Patents by Inventor Toshinobu Katsumata

Toshinobu Katsumata 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: 11901498
    Abstract: A light-emitting unit includes: a wiring board; light-emitting elements on the wiring board; a light reflecting member on the wiring board, the light reflecting member covering a lateral surface of each of the light-emitting elements; wavelength conversion layers each provided on or above an emission surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of light-emitting elements; light reflecting layers on the wavelength conversion layers, respectively; and a protecting layer configured to transmit light and provided on the light reflecting member. The light-transmitting protecting layer covers at least a lateral surface of the wavelength conversion layers and at least a lateral surfaces of the light reflecting layers. An upper surface of the protecting layer has a first recess in a region where the plurality of light reflecting layers are not present in a top view. The first recess includes at least one concave surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Nakabayashi, Toshinobu Katsumata, Noriaki Hiraide
  • Patent number: 11799064
    Abstract: A light-emitting unit includes: a wiring board; a plurality of light-emitting elements provided on the wiring board and electrically coupled with a wire layer of the wiring board; a light reflecting member provided on the wiring board, the light reflecting member covering a lateral surface of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements; a light diffusing layer covering the plurality of light-emitting elements and the light reflecting member; a wavelength conversion layer located on or above the light diffusing layer; and a plurality of light reflecting layers located between the light diffusing layer and the wavelength conversion layer, each of the light reflecting layers being located above a corresponding one of the plurality of light-emitting elements. An upper surface of the light reflecting member has a recess which includes at least one concave surface, and there is a space between the concave surface and the light diffusing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Nakabayashi, Toshinobu Katsumata, Noriaki Hiraide
  • Patent number: 11777055
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a substrate, a plurality of light sources, a partitioning member, a light transmissive member, a plurality of reflecting portions. The light sources are arranged on the substrate. Each of the light sources has a light emitting diode. The partitioning member includes a plurality of wall portions defining a plurality of sections respectively surrounding at least one of the light sources, the wall portions including top portions. The light transmissive member is arranged above the light sources. The plurality of reflecting portions are arranged on a lower surface of the light transmissive member. Lower surfaces of the reflecting portions are positioned lower than apexes of the top portions of the wall portions of the partitioning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shimpei Sasaoka, Toshiyuki Hashimoto, Yoshihiro Sho, Toshinobu Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11754878
    Abstract: The backlight device has a substrate, a plurality of light emitting elements disposed on a surface of the substrate, a diffuser plate having an incident surface disposed facing to the surface of the substrate, and an emitting surface disposed on the opposite side of the incident surface, diffuses light incident on the incident surface from the plurality of light emitting elements, and emits the diffused light from the emitting surface, and a frame defining a light emitting region on which the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed, wherein the frame is disposed so as not to form a region less than the half value outside the light emitting elements disposed along the frame, and all of the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed so that a ratio less than the half value is 20% or less, the ratio less than the half value is a ratio of an area of the region less than the half value to an area of a surrounding region formed by connecting at least three light emitting elements disposed around th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshinobu Katsumata, Takumi Miyashita, Kiyokazu Watanabe, Takuma Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 11719975
    Abstract: A light-emitting module includes a light-guiding plate having an upper surface with a first hole and having a rectangular shape in a top view, and a light-emitting element opposite to the first hole and disposed opposite to the upper surface. The first hole includes a first portion and a second portion between the first portion and the upper surface. The first portion is provided with a first opening at a boundary between the first portion and the second portion and a first lateral surface inclined with respect to the upper surface. A shape of the first opening in the top view is defined by a first axis parallel to a short side of the rectangular shape of the light-guiding plate and a second axis parallel to a long side of the rectangular shape and shorter than the first axis in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryohei Yamashita, Toshinobu Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11703714
    Abstract: Darkening of the periphery of a light-emitting module in which a plurality of light-emitting units are two-dimensionally arranged is reduced. The present light-emitting module has a light-emitting region including a plurality of light-emitting units two-dimensionally arranged, the light-emitting units each including a light-guiding plate having a first main surface, a first recess opening toward the first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, and a second recess opening toward the second main surface; a light source inside the first recess; and a light-reflective first member inside the second recess. In each of the light-emitting units, a center of the light-emitting unit and a center of the second recess coincide with an optical axis of the light source in a plan view. In at least one of the light-emitting units, a center of the first member is closer to a center of the light-emitting region than the optical axis of the light source is in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Emura, Toshinobu Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11681181
    Abstract: The backlight device has a substrate, a plurality of light emitting elements disposed on a surface of the substrate, a diffuser plate having an incident surface disposed facing to the surface of the substrate, and an emitting surface disposed on the opposite side of the incident surface, diffuses light incident on the incident surface from the plurality of light emitting elements, and emits the diffused light from the emitting surface, and a frame defining a light emitting region on which the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed, wherein the frame is disposed so as not to form a region less than the half value outside the light emitting elements disposed along the frame, and all of the plurality of light emitting elements are disposed so that a ratio less than the half value is 20% or less, the ratio less than the half value is a ratio of an area of the region less than the half value to an area of a surrounding region formed by connecting at least three light emitting elements disposed around th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshinobu Katsumata, Takumi Miyashita, Kiyokazu Watanabe, Takuma Horiuchi
  • Publication number: 20230178702
    Abstract: A light-emitting unit includes: a wiring board; light-emitting elements on the wiring board; a light reflecting member on the wiring board, the light reflecting member covering a lateral surface of each of the light-emitting elements; wavelength conversion layers each provided on or above an emission surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of light-emitting elements; light reflecting layers on the wavelength conversion layers, respectively; and a protecting layer configured to transmit light and provided on the light reflecting member. The light-transmitting protecting layer covers at least a lateral surface of the wavelength conversion layers and at least a lateral surfaces of the light reflecting layers. An upper surface of the protecting layer has a first recess in a region where the plurality of light reflecting layers are not present in a top view. The first recess includes at least one concave surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2023
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya NAKABAYASHI, Toshinobu KATSUMATA, Noriaki HIRAIDE
  • Patent number: 11650365
    Abstract: A surface light source includes: a light guide plate having an upper surface and a lower surface located opposite the upper surface, and including at least one through hole extending from the upper surface to the lower surface; a wiring substrate located on a lower surface side of the light guide plate and including a wiring layer; and at least one light source including a light-emitting element electrically connected to the wiring layer of the wiring substrate. The light source is located inside the through hole. The upper surface of the light guide plate has a first region including a plurality of depressed portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryohei Yamashita, Toshinobu Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11650455
    Abstract: A planar light source includes a mounting substrate, a plurality of light sources, a partition member, a frame body, a wavelength conversion member, and a light diffusion plate. The light sources are arranged two-dimensionally on the mounting substrate in a plan view. The partition member includes a wall portion surrounding each of the light sources except for outermost ones of the light sources in the plan view. The wall portions are located inward of the outermost ones of the light sources. The frame body has a bottom portion and a lateral wall surrounding the mounting substrate. The wavelength conversion member is disposed on the lateral wall of the frame body. The light diffusion plate is disposed above the plurality of light sources and the wavelength conversion member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshinobu Katsumata, Toshiyuki Hashimoto, Naoya Kashiwagi
  • Publication number: 20230085463
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes a wiring board, a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the wiring board, a light-reflecting member covering a lateral surface of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements, a plurality of light-transmitting layers each located above an emission surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of light-emitting elements, a plurality of light-reflecting layers disposed on the plurality of light-transmitting layers, respectively, a light-diffusing layer disposed above the plurality of light-reflecting layers and the light-reflecting member, and a low-refractive-index layer located between the light-reflecting member and the light-diffusing layer, around each pair of one of the plurality of light-transmitting layers and one of the light-reflecting layers, and having a refractive index lower than that of the plurality of light-transmitting layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya NAKABAYASHI, Ryohei YAMASHITA, Keiji EMURA, Tsuyoshi OKAHISA, Toshinobu KATSUMATA
  • Patent number: 11594665
    Abstract: A light-emitting unit includes: a wiring board; light-emitting elements on the wiring board; a light reflecting member on the wiring board, the light reflecting member covering a lateral surface of each of the light-emitting elements; wavelength conversion layers each provided on or above an emission surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of light-emitting elements; light reflecting layers on the wavelength conversion layers, respectively; and a protecting layer configured to transmit light and provided on the light reflecting member. The light-transmitting protecting layer covers at least a lateral surface of the wavelength conversion layers and at least a lateral surfaces of the light reflecting layers. An upper surface of the protecting layer has a first recess in a region where the plurality of light reflecting layers are not present in a top view. The first recess includes at least one concave surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Nichia Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Nakabayashi, Toshinobu Katsumata, Noriaki Hiraide
  • Publication number: 20230059057
    Abstract: Darkening of the periphery of a light-emitting module in which a plurality of light-emitting units are two-dimensionally arranged is reduced. The present light-emitting module has a light-emitting region including a plurality of light-emitting units two-dimensionally arranged, the light-emitting units each including a light-guiding plate having a first main surface, a first recess opening toward the first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, and a second recess opening toward the second main surface; a light source inside the first recess; and a light-reflective first member inside the second recess. In each of the light-emitting units, a center of the light-emitting unit and a center of the second recess coincide with an optical axis of the light source in a plan view. In at least one of the light-emitting units, a center of the first member is closer to a center of the light-emitting region than the optical axis of the light source is in a plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji EMURA, Toshinobu KATSUMATA
  • Patent number: 11513389
    Abstract: A light emitting module according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a lightguide plate having an upper surface in which a first hole is defined, and a lower surface opposite to the upper surface; and a light emitting element on a lower surface side of the lightguide plate, the light emitting element facing the first hole. The upper surface of the lightguide plate includes a first region defining a plurality of protrusions and/or recesses. A ratio of an area occupied by the plurality of protrusions and/or recesses per unit area in a plan view increases concentrically in an outward direction from the light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryohei Yamashita, Toshinobu Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11506932
    Abstract: Darkening of the periphery of a light-emitting module in which a plurality of light-emitting units are two-dimensionally arranged is reduced. The present light-emitting module has a light-emitting region including a plurality of light-emitting units two-dimensionally arranged, the light-emitting units each including a light-guiding plate having a first main surface, a first recess opening toward the first main surface, a second main surface opposite to the first main surface, and a second recess opening toward the second main surface; a light source inside the first recess; and a light-reflective first member inside the second recess. In each of the light-emitting units, a center of the light-emitting unit and a center of the second recess coincide with an optical axis of the light source in a plan view. In at least one of the light-emitting units, a center of the first member is closer to a center of the light-emitting region than the optical axis of the light source is in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Emura, Toshinobu Katsumata
  • Patent number: 11506934
    Abstract: A light-emitting device includes a wiring board, a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed on the wiring board, a light-reflecting member covering a lateral surface of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements, a plurality of light-transmitting layers each located above an emission surface of a corresponding one of the plurality of light-emitting elements, a plurality of light-reflecting layers disposed on the plurality of light-transmitting layers, respectively, a light-diffusing layer disposed above the plurality of light-reflecting layers and the light-reflecting member, and a low-refractive-index layer located between the light-reflecting member and the light-diffusing layer, around each pair of one of the plurality of light-transmitting layers and one of the light-reflecting layers, and having a refractive index lower than that of the plurality of light-transmitting layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Nakabayashi, Ryohei Yamashita, Keiji Emura, Tsuyoshi Okahisa, Toshinobu Katsumata
  • Publication number: 20220357619
    Abstract: A planar light source includes a mounting substrate, a plurality of light sources, a partition member, a frame body, a wavelength conversion member, and a light diffusion plate. The light sources are arranged two-dimensionally on the mounting substrate in a plan view. The partition member includes a wall portion surrounding each of the light sources except for outermost ones of the light sources in the plan view. The wall portions are located inward of the outermost ones of the light sources. The frame body has a bottom portion and a lateral wall surrounding the mounting substrate. The wavelength conversion member is disposed on the lateral wall of the frame body. The light diffusion plate is disposed above the plurality of light sources and the wavelength conversion member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Toshinobu KATSUMATA, Toshiyuki HASHIMOTO, Naoya KASHIWAGI
  • Publication number: 20220342143
    Abstract: A surface light source includes: a light guide plate having an upper surface and a lower surface located opposite the upper surface, and including at least one through hole extending from the upper surface to the lower surface; a wiring substrate located on a lower surface side of the light guide plate and including a wiring layer; and at least one light source including a light-emitting element electrically connected to the wiring layer of the wiring substrate. The light source is located inside the through hole. The upper surface of the light guide plate has a first region including a plurality of depressed portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryohei YAMASHITA, Toshinobu KATSUMATA
  • Publication number: 20220310896
    Abstract: A light-emitting unit includes: a wiring board; a plurality of light-emitting elements provided on the wiring board and electrically coupled with a wire layer of the wiring board; a light reflecting member provided on the wiring board, the light reflecting member covering a lateral surface of each of the plurality of light-emitting elements; a light diffusing layer covering the plurality of light-emitting elements and the light reflecting member; a wavelength conversion layer located on or above the light diffusing layer; and a plurality of light reflecting layers located between the light diffusing layer and the wavelength conversion layer, each of the light reflecting layers being located above a corresponding one of the plurality of light-emitting elements. An upper surface of the light reflecting member has a recess which includes at least one concave surface, and there is a space between the concave surface and the light diffusing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya NAKABAYASHI, Toshinobu KATSUMATA, Noriaki HIRAIDE
  • Publication number: 20220308272
    Abstract: A light-reflecting member includes a plurality of first regions and a plurality of second regions. The first regions are each defined by a first portion and a plurality of first wall portions surrounding the first portion in a plan view with the first wall portions being connected to the first portion. The first regions are arranged in a tessellation in the plan view. The second regions are arranged on an outer side relative to the first regions in the plan view. Each of the second regions includes a second portion located higher than the first portion of each of the first regions. The second portion is connected to at least one second wall portion on a side closer to an adjacent one of the first regions, the at least one second wall portion having a height smaller than a height of the first wall portion as measured from the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Toshiyuki HASHIMOTO, Naoya KASHIWAGI, Toshinobu KATSUMATA