Patents by Inventor Tomio Shiota

Tomio Shiota 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: 7965039
    Abstract: A plasma display device includes a front protective cover and a back cover that form a chassis for receiving a module in which a plasma display panel is incorporated in a chassis member. The front protective cover includes a front frame having a front frame opening for exposing a front image display region of the plasma display panel, a protective plate attached to the front frame opening of the front frame, and a protective plate pressing bracket that presses the periphery of the protective plate against the edge of the front frame opening of the front frame. A reinforcing frame is disposed between the front frame and the protective plate pressing bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Watanabe, Keiji Uchida, Tomio Shiota, Minoru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7768202
    Abstract: A plasma display device includes a plasma display panel 11 that has a front substrate including a plurality of display electrodes arranged thereon and a rear substrate having data electrodes arranged thereon to cross the display electrodes, the front substrate and the rear substrate facing each other so as to form a discharge space, and chassis member 20 that holds plasma display panel 11 on a front side and has a driving circuit block for driving plasma display panel 11 on a rear side. Chassis member 20 has base plate 36 that is divided into a plurality of base metal plates 36a, 36b, and 36c, to which plasma display panel 11 is attached, and metal plates 37 and 38 that couple the plurality of base metal plates 36a, 36b, and 36c together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Uchida, Hiroshi Watanabe, Tomio Shiota, Minoru Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20080211406
    Abstract: A plasma display device includes a front protective cover 34 and a back cover 35 that form a chassis for receiving a module in which a plasma display panel 11 is incorporated in a chassis member 20. The front protective cover 34 includes a front frame 44 having a front frame opening 44a for exposing a front image display region of the plasma display panel 11, a protective plate 45 attached to the front frame opening 44a of the front frame 44, and a protective plate pressing bracket 46 that presses the periphery of the protective plate 45 against the edge of the front frame opening 44a of the front frame 44. A reinforcing frame 47 is disposed between the front frame 44 and the protective plate pressing bracket 46.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroshi Watanabe, Keiji Uchida, Tomio Shiota, Minoru Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20080150427
    Abstract: A plasma display device includes a plasma display panel 11 that has a front substrate including a plurality of display electrodes arranged thereon and a rear substrate having data electrodes arranged thereon to cross the display electrodes, the front substrate and the rear substrate facing each other so as to form a discharge space, and chassis member 20 that holds plasma display panel 11 on a front side and has a driving circuit block for driving plasma display panel 11 on a rear side. Chassis member 20 has base plate 36 that is divided into a plurality of base metal plates 36a, 36b, and 36c, to which plasma display panel 11 is attached, and metal plates 37 and 38 that couple the plurality of base metal plates 36a, 36b, and 36c together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Keiji Uchida, Hiroshi Watanabe, Tomio Shiota, Minoru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6533063
    Abstract: In video equipment, a video equipment speaker device that is almost invisible from a viewer and capable of placing, toward the front of the center portion of the screen, an acoustic image from a speaker 2 provided on at least either an upper or lower portion of a screen is provided. A speaker device 1 includes the speaker 2, a sound duct 3 positioned forward of the speaker 2 to externally output sound, a speaker baffle 4 provided in the vicinity of edges forming an opening of the sound duct 3 and formed to outwardly reflect the sound, a fin 5 provided forward of the speaker baffle 4, sound space 6 formed between the speaker baffle 4 and the fin 5, and slits 7 outwardly opened from the sound space 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ikeuchi, Tomio Shiota
  • Patent number: 6519348
    Abstract: A first feature of the present invention is that the opening of a sound output port 3b is smaller in area than the opening of a sound input port 3a in a horn 3. A second feature is that the sound output port 3b of the horn 3 is located so as not to be in the way of a center axis of sound radiation from a speaker 2. A third feature is that a length L of the horn 3 is set at 370 mm or below. A fourth feature is that the horn 3 is gradually narrowed such that vertical sections thereof from the sound input port 3a to the sound output port 3b respectively have areas based on a predetermined rule. Thus, it is possible to realize a speaker apparatus in which a sound output port of a horn is smaller in area than a vibrating surface of a speaker while reproducing sound whose quality is equal or similar to that in conventional speaker apparatus, and a television set equipped with the speaker apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Ikeuchi, Tomio Shiota, Seiji Harada
  • Patent number: 5957553
    Abstract: A casing for audiovisual equipment presents an outer appearance giving the impression of integrating a hole area formed of a plurality of sound transmitting fine holes with the casing, thereby making the hole area unnoticeable. This allows a viewer to easily concentrate on the screen by eliminating anything noticeable and distributing from the area surrounding the screen, and also gives the outside of the casing a luxurious appearance. In order to make the hole area unnoticeable, maintain good volume and quality of sound from the speaker, and arrange the diameter .o slashed.d mm of the tapered fine holes to be practically the smallest, the relationship between the diameter .o slashed.d mm and the thickness T mm of the casing must be expressed by the following formula: (1/6).times.T mm.ltoreq..o slashed.d mm.ltoreq.0.5 mm. When the fine holes are formed to be straight, the relationship between the diameter .o slashed.ds mm and the thickness T mm of the casing must be expressed by the following formula: (1/5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Shikata, Tomio Shiota, Kaoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5868475
    Abstract: A casing for an audiovisual equipment presents outer appearance giving the impression of integrating a hole area formed of a plurality of sound transmitting fine holes with the casing, thereby making the hole area unnoticeable. This allows a viewer to easily concentrate on the screen by eliminating anything noticeable and distracting from the area surrounding the screen, and also gives the outside of the casing a luxurious appearance. In order to make the hole area unnoticeable, maintain good volume and quality of sound from the speaker, and arrange the diameter .o slashed.d mm of the tapered fine holes to be practically the smallest, the relationship between the diameter .o slashed.d mm and the thickness T mm of the casing must be expressed by the following formula: (1/6).times.T mm.ltoreq..o slashed.d mm .apprxeq.0.5 mm. When the fine holes are formed to be straight, the relationship between the diameter .o slashed.ds mm and the thickness t mm of the casing must be expressed by the following formula: (1/5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Shikata, Tomio Shiota, Kaoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5851334
    Abstract: A casing for an audiovisual equipment presents an outer appearance giving the impression of integrating a hole area formed of a plurality of sound transmitting fine holes with the casing, thereby making the hole area unnoticeable. This allows a viewer to easily concentrate on the screen by eliminating anything noticeable from the area surrounding the screen, and also gives the outside of the casing a luxurious appearance. In order to make the hole area unnoticeable, maintain good volume and quality of sound from the speaker, and arrange the diameter .phi.d mm of the tapered fine holes to be practically the smallest, the relationship between the diameter .phi.d mm and the thickness T mm of the casing must be expressed by the following formula: (1/6).times.T mm.ltoreq..phi.d mm.ltoreq.0.5 mm. When the fine holes are formed to be straight, the relationship between the diameter .phi.ds mm and the thickness tmm of the casing must be expressed by the following formula: (1/5).times.t mm.ltoreq..phi.ds mm.ltoreq.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Shikata, Tomio Shiota, Kaoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5825903
    Abstract: A plurality of dummy bores with bottoms (21) are disposed in the vicinity of through holes (11) defining speaker sound emanating apertures. Each dummy bore (21) has a bottom shaped like a cone or pyramid (23) such that outer light rays (31) becoming incident through the dummy bores (21) are irregularly reflected from the bottom to emerge therefrom as decreased in intensity. With the above arrangement, the through holes (11) and dummy bores (21) may appear less differently from each other. Thus provided is a speaker grille of excellent design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Shiota, Naohiro Shikata, Kaoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5807617
    Abstract: A hollow structural component which includes an integral structure, partition walls intersecting each other within the integral structure, and a plurality of independent hollow portions formed as specified by the partition walls so as to be arranged within the integral structure. The integral structure is formed into one piece by one-shot molding or by one injection molding die which is caused to slide against each other between its stationary side and movable side for post-forming, whereby weight reduction of the hollow structural component, reduction in the amount of resin used, reduction in the number of parts involved, and improvement in the workability for assembling may be achieved with consequent cost reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Shiota, Toshiharu Hikida, Masashi Sugimoto, Kazuhiko Kodama, Kaoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5807618
    Abstract: A hollow structural component which includes an integral structure, partition walls intersecting each other within the integral structure, and a plurality of independent hollow portions formed as specified by the partition walls so as to be arranged within the integral structure. The integral structure is formed into one piece by one-shot molding or by one injection molding die which is caused to slide against each other between its stationary side and movable side for post-forming, whereby weight reduction of the hollow structural component, reduction in the amount of resin used, reduction in the number of parts involved, and improvement in the workability for assembling may be achieved with consequent cost reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Shiota, Toshiharu Hikida, Masashi Sugimoto, Kazuhiko Kodama, Kaoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5754669
    Abstract: A plurality of dummy bores with bottoms (21) are disposed in the vicinity of through holes (11) defining speaker sound emanating apertures. Each dummy bore (21) has a bottom shaped like a cone or pyramid (23) such that outer light rays (31) becoming incident through the dummy bores (21) are irregularly reflected from the bottom to emerge therefrom as decreased in intensity. With the above arrangement, the through holes (11) and dummy bores (21) may appear less differently from each other. Thus provided is a speaker grille of excellent design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Shiota, Naohiro Shikata, Kaoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5455867
    Abstract: The speaker apparatus of the invention having a speaker for radiating sound waves, an acoustic pipe having a slender opening and a rectangular form, with the front opening joined to the outer wall side of a cathode-ray tube and inner wall side of a cabinet of television receiver, being disposed at the front side of the speaker, and a sound leading part composed of a hollow part surrounded between the outer wall side of the cathode-ray tube and the inner wall side of the cabinet, from the junction to the opening of the cabinet, for guiding the sound waves radiated from the acoustic pipe to the front side of the television receiver, thereby realizing acoustic reproduction of high sound quality and high sound pressure, when applied in the television receiver, in spite of small size and slim shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Inoue, Kiyoshi Ohhashi, Asahiko Okada, Takashi Sabato, Tomio Shiota
  • Patent number: 5334434
    Abstract: A vibration or shock absorbing member which is composed of a material capable of effecting injection molding such as plastics, rubber, ceramics, metallic powder mixed and kneaded with a specified binder, or glass powder mixed and kneaded with a specified binder, and includes an integral structure, a plurality of protrusions formed at least on one main flat surface of the integral structure, and a plurality of independent hollow portions provided symmetrically or in an aligned state within the integral structure through intersecting partition walls. Such integral structure is molded as one unit by one-shot molding (molding at one time) or by a single molding die for expanding the range of selection for materials and spring constants so as to achieve freedom in the choice of shapes and reduction in weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Shiota, Toshiharu Hikida, Masashi Sugimoto, Kazuhiko Kodama, Kaoru Shimizu
  • Patent number: 5229185
    Abstract: A speaker front sheet capable of providing a sound outlet structure well matched in finishing with a cabinet of an apparatus equipped with a speaker is disclosed, wherein a plain gauze fabric is bonded on the front surface of a perforated sheet having a porosity greater than 30% and an adhesive layer is applied to the back surface of the perforated sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomio Shiota, Toshiharu Hikida