Patents by Inventor Tadahiko Matsumoto

Tadahiko Matsumoto 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: 7403397
    Abstract: A switching power-supply module includes circuit boards, power conversion circuit sections provided on the respective circuit boards, conductor land patterns provided with spacing therebetween along edges of the circuit boards, conductor terminals for interconnecting the conductor land patterns. The circuit boards are stacked with spacing therebetween with the corresponding conductor land patterns being aligned, and the aligned conductor land patterns are interconnected by the corresponding conductor terminals. At least one of the conductor terminals includes an interboard-connection portion for interconnecting the conductor land patterns of the circuit boards and a leg portion that extends from the interboard-connection portion in the stacking direction of the circuit boards and that defines an external-connection portion, and the other conductor terminals each function as an interboard-connection dedicated terminal for providing connection between the circuit boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tadahiko Matsumoto, Syuichi Honda, Yasuo Ohashi, Naoto Sano
  • Publication number: 20080049456
    Abstract: A first drive control signal regenerating circuit outputs an ON timing drive signal at turn-ON of a main switch element, and a second drive control signal regenerating circuit generates an OFF timing drive signal at turn-OFF of the main switch element. A rectifying switch controlling switch element connected between the gate and source of a rectifying switch element is driven by an output of the second drive control signal regenerating circuit. An output of the first drive control signal regenerating circuit connects to the gate of a commutating switch controlling switch element, which connects to one end of an auxiliary winding, the other end thereof being connected to the gate of a commutating switch element. Accordingly, the rectifying switch element is directly controlled from the primary side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Eito Moromizato, Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20070153554
    Abstract: A primary side is provided with an oscillation circuit arranged to turn on a power switch at a constant cycle. The secondary side is provided with an on period control circuit arranged to output an off signal for turning the power switch off by detecting output voltage and comparing with a reference triangle wave signal. An insulated signal transfer circuit is provided between the primary side and secondary side to transfer an on signal. The primary side is provided with a power switch off circuit arranged to turn off the power switch based on the on signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7113379
    Abstract: A switching power supply unit includes an overcurrent protection circuit section and a latch-stop release signal output circuit section. The overcurrent protection circuit section performs an overcurrent protection operation for latching and stopping the switching operation of a main switch during an overcurrent state. The latch-stop release signal output circuit section outputs a signal, only in a predetermined latch-stop release period, for releasing the latch stop after a certain waiting time has elapsed from the time of the latch stop. This arrangement can virtually perform a hiccup-mode overcurrent protection operation at the time of overcurrent, and expands the scope of application of a switching power supply unit. Switching power supply circuits are interconnected by simultaneous starting connections. Switching controllers for the main switches are connected to match hiccup mode restart timings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20050189566
    Abstract: A switching power-supply module includes circuit boards, power conversion circuit sections provided on the respective circuit boards, conductor land patterns provided with spacing therebetween along edges of the circuit boards, conductor terminals for interconnecting the conductor land patterns. The circuit boards are stacked with spacing therebetween with the corresponding conductor land patterns being aligned, and the aligned conductor land patterns are interconnected by the corresponding conductor terminals. At least one of the conductor terminals includes an interboard-connection portion for interconnecting the conductor land patterns of the circuit boards and a leg portion that extends from the interboard-connection portion in the stacking direction of the circuit boards and that defines an external-connection portion, and the other conductor terminals each function as an interboard-connection dedicated terminal for providing connection between the circuit boards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2003
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiko Matsumoto, Syuichi Honda, Yasuo Ohashi, Naoto Sano
  • Patent number: 6879499
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes an ON-timing delay circuit in which, when an ON signal is output from a power switch driving circuit in a control IC to a power switch, the ON timing of the power switch is delayed by hindering the start of the ON operation of the power switch. An early turnoff circuit is provided in which, during delay of the ON timing of the power switch, a commutating synchronous rectifier has an ON and OFF switching operation that is inverse with respect to that of the power switch. A delay eliminating circuit is provided which promptly stops the delay operation of the ON-timing delay circuit when detecting the turnoff of the commutating synchronous rectifier which is caused by a drop in the gate of a commutating synchronous rectifier. When the delay operation of the ON-timing delay circuit continues after the turnoff the commutating synchronous rectifier, a loss caused by the continuation of the delay operation occurs. The problem can be prevented by the delay eliminating circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6778412
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a reverse current detector for detecting a reverse current and a reverse current suppressor for increasing an input-output conversion ratio when a reverse current is detected. A choke coil increases the inductance in a current flowing region in which a very small reverse current flows and reduces the inductance in a current flowing region in which the current flowing is greater than or equal to that in a normal operation mode. In a reverse current flowing region in which the output current is negative, the DC-DC converter has unique regulation characteristics in which the amount of change in the output voltage relative to the amount of change in the output current is very large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Nagai, Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6757174
    Abstract: A switching power-supply module includes a coil pattern of a transformer or an inductor disposed on a substrate. A portion of the coil pattern projects into an edge portion of the substrate. A plurality of terminals are arranged in the substrate edge portion so that they do not touch the coil pattern. The substrate edge portion is soaked in molten solder in the production procedure in order to fix the terminals onto the substrate with solder after components are solder-connected on the substrate. For this reason, the components were previously prohibited from being mounted in the substrate edge portion, and this region has been previously considered to be a dead space. However, in the present invention, since a portion of the coil pattern projects into the substrate edge portion, dead space is minimized, and the size of the substrate, that is, of the switching power supply module is greatly reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Nagai, Yoshihiro Matsumoto, Takayoshi Nishiyama, Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20040090799
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes an ON-timing delay circuit in which, when an ON signal is output from a power switch driving circuit in a control IC to a power switch, the ON timing of the power switch is delayed by hindering the start of the ON operation of the power switch. An early turnoff circuit is provided in which, during delay of the ON timing of the power switch, a commutating synchronous rectifier has an ON and OFF switching operation that is inverse with respect to that of the power switch. A delay eliminating circuit is provided which promptly stops the delay operation of the ON-timing delay circuit when detecting the turnoff of the commutating synchronous rectifier which is caused by a drop in the gate of a commutating synchronous rectifier. When the delay operation of the ON-timing delay circuit continues after the turnoff the commutating synchronous rectifier, a loss caused by the continuation of the delay operation occurs. The problem can be prevented by the delay eliminating circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6690256
    Abstract: In order to improve efficiency of core rubbing operation and also to facilitate reduction in thickness of a coil device, a core-combining member includes substantially U-shaped topside and backside cover members, and a pair of core members are clamped and combined together from top and backsides by fitting the topside and backside cover members to each other. Legs of the topside cover member are provided with leg-openings formed therein while legs of the backside cover member are provided with convex parts for retaining to edges of the leg-openings so as to prevent detachment. A play clearance in the front and rear direction is provided between the convex part and an edge of the leg opening. Core rubbing is performed by relatively moving the cover members in the front and rear direction so as to integrally move the core members while maintaining the core members to be clamped. Stopper means is provided for restricting the relative displacement in the front and rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohashi, Jun Nagai, Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6597588
    Abstract: An insulating-type switching electric power source device has an input voltage Vin of a primary side that is converted at an input/output ratio determined by switching operations of a switching device, and then is output. Voltage subjected to rectifying and smoothing by a primary-side rectification smoothing circuit is used as detecting signals of the output voltage, to control the time ratio of the switching device. A load regulation correcting circuit outputs load regulation correcting signals correlated with the amount of output current. A temperature compensating circuit corrects the load regulation correcting signals according to the ambient temperature. The load regulation correcting signals correct the output voltage detecting signals according to the fluctuations of the output voltage according to fluctuations in the output current and fluctuations in the ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20030128485
    Abstract: A switching power supply unit includes an overcurrent protection circuit section and a latch-stop release signal output circuit section. The overcurrent protection circuit section performs an overcurrent protection operation for latching and stopping the switching operation of a main switch during an overcurrent state. The latch-stop release signal output circuit section outputs a signal, only in a predetermined latch-stop release period, for releasing the latch stop after a certain waiting time has elapsed from the time of the latch stop. This arrangement can virtually perform a hiccup-mode overcurrent protection operation at the time of overcurrent, and expands the scope of application of a switching power supply unit. Switching power supply circuits are interconnected by simultaneous starting connections. Switching controllers for the main switches are connected to match hiccup mode restart timings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Publication date: July 10, 2003
    Inventor: Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6574081
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter has a primary-side circuit connected to a DC power supply and a converter for converting voltage supplied by the DC power supply into an AC signal; a secondary-side circuit for rectifying and smoothing the AC signal transmitted from the primary-side circuit to supply power to a load; and an auxiliary rectifying and smoothing circuit for rectifying and smoothing the AC signal transmitted from the primary-side circuit to supply sub-power supply voltage to the converter of the primary-side circuit. The primary-side circuit further has a monitoring circuit for monitoring the sub-power supply voltage supplied from the auxiliary rectifying and smoothing circuit to the converter and a stop circuit for latching a conversion operation of the converter into an OFF state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiko Matsumoto, Hitoshi Tsuji, Jun Nagai
  • Publication number: 20030048644
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter includes a reverse current detector for detecting a reverse current and a reverse current suppressor for increasing an input-output conversion ratio when a reverse current is detected. A choke coil increases the inductance in a current flowing region in which a very small reverse current flows and reduces the inductance in a current flowing region in which the current flowing is greater than or equal to that in a normal operation mode. In a reverse current flowing region in which the output current is negative, the DC-DC converter has unique regulation characteristics in which the amount of change in the output voltage relative to the amount of change in the output current is very large. Thus, an increase in the reverse current is prevented, the components are protected from damage by the reverse current flowing, and an increase in the loss is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Nagai, Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20030035306
    Abstract: An insulating-type switching electric power source device has an input voltage Vin of a primary side that is converted at an input/output ratio determined by switching operations of a switching device, and then is output. Voltage subjected to rectifying and smoothing by a primary-side rectification smoothing circuit is used as detecting signals of the output voltage, to control the time ratio of the switching device. A load regulation correcting circuit outputs load regulation correcting signals correlated with the amount of output current. A temperature compensating circuit corrects the load regulation correcting signals according to the ambient temperature. The load regulation correcting signals correct the output voltage detecting signals according to the fluctuations of the output voltage according to fluctuations in the output current and fluctuations in the ambient temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20020158742
    Abstract: In order to improve efficiency of core rubbing operation and also to facilitate reduction in thickness of a coil device, a core-combining member includes substantially U-shaped topside and backside cover members, and a pair of core members are clamped and combined together from top and backsides by fitting the topside and backside cover members to each other. Legs of the topside cover member are provided with leg-openings formed therein while legs of the backside cover member are provided with convex parts for retaining to edges of the leg-openings so as to prevent detachment. A play clearance in the front and rear direction is provided between the convex part and an edge of the leg opening. Core rubbing is performed by relatively moving the cover members in the front and rear direction so as to integrally move the core members while maintaining the core members to be clamped. Stopper means is provided for restricting the relative displacement in the front and rear direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Ohashi, Jun Nagai, Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20020153872
    Abstract: A switching power-supply module includes a coil pattern of a transformer or an inductor disposed on a substrate. A portion of the coil pattern projects into an edge portion of the substrate. A plurality of terminals are arranged in the substrate edge portion so that they do not touch the coil pattern. The substrate edge portion is soaked in molten solder in the production procedure in order to fix the terminals onto the substrate with solder after components are solder-connected on the substrate. For this reason, the components were previously prohibited from being mounted in the substrate edge portion, and this region has been previously considered to be a dead space. However, in the present invention, since a portion of the coil pattern projects into the substrate edge portion, dead space is minimized, and the size of the substrate, that is, of the switching power supply module is greatly reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Nagai, Yoshihiro Matsumoto, Takayoshi Nishiyama, Tadahiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6414861
    Abstract: A DC-DC converter having a switching element and a synchronous rectifier, the switching element undergoing a switching operation, the converter performing a voltage conversion of an input voltage to provide a converted output voltage at an output/input conversion ratio that is determined by the switching operation of said switching element, the converter delivering the converted output voltage to a load, said DC-DC converter further comprising: a reverse current detector for detecting a reverse current which flows from an output of the converter to an input of the converter, and a reverse current suppressor, the reverse current suppressor controlling the switching operation of said switching element so as to increase the output/input conversion ratio when a reverse current is detected by the reverse current detector, thereby suppressing the reverse current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiko Matsumoto, Jun Nagai, Takayoshi Nishiyama, Hitoshi Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20020057158
    Abstract: A transformer of a switching power-supply circuit is placed and mounted nearly in the middle area of a circuit board. The transformer is of a low-profile type, and a broad and flat upper surface of the transformer functions as a suction surface for a suction nozzle. When a surface-mount type switching power-supply unit is mounted in a mother board, firstly, the upper surface of the above transformer is held by the suction nozzle, the surface-mount type switching power-supply unit is transferred to a target mounting area on the mother board by the suction nozzle, and the surface-mount type switching power-supply unit is surface mounted in the mother board. Because it is not required to provide a nozzle suction surface for the suction nozzle's exclusive use, transfer molding is not needed, and accordingly a low-profile and low-cost surface-mount type switching power-supply unit can be facilitated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiko Matsumoto, Takayoshi Nishiyama, Jun Nagai
  • Patent number: 6380836
    Abstract: A switching power supply has a transformer for power transmission. A core is provided having an intermediate leg and at least a pair of external legs arranged at equal intervals from the intermediate leg; a first printed coil is provided on a first substrate which has an intermediate hole and a pair of external holes respectively inserted in the intermediate leg and the pair of external legs of the core, the first printed coil being wound around the intermediate hole; a second printed coil is provided on a second substrate which has an intermediate hole and a pair of external holes respectively inserted in the intermediate leg and the pair of external legs of the core, the second printed coil including a pair of external printed coils which are connected in series and are respectively wound around the pair of the external holes and each having the same number of turns but wound in opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiko Matsumoto, Jun Nagai