Patents by Inventor Tomoki Matsuba

Tomoki Matsuba 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: 7645111
    Abstract: A method for putting a glass plate to a target position includes (a) putting the glass plate at a preliminary position above an air table that discharges air upwardly, by moving a suction member that supports the glass plate through suction; (b) releasing suction of the suction member, while air is discharged upwardly from the air table, thereby floating the glass plate at the preliminary position above the air table; and (c) moving a pressing member in a horizontal direction, while the pressing member is in abutment with a top surface of the glass plate and while air is discharged upwardly from the air table, thereby moving the glass plate in the horizontal direction from the preliminary position above the air table to the target position above the air table by a frictional force generated between the pressing member and the glass plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Mori, Tomoki Matsuba, Takashi Ushirone
  • Patent number: 7079918
    Abstract: A system for adjusting position of glass plates includes (1) a chain for conveying glass plates into a bending furnace, the chain having (a) alternate links, (b) connecting pins for holding the alternate links together, (c) extension pins extending from some of the connecting pins toward the corresponding glass plates; (2) supporting members fixed to the extension pins, for supporting the glass plates and for guiding the glass plates into the bending furnace; (3) a first image sensor unit for imaging actual positions of the extension pins; (4) a processor for computing a difference between the actual position of each extension pin and a reference position of each extension pin; and (5) a display device for displaying a command to adjust position of each extension pin, based on the difference, to make each extension pin take the reference position, thereby adjusting position of the glass plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tomoki Matsuba, Yukiyasu Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20060058905
    Abstract: A system for adjusting position of glass plates includes (1) a chain for conveying glass plates into a bending furnace, the chain having (a) alternate links, (b) connecting pins for holding the alternate links together, (c) extension pins extending from some of the connecting pins toward the corresponding glass plates; (2) supporting members fixed to the extension pins, for supporting the glass plates and for guiding the glass plates into the bending furnace; (3) a first image sensor unit for imaging actual positions of the extension pins; (4) a processor for computing a difference between the actual position of each extension pin and a reference position of each extension pin; and (5) a display device for displaying a command to adjust position of each extension pin, based on the difference, to make each extension pin take the reference position, thereby adjusting position of the glass plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: Central Glass Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoki Matsuba, Yukiyasu Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20040240972
    Abstract: A method for putting a glass plate to a target position includes (a) putting the glass plate at a preliminary position above an air table that discharges air upwardly, by moving a suction member that supports the glass plate through suction; (b) releasing suction of the suction member, while air is discharged upwardly from the air table, thereby floating the glass plate at the preliminary position above the air table; and (c) moving a pressing member in a horizontal direction, while the pressing member is in abutment with a top surface of the glass plate and while air is discharged upwardly from the air table, thereby moving the glass plate in the horizontal direction from the preliminary position above the air table to the target position above the air table by a frictional force generated between the pressing member and the glass plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Mori, Tomoki Matsuba, Takashi Ushirone
  • Patent number: 6182940
    Abstract: A spacer has a pair of separating members which are connected to each other to be rotatable around an axis at their one ends and a magnetic body disposed on at least one of the separating members. The spacer engages the upper periphery of a glass plate to separate a plurality of glass plates which are stacked and rested against a pallet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Central Glass Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minoru Miyamoto, Hideto Onishi, Tomoki Matsuba