Patents by Inventor Toshiaki Kurachi

Toshiaki Kurachi 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).

  • Publication number: 20120007131
    Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device according to the present invention is a semiconductor light-emitting device 10 including a solid-state light-emitting element 11 and a wavelength converter 12 that converts primary light emitted by the solid-state light-emitting element 11 into light having a longer wavelength, wherein the wavelength converter 12 includes a wavelength converting layer 12a made from a translucent inorganic formed body containing phosphors, and a binder layer 12b; the wavelength converter 12 is disposed on a main light extraction surface 11a of the solid-state light-emitting element 11; and the binder layer 12b is disposed along an emission direction of light emitted from the main light extraction surface 11a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuharu Ueno, Toshiaki Kurachi
  • Patent number: 7852008
    Abstract: A dielectric barrier discharge lamp lighting device includes a transformer that supplies a driving voltage to a dielectric barrier discharge lamp from a secondary coil, and a driving circuit that controls an input voltage to the transformer to supply a driving voltage with a driving frequency fd to the dielectric barrier discharge lamp. The self-resonant frequency fr of the secondary coil, which is measured with the primary coil of the transformer being open, is equal to the driving frequency fd or a frequency in the vicinity of the driving frequency fd. This frequency fr satisfies, for example, 0.9 fd?fr?1.3 fd.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Satoshi Kominami
  • Patent number: 7642732
    Abstract: A dielectric barrier discharge lamp lighting apparatus includes twenty-four dielectric barrier discharge lamps, and a ballast circuit for lighting the twenty-four dielectric barrier discharge lamps which includes a DC power supply, an inverter circuit, a step-up transformer, and a lighting lamp number detecting circuit. The lighting lamp number detecting circuit detects the number of normally lighting dielectric barrier discharge lamps based on a first peek appearing right after polarity change of an approximate rectangular wave provided from the step-up transformer. When the detected number is less than a predetermined value, the operation of the ballast circuit is controlled to be stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kominami, Toshiaki Kurachi
  • Publication number: 20090066257
    Abstract: A dielectric barrier discharge lamp lighting apparatus includes twenty-four dielectric barrier discharge lamps, and a ballast circuit for lighting the twenty-four dielectric barrier discharge lamps which includes a DC power supply, an inverter circuit, a step-up transformer, and a lighting lamp number detecting circuit. The lighting lamp number detecting circuit detects the number of normally lighting dielectric barrier discharge lamps based on a first peek appearing right after polarity change of an approximate rectangular wave provided from the step-up transformer. When the detected number is less than a predetermined value, the operation of the ballast circuit is controlled to be stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kominami, Toshiaki Kurachi
  • Publication number: 20090058308
    Abstract: A pair of internal electrodes are disposed at both ends of a lamp. A first voltage including a positive DC voltage superimposed on a substantial rectangular waveform voltage is applied to one of the internal electrodes. A second voltage including a negative DC voltage superimposed on the substantial rectangular waveform voltage is applied to the other internal electrode. The dark portion occurring substantially at the center in the longitudinal direction of the lamp becomes invisible, so that the brightness distribution is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Satoshi Kominami
  • Publication number: 20080252225
    Abstract: A dielectric barrier discharge lamp lighting device includes a transformer that supplies a driving voltage to a dielectric barrier discharge lamp from a secondary coil, and a driving circuit that controls an input voltage to the transformer to supply a driving voltage with a driving frequency fd to the dielectric barrier discharge lamp. The self-resonant frequency fr of the secondary coil, which is measured with the primary coil of the transformer being open, is equal to the driving frequency fd or a frequency in the vicinity of the driving frequency fd. This frequency fr satisfies, for example, 0.9fd?fr?1.3fd.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Satoshi Kominami
  • Patent number: 7205723
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp has a magnetic core 3, an induction coil 5, and a fixation member 7. The fixation member 7 has an elongation portion 7b extending in a direction along an axial line of the magnetic core 3, a holding portion 7c for holding the magnetic core 3 positioned closer to the magnetic core 3 than the elongation portion 7b, and hook portions 7d and 7e to which a winding wire 7 is hooked so as to be inflected. The hook portions 7d and 7e positioned away from a boundary between the holding portion 7c and magnetic core 3 toward the elongation portion 7b by a distance between once and twice of a diameter of the winding wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Satoshi Kominami
  • Patent number: 7088056
    Abstract: A connection wire 110 extends from an end of an induction coil 109, along a surface of a base portion 104b of a bobbin 104, which surface is located close to a luminous bulb 101. The connection wire 110 is separated from a sealing portion 118 of an inner tube 120 and an outertube 119.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Kenji Itaya
  • Patent number: 7084562
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp is disclosed that comprises a bulb with a substance for electric discharge sealed therein, the bulb having a reentrant portion protruding inwardly along a Z-axis direction; an induction coil arranged in the reentrant portion, the induction coil having a magnetic core and a winding wound around the magnetic core; and a drive circuit for supplying the induction coil with a power from 50 kHz to 1 MHz. The bulb has an outer diameter from 65 mm to 75 mm in a direction orthogonal to the Z-axis direction, and the magnetic core has a length L in the Z-axis direction that is 1.05 times or more a length L? of the winding in the Z-axis direction, the length L being set to 41 mm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Satoshi Kominami, Kiyoshi Hashimotodani
  • Patent number: 7064494
    Abstract: A discharge lamp operating apparatus includes a DC power circuit portion for outputting a DC voltage; an inverter circuit including a switching element provided with a control terminal for converting an output from the DC power circuit portion to an AC voltage; a control terminal driving circuit for controlling the switching element provided with a control terminal to be on or off; and a resonant load circuit including a discharge lamp, a first inductor and a first capacitor. The control terminal driving circuit includes a drive winding mutually coupled to the first inductor; a series circuit of a voltage clamp element and an impedance element, the series circuit being connected to at least one end of the drive winding, and the control terminal driving circuit is configured to control the switching element provided with a control terminal to be on or off by a voltage generated at the drive winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Miyazaki, Toshiaki Kurachi, Mitsuharu Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20060071584
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp has a magnetic core 3, an induction coil 5, and a fixation member 7. The fixation member 7 has an elongation portion 7b extending in a direction along an axial line of the magnetic core 3, a holding portion 7c for holding the magnetic core 3 positioned closer to the magnetic core 3 than the elongation portion 7b, and hook portions 7d and 7e to which a winding wire 7 is hooked so as to be inflected. The hook portions 7d and 7e positioned away from a boundary between the holding portion 7c and magnetic core 3 toward the elongation portion 7b by a distance between once and twice of a diameter of the winding wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2005
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Satoshi Kominami
  • Patent number: 6998792
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp operating device including an electrodeless discharge lamp 3 and a ballast circuit 4, wherein the ballast circuit 4 includes: an AC-DC converter 5 for converting a phase-controlled AC voltage into a DC voltage; a DC-AC converter 6 formed so as to intermittently drive the electrodeless discharge lamp 3 due to the existence of an operating period during which a high-frequency voltage is applied to the electrodeless discharge lamp 3 so that the electrodeless discharge lamp 3 is operated, and an extinguishing period during which the generation of the high-frequency voltage is stopped so that the electrodeless discharge lamp 3 is extinguished; and a dimming controller 7 for detecting the turn-on of the phase-controlled AC voltage, for outputting an intermittent command signal that changes the ratio between the operating period and the extinguishing period to the DC-AC converter 6, and for outputting a signal that maintains an intermittent dimmable operating state even if dimming sta
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Takahashi, Satoshi Kominami, Kouji Miyazaki, Toshiaki Kurachi, Yoko Matsubayashi, Mamoru Takeda
  • Patent number: 6979940
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp includes an induction coil that includes a core and a winding wound around the core and generates an electromagnetic filed inside a bulb, an insert portion provided inside the core, and a plane portion that releases heat from the insert portion to the outside of a case. A tolerance in the inductance of the induction coil is reduced by spacing the end portion of the core on the side of the plane portion apart from the plane portion, which makes reliable start-up possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Kenji Itaya
  • Patent number: 6977472
    Abstract: An electrodeless self-ballasted fluorescent lamp includes an electrodeless fluorescent lamp 3, a ballast circuit 4 and a lamp base which are formed as one unit. The ballast circuit 4 includes: an AC-DC converter 5; a DC-AC converter 6 formed so as to intermittently drive the electrodeless fluorescent lamp 3; and a dimming controller 7 formed so as to detect the turn-on of a phase-controlled AC voltage and output an intermittent command signal for changing the ratio between an operating period and an extinguishing period to the DC-AC converter 6. Furthermore, the dimming controller 7 is formed so as to output a signal for extinguishing the electrodeless fluorescent lamp 3 before the operation thereof becomes unstable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoko Matsubayashi, Kenichiro Takahashi, Kouji Miyazaki, Satoshi Kominami, Toshiaki Kurachi, Mamoru Takeda
  • Publication number: 20050168169
    Abstract: A connection wire 110 extends from an end of an induction coil 109, along a surface of a base portion 104b of a bobbin 104, which surface is located close to a luminous bulb 101. The connection wire 110 is separated from a sealing portion 118 of an innertube 120 and an outertube 119.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Kenji Itaya
  • Patent number: 6870327
    Abstract: An electrode-less discharge lamp lighting apparatus which is electrically connected to a dimming unit (2) is provided with: an electrode-less fluorescent lamp (3); and a lighting circuit (4) operable to apply a high-frequency voltage to the electrode-less fluorescent lamp (3), wherein the lighting circuit (4) includes: an AC/DC converting unit (5) operable to convert a phase-controlled AC voltage outputted from the dimming unit (2) into a DC voltage; a DC/AC converting unit (6) operable to convert the DC voltage into a high-frequency voltage; and a dimming controlling unit (7) that includes a resistor (29), a switching element (28), and a timer circuit (27) so as to detect a timing of a turn-on of the phase-controlled AC voltage and to, based on the detected timing, allow a current whose value is at least a threshold to flow across output terminals of the AC/DC converting unit (5) for at least a duration of a time lag between the turn-on of the phase-controlled AC voltage and the generation of the high-freque
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichirou Takahashi, Satoshi Kominami, Kouji Miyazaki, Toshiaki Kurachi, Mamoru Takeda, Nobuyoshi Nagagata
  • Publication number: 20050057186
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp is disclosed that comprises a bulb with a substance for electric discharge sealed therein, the bulb having a reentrant portion protruding inwardly along a Z-axis direction; an induction coil arranged in the reentrant portion, the induction coil having a magnetic core and a winding wound around the magnetic core; and a drive circuit for supplying the induction coil with a power from 50 kHz to 1 MHz. The bulb has an outer diameter from 65 mm to 75 mm in a direction orthogonal to the Z-axis direction, and the magnetic core has a length L in the Z-axis direction that is 1.05 times or more a length L? of the winding in the Z-axis direction, the length L being set to 41 mm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventors: Toshiaki Kurachi, Satoshi Kominami, Kiyoshi Hashimotodani
  • Publication number: 20050017656
    Abstract: An electrodeless discharge lamp operating device including an electrodeless discharge lamp 3 and a ballast circuit 4, wherein the ballast circuit 4 includes: an AC-DC converter 5 for converting a phase-controlled AC voltage into a DC voltage; a DC-AC converter 6 formed so as to intermittently drive the electrodeless discharge lamp 3 due to the existence of an operating period during which a high-frequency voltage is applied to the electrodeless discharge lamp 3 so that the electrodeless discharge lamp 3 is operated, and an extinguishing period during which the generation of the high-frequency voltage is stopped so that the electrodeless discharge lamp 3 is extinguished; and a dimming controller 7 for detecting the turn-on of the phase-controlled AC voltage, for outputting an intermittent command signal that changes the ratio between the operating period and the extinguishing period to the DC-AC converter 6, and for outputting a signal that maintains an intermittent dimmable operating state even if dimming sta
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Kenichiro Takahashi, Satoshi Kominami, Kouji Miyazaki, Toshiaki Kurachi, Yoko Matsubayashi, Mamoru Takeda
  • Publication number: 20040263093
    Abstract: An electrodeless self-ballasted fluorescent lamp includes an electrodeless fluorescent lamp 3, a ballast circuit 4 and a lamp base which are formed as one unit. The ballast circuit 4 includes: an AC-DC converter 5; a DC-AC converter 6 formed so as to intermittently drive the electrodeless fluorescent lamp 3; and a dimming controller 7 formed so as to detect the turn-on of a phase-controlled AC voltage and output an intermittent command signal for changing the ratio between an operating period and an extinguishing period to the DC-AC converter 6. Furthermore, the dimming controller 7 is formed so as to output a signal for extinguishing the electrodeless fluorescent lamp 3 before the operation thereof becomes unstable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Yoko Matsubayashi, Kenichiro Takahashi, Kouji Miyazaki, Satoshi Kominami, Toshiaki Kurachi, Mamoru Takeda
  • Patent number: D691748
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Tagami, Toshiaki Kurachi, Katsuyuki Nagahama, Koji Omura, Kenta Watanabe