Patents by Inventor Takanori Samejima

Takanori Samejima 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: 20150078409
    Abstract: The wavelength of fundamental wave light emitted from a semiconductor laser is converted by a wavelength conversion element, and the wavelength-converted light is emitted. A power supply circuit feeds electric power to the semiconductor laser. A control part controls an amount of electric power to be fed to a heater such that the wavelength conversion element becomes a temperature that optimizes the wavelength conversion efficiency. Temperatures detected by an element temperature detector and a light source part temperature detector are introduced to the control part, and the control part takes a wavelength conversion element temperature, at which a temperature detected by the light source part temperature detector is minimum, as a set temperature that makes the wavelength conversion efficiency optimal, and feedback-controls the wavelength conversion element temperature such that the wavelength conversion element temperature is at the set temperature by controlling the heating quantity of the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Sugihara, Kazuhiro Yoshida, Kentaro Fujita, Takanori Samejima
  • Patent number: 8950873
    Abstract: A coherent light source apparatus comprises a first optical system, which has a first light emission region formed by a coherent light source, and which projects light from the first light emission region to form a second light emission region, a light deflection unit which deflects light flux in connection with formation of the second light emission region; a second optical system, which forms a third light emission region in response to the light flux which has been deflected by the light deflection unit, a light mixing unit for mixing a component of an incident light angle and that of a position thereof, and a light deflection unit drive circuit for receiving a periodic optical deflection synchronization signal, thereby driving the light deflection unit, wherein the light deflection unit operates to continuously change a direction in which the light flux is deflected while synchronizing with the optical deflection synchronization signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Okamoto, Takanori Samejima, Mikio Shimizu, Yuichi Miura
  • Patent number: 8952633
    Abstract: In a lighting apparatus containing a high pressure discharge lamp, an alternating current supplied to the discharge lamp at the time of steady lighting of the frequency (basic frequency) selected from a range between 60 and 1000 Hz and a low frequency having a frequency selected from a range between 5 and 200 Hz lower than the basic frequency is generated alternately. The frequency of the low frequency wave is changed in response to the change of the lighting voltage of the discharge lamp. The supply period of the basic frequency is increased and decreased little by little by every predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Imamura, Takanori Samejima, Minoru Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20140285872
    Abstract: The fundamental wave light emitted from a semiconductor laser is converted in wavelength by a wavelength conversion element and emitted therefrom. A lightning circuit lights the semiconductor laser, and a temperature control unit 21b controls the amount of electric power supply to a heater so that the temperature of the wavelength conversion element turns into temperature at which the wavelength conversion efficiency thereof becomes optimal. When a state where the amount of electric power supply of the heater is lower limit or below continues for a predetermined period or longer, the hang-up suppressing unit 21c, or when duration time in a state where the temperature of the wavelength conversion element is higher than the control target temperature becomes higher than a constant value, laser lighting current is decreased by a preset amount, thereby recovery from a high temperature hang-up state performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro HORIKAWA, Takayuki KOZAKURA, Tetsuya OZAWA, Toru NISHIKUBO, Takanori SAMEJIMA, Kazuhiro YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20140233090
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to make it possible to output stable light by optimizing the wavelength conversion efficiency in a wavelength conversion element without employing an optical detection device such as a photo diode in a laser light source device. A fundamental light wave emitted from a semiconductor laser (2) is wavelength converted by a wavelength conversion element (5) and is emitted therefrom. A lighting circuit (20) supplies electric power for the aforementioned semiconductor laser (2) to turn on the semiconductor laser (2). A control unit (21) controls the operation of the device while controlling the amount of power supplied to a heater means (7) such that the wavelength conversion element (5) reaches a temperature at which optimum wavelength conversion efficiency is acquired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuhiko Sugihara, Kentaro Fujita, Takanori Samejima, Yoshihiro Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20140167641
    Abstract: In a lighting apparatus containing a high pressure discharge lamp, an alternating current supplied to the discharge lamp at the time of steady lighting of the frequency (basic frequency) selected from a range between 60 and 1000 Hz and a low frequency having a frequency selected from a range between 5 and 200 Hz lower than the basic frequency is generated alternately. The frequency of the low frequency wave is changed in response to the change of the lighting voltage of the discharge lamp. The supply period of the basic frequency is increased and decreased little by little by every predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Imamura, Takanori Samejima, Minoru Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20140036240
    Abstract: A polarity-reversal control circuit gives a polarity-reversal order so that the polarity of an inverter is inverted each time the polarity-reversal timing notified by a signal is recognized. The number of times of consecutive appearances of a normal polarity-reversal interval period, in which an interval of adjoining polarity-reversal timings is equal to or less than an upper limit of a polarity-reversal interval desirable for a discharge lamp, is counted, and if the unusual polarity-reversal interval period, in which an interval of the adjoining polarity-reversal timing is longer than the upper limit of a polarity-reversal interval, appears, Npm is memorized as the maximum of the number of times of consecutive appearances and after that, when the polarity-reversals signal in which the number of times of consecutive appearances becomes equal to Npm is received, it is regarded as a start of an unusual polarity-reversal interval period, and additional polarity-reversal order is given.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori SAMEJIMA, Masashi OKAMOTO, Isao MIYAKE
  • Publication number: 20130335710
    Abstract: A coherent light source apparatus comprises a first optical system, which has a first light emission region formed by a coherent light source, and which projects light from the first light emission region to form a second light emission region, a light deflection unit which deflects light flux in connection with formation of the second light emission region; a second optical system, which forms a third light emission region in response to the light flux which has been deflected by the light deflection unit, a light mixing unit for mixing a component of an incident light angle and that of a position thereof, and a light deflection unit drive circuit for receiving a periodic optical deflection synchronization signal, thereby driving the light deflection unit, wherein the light deflection unit operates to continuously change a direction in which the light flux is deflected while synchronizing with the optical deflection synchronization signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Masashi OKAMOTO, Takanori SAMEJIMA, Mikio SHIMIZU, Yuichi MIURA
  • Publication number: 20130301013
    Abstract: A light source apparatus comprises a beam flux conversion optical system for making all the light emitting areas conjugate to one geometrical-optical output image, all the solid light emitting elements being in series connected to each other and fixed to a heat sink to be insulated to one another, circuits on the input and output sides of an electric supply circuit being not insulated, the electric supply circuit including an interface circuit for receiving a modulation amount specifying signal from a host circuit, wherein a ratio of ON time to a switching cycle of the switch element is controlled in a feedback manner so that a difference between current values indicated by the output current signal and a target current signal may become small, and the interface circuit generating analog quantity correlated to the amount of modulation specified by a modulation amount specifying signal through a data insulation transmission unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori SAMEJIMA, Masashi OKAMOTO, Fumihiko ODA
  • Publication number: 20130271024
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting device having a discharge lamp which has a pair of tungsten-made electrodes each having a protrusion formed at the tip thereof and an electric power feeding device which feeds an alternate current electric power to the discharge lamp, and is characterized in that the power feeding device has a function of switching between a first lighting mode in which a rated electric power is fed to the discharge lamp and a second lighting mode in which a lower electric power than the rated electric power is fed to the discharge lamp to light the discharge lamp, and therefore, can control electric power to be fed to the discharge lamp under such conditions that the average electric power change rate becomes 0.01-2.1 W/s during a mode switching period in which the switching from the first lighting mode into the second lighting mode is carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Yamada, Keiichi Matsumoto, Takashi Yamashita, Takanori Samejima
  • Patent number: 8525431
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus for a high-pressure discharge lamp that has an electric discharge container made of quartz glass, and containing a pair of counter electrodes and a power supply unit that supplies AC current to the high-pressure discharge lamp. The power supply unit has a stationary power lighting mode and a modulated power lighting mode that supplies current having power less than power in the stationary power lighting mode. The modulated power lighting mode supplies a rectangular AC current having a first term and a second term. A mean high-frequency current value supplied to a first electrode is greater than a mean current value supplied to a second electrode in the first term. A current is supplied to the second electrode for a term longer than the half-cycle period in the second term, the current being lower than the mean high-frequency current value supplied to the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Yamada, Takanori Samejima, Takashi Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8358079
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting apparatus for lighting a discharge lamp where a voltage generated in a secondary side winding can be superimposed on an output voltage of an inverter and is impressed between electrodes, where while a periodic drive circuit generates an inverter drive signal so that frequency of the inverter becomes a start-up initial frequency, electric supply control circuit controls a power supply circuit to output no-load opening voltage, where the frequency of the inverter gradually decreases until reaching a first threshold frequency from the start-up initial frequency, where when the frequency of the inverter reaches the first threshold frequency, the periodic drive circuit generates the inverter drive signal so that the frequency of the inverter becomes stable lighting frequency, and where the electric supply control circuit controls the power supply circuit to output current which is sufficient to maintain electric discharge of the discharge lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanori Samejima, Masashi Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20120313546
    Abstract: To maintain the shape of the projection on the electrodes of the tip end for a long time to extend the lifetime of a discharge lamp, a lighting device lighting a high pressure discharge lamp supplies alternating current such that an alternating current with a basic frequency at the time of the steady state lighting selected from a range between 60 and 1000 Hz and a low frequency of a half cycle with a frequency lower than the basic frequency are generated alternatingly. The alternating current is supplied such that the waveform with one polarity of the low frequency appears consecutively at least twice. It is also possible for the alternately generated low frequency to be lower than the basic frequency in a range from 5 to 200 Hz, and for the interval during which the basic frequency is supplied to be gradually increased and decreased at specified times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Imamura, Takanori Samejima
  • Patent number: 8305000
    Abstract: In an optimum frequency detection sequence of a discharge lamp, the frequency control circuit performs a sweep operation in which, while the frequency control circuit monitors a synchronization degree signal, a frequency control signal is changed, so that frequency is changed, starting from either an upper or lower limit frequency of a periodic driving circuit, in a range that does not exceed the other frequency, wherein after completion of the sweep operation, the frequency control circuit determines a value of the frequency control signal corresponding to a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, and inputs the value into a frequency driving circuit, wherein at least in a period of the sweep operation, an inverter receives power supply from a sweep time power supply circuit for supplying electric power with constant supply capability, which is limited to a range in which breakdown does not occur in the discharge lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanori Samejima, Masashi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 8294390
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, in a starting sequence of a discharge lamp, while a frequency control circuit generates a inverter driving signal corresponding to resonance frequency of a resonant circuit, a power supply circuit outputs non-load open circuit voltage that is sufficient to maintain electric discharge, even when a boosting action accompanying a resonance phenomena disappears, and then a periodic drive circuit generates the inverter driving signal to gradually decrease frequency of the inverter from a frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, until the frequency of the inverter reaches a first threshold frequency, and wherein when the frequency of the inverter reaches the first threshold frequency, while the periodic drive circuit generates the inverter driving signal so that the frequency of the inverter turns into a stable lighting frequency, the power supply circuit outputs current that is sufficient to maintain the electric discharge of the discharge
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takanori Samejima, Masashi Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20110127926
    Abstract: A discharge lamp lighting apparatus for lighting a discharge lamp where a voltage generated in a secondary side winding can be superimposed on an output voltage of an inverter and is impressed between electrodes, where while a periodic drive circuit generates an inverter drive signal so that frequency of the inverter becomes a start-up initial frequency, electric supply control circuit controls a power supply circuit to output no-load opening voltage, where the frequency of the inverter gradually decreases until reaching a first threshold frequency from the start-up initial frequency, where when the frequency of the inverter reaches the first threshold frequency, the periodic drive circuit generates the inverter drive signal so that the frequency of the inverter becomes stable lighting frequency, and where the electric supply control circuit controls the power supply circuit to output current which is sufficient to maintain electric discharge of the discharge lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori Samejima, Masashi Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20110128508
    Abstract: A lighting apparatus for a high-pressure discharge lamp that has an electric discharge container made of quartz glass, and containing a pair of counter electrodes and a power supply unit that supplies AC current to the high-pressure discharge lamp. The power supply unit has a stationary power lighting mode and a modulated power lighting mode that supplies current having power less than power in the stationary power lighting mode. The modulated power lighting mode supplies a rectangular AC current having a first term and a second term. A mean high-frequency current value supplied to a first electrode is greater than a mean current value supplied to a second electrode in the first term. A current is supplied to the second electrode for a term longer than the half-cycle period in the second term, the current being lower than the mean high-frequency current value supplied to the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Yamada, Takanori Samejima, Takashi Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20110025219
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, in a starting sequence of a discharge lamp, while a frequency control circuit generates a inverter driving signal corresponding to resonance frequency of a resonant circuit, a power supply circuit outputs non-load open circuit voltage that is sufficient to maintain electric discharge, even when a boosting action accompanying a resonance phenomena disappears, and then a periodic drive circuit generates the inverter driving signal to gradually decrease frequency of the inverter from a frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, until the frequency of the inverter reaches a first threshold frequency, and wherein when the frequency of the inverter reaches the first threshold frequency, while the periodic drive circuit generates the inverter driving signal so that the frequency of the inverter turns into a stable lighting frequency, the power supply circuit outputs current that is sufficient to maintain the electric discharge of the discharge
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori Samejima, Masashi Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20110018460
    Abstract: In an optimum frequency detection sequence of a discharge lamp, the frequency control circuit performs a sweep operation in which, while the frequency control circuit monitors a syntonization degree signal, a frequency control signal is changed, so that frequency is changed, starting from either an upper or lower limit frequency of a periodic driving circuit, in a range that does not exceed the other frequency, wherein after completion of the sweep operation, the frequency control circuit determines a value of the frequency control signal corresponding to a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit, and inputs the value into a frequency driving circuit, wherein at least in a period of the sweep operation, an inverter receives power supply from a sweep time power supply circuit for supplying electric power with constant supply capability, which is limited to a range in which breakdown does not occur in the discharge lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: USHIO DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori Samejima, Masashi Okamoto
  • Patent number: 7847492
    Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, increase modulation on lamp current with a pulse is carried out according to a modulation signal. At a start-up of the discharge lamp or immediately thereafter, the increase modulation is restrained, and in a lighting steady state of the discharge lamp, the restraining of the increase modulation is released, and wherein when the restraining of the increase modulation is released, in a transition period from immediately after the start-up of the discharge lamp to the lighting steady state, the restraining of increase modulation is gradually released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Ushio Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masashi Okamoto, Takanori Samejima