Patents by Inventor Tomoyuki Seki

Tomoyuki Seki 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: 6890236
    Abstract: A method for producing a high pressure discharge lamp including a luminous bulb enclosing a luminous substance inside and a sealing portion for retaining airtightness of the luminous bulb, includes preparing a glass pipe for a discharge lamp including a luminous bulb portion that will be formed into a luminous bulb of a high pressure discharge lamp and a side tube portion extending from the luminous bulb portion; inserting a glass member constituted by a second glass having a softening point lower than that of a first glass constituting the side tube portion into the side tube portion, and then heating the side tube portion so as to attach the glass member and the side tube portion; and after the attachment step, heating a portion including at least the glass member and the side tube portion at a temperature higher than a strain point temperature of the second glass and lower than a strain point temperature of the first glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hataoka, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Yuriko Kaneko, Makoto Horiuchi, Makoto Kai, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Tomoyuki Seki
  • Patent number: 6876151
    Abstract: A discharge lamp includes a luminous bulb in which a luminous material is enclosed and a pair of electrodes are opposed in the luminous bulb; and a pair of sealing portions for sealing a pair of metal foils electrically connected to the pair of electrodes, respectively. At least one of the pair of sealing portions is provided with at least one constricted portion whose length in a thickness direction of the metal foil in the sealing portion is smaller than that of other portions in the sealing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Seki, Makoto Horiuchi, Makoto Kai, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Mamoru Takeda, Shinichi Yamamoto, Kenichi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6867544
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp includes a luminous bulb in which a pair of electrodes are opposed to each other in the bulb. At least mercury and halogen are contained in the luminous bulb, and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ir, Rh, Ru and Re is present in the luminous bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Takahashi, Yuriko Kaneko, Makoto Horiuchi, Tomoyuki Seki, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Shinichiro Hataoka
  • Patent number: 6860776
    Abstract: A method for producing a high pressure discharge lamp unit including a high pressure discharge lamp set and fixed to a reflecting mirror includes the steps of detecting light released from a point-like light source and reflected at a reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror to determine a position for setting that is a position of the point-like light source in which the reflected light is substantially the maximum; identifying a predetermined position between electrodes of the high pressure discharge lamp; and matching the predetermined position to the position for setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kai, Makoto Horiuchi, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Yuriko Kaneko, Shinichiro Hataoka, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Tomoyuki Seki, Kenichi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6849993
    Abstract: A discharge lamp includes a luminous bulb in which a luminous material is enclosed and a pair of electrodes are opposed to each other in the luminous bulb; and a pair of sealing portions for sealing a pair of metal foils electrically connected to the pair of electrodes, respectively. The pair of metal foils have a pair of external leads on the side opposite to the side electrically connected to the pair of electrodes, respectively. At least one of the pair of external leads is joined to a lead wire for external connection that is to be electrically connected to an external circuit by the plastic flow of a caulking member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kai, Makoto Horiuchi, Tomoyuki Seki, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Mamoru Takeda, Shinichi Yamamoto, Kenichi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6844679
    Abstract: The present invention provides a high-pressure discharge lamp 100 including a luminous bulb 10 enclosing at least a rare gas and halogen in the bulb and made substantially of quartz glass; and an electrode 12 made substantially of tungsten and disposed in the luminous bulb. The mole number of the halogen is larger than the sum of the total mole number of metal elements (except the tungsten element and the mercury element) that have the property of bonding to the halogen and are present in the luminous bulb 10 and the mole number of the tungsten present in the luminous bulb by evaporation from the electrode 12 during lamp operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Horiuchi, Makoto Kai, Mamoru Takeda, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Tomoyuki Seki, Yoshiki Kitahara, Toshio Mori, Yasuo Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20040207327
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp with a trigger wire wound around a side tube portion has the structure in which the side tube portion has a first glass portion extending from a luminous bulb and a second glass portion provided in at least a portion of the inside of the first glass portion, and in which the second glass portion contains at least one substance of Li, Na, and K of from 0.001 wt % to 1.0 wt % inclusive. This structure provides a high pressure discharge lamp operable with a drastically reduced starting voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Takahashi, Shinichiro Hataoka, Masahiro Yamamoto, Takashi Tsutatani, Tomoyuki Seki, Makoto Horiuchi, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase
  • Publication number: 20040207306
    Abstract: A lamp with a reflector comprises a high pressure discharge lamp and a reflector. The reflector has a first opening and a second opening. Clearance between a sealing portion of the high pressure discharge lamp and the second opening is substantially filled. The sealing portion includes a first glass portion extending from a luminous bulb and a second glass portion provided in the inside of the first glass portion, and the sealing portion has a portion to which a compressive stress is applied. Moreover, when the sealing portion is disposed to extend in a substantially horizontal direction, a portion of the reflector is formed with an air inlet for introducing an air flow striking against an upper portion of the luminous bulb 1 and then coming into a lower portion of the luminous bulb 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Horiuchi, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Shinichiro Hataoka, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Tomoyuki Seki, Takashi Tsutatani
  • Publication number: 20040189209
    Abstract: A high-pressure mercury-vapor discharge lamp according to the present invention includes: an emission tube, which is made of quartz glass and which has a substantially ellipsoidal inner space; at least mercury and a rare gas, which are sealed in the inner space of the emission tube; and at least two electrodes, which are arranged in the inner space of the emission tube so as to face each other. The lamp satisfies W≧150 watts, P≧250 atm, t≦5 mm and rl≦0.0103×W−0.00562×P−0.316×rs+0.615×t+1.93, where W [watts] is the power of the lamp during its lighting operation, P [atm] is an operating pressure in the inner space of the emission tube, rs [mm] is the shorter radius of the inner space, rl [mm] is the longer radius of the inner space (where rl≧rs), and t [mm] is the thickness of a swollen portion that defines the inner space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Kai, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Shinichiro Hataoka, Yuriko Kaneko, Makoto Horiuchi, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Tomoyuki Seki, Yumi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6784601
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a lamp device using a high-pressure vapor discharge lamp, particularly to an improvement for controlling the influence of the generation of heat, which accompanies an increase in lamp power and a reduction in the size of a reflector. A lamp device of the present invention comprises a discharge lamp having an arc tube enclosing luminescent materials and having a pair of opposing electrodes disposed therein and a pair of sealed portions extending from the arc tube; a reflector which reflects light radiated by the discharge lamp; a transparent member covering an open end of the reflector and accommodating the discharge lamp in a space between the transparent member and the reflector; and means for preventing an excessive temperature rise wherein the temperature rise of welded parts of wiring members electrically connected to the electrodes of the discharge lamp is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Kai, Makoto Horiuchi, Mamoru Takeda, Tomoyuki Seki, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase
  • Patent number: 6781328
    Abstract: An image display apparatus includes a lamp unit including a discharge lamp and a reflecting mirror, an optical system and a ballast circuit. The ballast circuit includes a power circuit portion, an inverter portion and a start circuit portion. The start circuit portion of the ballast circuit is electrically connected to the discharge lamp and is separated from the power circuit portion and the inverter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Horiuchi, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Tomoyuki Seki
  • Publication number: 20040150343
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a high-pressure discharge lamp includes a process step in which a sealing portion is formed out of a side tube portion of a glass pipe that is designed for use in a discharge lamp. In the step of forming the sealing portion, a compound glass tube, which is composed of an outer tube made of a first glass and an inner tube made of a second glass whose softening point is lower than that of the first glass, is inserted into the side tube portion, which is also formed of the first glass. The side tube portion is then heated so that the side tube portion is brought in tight contact with the compound glass tube. Thereafter, at least the sealing portion is heated at a temperature higher than the strain point temperature of the second glass portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Takahashi, Makoto Horiuchi, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Shinichiro Hataoka, Tomoyuki Seki, Takashi Tsutatani
  • Publication number: 20040140769
    Abstract: The formation step of a sealing portion 2 includes the substeps of inserting, into the side tube portion 2′, a glass member 70 made of a second glass having a softening point lower than that of a first glass constituting the side tube portion 2′; tightly attaching forward and backward portions (A and C) of the glass member 70 to the side tube portion 2′ by heating the side tube portion 2′ when the glass member 70 is divided into the forward portion, the backward portion, and a central portion under the assumption that the side of the glass member 70 closer to a luminous bulb portion 1′ is the forward side, thereby forming a cavity 30 between at least a portion of the central portion (B) and the side tube portion 2′; and heating, after the attachment step, a portion including at least the glass member 70 and the side tube portion 2′ at a temperature higher than the strain point temperature of the second glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2004
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Horiuchi, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Shinichiro Hataoka, Tomoyuki Seki, Takashi Tsutatani
  • Publication number: 20040135513
    Abstract: A high pressure discharge lamp 100 comprises a luminous bulb 1 enclosing a luminous substance 6 inside and a sealing portion 2 for retaining the airtightness of the luminous bulb 1. The sealing portion 2 has a first glass portion 8 extending from the luminous bulb 1 and a second glass portion 7 provided at least in a portion of the inside of the first glass portion 8, and further has a portion (20) to which a compressive stress is applied. In the luminous bulb 1, mercuric bromide (HgBr2) is enclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Horiuchi, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Shinichiro Hataoka, Tomoyuki Seki, Takashi Tsutatani
  • Publication number: 20040135514
    Abstract: A glass pipe 80 for a discharge lamp is prepared which includes a luminous bulb portion 1′ that will be formed into a luminous bulb of a high pressure discharge lamp and a side tube portion 2′. Subsequently, a glass member 70 made of a second glass having a softening point lower than that of a first glass constituting the side tube portion 2′ is inserted into the side tube portion 2′, after which a getter 75 is disposed in the side tube portion 2′. Then, with the pressure inside the glass pipe 80 reduced, the side tube portion 2′ is heated to tightly attach the glass member 70 to the side tube portion 2′, thereby forming a sealing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Horiuchi, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Shinichiro Hataoka, Tomoyuki Seki, Takashi Tsutatani
  • Patent number: 6734628
    Abstract: A discharge lamp includes a luminous bulb in which a luminous material is enclosed and a pair of electrodes are opposed to each other in the luminous bulb; and a pair of sealing portions for sealing a pair of metal foils electrically connected to the pair of electrodes, respectively. Each of the pair of metal foils has an external lead on a side opposite to a side electrically connected to a corresponding electrode of the pair of electrodes. At least one of the pair of sealing portions is provided with a reflective film on a surface of the sealing portion in a portion where a connection portion of the external lead and the metal foil is sealed. The reflective film contains a material having a reflectance larger than that of a material constituting the sealing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Seki, Makoto Horiuchi, Makoto Kai, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Mamoru Takeda, Shinichi Yamamoto, Kenichi Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20040085768
    Abstract: A reflecting-mirror-equipped lamp 100 including a high pressure discharge lamp 10 and a reflecting mirror 20. An opening 24 of the reflecting mirror 20 is provided with a front glass 22 and two air holes (31 and 32) are formed through the reflecting mirror 20. The air holes (31 and 32) are provided on a cross section (44) including a luminous bulb 11. If the cross section 44 is divided into regions (I through IV) consisting of first, second, third and fourth quadrants with respect to the luminous bulb 11, the air holes (31 and 32) are respectively provided in two quadrants diagonal to each other, i.e., in the first and third quadrants, respectively, or in the second and fourth quadrants, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Kai, Makoto Horiuchi, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Shinichiro Hataoka, Tomoyuki Seki, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase
  • Publication number: 20040085769
    Abstract: A reflecting-mirror-equipped lamp 2000 is constituted by a high pressure discharge lamp 150 and a reflecting mirror 300. The reflecting mirror 300 includes a wide opening 310 and a narrow opening 320. A first sealing portion 101a of the high pressure discharge lamp 150 is fixed near the narrow portion 320 of the reflecting mirror 300, and provided with no base. A second sealing portion 101b of the high pressure discharge lamp 150 is provided at a side of the wide opening 310 of the reflecting mirror 300. An external lead 104 of the first sealing portion 101a and an outward-drawn lead wire 204a are joined to each other by the plastic flow of a caulking member 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Makoto Horiuchi, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Tomoyuki Seki
  • Publication number: 20040027075
    Abstract: A high pressure mercury lamp includes a luminous bulb in which at least mercury is enclosed inside the bulb, and a pair of sealing portions that retain airtightness of the luminous bulb. The amount of the enclosed mercury is 230 mg/cm3 or more based on a volume of the luminous bulb, and heating means for heating the luminous bulb is provided at least at part of the luminous bulb and the pair of sealing portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hataoka, Kiyoshi Takahashi, Makoto Horiuchi, Makoto Kai, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Tomoyuki Seki, Yuriko Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20040021418
    Abstract: A high pressure mercury lamp includes a luminous bulb in which at least mercury is enclosed inside the bulb, and a pair of sealing portions that retain airtightness of the luminous bulb. The amount of the enclosed mercury is 230 mg/cm3 or more based on the volume of the luminous bulb, and heat-retaining means for retaining beat in the luminous bulb is provided. Thus, the present invention can suppress blackening of high pressure mercury lamps having a very high operating pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Takahashi, Shinichiro Hataoka, Makoto Horiuchi, Makoto Kai, Tsuyoshi Ichibakase, Tomoyuki Seki, Yuriko Kaneko