Patents by Inventor Toshiaki Horie

Toshiaki Horie 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: 9778549
    Abstract: An optical reflecting device includes a mirror part, a pair of joints, a pair of vibration parts, a plurality of driving parts, and a fixed part. Each of the joints has a first end connected to respective one the facing positions to each other on the mirror part and a second end opposite to the first end, and extends along a first axis. Each of the vibration parts has a central portion connected to the second end of respective one of the joints. A plurality of driving parts is disposed in each of the pair of vibration parts, and rotates the mirror part. Both ends of each of the pair of vibration parts are connected to the fixed part. The beam width defined as the length of each of the joints in a direction orthogonal to the first axis is greater than the beam width of each of the pair of vibration parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Horie, Soichiro Hiraoka, Shinsuke Nakazono, Kazuki Komaki
  • Patent number: 9690094
    Abstract: An optical device includes: an optical element having an optically functional surface which is pivotable; a base supporting the optical element; and a package housing the optical element and the base, in which the package includes: a wall that surrounds the optical element and the base; a window that closes a first opening defined by the wall, and forms an optical path to the optically functional surface, the window being transmissive to light; and a bottom plate that closes a second opening defined by the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kurozuka, Akihiro Morikawa, Toshiaki Horie, Shinsuke Nakazono
  • Patent number: 9523849
    Abstract: An optical reflecting device includes a mirror part, a pair of joints, a pair of vibration parts, a plurality of driving parts, and a fixed part. Each of the joints has a first end connected to respective one the facing positions to each other on the mirror part and a second end opposite to the first end, and extends along a first axis. Each of the vibration parts has a central portion connected to the second end of respective one of the joints. A plurality of driving parts are disposed in each of the pair of vibration parts, and rotate the mirror part. Both ends of each of the pair of vibration parts are connected to the fixed part. The beam width defined as the length of each of the joints in a direction orthogonal to the first axis is greater than the beam width of each of the pair of vibration parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Horie, Soichiro Hiraoka, Shinsuke Nakazono, Kazuki Komaki
  • Publication number: 20160356984
    Abstract: An optical reflecting device includes a mirror part, a pair of joints, a pair of vibration parts, a plurality of driving parts, and a fixed part. Each of the joints has a first end connected to respective one the facing positions to each other on the mirror part and a second end opposite to the first end, and extends along a first axis. Each of the vibration parts has a central portion connected to the second end of respective one of the joints. A plurality of driving parts is disposed in each of the pair of vibration parts, and rotates the mirror part. Both ends of each of the pair of vibration parts are connected to the fixed part. The beam width defined as the length of each of the joints in a direction orthogonal to the first axis is greater than the beam width of each of the pair of vibration parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Toshiaki HORIE, Soichiro HIRAOKA, Shinsuke NAKAZONO, Kazuki KOMAKI
  • Publication number: 20160131895
    Abstract: An optical device includes: an optical element having an optically functional surface which is pivotable; a base supporting the optical element; and a package housing the optical element and the base, in which the package includes: a wall that surrounds the optical element and the base; a window that closes a first opening defined by the wall, and forms an optical path to the optically functional surface, the window being transmissive to light; and a bottom plate that closes a second opening defined by the wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Akira KUROZUKA, Akihiro MORIKAWA, Toshiaki HORIE, Shinsuke NAKAZONO
  • Patent number: 9291815
    Abstract: An optical reflection element includes a fixed portion having a pair of sides opposite to each other, a pair of first vibration portions having one ends each connected to respective one of the sides of the fixed portion, a pair of connection portions each connected to respective one of another ends of the first vibration portions, a movable frame rotatably supported by another ends of the first vibration portions via the connection portions, a pair of second vibration portions having one ends each connected to respective one of a pair of sides of the movable frame, and a mirror rotatably connected to another ends of the second vibration portions. The second vibration portions are configured to transmit a rotational vibration about a rotation axis to the mirror. The connection portions are connected to the movable frame in a direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Horie, Soichiro Hiraoka, Shinsuke Nakazono, Kazuki Komaki
  • Patent number: 9287488
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator device includes a vibrator and a driver to vibrate the vibrator. The vibrator includes a lower vibration layer configured to vibrate and an upper vibration layer coupled to an upper surface of the lower vibration layer and configured to vibrate together with the lower vibration layer. The driver includes an upper electrode layer on a lower surface of the lower vibration layer, a piezoelectric layer on a lower surface of the upper electrode layer, and a lower electrode layer on a lower surface of the piezoelectric layer. The lower vibration layer of the vibrator is made of organic material. The upper vibration layer is mainly made of inorganic material. The lower vibration layer has a smaller longitudinal elastic modulus than the upper vibration layer. The piezoelectric actuator device has a large resistance to disturbance vibrations and a large warping amount of the vibrator without increasing power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Soichiro Hiraoka, Kazuki Komaki, Shinsuke Nakazono, Akira Kurozuka, Toshiaki Horie
  • Publication number: 20160062109
    Abstract: An optical scanning device includes: a case including a window; and an optical reflective element mounted in the case. The optical reflective element includes: a movable portion including a reflective surface; a beam having one end connected to the movable portion; and a fixed portion connected to the other end of the beam and fixed to the case. The fixed portion is approximately parallel to the window. The reflective surface is non-parallel to the fixed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Akihiro MORIKAWA, Toshiaki HORIE, Takehiro KOBAYASHI, Shinsuke NAKAZONO
  • Patent number: 9261669
    Abstract: A vibrating element having a meandering shape includes a vibrating beam and a piezoelectric actuator provided on the vibrating beam. The vibrating beam has a meandering-shape substantially formed into the plurality of continuous turned-down shapes. The vibrating beam includes the plurality of turned-down units and the plurality of coupling units coupled to the turned-down units, and the coupling units and the turned-down units are alternately disposed. The piezoelectric actuator includes a lower electrode provided on the vibrating beam, a piezoelectric film provided on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric film. A non-existence region where the piezoelectric film does not exist is provided in at least one of a neighborhood of a midpoint of an inner circumference of each of the turned-down units and a neighborhood of a curvature changing point in which a curvature of the inner circumference of each of the turned-down shapes changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Horie, Shinsuke Nakazono, Soichiro Hiraoka, Yuta Yamamoto, Kazuki Komaki
  • Publication number: 20150323783
    Abstract: An optical reflecting device includes a mirror part, a pair of joints, a pair of vibration parts, a plurality of driving parts, and a fixed part. Each of the joints has a first end connected to respective one the facing positions to each other on the mirror part and a second end opposite to the first end, and extends along a first axis. Each of the vibration parts has a central portion connected to the second end of respective one of the joints. A plurality of driving parts are disposed in each of the pair of vibration parts, and rotate the mirror part. Both ends of each of the pair of vibration parts are connected to the fixed part. The beam width defined as the length of each of the joints in a direction orthogonal to the first axis is greater than the beam width of each of the pair of vibration parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki HORIE, Soichiro HIRAOKA, Shinsuke NAKAZONO, Kazuki KOMAKI
  • Publication number: 20150270477
    Abstract: An actuator includes a fixed frame, a pair of first vibrating portions, a movable frame, a pair of second vibrating portions, a movable portion, and a first monitor signal detector. Each of the first vibrating portions faces the inside of the fixed frame; and has a first end connected to the inside of the fixed frame, and a second end connected to the outside of the movable frame. Each of the second vibrating portions faces the inside of the movable frame; and has a first end connected to the inside of the movable frame, and a second end connected to the movable portion. The second vibrating portions extend in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the first vibrating portions extend. The first monitor signal detector capable of detecting displacement of the movable frame is provided on a connection portion between the movable frame and the first vibrating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Toshiaki Horie, Shinsuke Nakazono, Soichiro Hiraoka, Kazuki Komaki, Akira Kurozuka, Yuta Yamamoto, Takehiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9091856
    Abstract: An optical reflecting device includes a mirror, a frame connected to the mirror, and a driver beam configured to vibrate to rotate the mirror about a rotation axis. Rigidity of the frame is higher than rigidity of the mirror. The rotation axis is perpendicular to a line that connects a first connecting part to a second connecting part. This optical reflecting device can suppress a dynamic warp of the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLCTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke Mihara, Akira Kurozuka, Shinsuke Nakazono, Soichiro Hiraoka, Yuta Yamamoto, Toshiaki Horie, Kazuki Komaki
  • Patent number: 9025228
    Abstract: An optical reflecting device includes a fixed frame, a pair of first oscillation parts, a movable frame, a pair of second oscillation parts, and a mirror part. One-side ends of the first oscillation parts are connected to the inside of the fixed frame. The movable frame is connected to and held by the other-side ends of the pair of first oscillation parts to be pivotable. One-side ends of the pair of second oscillation parts are connected to the inside of the movable frame and the pair of second oscillation parts are disposed to be substantially perpendicular to the pair of first oscillation parts. The mirror part is connected to and held by the other-side ends of the pair of second oscillation parts to be pivotable. The first oscillation parts have a meandering shape in which a plurality of straight portions and a plurality of folded portions are formed, and a stepped structure portion is provided in part of the folded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Horie, Shinsuke Nakazono, Soichiro Hiraoka, Shigeo Furukawa, Yuta Yamamoto, Kazuki Komaki, Masaki Tada
  • Publication number: 20150116803
    Abstract: An optical reflecting device includes a fixed frame, a pair of first oscillation parts, a movable frame, a pair of second oscillation parts, and a mirror part. One-side ends of the first oscillation parts are connected to the inside of the fixed frame. The movable frame is connected to and held by the other-side ends of the pair of first oscillation parts to be pivotable. One-side ends of the pair of second oscillation parts are connected to the inside of the movable frame and the pair of second oscillation parts are disposed to be substantially perpendicular to the pair of first oscillation parts. The mirror part is connected to and held by the other-side ends of the pair of second oscillation parts to be pivotable. The first oscillation parts have a meandering shape in which a plurality of straight portions and a plurality of folded portions are formed, and a stepped structure portion is provided in part of the folded portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: TOSHIAKI HORIE, SHINSUKE NAKAZONO, SOICHIRO HIRAOKA, SHIGEO FURUKAWA, YUTA YAMAMOTO, KAZUKI KOMAKI, MASAKI TADA
  • Patent number: 8964273
    Abstract: An optical reflection element according to the present invention includes a fixed frame, a pair of first oscillation parts, a movable frame, a pair of second oscillation parts, and a mirror part. One-side ends of the first oscillation parts are connected to the inside of the fixed frame. The movable frame is connected to and held by the other-side ends of the pair of first oscillation parts to be pivotable. One-side ends of the pair of second oscillation parts are connected to the inside of the movable frame and the pair of second oscillation parts are disposed to be substantially perpendicular to the pair of first oscillation parts. The mirror part is connected to and held by the other-side ends of the pair of second oscillation parts to be pivotable. The second oscillation parts have a meandering shape in which a plurality of straight portions and a plurality of folded portions are formed, and a stepped structure portion is provided in part of the folded portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Horie, Shinsuke Nakazono, Soichiro Hiraoka, Yuta Yamamoto, Kazuki Komaki, Masaki Tada, Kiyomi Furukawa
  • Publication number: 20150036201
    Abstract: An optical reflection element includes a fixed portion having a pair of sides opposite to each other, a pair of first vibration portions having one ends each connected to respective one of the sides of the fixed portion, a pair of connection portions each connected to respective one of another ends of the first vibration portions, a movable frame rotatably supported by another ends of the first vibration portions via the connection portions, a pair of second vibration portions having one ends each connected to respective one of a pair of sides of the movable frame, and a mirror rotatably connected to another ends of the second vibration portions. The second vibration portions are configured to transmit a rotational vibration about a rotation axis to the mirror. The connection portions are connected to the movable frame in a direction of the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Toshiaki Horie, Soichiro Hiraoka, Shinsuke Nakazono, Kazuki Komaki
  • Publication number: 20140368087
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator device includes a vibrator and a driver to vibrate the vibrator. The vibrator includes a lower vibration layer configured to vibrate and an upper vibration layer coupled to an upper surface of the lower vibration layer and configured to vibrate together with the lower vibration layer. The driver includes an upper electrode layer on a lower surface of the lower vibration layer, a piezoelectric layer on a lower surface of the upper electrode layer, and a lower electrode layer on a lower surface of the piezoelectric layer. The lower vibration layer of the vibrator is made of organic material. The upper vibration layer is mainly made of inorganic material. The lower vibration layer has a smaller longitudinal elastic modulus than the upper vibration layer. The piezoelectric actuator device has a large resistance to disturbance vibrations and a large warping amount of the vibrator without increasing power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichiro Hiraoka, Kazuki Komaki, Shinsuke Nakazono, Akira Kurozuka, Toshiaki Horie
  • Publication number: 20140226194
    Abstract: An optical reflecting device includes a mirror, a frame connected to the mirror, and a driver beam configured to vibrate to rotate the mirror about a rotation axis. Rigidity of the frame is higher than rigidity of the mirror. The rotation axis is perpendicular to a line that connects a first connecting part to a second connecting part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kensuke Mihara, Akira Kurozuka, Shinsuke Nakazono, Soichiro Hiraoka, Yuta Yamamoto, Toshiaki Horie, Kazuki Komaki
  • Patent number: 8792151
    Abstract: An optical reflection element includes a frame, a meandrous vibrating part having an outer end connected with an inside of the frame, and a mirror part supported by an inner end of the meandrous vibrating part. The meandrous vibrating part has a meandrous shape that includes curved portions and vibrating beams alternately connected with the curved portions. A curvature of respective one of the curved portions is smaller than a curvature of at least one of the curved portions which is located closer to the inner end than the respective one of the curved portions. This optical reflection element has a large deflection angle of the mirror part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinsuke Nakazono, Toshiaki Horie, Soichiro Hiraoka, Yuta Yamamoto, Masaki Tada, Kazuki Komaki, Kiyomi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 8681407
    Abstract: An optical reflection element has a frame, a pair of meandering-shaped vibration elements, a mirror having a reflection surface, and a pair of protective beams. The vibration elements have their respective outer ends supported by confronting portions of an inside of the frame. The vibration elements support the mirror with respective inner ends thereof. The protective beams extend from the respective confronting portions of the inside of the frame toward the mirror with a predetermined space from the vibration elements and in parallel with a vibration axis of the vibration elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Soichiro Hiraoka, Kazuki Komaki, Masaki Tada, Shigeo Furukawa, Kiyomi Furukawa, Shinsuke Nakazono, Yuta Yamamoto, Toshiaki Horie