Patents by Inventor Shinya Kadowaki

Shinya Kadowaki 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: 10502888
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a light guide plate (14) having a light exit surface (14A) having a substantially circular shape and a light entrance surface (14C) extending along an entire periphery of an outer edge of the light exit surface (14A), an LED (31A) opposite the light entrance surface (14C), and an LED (32A) that is opposite the light entrance surface (14C) and is connected in parallel to the LED (31A) and the LED (32A) is arranged opposite from the LED (31A) with having a center (C1) of the light exit surface (14A) therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hisashi Watanabe, Ryuzo Yuki, Shinya Kadowaki, Mitsuhiro Murata, Takeshi Ishida, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 10353132
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel, a liquid crystal panel flexible circuit board, and a backlight unit. The backlight unit includes LEDs, a light guide plate, a chassis, and an LED board. The light guide plate has an outer shape conforming to an outer shape of the liquid crystal panel. The chassis including a sidewall portion which surrounds the light guide plate and the LEDs. The LED board has an outer shape conforming to the outer shape of the light guide plate. The LEDs are mounted on the LED board at intervals in the circumferential direction. The LED board includes LED mount portions, and LED interval portions. The LED interval portions include a cut-out LED interval portion. Between the cut-out LED interval portion and the sidewall portion, a liquid crystal panel flexible circuit board passing space is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kadowaki, Takeshi Ishida, Mitsuhiro Murata, Ryuzo Yuki, Hisashi Watanabe, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 10281766
    Abstract: A backlight device 12 includes at least: a plurality of LEDs 17 arranged in an annular and curved shape; a light guide plate 14 surrounded by the plurality of LEDs 17 having am outer shape along the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 17, and guiding light from the plurality of LEDs 17; and an LED board (light source board) 18 on which the plurality of LEDs 17 are mounted and wiring portions 18c for feeding power to the plurality of LEDs 17 are formed. The LED board 18 extends along the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 17, and has a terminated annular shape or an endless annular shape, and includes a no-wiring formed region NWA in a part with respect to the circumferential direction thereof, where the wiring portions 18c are not formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kadowaki, Ryuzo Yuki, Mitsuhiro Murata, Takeshi Ishida, Takeshi Masuda, Hisashi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10268075
    Abstract: A lighting device includes light sources, a light source board, and a casing. The light source board includes a board body portion having a substantially circular outer edge where the light sources are arranged at intervals in a substantially annular shape such that each light source emits light toward a center, an extended portion extending inward from the board body portion, and a trace portion electrically connected to each light source. The casing includes a tubular-shaped side wall portion surrounding the light sources, and a bottom portion disposed opposite the board body portion and having an exit hole therethrough through which the extended portion is inserted and the distal end of the extended portion is extended outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuzo Yuki, Hisashi Watanabe, Shinya Kadowaki, Mitsuhiro Murata, Takeshi Ishida, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 10223984
    Abstract: A production control system for liquid crystal panels includes a general design circuit board producing section configured to produce general design circuit boards, a frame processing section configured to process frames of the general design circuit boards based on an outline of the liquid crystal panels in an order from a customer, a customer terminal, a processor, and information and communication lines. At least the outline of the liquid crystal panels and an order quantity are input to the customer terminal by the customer. The processor is configured to control the general design circuit board producing section to produce the general design circuit boards and the frame processing section to process the frames of the general design circuit boards for an order quantity based on the outline of the display panels and the order quantity entered in the customer terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kadowaki, Hidefumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10209432
    Abstract: A backlight device (12) includes a light guide plate (14), and LEDs (17), and wiring portions (18c). The light guide plate (14) has a substantially circular outer shape and has fan-shaped areas (SA) defined by segment lines (SL) extending through a center (C) thereof. All the segment lines (SL) meet at the center (C). The LEDs (17) are arranged such that middle positions between LEDs (17) each located at an end in the circumferential direction in the respective sets of the LEDs (17) provided for the fan-shaped areas (SA) adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction coincides with the segment lines (SL). The wiring portions (18c) are equal or larger in number than the LEDs (17) included in each of the sets of LEDs (17) provided for the fan-shaped areas (SA) and are configured to supply electric power to the respective LEDs (17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Murata, Ryuzo Yuki, Hisashi Watanabe, Shinya Kadowaki, Takeshi Ishida, Takeshi Masuda
  • Patent number: 10209428
    Abstract: A lighting device includes an annular light source including light sources arranged in a circular pattern, a light guide plate having a round shape in a plan view, and a case holding the annular light source and the light guide plate. The light guide plate is disposed inside the annular light source. The light guide plate includes light entering portions, circumferentially aligned portions, and a light emitting portion. The light entering portions are opposed to the light sources. Each circumferentially aligned portion is between the adjacent light entering portions. A dimension of the circumferentially aligned portion in the radial direction is larger than a dimension of the light entering portion in the radial direction. The circumferentially aligned portions are aligned with the light sources in the circumferential direction and configured to contact the light sources when the light guide plate is rotated in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryuzo Yuki, Hisashi Watanabe, Takeshi Masuda, Mitsuhiro Murata, Shinya Kadowaki, Takeshi Ishida
  • Patent number: 10185172
    Abstract: A method of driving a display device including a display panel that includes a color filter board is provided. The color filter board includes a light blocking section formed in a grid and color sections that are formed in areas surrounded by a pattern of the light blocking section in different colors from area to area. The color sections form display pixels on a combination basis. The display panel includes a light blocking area in at least a section of an edge along an outline of the display panel. The method includes setting the color sections that do not form the display pixels among the color sections adjacent to the light blocking area in a plan view of the display panel constantly in the black state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kadowaki, Hidefumi Yoshida, Ryuzo Yuki
  • Publication number: 20180259701
    Abstract: A lighting device includes an annular light source including light sources arranged in a circular pattern, a light guide plate having a round shape in a plan view, and a case holding the annular light source and the light guide plate. The light guide plate is disposed inside the annular light source. The light guide plate includes light entering portions, circumferentially aligned portions, and a light emitting portion. The light entering portions are opposed to the light sources. Each circumferentially aligned portion is between the adjacent light entering portions. A dimension of the circumferentially aligned portion in the radial direction is larger than a dimension of the light entering portion in the radial direction. The circumferentially aligned portions are aligned with the light sources in the circumferential direction and configured to contact the light sources when the light guide plate is rotated in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: RYUZO YUKI, HISASHI WATANABE, TAKESHI MASUDA, MITSUHIRO MURATA, SHINYA KADOWAKI, TAKESHI ISHIDA
  • Patent number: 10018868
    Abstract: A backlight device includes: optical members with a substantially circular profile, including a light guide plate, optical sheets, and a reflective sheet; a chassis (lamination member) disposed to overlap the light guide plate, the optical sheets, and the reflective sheet (optical members); and positioning structures. The positioning structures are provided on the light guide plate, the optical sheets, and the reflective sheet (optical members) and on the chassis (lamination member). The positioning structures have contact faces that come into contact with each other in the circumferential direction of the light guide plate, the optical sheets, and the reflective sheet (optical members), so as to position the light guide plate, the optical sheets, and the reflective sheet (optical member) relative to the chassis (lamination member) in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Masuda, Ryuzo Yuki, Hisashi Watanabe, Shinya Kadowaki, Mitsuhiro Murata, Takeshi Ishida
  • Publication number: 20180158421
    Abstract: A production control system for liquid crystal panels includes a general design circuit board producing section configured to produce general design circuit boards, a frame processing section configured to process frames of the general design circuit boards based on an outline of the liquid crystal panels in an order from a customer, a customer terminal, a processor, and information and communication lines. At least the outline of the liquid crystal panels and an order quantity are input to the customer terminal by the customer. The processor is configured to control the general design circuit board producing section to produce the general design circuit boards and the frame processing section to process the frames of the general design circuit boards for an order quantity based on the outline of the display panels and the order quantity entered in the customer terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: SHINYA KADOWAKI, HIDEFUMI YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20180143486
    Abstract: A method of driving a display device including a display panel that includes a color filter board is provided. The color filter board includes a light blocking section formed in a grid and color sections that are formed in areas surrounded by a pattern of the light blocking section in different colors from area to area. The color sections form display pixels on a combination basis. The display panel includes a light blocking area in at least a section of an edge along an outline of the display pane. The method includes setting the color sections that do not form the display pixels among the color sections adjacent to the light blocking area in a plan view of the display panel constantly in the black state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Shinya KADOWAKI, Hidefumi YOSHIDA, Ryuzo YUKI
  • Publication number: 20180045878
    Abstract: A backlight device 12 includes a light guide plate 14, LEDs 17, and wiring portions 18c. The light guide plate 14 has a substantially circular outer shape and has fan-shaped areas SA defined by segment lines SL extending through a center C thereof. All the segment lines SL meet at the center C. The LEDs 17 include sets of LEDs 17 provided for the fan-shaped areas SA. The LEDs 17 are arranged such that middle positions between LEDs 17 each located at an end in the circumferential direction in the respective sets of the LEDs 17 provided for the fan-shaped areas SA adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction coincides with the segment lines SL. The wiring portions 18c are equal or larger in number than the LEDs 17 included in each of the sets of LEDs 17 provided for the fan-shaped areas SA and are configured to supply electric power to the respective LEDs 17 provided for the fan-shaped areas SA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: MITSUHIRO MURATA, RYUZO YUKI, HISASHI WATANABE, SHINYA KADOWAKI, TAKESHI ISHIDA, TAKESHI MASUDA
  • Publication number: 20180024290
    Abstract: A lighting device includes a light guide plate 14 having a light exit surface 14A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: HISASHI WATANABE, RYUZO YUKI, SHINYA KADOWAKI, MITSUHIRO MURATA, TAKESHI ISHIDA, TAKESHI MASUDA
  • Patent number: 9853070
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a display panel substrate having a semiconductor element includes a film forming step of forming a thin film, a resist film forming step of forming a positive resist film on the thin film, a first exposure step of selectively exposing a resist film via a photomask including a pattern of the semiconductor element, a second exposure step of selectively exposing the resist film by scanning and irradiating the resist film with light along an outline shape of the display panel substrate, a developing step of developing the resist film to remove the resist film exposed in the first and second exposure steps and form a resist pattern on the thin film, an etching step of etching the thin film using the resist pattern as a mask, and forming a thin-film pattern by selectively removing the thin film, and a peeling step of peeling the resist pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Kadowaki, Hidefumi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20170359867
    Abstract: A lighting device 10 includes light sources 17, a light source board 18, and a casing 13. The light source board 18 includes a board body portion 18a having a substantially circular outer edge where the light sources 17 are arranged at intervals in a substantially annular shape such that each light source 17 emits light toward a center, an extended portion 18b extending inward from the board body portion 18a, and a trace portion 19 electrically connected to each light source 17 and disposed in an area from the board body portion 18a to the extended portion 18b such that an end of the trace portion 19 is arranged at a distal end of the extended portion 18b. The casing 13 includes a tubular-shaped side wall portion 13b surrounding the light sources 17, and a bottom portion 13a disposed opposite the board body portion 18a and having an exit hole 13a1 therethrough through which the extended portion 18b is inserted and the distal end 18b1 of the extended portion 18b is extended outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Ryuzo YUKI, Hisashi WATANABE, Shinya KADOWAKI, Mitsuhiro MURATA, Takeshi ISHIDA, Takeshi MASUDA
  • Publication number: 20170351127
    Abstract: A backlight device 12 includes: optical members with a substantially circular profile, including a light guide plate 14, optical sheets 15, and a reflective sheet 16; a chassis 13 (lamination member) disposed to overlap the light guide plate 14, the optical sheets 15, and the reflective sheet 16 (optical members); and positioning structures. The positioning structures are provided on the light guide plate 14, the optical sheets 15, and the reflective sheet 16 (optical members) and on the chassis 13 (lamination member). The positioning structures have contact faces that come into contact with each other in the circumferential direction of the light guide plate 14, the optical sheets 15, and the reflective sheet 16 (optical members), so as to position the light guide plate 14, the optical sheets 15, and the reflective sheet 16 (optical member) relative to the chassis 13 (lamination member) in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: TAKESHI MASUDA, RYUZO YUKI, HISASHI WATANABE, SHINYA KADOWAKI, MITSUHIRO MURATA, TAKESHI ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20170351143
    Abstract: A backlight device 12 includes at least: a plurality of LEDs 17 arranged in an annular and curved shape; a light guide plate 14 surrounded by the plurality of LEDs 17 having am outer shape along the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 17, and guiding light from the plurality of LEDs 17; and an LED board (light source board) 18 on which the plurality of LEDs 17 are mounted and wiring portions 18c for feeding power to the plurality of LEDs 17 are formed. The LED board 18 extends along the arrangement of the plurality of LEDs 17, and has a terminated annular shape or an endless annular shape, and includes a no-wiring formed region NWA in a part with respect to the circumferential direction thereof, where the wiring portions 18c are not formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: SHINYA KADOWAKI, RYUZO YUKI, MITSUHIRO MURATA, TAKESHI ISHIDA, TAKESHI MASUDA, HISASHI WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20170351019
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel, a liquid crystal panel flexible circuit board, and a backlight unit. The backlight unit includes LEDs, a light guide plate, a chassis, and an LED board. The light guide plate has an outer shape conforming to an outer shape of the liquid crystal panel. The chassis including a sidewall portion which surrounds the light guide plate and the LEDs. The LED board has an outer shape conforming to the outer shape of the light guide plate. The LEDs are mounted on the LED board at intervals in the circumferential direction. The LED board includes LED mount portions, and LED interval portions. The LED interval portions include a cut-out LED interval portion. Between the cut-out LED interval portion and the sidewall portion, a liquid crystal panel flexible circuit board passing space is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: SHINYA KADOWAKI, TAKESHI ISHIDA, MITSUHIRO MURATA, RYUZO YUKI, HISASHI WATANABE, TAKESHI MASUDA
  • Publication number: 20170301706
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a display panel substrate having a semiconductor element includes a film forming step of forming a thin film, a resist film forming step of forming a positive resist film on the thin film, a first exposure step of selectively exposing a resist film via a photomask including a pattern of the semiconductor element, a second exposure step of selectively exposing the resist film by scanning and irradiating the resist film with light along an outline shape of the display panel substrate, a developing step of developing the resist film to remove the resist film exposed in the first and second exposure steps and form a resist pattern on the thin film, an etching step of etching the thin film using the resist pattern as a mask, and forming a thin-film pattern by selectively removing the thin film, and a peeling step of peeling the resist pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Shinya KADOWAKI, Hidefumi YOSHIDA