Patents by Inventor Toshio Sakamoto

Toshio Sakamoto 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: 7488288
    Abstract: An ultrasonic endoscope comprising an insertion portion comprising a distal hard portion which has: an endoscopic observation unit; and an ultrasonic observation unit fitted on an outer circumferential section of the endoscopic observation unit, wherein: the ultrasonic observation unit comprises: an ultrasonic transducer array having ultrasonic transducers, and a backing layer cylindrically formed on an inner circumferential surface of the ultrasonic transducer array; and a flexible circuit board on which formed are first terminals each connected to an electrode of a respective one of the ultrasonic transducers, second terminals to which cables are respectively connected, and wiring patterns respectively formed between the first and second terminals, wherein the flexible circuit board has a stepped structure having a large-diameter section on which the first terminals are formed and a small-diameter section on which the second terminals are formed, and an annular support section is formed on an inner circumfe
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Fujinon Corporation
    Inventors: Toshizumi Tanaka, Toshio Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7488016
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle front structure, which comprises a synthetic resin shroud 3 formed to support a heat exchanger and mounted to a vehicle body in a front of an engine compartment, a bumper fascia disposed in a front end of the vehicle body, a plate member 20 which has a front end located adjacent to a rear surface of the bumper fascia and a rear end attached to a lower shroud section 5, and a connection member 30 which connects a lower end region of a lateral surface of a side shroud section 6 to a non-abutted portion 13c formed in a flange 13 of a bumper reinforcement 10. The vehicle front structure of the present invention can suppress displacement of the shroud during a frontal impact with a pedestrian or an obstacle such as a curb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakamae, Toshio Sakamoto, Yasunori Kageyama, Naoaki Yamamoto, Soukichi Kikuchi, Hiroshi Sogabe
  • Patent number: 7455351
    Abstract: A front end structure for a vehicle comprises: a front bumper face; a shroud upper disposed to the rear of the front bumper face; a bumper beam disposed below the shroud upper to span the front ends of right and left front side frames; a center stay made of metal and spanning the shroud upper and the bumper beam; and a front grille supported at the upper side to the shroud upper and supported at the lower side to the front bumper face, the front grille is inclined so that the lower side is located frontwardly of the upper side, and the center stay is integrally provided with a grille support having a root end connected to the center stay and an abutment supporting part extending from the root end towards the bottom of the front grille to support the front grille from below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nakayama, Toshio Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 7354082
    Abstract: Disclosed is a bumper structure adapted to be attached to a front end of a vehicle, which is capable of preventing a fine member from being bent downward by its own weight after integrally forming a bumper body and a grill portion together, and avoiding a problem about deterioration in appearance of the grill portion which would otherwise be caused by the fin support remaining within the grill portion, so as to provide drastically enhanced appearance of the grill portion. A fin support (5, 5, 6, 6) is formed to allow an distal end thereof to extend toward an open zone on the upper side of an opening (X), and folded about a thin-wall portion (5a, 6a) in such a manner as to be engaged with an engagement pin (3a, - - - , 3a) at an edge of the opening (X) to support the fin member (4). After resin is cooled, thin-wall portion (5a, 6a) is cut off to remove the fin support (5, 5, 6, 6) from the inside of the opening (X).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Sakamoto, Tsugio Fukube, Michihisa Iwamoto, Takahiro Tanaka, Masayuki Sato, Mikado Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 7322639
    Abstract: Disclosed is a front structure of a vehicle, which comprises a pair of right and left front side frames, a shroud installed between respective front ends of the side frames, a pair of right and left headlamps each arranged on a lateral side of a corresponding one of laterally opposite sidewalls of the shroud and provided with a headlamp housing serving as an outer shell thereof, and a hood panel adapted to cover above the shroud when it is in a fully closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Takata, Kazuma Kondou, Yasunori Kageyama, Toshio Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20080012363
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle front structure, which comprises a synthetic resin shroud 3 formed to support a heat exchanger and mounted to a vehicle body in a front of an engine compartment, a bumper fascia disposed in a front end of the vehicle body, a plate member 20 which has a front end located adjacent to a rear surface of the bumper fascia and a rear end attached to a lower shroud section 5, and a connection member 30 which connects a lower end region of a lateral surface of a side shroud section 6 to a non-abutted portion 13c formed in a flange 13 of a bumper reinforcement 10. The vehicle front structure of the present invention can suppress displacement of the shroud during a frontal impact with a pedestrian or an obstacle such as a curb.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakamae, Toshio Sakamoto, Yasunori Kageyama, Naoaki Yamamoto, Soukichi Kikuchi, Hiroshi Sogabe
  • Publication number: 20070216198
    Abstract: A front structure of an automotive vehicle, comprising a shroud having a shroud upper, shroud lower, and a pair of shroud sides, a bumper face, and a plate member, a front end of which extends to a position near a back face of the bumper face and a rear end of which is attached to the shroud lower, wherein protruding portions are provided at both-side ends of the plate member so as to protrude outward respectively in a vehicle width direction from both-side ends of the shroud lower, and projecting portions are provided at the protruding portions so as to project rearward respectively along side end portions of the shroud lower. Accordingly, the prevention of pedestrian dragging against the vehicle frontal oblique crush can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Inventors: Takayuki Nakamae, Susumu Kuroda, Yasunori Kageyama, Toshio Sakamoto, Hiroki Fujii
  • Publication number: 20070182174
    Abstract: A front end structure for a vehicle comprises: a front bumper face; a shroud upper disposed to the rear of the front bumper face; a bumper beam disposed below the shroud upper to span the front ends of right and left front side frames; a center stay made of metal and spanning the shroud upper and the bumper beam; and a front grille supported at the upper side to the shroud upper and supported at the lower side to the front bumper face, the front grille is inclined so that the lower side is located frontwardly of the upper side, and the center stay is integrally provided with a grille support having a root end connected to the center stay and an abutment supporting part extending from the root end towards the bottom of the front grille to support the front grille from below.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: August 9, 2007
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Nakayama, Toshio Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20070091624
    Abstract: Disclosed is a front structure of a vehicle, which comprises a pair of right and left front side frames, a shroud installed between respective front ends of the side frames, a pair of right and left headlamps each arranged on a lateral side of a corresponding one of laterally opposite sidewalls of the shroud and provided with a headlamp housing serving as an outer shell thereof, and a hood panel adapted to cover above the shroud when it is in a fully closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshio Takata, Kazuma Kondou, Yasunori Kageyama, Toshio Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20060157992
    Abstract: Disclosed is a bumper structure adapted to be attached to a front end of a vehicle, which is capable of preventing a fine member from being bent downward by its own weight after integrally forming a bumper body and a grill portion together, and avoiding a problem about deterioration in appearance of the grill portion which would otherwise be caused by the fin support remaining within the grill portion, so as to provide drastically enhanced appearance of the grill portion. A fin support (5, 5, 6, 6) is formed to allow an distal end thereof to extend toward an open zone on the upper side of an opening (X), and folded about a thin-wall portion (5a, 6a) in such a manner as to be engaged with an engagement pin (3a, - - - , 3a) at an edge of the opening (X) to support the fin member (4). After resin is cooled, thin-wall portion (5a, 6a) is cut off to remove the fin support (5, 5, 6, 6) from the inside of the opening (X).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Sakamoto, Tsugio Fukube, Michihisa Iwamoto, Takahiro Tanaka, Masayuki Sato, Mikado Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20060116586
    Abstract: A balloon controller for an endoscope apparatus, which expands or shrinks a first balloon attached to an insertion portion of an endoscope by supplying fluid to the first balloon or drawing fluid from the first balloon, and which expands or shrinks a second balloon attached to an insertion assist implement for guiding the insertion portion when the insertion portion is inserted, by supplying fluid to the second balloon or drawing fluid from the second balloon, the balloon controller comprising: a display device which displays an image expressing the states of expansion and shrinkage of the first balloon and the second balloon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Applicant: Fujinon Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Sekiguchi, Toshio Sakamoto, Yuji Wada
  • Publication number: 20060025691
    Abstract: An ultrasonic endoscope comprising an insertion portion comprising a distal hard portion which has: an endoscopic observation unit; and an ultrasonic observation unit fitted on an outer circumferential section of the endoscopic observation unit, wherein: the ultrasonic observation unit comprises: an ultrasonic transducer array having ultrasonic transducers, and a backing layer cylindrically formed on an inner circumferential surface of the ultrasonic transducer array; and a flexible circuit board on which formed are first terminals each connected to an electrode of a respective one of the ultrasonic transducers, second terminals to which cables are respectively connected, and wiring patterns respectively formed between the first and second terminals, wherein the flexible circuit board has a stepped structure having a large-diameter section on which the first terminals are formed and a small-diameter section on which the second terminals are formed, and an annular support section is formed on an inner circumfe
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Applicant: FUJINON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshizumi Tanaka, Toshio Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20050234293
    Abstract: A hand operation portion of an endoscope is held by an endoscope holder of a holding device, and an insertion auxiliary member is held by an auxiliary member holder. The endoscope holder and the auxiliary member holder are slidably supported along a guide rail on a stage, and linearly moved toward a mouth of a patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Publication date: October 20, 2005
    Inventors: Hironori Yamamoto, Mitsunori Machida, Yoshinori Kadouno, Masayuki Takano, Toshio Sakamoto, Tadashi Sekiguchi, Tetsuya Fujikura
  • Publication number: 20050211458
    Abstract: The present invention aims to reduce the amount of radiation of high-frequency noise outside an electronic device through a front bezel in the electronic device such as an optical disk apparatus. In order to achieve this object, in an enclosure, there is provided a conductor which is placed between the electronic component that emits high-frequency noise traveling toward a front bezel and the front bezel and has a length not less than a half of the wavelength of the high-frequency noise and both ends thereof are electrically open. Alternatively, the conductor has a length not less than a quarter of the wavelength of the high-frequency noise and one end makes electrical connection to the enclosure and the other end is electrically open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Applicant: Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshio Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20050137458
    Abstract: A method for fixing one of a balloon and a tubular member to an object with a thread for a medical equipment, comprising the steps of: covering the object with an end of the one of the balloon and the tubular member; then winding the thread at a first pitch in a first direction from an edge of the end of the one of the balloon and the tubular member toward an intermediate position of the one of the balloon and the tubular member; and then winding the thread at a second pitch in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the second pitch being shorter than the first pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Inventor: Toshio Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6568321
    Abstract: Laser beams 94 and 95 of laser emitters 74 and 75 are applied to work positioning marks 54 and 55 vertically before attaching a screen plate 60. Then, for attaching the screen plate 60 to frame fixing units 66 and 67, the screen plate 60 is fixed to the frame fixing units 66 and 67 so that the laser beams 94 and 95 are applied to plate positioning marks 64 and 65.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Micro-Tec Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshio Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6461304
    Abstract: An ultrasound inspection apparatus detachably connected to an endoscope comprises an ultrasonic scanning portion in the front-end side having an ultrasound transducer for performing ultrasonic scanning by arranging a number of transducer chips in a rectangular arrangement. The ultrasonic scanning portion is detachably attached to a distal end portion of an insertion unit in the endoscope so as to protrude ahead the distal end portion by a predetermined length. In order to hold the ultrasonic scanning portion in a fixed state, an endoscope-placing portion for placing the distal end portion is connected to the base end of the ultrasonic scanning portion, and an endoscope-fixing portion for detachably fixing the distal end portion thereto is arranged with the endoscope-placing portion. A predetermined number of wires connected to each transducer chip is inserted into a signal cable from a base end position of the endoscope-placing portion so as to bundle the wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshizumi Tanaka, Hiromu Itoi, Toshio Sakamoto, Masatoshi Yoshihara, Shinichi Kohno
  • Publication number: 20020124741
    Abstract: Laser beams 94 and 95 of laser emitters 74 and 75 are applied to work positioning marks 54 and 55 vertically before attaching a screen plate 60. Then, for attaching the screen plate 60 to frame fixing units 66 and 67, the screen plate 60 is fixed to the frame fixing units 66 and 67 so that the laser beams 94 and 95 are applied to plate positioning marks 64 and 65.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Inventor: Toshio Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6142945
    Abstract: A balloon anchor for use with an endoscopically inserting ultrasound probe having an ultrasound transducer element accommodated in an ultrasound scanner head at the fore distal end of a flexible cord to be placed in an endoscopic biopsy channel. The balloon anchor includes an anchor tube which is adapted to be fitted in the endoscopic biopsy channel in such a way that it is partly projected from fore distal end of the endoscopic biopsy channel. Connected to the projected fore end of the anchor tube is a balloon support member of a larger diameter as compared with the endoscopic biopsy channel. A passage of a large diameter is formed axially through the anchor tube and through the balloon support member. A balloon stopper portion is provided on the outer periphery of the balloon support member to anchor a resilient ring of a balloon therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Sakamoto, Toshizumi Tanaka, Hiromu Itoi
  • Patent number: 6127441
    Abstract: An expandable resin composition comprising:(A) 100 parts by weight of HDPE (high density polyethylene) having a DSC melting point of about 127 to about 136 degrees C.; a density of 0.945 to 0.967 gram per cubic centimeter; and a melt flow rate of about 0.1 to about 10 grams per 10 minutes, and for each 100 parts by weight of component (A),(B) about 2 to about 50 parts by weight of polypropylene having a DSC melting point of at least about 130 degrees C.;(C) about 50 to about 200 parts by weight of an ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer, prepared with a metallocene catalyst, having a DSC melting point of about 98 to about 121 degrees C.; a density of 0.900 to 0.935 gram per cubic centimeter; and a melt flow rate of about 0.5 to about 3 grams per 10 minutes;(D) about 0.1 to about 5 parts by weight of a polysiloxane-polyether block copolymer having the following formula:R.sub.3 --Si--O--R.sub.2 (SiO).sub.m --RX(SiO).sub.n --SiR.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Nippon Unicar Company Limited
    Inventors: Toshio Sakamoto, Koji Ishihara, Takashi Furukawa