Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Koike

Yasuhiro Koike 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: 20010002788
    Abstract: An induction type charging paddle engages a receptacle to charge a battery. The charging paddle has a housing, and a circuit board is located in the housing to control the charging operation. A case is located in the housing to accommodate the circuit board. The case is sealed to prevent the circuit board from becoming wet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: June 7, 2001
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 6239577
    Abstract: An electromagnetic induction type charging device for charging a battery device has a charging paddle and a receptacle. The charging paddle has an infrared communication apparatus for communicating between the paddle and the receptacle. The housing of the charging paddle is made of a material that transmits infrared waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Koike, Masaaki Kaneko, Takashi Hyogo, Hirohisa Shojima
  • Patent number: 6229654
    Abstract: The transparent article with radial gradient index, according to the invention, comprises a matrix made of a first transparent polymer having a first refractive index n1 and a first Abbe number &ngr;1, a second transparent polymer, diffused into the first polymer in order to produce the radial gradient index and having a second refractive index n2, different than the first refractive index, and a second Abbe number &ngr;2, characterized in that it furthermore comprises an effective amount of an Abbe number modifier agent which reduces by at least 10%, preferably by at least 15%, and more preferably by at least 20%, the value of the Abbe number of that of the first or second polymer which has the refractive index with lower value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignees: Essilor International Compagnie Generale d'Optique
    Inventors: Stéphane Cabeza, Didier Grand-Clement, Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 6222689
    Abstract: An asymmetric prism sheet, surface light source and LCD to which the asymmetric prism sheet is applied is provided. A cold cathode tube backed by a reflector supplies light to an incidence surface of a directional emission guide plate. A polarization separation sheet and a liquid crystal panel are disposed outside of the asymmetric prism sheet, with the reflector disposed along a back face. First and second slopes of each asymmetric prism element rows have inclination angles &phgr;a, &phgr;b which are selected as to allow a secondary ray to exist inside a main ray emitted from a frontal face in a manner such that the main ray is deflected toward a generally frontal direction by way of internal reflection of the second slope while the secondary ray is deflected toward a generally frontal direction by way of double internal reflection of the first and second slopes. An outer face provides an uneven face such as non-glare-processed face, orthogonal prismatic face or lens face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignees: Enplas Corporation, Nitto Jushi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eizaburo Higuchi, Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 6217184
    Abstract: A light source device outputs illumination light with highly uniform tint. The light source device is comprises a scattering guide provided with scattering power inside, a light supplier to supply light to an end face portion of the scattering guide. Light is introduced into the scattering guide plate to be followed by emission from an emission face of the scattering guide. Scattering efficiency is intentionally balanced in a long wavelength region and in a short wavelength region so that regions near the end face and far from the end face are approximately equal in color temperature of output light. Relation between Q(R), efficiency in a long wavelength region, and Q(B), scattering efficiency in a short wavelength region, are designed so that k=Q(B)/Q(R) falls within a range 0.75≦k≦1.25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignees: Enplas Corporation, Nitto Jushi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Koike, Akihiro Horibe
  • Patent number: 6201045
    Abstract: A non-birefringence optical resin material is obtained by forming a transparent matrix from a polymeric resin having an orientation birefringence with a positive or negative sign, adding a low molecular weight substance exhibiting an orientation birefringence with a sign opposite to that of the orientation birefringence of the polymeric resin for the matrix and thus offsetting the orientation birefringence of the polymeric resin for the matrix with the orientation birefringence of the low molecular weight substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 6172809
    Abstract: Light is supplied into a light incident surface 2 from a fluorescent lamp L enclosed by a silver foil sheet R, and parallelized illuminating light flux is taken out from a light exit surface 3. On a back surface 4 side of a light flux parallelizer 1, across or without a thin air layer 5, a polarization converter &Sgr; is disposed. The polarization converter &Sgr; reinforces the polarization function of the surface light source device through polarization conversion action accompanying reflection in the prism. At a position confronting the light exit surface 3 across an air layer 7, a polarization separating plate 8 is disposed. At a further outside, across an air layer 9, an exit light direction modifier 10 is disposed. A bright polarized illuminating light flux is emitted from a light exit surface 11. When applied to a backlight of a liquid crystal display, a liquid crystal display panel is disposed at a further outside of the exit light direction modifier 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Koike, Takayuki Arai
  • Patent number: 6037745
    Abstract: A charging apparatus for charging batteries of automobiles includes an inverter for converting the direct current from a direct current power source into an alternating current and a transformer having a first coil and a second coil. When an alternating current from the inverter is applied to the first coil, the second coil produces an alternating voltage. A capacitor is connected between the terminals of the second coil to increase the alternating voltage produced in the second coil. A rectifier circuit rectifies the alternating voltage increased in the booster circuit into a direct current voltage and the direct current voltage is applied to the battery. Two transistors, which function as a short circuit, are provided in the rectifier circuit. When the direct current voltage from the rectifier circuit is equal to or higher than a predetermined permissible value, a drive signal from a drive circuit turns on the two transistors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Koike, Seiki Sakata, Yoshiaki Ishihara, Kazuki Najima, Tomotaka Kurozu, Masayuki Fukuda, Hajime Satoh
  • Patent number: 5993020
    Abstract: A light scattering and guiding light source device which is capable of providing a uniform illumination light, simple structure and low cost. A wedge-shaped light scattering guide has an incident surface for introducing light rays from a fluorescent lamp. The directions of the rays are changed by scattering. The rays propagate through the body while reflected repeatedly. Parts of the rays go outwards at plural reflective points. The angle of reflection increases successively, thus increasing the possibility that the light exits from the exit surface. This effect cancels another effect that portions close to the light source shines strongly. Both effects are balanced to make uniform the brightness over the exit surface. Reflective sheets are disposed along the inclined surface and around the fluorescent lamp to keep the brightness high. A prismatic exit direction modifier giving on the light exit surface is employed to modify the light exit direction characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Nitto Jushi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5982540
    Abstract: Light is supplied into a light incident surface 2 from a fluorescent lamp L enclosed by a silver foil sheet R, and parallelized illuminating light flux is taken out from a light exit surface 3. On a back surface 4 side of a light flux parallelizer 1, across or without a thin air layer 5, a polarization converter .EPSILON. is disposed. The polarization converter .EPSILON. reinforces the polarization function of the surface light source device through polarization conversion action accompanying reflection in the prism. At a position confronting the light exit surface 3 across an air layer 7, a polarization separating plate 8 is disposed. At a further outside, across an air layer 9, an exit light direction modifier 10 is disposed. A bright polarized illuminating light flux is emitted from a light exit surface 11. When applied to a backlight of a liquid crystal display, a liquid crystal display panel is disposed at a further outside of the exit light direction modifier 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Enplas Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Koike, Takayuki Arai
  • Patent number: 5966192
    Abstract: Provided are a surface light source device whose bright surface is excellent in whiteness and softness and a liquid crystal display that ensures a high visual quality. A relatively thick side end surface of a light scattering guide 1, which has a wedge-shaped profile, forms an incidence surface 2. A fluorescent lamp L is located in the vicinity of the incidence surface 2, and a silver foil R is arranged around it. A prism sheet 4 is located outside an exit surface 5. The orientation of the prism sheet 4 is selected so that the running direction of prismatic rows is in line with the transverse direction of the light scattering guide 1. The prismatic surface may be directed inward or outward. A prism sheet 8 is interposed between a back surface 6 of the light scattering guide 1 and a reflector (silver foil) 3. The prism sheet 8 is arranged so that its prismatic surface is directed inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Nitto Jushi Kogyo Kabushiki kaisha
    Inventors: Eizaburo Higuchi, Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5944298
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an engine-mounting bracket in which a bracket is formed with cutout portions, thereby eliminating the conventional practice of hole matching, with concomitantly enhanced convenience of assembly, and further which the castability of the engine-mounting bracket provides fewer components, easy manufacture, and reduced costs. To this end, the engine-mounting bracket positioned between an engine and a vehicle body comprises a bracket, which is fitted to one of the engine and the vehicle body, and a bush which is attached to the other thereof. The bush is fixedly secured to the bracket between supporting arm portions of the bracket by means of a fixing bolt. In addition, the bracket has cutout portions defined at the supporting arm portions for fixing the bush to the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5924399
    Abstract: An intake system-draining structure for an engine to remove water or other liquids that may collect on the surface of an intake manifold. The intake system-draining structure has several plate-like members that are disposed between branch pipes of an intake manifold positioned in the dust chamber of an air cleaner. A pair of communication members connects the branch pipes with the dust chamber. A water drain hole portion is formed through one of the plate-like members. The plate-like member with the water drain hole portion is positioned lower than the other plate-like members to efficiently drain water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Koike, Hiroshi Saitoh, Yuji Yoshikawa, Junichi Hoshino
  • Patent number: 5916971
    Abstract: A graded-refractive-index optical plastic material composed of an amorphous fluoropolymer (a) which has substantially no C--H bond and at least one material (b) which has substantially no C--H bond and differs from the fluoropolymer (a) in refractive index by at least 0.001, wherein the material (b) is distributed in the fluoropolymer (a) so as to have a concentration gradient in a specific direction, and the optical plastic material has a glass transition temperature which is substantially uniform throughout it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Yasuhiro Koike
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Koike, Hidenobu Murofushi, Norihide Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 5914759
    Abstract: A fluorescent lamp L is arranged in the vicinity of an incidence surface 2 of a light scattering guide plate 1. A prism sheet 4' having rows of prism elements and rows of lens elements on each side is arranged outside an exiting surface 5. The angles of inclination of slopes 4a and 4b satisfy a condition that .phi.a>.phi.b. The slopes 4a and 4b extend in the transverse direction of the light scattering guide plate 1, and slopes 4c and 4d extend in the longitudinal direction. A reflector 3 is arranged along a rear surface 6. Light emitted from the exiting surface 5 is efficiently propagated by an inner prism surface toward a forward direction, shifted in the transverse direction by an outer prism surface or the lens element surfaces 4c and 4d, and is then returned inwardly. The path histories of light emitted from the prism sheet 4' is diversified to improve visual characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Nitto Jushi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eizaburo Higuchi, Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5899552
    Abstract: A light incident into a wedge type light scattering conducting element from a light incident surface of the light scattering conducting element is converted into a light flux having a directionality and is output from a light output surface. The output light is input to a wedge type emitting direction characteristic adjusting element arranged with a positional relationship complementary to the light scattering conducting element. A prism shaped irregularity for adjusting a propagating directionality of the light in longitudinal/transverse directions is formed on a light input surface/light output surface of the wedge type emitting direction characteristic adjusting element. The wedge type emitting direction characteristic adjusting element has a weakened scattering power depending on requirements, thereby a degree of directionality sharpness of the light emitted from a surface light source device is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignees: Enplas Corporation, Yasuhiro Koike
    Inventors: Kazuaki Yokoyama, Takayuki Arai, Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5887964
    Abstract: There is provided a surface light source device which is excellent in whiteness and softness of a luminant surface and able to retain reflective appearance from occurring. The surface light source device is effectively applied to back lighting in a liquid crystal display. A fluorescent lamp (L) is disposed in the vicinity of an incidence surface (2) of a light guide plate (1). A prism sheet (4') having prism surfaces formed on both surfaces is disposed along an exiting surface (5). The prism sheet (4') is oriented such that prism rows (4a, 4b) on the inside surface run in the transverse direction of the light guide plate (1) while prism rows (4c, 4d) on the outside surface run in the longitudinal direction of the light guide plate (1). A reflector (3) is disposed along a back surface (6) of the light guide plate (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignees: Nitto Jushi Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Yasuhiro Koike
    Inventors: Eizaburo Higuchi, Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5783636
    Abstract: A graded-refractive-index optical plastic material composed of an amorphous fluoropolymer and at least one material which differs from the polymer in refractive index by at least 0.001, wherein the material is so distributed as to have a concentration gradient in a specific direction, and a method for its production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: Yasuhiro Koike
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Koike, Masaki Naritomi
  • Patent number: 5767200
    Abstract: An optical resin, of which the refractive index continuously changes in a specific direction, is produced by filling a polymerization container with a mixed solution containing at least one type of polymerizable monomer or polymerizable monomer sol and at least one type of substance whose solubility parameter differs by 7 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 or less and refractive index by 0.001 or more from those of a polymer produced by polymerization of the monomer, and by subjecting the mixture to polymerization reaction by applying heat or energy rays to the container from outside so that the polymerization reaction starts and progresses preferentially from a particular region of the mixture, thus forming a concentration gradient of the substance having different refractive index.The polymerization container may be made of a polymer which swells and dissolves into the mixed solution from an inner wall thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 5763514
    Abstract: An optical resin, of which the refractive index continuously changes in a specific direction, is produced by filling a polymerization container with a mixed solution containing at least one type of polymerizable monomer or polymerizable monomer sol and at least one type of substance whose solubility parameter differs by 7 (cal/cm.sup.3).sup.1/2 or less and refractive index by 0.001 or more from those of a polymer produced by polymerization of the monomer, and by subjecting the mixture to polymerization reaction by applying heat or energy rays to the container from outside so that the polymerization reaction starts and progresses preferentially from a particular region of the mixture, thus forming a concentration gradient of the substance having different refractive index.The polymerization container may be made of a polymer which swells and dissolves into the mixed solution from an inner wall thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Koike