includes the magnet and a magnetic member attached to a side to which the coil is fixed, and a center of the magnetic member is overlapped with a magnetizing polarized line of the magnet when the movable body in the reference posture is viewed in a radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Applicant: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji MINAMISAWA
  • Publication number: 20180321462
    Abstract: To provide a rolling magnetic driving unit that can be employed for both of an optical unit with shake correction function that causes an optical module to swing and rotate and an optical unit with shake correction function that causes the optical module to rotate, a second unit (i.e., a rolling magnetic driving unit) includes: a rotation seat; and a fixation member that supports the rotation seat via a bearing mechanism. The rotation seat and the bearing mechanism configure a rotation-supporting mechanism. The rotation-supporting mechanism supports a holder, which supports the optical module such that the optical module is able to swing, such the holder is able to rotate on the axis. Furthermore, the second unit includes a rolling magnetic driving mechanism, which includes a rolling driving coil that is held by the rotation seat and a rolling driving magnet that is held by the fixation member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Applicant: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji MINAMISAWA, TAKESHI SUE, Masato GOMYO
  • Publication number: 20180309931
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function may include a swing body which holds an optical element; a swing support mechanism structured to swingably support the swing body between a reference posture, where an axial line previously set and an optical axis are coincided with each other, and a tilted posture, where the optical axis is tilted with respect to the axial line; and a support body which supports the swing body through the swing support mechanism; and a weight which is used so that a swing center of the swing body and a gravity center of the swing body are coincided with each other in a direction of the axial line. The swing body may include a fixed region to which the weight is fixed. A fixed position of the weight may be changeable in the fixed region in a direction of the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Shinji MINAMISAWA, Takeshi SUE
  • Publication number: 20180284570
    Abstract: An optical unit may include a movable member include a camera module comprising an optical element and an image pickup element positioned on an optical axis of the optical element; and a camera module holder comprising a cylindrical holding part to hold the camera module from an outside; a swingable supporting mechanism to swingably support the movable member between a reference position and a tilt position; and a supporting member to support the holding part via the swingable supporting mechanism. When the movable member is set in the reference position, seen from an object side in a direction of the axis, the holding part may include a visible portion configured to enable a visual check without an occurrence of an overlap with respect to the camera module, the swingable supporting mechanism, and the supporting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Shinji MINAMISAWA, Toshiyuki WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20180284567
    Abstract: An optical unit with shake correction function may have a movable member configured hold an optical element; a holder configured to support the movable member on an inner circumferential side via a swingable supporting mechanism; a first rotation supporting mechanism configured to rotatably support the holder at a periphery of an axis; and a fixing member configured to support the holder via the first rotation supporting mechanism. The fixing member may include a fixing member side opposing part that opposes to the holder in a Z axis direction (direction of the axis), and the holder may include a holder side opposing part that opposes to the fixing member side opposing part in the Z axis direction. The first rotation supporting mechanism may include a plurality of balls between the fixing member side opposing part and the holder side opposing par.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Shinji MINAMISAWA, Takeshi SUE
  • Publication number: 20180284477
    Abstract: An optical unit may include a movable member configured to hold an optical module; a rotation supporting mechanism to support the movable member such that the movable member rotates on an optical axis; a fixing member to support the movable member; a rolling magnetic driving mechanism to rotate the movable member on the optical axis; and an optical module flexible printed circuit board. The movable member may include a holder configured to rotate on the optical axis while holding the optical module. The holder may include a fixing part to which the optical module flexible printed circuit board is fixed. The optical module flexible printed circuit board may include a connector inserting part connected to the fixing member or to a supporting member; and a flexed part formed between the connector inserting part and a portion fixed to the fixing part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventor: Shinji MINAMISAWA
  • Publication number: 20180284476
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function may include a movable body on which an optical module is mounted, a fixed body which supports the movable body, and a flexible printed circuit board connected with the movable body. The flexible printed circuit board comprises a fixed part fixed to the movable body and the fixed part is structured by fixing a reinforcing plate to the flexible circuit board. The fixed part comprises two engaging parts to which two protruded parts formed in the movable body are fitted and a hooked part formed of an end part of the reinforcing plate. The hooked part is protruded to an outer side in a width direction of the flexible circuit board. The movable body comprises the two protruded parts which are fitted to the two engaging parts and a first hook part which holds the hooked part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventor: Shinji MINAMISAWA
  • Publication number: 20180284566
    Abstract: An optical unit may include an optical module; a supporting member; a rotation supporting mechanism to support the supporting member; a fixing member supporting the supporting member; and a rolling magnetic driving mechanism. The rotation supporting mechanism may include a rolling bearing. The rolling magnetic driving mechanism may include a magnet and a coil. The fixing member may include a main body; a spring member; and a movable holder. The movable holder may oppose the supporting member. The supporting member may include a supporting member side opposing part. The rolling bearing may include an inner ring; an outer ring; and a ball that rolls between the inner ring and the outer ring. The movable holder may hold either one of the magnet and the coil, and the supporting member side opposing part holds the other. The spring member may bias the movable holder toward the supporting member side opposing part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventor: Shinji MINAMISAWA
  • Publication number: 20180284569
    Abstract: In an optical unit with shake correction function, a first stopper mechanism configured to define a swinging range of a movable member is composed of: a first projection part for stopper and a second projection part for stopper, both of which are provided in a camera module; and a projection portion (abutment target) of a holder bottom plate member. Therefore, when the first projection part for stopper and the second projection part for stopper; and the projection portion of the holder bottom plate member abut against each other and then movement in the Z axis direction of the movable member is restricted, the camera module does not move in the Z axis direction any more. Accordingly, the camera module does not slip off from a camera module holder of the movable member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Shinji MINAMISAWA, Takeshi SUE
  • Patent number: 10057474
    Abstract: A coil unit may include coils and a coil holding member. An outer peripheral face of the coil holding member includes two side-face pairs, each of which includes a pair of parallel side faces. Each side face includes a protruded part around which the coil is wound and an abutting face with which one end face of the coil is abutted. Two pieces of the coil wound around protruded parts of two paired side faces is formed of one conducting wire. One side faces includes a coil guide part for wiring a crossover wire which connects the coil wound around the protruded part of one side face with the coil wound around the protruded part of the paired side-face pair, the coil guide part being recessed from the abutting face, and a recessed amount of the coil guide part is not less than an outer diameter of the conducting wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji Minamisawa, Takashi Iwanami
  • Patent number: 10048508
    Abstract: An optical unit may include a movable body holding an optical module by a holder, a fixed body having a body part surrounding the movable body, a support mechanism swingably supporting the movable body, and a shake correction drive mechanism that swings the movable body. The holder includes a plurality of wall parts on an outer periphery of the optical module, and the wall part holds a part of the shake correction drive mechanism, and the support mechanism includes a movable frame surrounding the optical module and a plurality of swing support parts supporting the movable frame. The movable frame includes supporting point parts contacting the swing support parts, and connecting parts connecting supporting point parts adjacent to each other. The supporting point parts are located on an outer periphery of wall parts, and the connecting parts are disposed so as to pass on inner sides of the wall parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Sue, Shinji Minamisawa
  • Patent number: 10003746
    Abstract: An optical unit with a shake correction function may include a movable module holding an optical element; a fixed body; a support mechanism swingably supporting the movable module at a midway position in an optical axis direction; and a shake correction drive mechanism to swing the movable module. The movable module may include an optical module which holds the optical element; and a weight provided on one side of a front side and a rear side in the optical axis direction of the optical module, the weight being configured to shift a gravity center position of the movable module to a support position side of the support mechanism relative to a gravity center position of the optical module in the optical axis direction. An end face of one side of the weight may be formed in a flat face which is perpendicular to the optical axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: NIDEC SANKYO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Minamisawa