Patents by Inventor Tatsuhiko Yamamichi

Tatsuhiko Yamamichi 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: 10162158
    Abstract: A projection lens formed of a light-transmitting resin including an incidence part on which light is incident, an emission part, a peripheral edge portion, and a thick part. Light is incident on the incidence part. The emission part emits the light incident from the incidence part. The peripheral edge portion is provided at a boundary between the incidence part and the emission part. The thick part is provided at a part of the peripheral edge portion, made thicker in an optical axis direction than other parts of the peripheral edge portion and having a gate mark formed at least on a part of an outer peripheral surface of the thick part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinori Matsumoto, Tatsuhiko Yamamichi, Kenji Yoshida, Masashi Katayama, Takahito Osawa, Mamoru Kosuge
  • Publication number: 20160298817
    Abstract: A projection lens formed of a light-transmitting resin including an incidence part on which light is incident, an emission part, a peripheral edge portion, and a thick part. Light is incident on the incidence part. The emission part emits the light incident from the incidence part. The peripheral edge portion is provided at a boundary between the incidence part and the emission part. The thick part is provided at a part of the peripheral edge portion, made thicker in an optical axis direction than other parts of the peripheral edge portion and having a gate mark formed at least on a part of an outer peripheral surface of the thick part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinori MATSUMOTO, Tatsuhiko YAMAMICHI, Kenji YOSHIDA, Masashi KATAYAMA, Takahito OSAWA, Mamoru KOSUGE
  • Patent number: 9345075
    Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to reduce a failure rate due to a prolonged life span of a cooling fan while maintaining a satisfactory heat dissipating performance. When a signal indicating a first light-up state is input, a control unit sets a current value of an output current to a predetermined value such that a cooling fan is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed, and when a signal indicating a second light-up state is input, the control unit lowers the current value of the output current to a value lower than the predetermined value such that the rotation speed of the cooling fan is lower than the predetermined rotation speed. Therefore, the life span of the cooling fan may be prolonged while maintaining the satisfactory heat dissipating performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Yamamichi, Tomokazu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9039262
    Abstract: An optical unit includes: a heat sink that radiates heat from a light source; and a base portion including a reflector mounting section, a lens mounting section and a connecting section connecting the reflector mounting section and the lens mounting section. The base portion is configured such that the light from the light source is reflected by a reflector mounted onto the reflector mounting section and is incident onto a projection lens mounted onto the lens mounting section. The heat sink is exposed to a space surrounded by the lens mounting section, the connecting section and the reflector mounting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasuda, Tatsuhiko Yamamichi, Shigeyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9010974
    Abstract: A projector type vehicle headlamp includes a metal supporting member that has an upper surface to which a circuit board to which a light-emitting device is mounted is mounted; a projection lens; a reflector that reflects light of the light-emitting device toward the vicinity of a rearward focal point of the projection lens; a driving source provided in front of the metal supporting member; a movable shade configured to be arranged near the rearward focal point of the projection lens, or removed from near the rearward focal point, by the driving source; and a cooling fan that is provided below the metal supporting member, and that faces a lower surface of the metal supporting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Tatsuhiko Yamamichi
  • Publication number: 20140361685
    Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to reduce a failure rate due to a prolonged life span of a cooling fan while maintaining a satisfactory heat dissipating performance When a signal indicating a first light-up state is input, a control unit sets a current value of an output current to a predetermined value such that a cooling fan is rotated at a predetermined rotation speed, and when a signal indicating a second light-up state is input, the control unit lowers the current value of the output current to a value lower than the predetermined value such that the rotation speed of the cooling fan is lower than the predetermined rotation speed. Therefore, the life span of the cooling fan may be prolonged while maintaining the satisfactory heat dissipating performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko YAMAMICHI, Tomokazu SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20140022807
    Abstract: A projector type vehicle headlamp includes a metal supporting member that has an upper surface to which a circuit board to which a light-emitting device is mounted is mounted; a projection lens; a reflector that reflects light of the light-emitting device toward the vicinity of a rearward focal point of the projection lens; a driving source provided in front of the metal supporting member; a movable shade configured to be arranged near the rearward focal point of the projection lens, or removed from near the rearward focal point, by the driving source; and a cooling fan that is provided below the metal supporting member, and that faces a lower surface of the metal supporting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Shigeyuki WATANABE, Tatsuhiko YAMAMICHI
  • Patent number: 8534888
    Abstract: An optical unit includes: a heat sink that radiates heat from a light source; and a base portion including a reflector mounting section, a lens mounting section and a connecting section connecting the reflector mounting section and the lens mounting section. The base portion is configured such that the light from the light source is reflected by a reflector mounted onto the reflector mounting section and is incident onto a projection lens mounted onto the lens mounting section. The heat sink is exposed to a space surrounded by the lens mounting section, the connecting section and the reflector mounting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasuda, Tatsuhiko Yamamichi, Shigeyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20130235606
    Abstract: An optical unit includes: a heat sink that radiates heat from a light source; and a base portion including a reflector mounting section, a lens mounting section and a connecting section connecting the reflector mounting section and the lens mounting section. The base portion is configured such that the light from the light source is reflected by a reflector mounted onto the reflector mounting section and is incident onto a projection lens mounted onto the lens mounting section. The heat sink is exposed to a space surrounded by the lens mounting section, the connecting section and the reflector mounting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasuda, Tatsuhiko Yamamichi, Shigeyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20120063156
    Abstract: An optical unit includes: a heat sink that radiates heat from a light source; and a base portion including a reflector mounting section, a lens mounting section and a connecting section connecting the reflector mounting section and the lens mounting section. The base portion is configured such that the light from the light source is reflected by a reflector mounted onto the reflector mounting section and is incident onto a projection lens mounted onto the lens mounting section. The heat sink is exposed to a space surrounded by the lens mounting section, the connecting section and the reflector mounting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Yasuda, Tatsuhiko Yamamichi, Shigeyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7922377
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a light emitting diode (LED) unit supported by a metal-made support member. The LED unit is constituted by an integrally formed aluminum diecast product including an LED support portion for supporting an LED, a reflector including a reflecting face constituted by a face thereof opposed to the LED, a rib projected from a back face of the reflector, and a connecting portion connected to the metal-made support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Yamamichi, Shigeyuki Watanabe, Tetsuaki Inaba, Takashi Inoue
  • Patent number: 7568824
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting device with a lamp compartment having a light source unit disposed therein. The light source unit includes a light emitting device as a light source and a projection lens as a light distribution control member for distributing light. A face bearing portion at a distal end of a lens mounting portion of the light emitting device corresponds to a rear surface of a collar portion disposed along an outer circumference of the projection lens. Complimentary extending projections and stepped portions on the collar portion and lens mounting portion are ultrasonically welded together, and burrs formed during the welding process are prevented from protruding toward the optical axis by an erect wall of the stepped portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Tetsuaki Inaba, Tatsuhiko Yamamichi
  • Publication number: 20070279927
    Abstract: A vehicle lamp includes a light emitting diode (LED) unit supported by a metal-made support member. The LED unit is constituted by an integrally formed aluminum diecast product including an LED support portion for supporting an LED, a reflector including a reflecting face constituted by a face thereof opposed to the LED, a rib projected from a back face of the reflector, and a connecting portion connected to the metal-made support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Yamamichi, Shigeyuki Watanabe, Tetsuaki Inaba, Takashi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20070133220
    Abstract: A vehicle lighting device with a lamp compartment having a light source unit disposed therein. The light source unit includes a light emitting device as a light source and a projection lens as a light distribution control member for distributing light. A face bearing portion at a distal end of a lens mounting portion of the light emitting device corresponds to a rear surface of a collar portion disposed along an outer circumference of the projection lens. Complimentary extending projections and stepped portions on the collar portion and lens mounting portion are ultrasonically welded together, and burrs formed during the welding process are prevented from protruding toward the optical axis by an erect wall of the stepped portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Publication date: June 14, 2007
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Watanabe, Tetsuaki Inaba, Tatsuhiko Yamamichi