Patents by Inventor Tadashi Maeoka

Tadashi Maeoka 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: 8146116
    Abstract: A disk device includes a turntable which is rotationally driven and, for placing a disk thereon, a clamper for rotatably holding the disk between the turntable and the clamper, a loading mechanism for carrying the disk inserted to between the turntable and the clamper, a clamp arm which includes a clamper holder for rotatably holding the clamper by a claw fitted to the hook with a clearance and an arm unit disposed pivotably on a pivot shaft positioned apart from the clamper holder, the clamp arm moving the clamper between a disk pressing position and a retreat position, and a clamper restricting member including a resilient portion capable of contacting a part of the clamper on the side opposite to the side of the clamper moved to the retreat position and on a side apart from the pivot shaft of the arm unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideto Soga, Tomio Yamamoto, Tadashi Maeoka, Asayuki Matsumura
  • Publication number: 20100235850
    Abstract: In order to provide a disk device, in which a disk can be prevented from being damaged and a thickness can be more reduced, a disk device according to the present invention includes, a turntable which is rotationally driven and, for placing a disk thereon, a clamper for rotatably holding the disk between the turntable and the clamper, which has a hook on a side opposite to a side on which the disk is held, a loading mechanism for carrying the disk inserted to between the turntable and the clamper, a clamp arm which includes a clamper holder for rotatably holding the clamper by a claw fitted to the hook with a clearance and an arm unit disposed pivotably on a pivot shaft positioned apart from the clamper holder, the clamp arm moving the clamper between a disk pressing position and a retreat position, and a clamper restricting member including a resilient portion capable of contacting a part of the clamper on the side opposite to the side of the clamper moved to the retreat position and on a side apart from the
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventors: Hideto Soga, Tomio Yamamoto, Tadashi Maeoka, Asayuki Matsumura
  • Patent number: 6704495
    Abstract: An audio-video playback device in which a plane formed by the right sides of the device body and a plane formed by the right side of the monitor portion are on a substantially same plane, and the plane is substantially orthogonal to the rotation axis (R-R) of rotatably supporting portions. The center of gravity of the device body is located toward the right side, whereby the stable side-down setting of the device in the manner that the right sides (1R and 2R) face downward is realized. While, operation switches and the like are not disposed on the right sides, a user lying down can operate the device and watch natural display images and listen to natural sounds if the device is sidewards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Kumazawa, Genichi Yamada, Ko Hamano, Tadashi Maeoka, Yoshihiro Fujimoto, Takamichi Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 6345027
    Abstract: A disk driving apparatus includes: a head base unit which supports a head for recording data into and reproducing data from a storage medium, the head base unit being able to travel between a first position where the head is close to the storage medium for recording data thereto and reproducing data therefrom and a second position where the head is apart from the storage medium; a tray provided with a tray rack extending in a predetermined direction, the tray being slidable along the tray rack between a third position at which the head performs recording and reproduction on the storage medium and a fourth position at which an operator can place the storage medium; a driving power source; a tray gear which is driven by the driving power source; a rotation body gear which is driven by the driving power source; a partial gear which partially engages with the rotation body gear at a predetermined angle; and a rotation body which, in accordance with the rotation of the partial gear, reciprocally rotates so that th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshito Saji, Benichi Miyazaki, Tadashi Maeoka, Masayuki Shinoda
  • Patent number: 5214634
    Abstract: An optical disk apparatus for a double-sided optical disk has an optical pickup unit for reproducing information from the optical disk, and base members carrying driving unit for shifting the pickup unit and a guide mechanism for guiding the movement of the pickup unit. The drive of the pickup unit is conducted through a timing belt, and different reduction systems are used for reproducing operation of the optical pickup unit and for the shifting of the optical pickup unit from one to the other sides of the disk, by the operation of a switching mechanism for effecting switching between these reduction systems, such that, during the reproduction, the optical pickup unit is moved finely to provide a high resolution, whereas the shifting of the optical pickup unit from one to the other side of the disk is effected at a high speed. The motor as the power source therefore can operate at a low speed, thus reducing levels of vibration and noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Maeoka, Yukihiro Fukushima, Masaki Kondo
  • Patent number: 4704643
    Abstract: A magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus is provided with a motor for driving a capstan, a cassette loading mechanism for loading a tape cassette at a predetermined position, a tape loading mechanism reciprocable between an inoperative position where the tape is ready be drawn out from the tape cassette and an operative position where the tape is drawn out and wound onto a guide drum, an operating mode changing mechanism driven by the motor for changing operating mode of the apparatus, a reel turntable driving mechanism for transmitting a rotational driving force of the motor to reel turntables, and a clutch for transmitting intermittently the driving force of the motor to the cassette loading, tape loading and operating mode changing mechanisms, whereby cassette loading operation, tape loading operation, operating mode changing operation and tape transporting operation and performed by the single motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1987
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
    Inventors: Kaoru Matsuoka, Tadashi Maeoka, Jirou Kajino, Hitoshi Minabe, Tetsurou Tanaka