Patents by Inventor Tsuyoshi Hirabayashi

Tsuyoshi Hirabayashi 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: 7633027
    Abstract: A switch mechanism usable underwater including a cover serving as an exterior member, a shaft member displaceable in a longitudinal direction and fitted into a shaft hole having substantially the same cross-sectional area provided in the cover, an O-ring maintaining a water-tight sliding seal between the shaft member and the shaft hole, and a lever member movable about an axis for moving the shaft member by application of a pressing force applied to the lever member in a first direction against a force of a bias member, the pressing force being applied at a first point which is a first distance from said axis, the lever member engaging the shaft at a second point a second distance from said axis which is less than said first distance to move the lever member in a second direction opposite said first direction when the pressing force is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Sakaguchi, Naoki Matsumoto, Tsuyoshi Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 7598465
    Abstract: The present invention provides a switch mechanism usable underwater including a rear cover serving as an exterior member, two shaft members being displaceable in a shaft direction and fitting into two shaft holes having the same cross-sectional area provided in the rear cover, an O-ring watertightly maintaining the shaft member and the shaft hole, and a lever member being engaged with the two shaft members in a manner to be capable of pressing-down or pulling-up the shaft member, and being configured to balance water pressure applied to one shaft member with that applied to the other shaft member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Hirabayashi, Katsuhisa Sakaguchi, Ikko Mori
  • Publication number: 20090014297
    Abstract: A switch mechanism usable underwater including a cover serving as an exterior member, a shaft member displaceable in a longitudinal direction and fitted into a shaft hole having substantially the same cross-sectional area provided in the cover, an O-ring maintaining a water-tight sliding seal between the shaft member and the shaft hole, and a lever member movable about an axis for moving the shaft member by application of a pressing force applied to the lever member in a first direction against a force of a bias member, the pressing force being applied at a first point which is a first distance from said axis, the lever member engaging the shaft at a second point a second distance from said axis which is less than said first distance to move the lever member in a second direction opposite said first direction when the pressing force is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Sakaguchi, Ikko Mori, Naoki Matsumoto, Tsuyoshi Hirabayashi
  • Publication number: 20080308396
    Abstract: The present invention provides a switch mechanism usable underwater including a rear cover serving as an exterior member, two shaft members being displaceable in a shaft direction and fitting into two shaft holes having the same cross-sectional area provided in the rear cover, an O-ring watertightly maintaining the shaft member and the shaft hole, and a lever member being engaged with the two shaft members in a manner to be capable of pressing-down or pulling-up the shaft member, and being configured to balance water pressure applied to one shaft member with that applied to the other shaft member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Applicant: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
    Inventors: Naoki Matsumoto, Ikko Mori, Katsuhisa Sakaguchi, Tsuyoshi Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 7426338
    Abstract: The present invention provides a switch mechanism usable underwater including a rear cover serving as an exterior member, two shaft members being displaceable in a shaft direction and fitting into two shaft holes having the same cross-sectional area provided in the rear cover, an O-ring watertightly maintaining the shaft member and the shaft hole, and a lever member being engaged with the two shaft members in a manner to be capable of pressing-down or pulling-up the shaft member, and being configured to balance water pressure applied to one shaft member with that applied to the other shaft member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Imaging Corp.
    Inventors: Naoki Matsumoto, Ikko Mori, Tsuyoshi Hirabayashi
  • Publication number: 20060113173
    Abstract: The present invention provides a switch mechanism usable underwater including a rear cover serving as an exterior member, two shaft members being displaceable in a shaft direction and fitting into two shaft holes having the same cross-sectional area provided in the rear cover, an O-ring watertightly maintaining the shaft member and the shaft hole, and a lever member being engaged with the two shaft members in a manner to be capable of pressing-down or pulling-up the shaft member, and being configured to balance water pressure applied to one shaft member with that applied to the other shaft member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Applicant: OLYMPUS IMAGING CORP.
    Inventors: Naoki Matsumoto, Ikko Mori, Katsuhisa Sakaguchi, Tsuyoshi Hirabayashi