Patents by Inventor Toru Kunimochi

Toru Kunimochi 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: 11913637
    Abstract: In a planar illumination device according to an embodiment, a reflector can be stably fixed to a substrate even when a temperature change occurs. A planar illumination device includes a substrate provided with a plurality of light sources at one surface side, a reflector provided at the one surface side of the substrate, a bottom frame provided at a surface side of the substrate opposite to the one surface side, a first fixing member configured to fix a center portion of the reflector in a longitudinal direction to the bottom frame, and a second fixing member configured to fix the one surface of the substrate and the reflector. A force of the second fixing member restricting the substrate and the reflector is greater at a center portion of the reflector 4 in the longitudinal direction than at a portion of the reflector 4 separated in the longitudinal direction from the center portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Ippei Kusunoki, Toru Kunimochi, Takahito Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20230296225
    Abstract: In a planar illumination device according to an embodiment, a reflector can be stably fixed to a substrate even when a temperature change occurs. A planar illumination device includes a substrate provided with a plurality of light sources at one surface side, a reflector provided at the one surface side of the substrate, a bottom frame provided at a surface side of the substrate opposite to the one surface side, a first fixing member configured to fix a center portion of the reflector in a longitudinal direction to the bottom frame, and a second fixing member configured to fix the one surface of the substrate and the reflector. A force of the second fixing member restricting the substrate and the reflector is greater at a center portion of the reflector 4 in the longitudinal direction than at a portion of the reflector 4 separated in the longitudinal direction from the center portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Ippei KUSUNOKI, Toru KUNIMOCHI, Takahito YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 10310171
    Abstract: A planar illumination apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a frame including a bottom surface that is curved as viewed in a cross section, and a side wall that is provided in a standing manner so as to surround a circumference of the bottom surface; a light guide plate that is housed in the frame, that is curved along the bottom surface as viewed in the cross section, and that includes an emission surface for emitting light; and a plurality of optical sheets that are arranged along the emission surface of the light guide plate and that overlap with one another in a plan view. An end portion of at least one of the plurality of optical sheets is fixed to an upper end surface of the side wall of the frame via a fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: MINEBEA MITSUMI INC.
    Inventor: Toru Kunimochi
  • Publication number: 20180239082
    Abstract: A planar illumination apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a frame including a bottom surface that is curved as viewed in a cross section, and a side wall that is provided in a standing manner so as to surround a circumference of the bottom surface; a light guide plate that is housed in the frame, that is curved along the bottom surface as viewed in the cross section, and that includes an emission surface for emitting light; and a plurality of optical sheets that are arranged along the emission surface of the light guide plate and that overlap with one another in a plan view. An end portion of at least one of the plurality of optical sheets is fixed to an upper end surface of the side wall of the frame via a fixing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI
  • Patent number: 9915772
    Abstract: The illumination apparatus includes a light guide plate, a light source disposed opposing an incident light surface of the light guide plate, at least one optical sheet stacked on a light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and a frame for accommodating the light guide plate. On principal surfaces of the light guide plate, a protruding part and a recessed part are provided so as to form a pair at least along an end surface of the light guide plate extending in a direction that intersects an end surface serving as the incident light surface of the light guide plate, or along an end surface that opposes the incident light surface of the light guide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Kunimochi
  • Patent number: 9535204
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus includes a light source, and a light guide plate having an emitting surface and a light incident portion including a curved surface, and decreasing in thickness from the light source side towards the emitting surface. The curved surface has an S-shape as viewed from a side, with a convex portion on the light source side and a concave portion on the emitting surface with an inflection point in between, but closer to the emitting surface than to the source side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Kunimochi
  • Publication number: 20160334567
    Abstract: A planar illumination device according to an embodiment includes a light guiding plate, a light source, an optical sheet and a frame. The light guiding plate has one of a pair of opposite principal surfaces serving as a light emission surface. The light source is arranged at a side surface. The optical sheet is arranged on a side of the light emission surface. The frame includes a side wall arranged along a side surface and has an overlap portion formed therein, where the optical sheet and the side wall of the frame overlap each other at least partially and where an upper end surface of the side wall is arranged below a lower surface of the optical sheet and covered by the optical sheet at least partially. The adhesive sheet is stuck over an upper surface of the optical sheet and an outer surface of the side wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI
  • Patent number: 9465155
    Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus includes a point light source with a light-emitting surface, a circuit board with a mounting surface on which the point light source is mounted, and a light guide plate with an incident light surface and an emitting surface. The circuit board is arranged as that at least a partial portion of the circuit board extends beyond an area where the point light source is mounted so as to be superposed on the light guide plate, a light-reflecting member is arranged on the mounting surface, and a region of the mounting surface in which the light-reflecting member is arranged includes a first region that extends forward from a position corresponding to the center of the light-emitting surface of the point light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Kunimochi
  • Patent number: 9465157
    Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus includes a light source that emits white light, and a light guide plate including an incident light surface which is an end surface at which the light source is disposed and an emitting part that emits light which has entered from the incident light surface in a spread pattern from an emitting surface. The light guide plate includes an incident light wedge part between the incident light surface and the emitting part, the incident light wedge part including an inclined surface and tapering in thickness from the incident light surface side toward a forward direction. Also, a blue light reflecting unit is disposed on at least one of the emitting surface side or an opposite side of the emitting surface side near a boundary between the incident light wedge part and the emitting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Kunimochi
  • Publication number: 20160109634
    Abstract: The thickness of a portion along an end surface of principal surfaces of a light guide plate is determined by a protruding part and a recessed part. By ensuring the dimensional accuracy in the thickness direction of the portion along the end surface of the principal surfaces and of the light guide plate with the protruding part and the recessed part, a light blocking member that is disposed spanning across the outer edge of at least one piece of optical sheet and an upper surface of a housing frame is not pushed up at the outer edge of the optical sheet. Therefore, the contact surface area of the light blocking member with the upper surface of the housing frame does not decrease, and the light blocking member can be reliably fixed to the upper surface of the housing frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI
  • Patent number: 9151885
    Abstract: A spread illumination apparatus includes: a light source; and a light guide plate having a light entrance surface on which the light source is disposed, and a light exit surface through which light introduced from the light entrance surface is emitted, wherein the light guide plate includes a light entrance wedge portion which has an inclined surface and of which thickness is thinner from the light entrance surface side toward the light exit surface side, the inclined surface includes a first, a second, and a third inclined surface portions, and an average inclination angle of the second inclined surface portion at an arbitrary cross section perpendicular to the light entrance surface and the light exit surface along the light entrance surface in a longitudinal direction is configured to be larger than average inclination angles of the first inclined surface portion and the third inclined surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Kunimochi
  • Publication number: 20150226908
    Abstract: In a spread illuminating apparatus, a light guide plate has a light incident wedge portion including a tilted surface and having a thickness reduced from the light incident surface side toward the emitting surface side. The tilted surface has an S-shape as viewed from a side, which has a convex portion on the light incident surface side and a concave portion on the emitting surface side with an inflection point therebetween. A distance from the light incident surface to the inflection point is larger than the thickness of the light incident surface. The inflection point is located closer to the emitting surface than a middle position of the light incident wedge portion. A convex part has a larger area than a concave part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI
  • Publication number: 20150219824
    Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus includes a light source that emits white light, and a light guide plate including an incident light surface which is an end surface at which the light source is disposed and an emitting part that emits light which has entered from the incident light surface in a spread pattern from an emitting surface. The light guide plate includes an incident light wedge part between the incident light surface and the emitting part, the incident light wedge part including an inclined surface and tapering in thickness from the incident light surface side toward a forward direction. Also, a blue light reflecting unit is disposed on at least one of the emitting surface side or an opposite side of the emitting surface side near a boundary between the incident light wedge part and the emitting part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI
  • Publication number: 20150092445
    Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus includes a point light source with a light-emitting surface, a circuit board with a mounting surface on which the point light source is mounted, and a light guide plate with an incident light surface and an emitting surface. The circuit board is arranged as that at least a partial portion of the circuit board extends beyond an area where the point light source is mounted so as to be superposed on the light guide plate, a light-reflecting member is arranged on the mounting surface, and a region of the mounting surface in which the light-reflecting member is arranged includes a first region that extends forward from a position corresponding to the center of the light-emitting surface of the point light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI
  • Patent number: 8931943
    Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus includes a point light source with a light-emitting surface, a circuit board with a mounting surface on which the point light source is mounted, and a light guide plate with an incident light surface and an emitting surface. The circuit board is arranged as that at least a partial portion of the circuit board extends beyond an area where the point light source is mounted so as to be superposed on the light guide plate, a light-reflecting member is arranged on the mounting surface, and a region of the mounting surface in which the light-reflecting member is arranged includes a first region that extends forward from a position corresponding to the center of the light-emitting surface of the point light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Kunimochi
  • Publication number: 20140241009
    Abstract: A spread illumination apparatus includes: a light source; and a light guide plate having a light entrance surface on which the light source is disposed, and a light exit surface through which light introduced from the light entrance surface is emitted, wherein the light guide plate includes a light entrance wedge portion which has an inclined surface and of which thickness is thinner from the light entrance surface side toward the light exit surface side, the inclined surface includes a first, a second, and a third inclined surface portions, and an average inclination angle of the second inclined surface portion at an arbitrary cross section perpendicular to the light entrance surface and the light exit surface along the light entrance surface in a longitudinal direction is configured to be larger than average inclination angles of the first inclined surface portion and the third inclined surface portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI
  • Patent number: 8651721
    Abstract: A planar illumination apparatus includes: a light source; a light guide plate having a light-receiving end surface arranged facing the light source, an output flat surface for planarly outputting light received through the light-receiving end surface and a reflective flat surface facing the output flat surface; a reflective sheet disposed on the reflective flat surface side of the light guide plate; and a flexible printed circuit board disposed on substantially the same plane as that of the reflective sheet, the flexible printed board mounting the light source, wherein the flexible printed circuit board has a mounting portion on which the light source is mounted and a thin portion which extends from a forward side edge and is formed thinner than the mounting portion, and wherein at least one part of the thin portion and an end portion of the reflective sheet are overlapped with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Kunimochi
  • Patent number: 8636373
    Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus includes a light source, a flexible printed circuit board, and a light guiding plate. The light guiding plate has a light incident face, and a light output portion planarly outputting light. The light guiding plate has an inclined portion between the light incident face and the light output portion, the inclined portion having an inclined face gradually reducing in thickness from the light incident face toward the light output portion; the flexible printed circuit board is placed on the light guiding plate from the side of the inclined face, and has a mounting portion mounting the light source, and a bent portion bent to the mounting portion and fixed to the inclined face of the inclined portion, and the bent portion includes a thickness reduced portion having a thickness less than the mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toru Kunimochi
  • Publication number: 20130070476
    Abstract: A planar illumination apparatus includes: a light source; a light guide plate having a light-receiving end surface arranged facing the light source, an output flat surface for planarly outputting light received through the light-receiving end surface and a reflective flat surface facing the output flat surface; a reflective sheet disposed on the reflective flat surface side of the light guide plate; and a flexible printed circuit board disposed on substantially the same plane as that of the reflective sheet, the flexible printed board mounting the light source, wherein the flexible printed circuit board has a mounting portion on which the light source is mounted and a thin portion which extends from a forward side edge and is formed thinner than the mounting portion, and wherein at least one part of the thin portion and an end portion of the reflective sheet are overlapped with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI
  • Publication number: 20130033898
    Abstract: A spread illuminating apparatus includes a light source, a flexible printed circuit board, and a light guiding plate. The light guiding plate has a light incident face, and a light output portion planarly outputting light. The light guiding plate has an inclined portion between the light incident face and the light output portion, the inclined portion having an inclined face gradually reducing in thickness from the light incident face toward the light output portion; the flexible printed circuit board is placed on the light guiding plate from the side of the inclined face, and has a mounting portion mounting the light source, and a bent portion bent to the mounting portion and fixed to the inclined face of the inclined portion, and the bent portion includes a thickness reduced portion having a thickness less than the mounting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: MINEBEA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toru KUNIMOCHI