Patents by Inventor Toru Hama

Toru Hama 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: 7447136
    Abstract: An optical pickup includes a light source for emitting a light beam; an objective lens for condensing the light beam emitted from the light source and irradiating an optical recording medium with the condensed light beam; a collimator lens, disposed between the light source and the objective lens, for forming the light beam emitted from the light source into a parallel light beam and guiding the parallel light beam to the objective lens; and an aberration correcting device, disposed in an optical path connecting the light source and the optical recording medium, for correcting aberration. The aberration correcting device is disposed in an optical path connecting the light source and the collimator lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Hama, Nobuhiko Ando
  • Patent number: 7308695
    Abstract: In a disc changer in which any one is selected from a set of disc-shaped recording media (2) stored in a disc compartment (3) and signals are written and/or read to and/or from the selected disc-shaped recording medium (2), resin layers (192), (194) and (195), softer than the disc-shaped recording medium (2) in a recording and/or playback apparatus (6) are formed on a pair of disc holding members (89) holding the selected disc-shaped recording medium (2) rotatably while chucking the latter and a disc tray (193) on which each of the disc-shaped recording media stored in the disc compartment (3) is placed. The resin layers assure to prevent the disc-shaped recording medium (2) from being damaged due to contact with the disc holding members (89) and disc tray (193).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Fukoku, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takizawa, Toru Hama, Hisao Takahashi, Hiroshi Kishida
  • Publication number: 20070206732
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method, a program recording medium, and a program which mitigate inconveniences due to a difference in recording format when performing the processing of copying or moving data between two recording media of different recording formats. A device control section 16 supplies UDF data, which is adopted for a DVD, to a device control section 17 together with an ATAPI command used when recording data onto a DVD. The device control section 17 converts the ATAPI command supplied from the device control section 16 into an ATA command corresponding to the ATAPI command, supplies it to an HDD 18 together with data supplied from the device control section 16 together with the ATAPI command, thereby controlling recording of the UDF data onto a hard disk 18A. The present invention is applicable to, for example, a hard disk recorder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Inventors: Ryogo Ito, Junichi Yokota, Toru Hama, Takaharu Yamada, Keiji Kanota
  • Publication number: 20060245082
    Abstract: An optical pickup includes a light source for emitting a light beam; an objective lens for condensing the light beam emitted from the light source and irradiating an optical recording medium with the condensed light beam; a collimator lens, disposed between the light source and the objective lens, for forming the light beam emitted from the light source into a parallel light beam and guiding the parallel light beam to the objective lens; and an aberration correcting device, disposed in an optical path connecting the light source and the optical recording medium, for correcting aberration. The aberration correcting device is disposed in an optical path connecting the light source and the collimator lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Hama, Nobuhiko Ando
  • Patent number: 6934959
    Abstract: A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a mechanical deck having a disk receiver with a disk carrying unit for carrying a disk, a disk recording and/or reproducing section for recording and/or reproducing the disk received in the disk receiver, and an outer case housing the mechanical deck. A relaxation mechanism and a lock mechanism are disposed between the mechanical deck and the outer case. The relaxation mechanism prevents vibration from being transmitted mutually between the mechanical deck and the outer case. The lock mechanism locks the mechanical deck to the outer case in such a manner as to oppose a relaxing operation of the relaxation mechanism. Thereby, operational vibration, noise and the like caused to the mechanical deck during recordation and/or reproduction can be prevented from being transmitted to the outer case's side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takizawa, Tomohiro Watanabe, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6785897
    Abstract: A tray includes a substrate and a resin portion placed thereon by printing. The resin portion includes a first part placed along an edge on the disc loading side of the substrate, a second part placed along another edge on the disc unloading side of the substrate, and a third part placed between the first and second parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takizawa, Tomohiro Watanabe, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6760283
    Abstract: A disc recording and/or reproducing device includes a disc compartment that has a plurality of disc mounts placed one upon another, on which discs are mounted. The device also includes a recording and/or reproducing mechanism for selectively recording and/or reproducing a disc mounted on one of the plurality of disc mounts. An injection mechanism is included for ejecting the disc mounted on the disc mount. A control mechanism is included that moves along a line substantially perpendicular to the placing direction and is configured to start the recording and/or reproducing mechanism when in a first position and start the ejection mechanism when reaching a second position on another side of the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6754164
    Abstract: A disc reproducing apparatus having a disc exchange function includes a housing section, a reproducing unit, a movement unit and a pull-out unit. The housing section holds plural optical discs and is detachably mounted on a main body portion of the apparatus. The housing section includes plural trays on which to set optical discs. These trays are mounted for movement between a pull-out position out of the housing section and a housed position in the housing section. The reproducing unit reproduces an optical disc. The movement unit moves one of the housing section and the recording and/or reproducing unit relative to the other. The movement unit moves the housing section and the recording and/or reproducing unit relative to the arraying direction of plural trays housed in the housing section. The movement mechanism includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the recording and/or reproducing unit relative to a sole tray housed in the housing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Goto, Tomohiro Watanabe, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6751181
    Abstract: A pair of pins 2c, 2d is arranged on the left and right of each of a plurality of trays 2 placed vertically movably so as to protrude laterally, whereas separating cams 82 are arranged on both sides of the trays 2 in a protrudable and withdrawable way. The separating cams 82 are formed with four first separating control parts 82c1 for moving upward the pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2 and the tray(s) 2 thereabove, four second separating control parts 82c2 for moving upward only the pins 2c, 2d of the tray(s) 2 above the selected tray 2, and four third separating control parts 82d each for engaging with only a pair of pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2. Movement of the separating cam 82 forms spaces above and below the selected tray 2 to hold a disc on the selected tray 2 from above and below for reproduction on the spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6724713
    Abstract: In an on-vehicle disc player having a disc elevator (22) for making a plurality of trays (2) each having a CD placed on it stacked one over another in the vertical direction move in the stacking direction, there is provided plate springs (2e) for pressing an inserted CD at both sides of the tray (2). Further, there is provided separating cams (82) for forming spaces at both side of the tray (2) having a CD to be reproduced, by the movement in the fore-and-aft direction. Holding means for holding and rotating the CD are inserted to the spaces formed by the separating cams (82) to hold the CD. Thereafter, by pushing down the plate springs (2e) which has pushed and caught the CD in the tray (2) by means of peripheral portions (82x) of lower faces of upper stage entering portions (82j) of the separating cams (82), the CD is released and the tray (2) is pushed down to be separated from the CD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6683828
    Abstract: In place of a conventional tray, a pair of mounting stages 2 is arranged as a disc holding device, wherein six pairs of mounting stages 2 are vertically movably placed one upon another by arranging guide supports 23 through guide holes 2i of the pair of mounting stages 2 for mounting a disc thereon. Spring bearings 2j are arranged on the uppermost mounting stages 2, inside which received are the lower ends of coil springs 24 enclosing spring guides 26 arranged between a top plate and a bottom plate, achieving reduced size and weight of the disc holding device for mounting discs thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6654319
    Abstract: In an on-vehicle disc player having a disc elevator (22) for making a plurality of disc carrying devices each having a CD placed on it stacked one over another, for example, in the vertical direction move in the stacking direction and a holding device (14) for holding and rotationally driving a CD, the disc player is provided with an inner slider (139) which moves in a direction (plane direction of a disc) perpendicular to the direction of stacking the disc carrying devices and makes the disc elevator (22) and the holding device (14) move in the stacking direction, a separating cam (82) which separates the stacked disc carrying devices to form a specified space, and an outer slider (140) which is coupled to the separating cam (82) and moves in a plane direction of a disc is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6646974
    Abstract: A disc support plate includes a substrate, an adhesive layer placed on the substrate, and a flocked layer placed on the substrate through the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takizawa, Tomohiro Watanabe, Toru Hama
  • Publication number: 20030198147
    Abstract: A pair of pins 2c, 2d is arranged on the left and right of each of a plurality of trays 2 placed vertically movably so as to protrude laterally, whereas separating cams 82 are arranged on both sides of the trays 2 in a protrudable and withdrawable way. The separating cams 82 are formed with four first separating control parts 82c1 for moving upward the pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2 and the tray(s) 2 thereabove, four second separating control parts 82c2 for moving upward only the pins 2c, 2d of the tray(s) 2 above the selected tray 2, and four third separating control parts 82d each for engaging with only a pair of pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2. Movement of the separating cam 82 forms spaces above and below the selected tray 2 to hold a disc on the selected tray 2 fro above and below for reproduction on the spot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Publication number: 20030185112
    Abstract: In a disc changer in which any one is selected from a set of disc-shaped recording media (2) stored in a disc compartment (3) and signals are written and/or read to and/or from the selected disc-shaped recording medium (2), resin layers (192), (194) and (195), softer than the disc-shaped recording medium (2) in a recording and/or playback apparatus (6) are formed on a pair of disc holding members (89) holding the selected disc-shaped recording medium (2) rotatably while chucking the latter and a disc tray (193) on which each of the disc-shaped recording media stored in the disc compartment (3) is placed. The resin layers assure to prevent the disc-shaped recording medium (2) from being damaged due to contact with the disc holding members (89) and disc tray (193).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takizawa, Toru Hama, Hisao Takahashi, Hiroshi Kishida
  • Publication number: 20030026192
    Abstract: A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus is provided with:
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takizawa, Tomohiro Watanabe, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6493308
    Abstract: A disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a housing section for housing a plurality of discs, the housing section having a plurality of trays each for setting a disc thereon, the tray being movable between a pull-out position outside of the housing section and a housed position within the housing section, a recording and/or reproducing unit for recording and/or reproducing the disc, a movement unit for moving one of the housing section and the recording and/or reproducing unit relative to the other, the movement unit causing relative movement between the housing section and the recording and/or reproducing unit in an arraying direction of the plural trays housed in the housing section and a pull-out unit for pulling out from the housing section one of the plural trays housed within the housing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoji Takamatsu, Tomohiro Watanabe, Toru Hama, Ikuo Nitta
  • Patent number: RE42041
    Abstract: In an on-vehicle disc player having a disc elevator (22) for making a plurality of trays (2) each having a CD placed on it stacked one over another in the vertical direction move in the stacking direction, there is provided plate springs (2e) for pressing an inserted CD at both sides of the tray (2). Further, there is provided separating cams (82) for forming spaces at both side of the tray (2) having a CD to be reproduced, by the movement in the fore-and-aft direction. Holding means for holding and rotating the CD are inserted to the spaces formed by the separating cams (82) to hold the CD. Thereafter, by pushing down the plate springs (2e) which has pushed and caught the CD in the tray (2) by means of peripheral portions (82x) of lower faces of upper stage entering portions (82j) of the separating cams (82), the CD is released and the tray (2) is pushed down to be separated from the CD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: RE42482
    Abstract: A tray includes a substrate and a resin portion placed thereon by printing. The resin portion includes a first part placed along an edge on the disc loading side of the substrate, a second part placed along another edge on the disc unloading side of the substrate, and a third part placed between the first and second parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Takizawa, Tomohiro Watanabe, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: RE42763
    Abstract: In an on-vehicle disc player having a disc elevator (22) for making a plurality of trays (2) each having a CD placed on it stacked one over another in the vertical direction move in the stacking direction, there is provided plate springs (2e) for pressing an inserted CD at both sides of the tray (2). Further, there is provided separating cams (82) for forming spaces at both side of the tray (2) having a CD to be reproduced, by the movement in the fore-and-aft direction. Holding means for holding and rotating the CD are inserted to the spaces formed by the separating cams (82) to hold the CD. Thereafter, by pushing down the plate springs (2e) which has pushed and caught the CD in the tray (2) by means of peripheral portions (82x) of lower faces of upper stage entering portions (82j) of the separating cams (82), the CD is released and the tray (2) is pushed down to be separated from the CD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama