Patents by Inventor Tomofusa SHIBATA

Tomofusa SHIBATA 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: 10093043
    Abstract: A mold structure has a first mold, a second mold relatively connectable to and disconnectable from the first mold, a heater on at least one of the first and second molds, a transfer member on at least one of the first and second molds, that is relatively movable and separable from the at least one of the first and second molds on which the transfer member is disposed, a transfer surface formed on the transfer member that is placed in contact with a resin sheet fed between the first and second molds to perform transfer molding onto the resin sheet, and a moving mechanism that moves the at least one of the first and second molds on which the transfer member is disposed and the transfer member relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshinori Ito, Yoshikaga Taguchi
  • Patent number: 10022897
    Abstract: A die structure has a first die, a second die that comes in contact with and separate from the first die, a heating unit provided in at least one of the first and second dies, and a transfer member provided in at least one of the first and second dies that brings a resin sheet supplied between the first and second dies into contact with a transfer surface and carrying out transfer molding, and a recess site formed on the transfer member near the transfer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Makuta, Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Norikazu Kitamura, Masayuki Shinohara, Kazuhide Hirota, Toshikaga Taguchi, Masayuki Kojima, Yukihiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9643369
    Abstract: A transfer molding method includes supplying melted resin to a first metallic mold, conveying the first metallic mold onto which the resin was supplied to a position opposing a second metallic mold, performing transfer molding by sandwiching the resin between the two metallic molds, and cooling the resin after performing transfer molding. The performing transfer molding includes discharging residual air that remains in a recess via a groove portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshinori Ito, Yoshikaga Taguchi, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Kenji Suzuki, Kazutaka Kaneko, Masayuki Kojima, Yuzuru Fujie, Naoki Hashimoto, Taichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9452572
    Abstract: A transfer molding method has a transfer molding step of performing transfer molding to a resin sheet between a first die and a second die, which are disposed while facing each other, by heating at least one of the first and second dies, and a cooling step of cooling the resin sheet. The cooling step includes a first cooling step of cooling the resin sheet while an applied pressure is maintained at a first setting value smaller than a value of an applied pressure in the transfer molding step, and a second cooling step of cooling the resin sheet while the applied pressure is reduced to a second setting value smaller than the first setting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Kenji Suzuki, Kazutaka Kaneko, Yoshikaga Taguchi, Masayuki Kojima
  • Publication number: 20150343678
    Abstract: A mold structure has a first mold, a second mold relatively connectable to and disconnectable from the first mold, a heater on at least one of the first and second molds, a transfer member on at least one of the first and second molds, that is relatively movable and separable from the at least one of the first and second molds on which the transfer member is disposed, a transfer surface formed on the transfer member that is placed in contact with a resin sheet fed between the first and second molds to perform transfer molding onto the resin sheet, and a moving mechanism that moves the at least one of the first and second molds on which the transfer member is disposed and the transfer member relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshinori Ito, Yoshikaga Taguchi
  • Patent number: 9162405
    Abstract: A transfer molding method includes an insertion step of inserting a resin sheet between a first die and a second die, which are disposed opposite each other, a sandwiching step of sandwiching the resin sheet between the first and second dies while a transfer surface of a transfer member is brought into contact with at least one of surfaces of the resin sheet, and a transfer molding step of heating at least one of the first and second dies to melt at least a surface portion of the resin sheet with which the transfer surface of the transfer member is brought into contact, and exhausting residual air remaining in a recess through a groove portion connected to the recess when a thick portion is formed by the recess formed in the transfer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Kazutaka Kaneko, Yuzuru Fujie, Naoki Hashimoto, Taichi Suzuki, Masayuki Kojima
  • Publication number: 20150251341
    Abstract: A die structure has a first die, a second die that comes in contact with and separate from the first die, a heating unit provided in at least one of the first and second dies, and a transfer member provided in at least one of the first and second dies that brings a resin sheet supplied between the first and second dies into contact with a transfer surface and carrying out transfer molding, and a recess site formed on the transfer member near the transfer surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Isao Makuta, Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Norikazu Kitamura, Masayuki Shinohara, Kazuhide Hirota, Toshikaga Taguchi, Masayuki Kojima, Yukihiro Takahashi
  • Patent number: 9116264
    Abstract: A method for producing a light guide plate includes forming a light introduction part that introduces light incident through an end face, and forming a light guide plate body that has a thickness less than a maximum thickness of the light introduction part, forming the light guide plate body to be continuously joined to the light introduction part, and forming the light guide plate body so as to cause a light controller to output the incident light to an outside. The light guide plate producing method further includes a conveying step of conveying a resin sheet between a first die and a second die, which are disposed while facing each other, wherein a transfer surface is provided in at least one of surfaces facing each other in the first and second dies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Makuta, Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Norikazu Kitamura, Masayuki Shinohara, Kazuhide Hirota, Yoshikaga Taguchi, Masayuki Kojima, Yukihiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20150021797
    Abstract: A transfer molding method includes supplying melted resin to a first metallic mold, conveying the first metallic mold onto which the resin was supplied to a position opposing a second metallic mold, performing transfer molding by sandwiching the resin between the two metallic molds, and cooling the resin after performing transfer molding. The performing transfer molding includes discharging residual air that remains in a recess via a groove portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Inventors: Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshinori Ito, Yoshikaga Taguchi, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Kenji Suzuki, Kazutaka Kaneko, Masayuki Kojima, Yuzuru Fujie, Naoki Hashimoto, Taichi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20140124965
    Abstract: A transfer molding method has a transfer molding step of performing transfer molding to a resin sheet between a first die and a second die, which are disposed while facing each other, by heating at least one of the first and second dies, and a cooling step of cooling the resin sheet. The cooling step includes a first cooling step of cooling the resin sheet while an applied pressure is maintained at a first setting value smaller than a value of an applied pressure in the transfer molding step, and a second cooling step of cooling the resin sheet while the applied pressure is reduced to a second setting value smaller than the first setting value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Inventors: Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Kenji Suzuki, Kazutaka Kaneko, Yoshikaga Taguchi, Masayuki Kojima
  • Publication number: 20140125917
    Abstract: A method for producing a light guide plate includes forming a light introduction part that introduces light incident through an end face, and forming a light guide plate body that has a thickness less than a maximum thickness of the light introduction part, forming the light guide plate body to be continuously joined to the light introduction part, and forming the light guide plate body so as to cause a light controller to output the incident light to an outside. The light guide plate producing method further includes a conveying step of conveying a resin sheet between a first die and a second die, which are disposed while facing each other, wherein a transfer surface is provided in at least one of surfaces facing each other in the first and second dies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Isao Makuta, Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Norikazu Kitamura, Masayuki Shinohara, Kazuhide Hirota, Yoshikaga Taguchi, Masayuki Kojima, Yukihiro Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20140125918
    Abstract: A transfer molding method includes an insertion step of inserting a resin sheet between a first die and a second die, which are disposed opposite each other, a sandwiching step of sandwiching the resin sheet between the first and second dies while a transfer surface of a transfer member is brought into contact with at least one of surfaces of the resin sheet, and a transfer molding step of heating at least one of the first and second dies to melt at least a surface portion of the resin sheet with which the transfer surface of the transfer member is brought into contact, and exhausting residual air remaining in a recess through a groove portion connected to the recess when a thick portion is formed by the recess formed in the transfer surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Yoshihisa Yamanaka, Kazutaka Kaneko, Yuzuru Fujie, Naoki Hashimoto, Taichi Suzuki, Masayuki Kojima
  • Patent number: 8632238
    Abstract: A surface light source device has a point light source disposed opposite a light incident surface of a light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a light introduction part, and a light guide plate body having a thickness smaller than a maximum thickness of the light introduction part. The light introduction part includes an inclined surface inclined from a surface in a portion having a thickness larger than the thickness of the light guide plate body toward an end of the surface of the light guide plate body. The light guide plate body has a light exit pattern for reflecting the light in the light guide plate body to output the light from a light exit surface. In a region close to the point light source of the light guide plate body, the thickness of the light guide plate body increases gradually with distance from the point light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: OMRON Corporation
    Inventors: Gouo Kurata, Koichi Takemura, Tomofusa Shibata, Masayuki Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20130242614
    Abstract: A surface light source device has a point light source disposed opposite a light incident surface of a light guide plate. The light guide plate includes a light introduction part, and a light guide plate body having a thickness smaller than a maximum thickness of the light introduction part. The light introduction part includes an inclined surface inclined from a surface in a portion having a thickness larger than the thickness of the light guide plate body toward an end of the surface of the light guide plate body. The light guide plate body has a light exit pattern for reflecting the light in the light guide plate body to output the light from a light exit surface. In a region close to the point light source of the light guide plate body, the thickness of the light guide plate body increases gradually with distance from the point light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gouo KURATA, Koichi TAKEMURA, Tomofusa SHIBATA, Masayuki SHINOHARA