Patents by Inventor Yasutaka Kitamura

Yasutaka Kitamura 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: 11418099
    Abstract: A vibration actuator has: a fixing body; a movable body; and first and second elastic support parts disposed to sandwich the movable body in the vibration direction and configured to movably support the movable body with respect to the fixing body by elastic deformation, wherein the movable body includes: a core provided to both sides of a magnet of the movable body and having an opening; and spring stoppers disposed between the magnet and the first elastic support part and between the magnet and the second elastic support part; and wherein the spring stoppers are each fixed such that one end is fixed to one of the first or second elastic support part and such that another end is fixed by insertion into the opening and abutment on a surface of the movable body core facing the one of the first or second elastic support part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Minebea Mitsumi Inc.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Chikara Sekiguchi, Shigeyuki Shimomura, Daisuke Kodama, Yuta Yoshii, Yasutaka Kitamura, Shigenori Inamoto
  • Publication number: 20220123641
    Abstract: A vibration actuator has a movable body including: a disk-shaped magnet; disk-shaped cores fixed on front and rear surfaces of the magnet and each having an opening at a center thereof; leaf springs having a substantially circular shape; and spring stopper weight parts each having one end positioned by joining the opening to be joined with one of the cores and having another end connected to a central part of one of the leaf springs; and a fixing body including an annular coil having a larger inner diameter than the magnet, the cores and the spring stopper weight parts. The fixing body supports an outer periphery part of the leaf springs and accommodates therein the movable body such that the magnet, the cores and the spring stopper weight parts are capable of moving upwardly and downwardly inside the coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Minebea Mitsumi Inc.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Chikara SEKIGUCHI, Shigeyuki SHIMOMURA, Daisuke KODAMA, Yuta YOSHII, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220123640
    Abstract: A vibration actuator has a movable body and a fixing body. The movable body includes: a disk-shaped magnet; annular cores each having an opening at a center thereof; and spring stopper weight parts, and stacked such that the magnet is disposed at a center of the movable body, the annular cores is fixed on front and rear surfaces of the magnet in its axial direction, and the spring stopper weight parts are joined with the annular cores at the opening. Each spring stopper weight part includes: a spring fixing part connecting to one of the elastic support parts; a joining protrusion part inserted into the opening of one of the annular cores; and a weight body part provided between the spring fixing part and the joining protrusion part, having a larger diameter, and disposed to face and join with an annular surface of one of the annular cores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Minebea Mitsumi Inc.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Chikara SEKIGUCHI, Shigeyuki SHIMOMURA, Daisuke KODAMA, Yuta YOSHII, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220123639
    Abstract: A vibration actuator has: a fixing body; a movable body; and first and second elastic support parts disposed to sandwich the movable body in the vibration direction and configured to movably support the movable body with respect to the fixing body by elastic deformation, wherein the movable body includes: a core provided to both sides of a magnet of the movable body and having an opening; and spring stoppers disposed between the magnet and the first elastic support part and between the magnet and the second elastic support part; and wherein the spring stoppers are each fixed such that one end is fixed to one of the first or second elastic support part and such that another end is fixed by insertion into the opening and abutment on a surface of the movable body core facing the one of the first or second elastic support part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Minebea Mitsumi Inc.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Chikara Sekiguchi, Shigeyuki Shimomura, Daisuke Kodama, Yuta Yoshii, Yasutaka Kitamura, Shigenori Inamoto
  • Publication number: 20220123642
    Abstract: A vibration actuator includes: a movable body including: a disk-shaped magnet; a pair of disk-shaped cores fixed on front and rear surfaces of the disk-shaped magnet and each having an opening at a center thereof; a pair of leaf springs having a substantially circular shape; and a pair of spring stopper weight parts each having one end positioned by joining the opening to be joined with one of the disk-shaped cores and having another end connected to a central part of one of the leaf springs; and a fixing body including an annular coil and configured to support and accommodate therein the movable body such that the disk-shaped magnet, the disk-shaped cores and the spring stopper weight parts are capable of vibrating in an axial direction inside the annular coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Minebea Mitsumi Inc.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Chikara SEKIGUCHI, Shigeyuki SHIMOMURA, Daisuke KODAMA, Yuta YOSHII, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220111418
    Abstract: Provided is a control device capable of reducing cost and thickness by using an electromagnetic actuator, and capable of efficiently generating a thrust suitable for a haptic feeling feedback to an operator who touches and operates thereto. The control device controls the electromagnetic actuator that drives an operation device supported to be elastically vibrated in one direction of a vibrating direction thereof; includes a current pulse supply unit configured to supply a plurality of drive current pulses to a coil of the electromagnetic actuator as a drive current for driving the operation device in response to a touch operation of the operation device; and an interval between peaks for each of the drive current pulses is in a range of ½ times to 1 times a vibration period of an elastic vibration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: MINEBEA MITSUMI Inc.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Tomoya ISHITANI, Takahiko IRIE, Yasutaka KITAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220043255
    Abstract: A movable magnet is configured by alternately magnetizing an even number of magnetic poles at an outer periphery of a shaft part; a number of core magnetic poles as magnetic poles of a core body and a number of magnetic poles of the movable magnet are equal to each other; the core magnetic poles are disposed to face the movable magnet with an air gap therebetween on an outer peripheral side of the movable magnet in a direction orthogonal to the shaft part; a drive unit is provided with a magnet position holding part provided to face the movable magnet and magnetically attracts the movable magnet to a reference position; the core body is formed to surround an even number of the core magnetic poles; and a coil body is disposed at the core body adjacent to each of the even number of the core magnetic poles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutaka KITAMURA, Yuki TAKAHASHI, Masaharu KAGAMI, Yuki OTSUKA
  • Patent number: 11245319
    Abstract: This actuator has a stationary body having either a coil or a magnet, a movable body having the other, that is, a magnet or a coil, and an elastic body that supports the movable body so as to be capable of moving with respect to the stationary body. The movable body moves reciprocally with respect to the stationary body in the vibration direction due to concerted movement of the magnet and the energized coil. The magnet can advance into and separate from the interior of the coil in the vibration direction. The elastic body is a plate-shaped elastic body one end of which is secured to a stationary unit, the other end of which is secured to the movable body, and which supports the movable body with a cantilever structure so as to be capable of oscillating reciprocally in the vibration direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Shigenori Inamoto
  • Publication number: 20210328491
    Abstract: This vibration actuator has: a stationary body having a coil; a movable body having a magnet disposed radially inside the coil; and an elastic support part for supporting the movable body so that the movable body can move relative to the stationary body. The stationary body has a coil holding part. The coil holding part has, on the inner diameter side of the coil, a coil protection wall part. The elastic support part has at least two or more plate springs bridged between the coil holding part and the movable body so as to sandwich the movable body in a vibration direction. In order that the movable body does not come into contact with the coil holding part when not vibrating and when vibrating, the plate springs support the movable body so that the movable body is movable in the vibration direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: Minebea Mitsumi Inc.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Chikara SEKIGUCHI, Shigeyuki SHIMOMURA, Daisuke KODAMA, Yuta YOSHII, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210265904
    Abstract: A rotary reciprocating drive actuator reciprocally and rotationally driving the movable body about the shaft part in relation to the fixed body by the electromagnetic mutual effect of the coil and the movable magnet, wherein the movable magnet is magnetized in the radial direction of the shaft part, the two magnetic poles are disposed facing each other across an air gap in the radial direction of the movable magnet and the shaft part, and the fixed body has a rotation-angle-holding part disposed facing the movable magnet across the air gap, the rotation-angle-holding part holding the rotation angle position of the movable magnet by the magnetic attraction force generated with the movable magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Masaharu KAGAMI, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210184554
    Abstract: A movable magnet is configured by alternately magnetizing an even number of magnetic poles forming an South pole and an North pole; a number of magnetic poles of a core body is equal to a number of magnetic poles of the movable magnet; an even number of magnetic poles of the core body is respectively arranged to face the movable magnet with an air gap therebetween on the outer peripheral side of a shaft portion; and a drive unit is provided with a magnet position holding portion to face the movable magnet and magnetically attracts the movable magnet to a reference position. A drive unit is attached to one wall portion of the pair of wall portions of a base portion, and an angle sensor portion for detecting a rotation angle of the shaft portion is attached to the other wall portion of the pair of wall portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2020
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Masaharu KAGAMI, Yasutaka KITAMURA
  • Patent number: 10886828
    Abstract: A vibration actuator includes: a fixing part including one of a coil and a magnet; a movable part including the other one of the coil and the magnet; and an elastic supporting part configured to support the movable part movably with respect to the fixing part. The movable part is configured to reciprocate with respect to the fixing part in a vibration direction through cooperation between the powered coil and the magnet. The magnet is disposed away from and radially inside the coil. The elastic supporting part has a plate-like shape in which one end of the elastic supporting part is fixed to the fixing part at the side of the movable part and the other end is fixed to the movable part, and cantilevers the movable part in such a manner that the movable part can reciprocate in the vibration direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Shigeyuki Shimomura, Yuki Ogihara
  • Patent number: 10855154
    Abstract: An actuator has: an affixed section having a coil; a first mobile section that is elastically held and disposed so as to allow movement in the axial direction inside one end of the coil, and has a first magnet magnetized in the axial direction of the coil and disposed on one end in the axial direction; and a second mobile section that is elastically held and disposed so as to allow movement in the axial direction inside another end of the coil, and has a second magnet magnetized in the axial direction and disposed on the other end in the axial direction. The first and second magnets are disposed such that identical magnetic poles are in the same direction in the axial direction, and the first and second mobile sections move in opposite directions along the same axis when a current is applied to the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Masaharu Kagami, Chikara Sekiguchi, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Shigenori Inamoto
  • Patent number: 10843354
    Abstract: Provided is an actuator that has a simple configuration and can stably achieve high output. This actuator has: a movable body provided with a cylindrical magnet section alternately having N-pole faces and S-pole faces on a peripheral surface thereof along the circumferential direction; a fixed body provided with pole tooth surfaces disposed facing the peripheral surface a magnet section and a coil that excites the pole tooth sections; and a spring material holds the movable body to the fixed body in a freely movable manner. The spring material is fixed to at least one of the movable body and the fixed body via a joint section. The joint section has a fixing part for fixing and end section of the spring material, and a stress relaxation part that is disposed in proximity to the fixing part and relaxes stress generated during deformation of the spring material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Masami Kamijo, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Masaharu Kagami, Shigenori Inamoto
  • Patent number: 10715022
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide an actuator that has a simple configuration and can stably achieve high output without the occurrence of magnetic saturation. This actuator has: a movable body provided with a cylindrical magnet section having alternately N-pole faces and S-pole faces on the peripheral surface surrounding a rotation shaft; and a fixed body provided with, pole tooth surfaces of the same number as the N-pole faces and the S-pole faces, and a coil that excites the pole tooth sections. The movable body has as a turning reference position a position at which the center of the pole tooth surfaces in the circumferential direction and the switching position of the pole faces of the magnet section face each other, and is held to the fixed body so as to be turnable back and forth around the rotation shaft in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Masami Kamijo, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Masaharu Kagami, Shigenori Inamoto
  • Patent number: 10715023
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a vibratory actuator the size of which can be reduced and which effectively produces vibrations felt by a user. The vibratory actuator has: a stationary body which has a curved surface section curved in a concave shape to be placed along the skin; and a movable body which is disposed on the curved surface section so as to be able to move with respect to the stationary body in a reciprocating manner along the curved surface section, thereby imparting a vibratory stimulus caused by the reciprocating motion to mechanoreceptors in the skin tissue via the curved surface section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Chikara Sekiguchi, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Masaharu Kagami, Shigenori Inamoto
  • Publication number: 20200127547
    Abstract: This actuator has a stationary body having either a coil or a magnet, a movable body having the other, that is, a magnet or a coil, and an elastic body that supports the movable body so as to be capable of moving with respect to the stationary body. The movable body moves reciprocally with respect to the stationary body in the vibration direction due to concerted movement of the magnet and the energized coil. The magnet can advance into and separate from the interior of the coil in the vibration direction. The elastic body is a plate-shaped elastic body one end of which is secured to a stationary unit, the other end of which is secured to the movable body, and which supports the movable body with a cantilever structure so as to be capable of oscillating reciprocally in the vibration direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10610892
    Abstract: A vibration actuator includes: a movable part including one of a coil or a magnet; a fixing part including the other one of the coil or the magnet; and an elastic supporting part supporting the movable part to the fixing part. The movable part reciprocates to the fixing part in a vibrating direction by interaction between the coil and the magnet. The magnet is disposed to be radially inwardly spaced apart from the coil. The elastic supporting part is fixed at its one end to the fixing part and at its other end to the movable part. The elastic supporting part has a structure for cantilevering the movable part. The movable part includes a weight provided on a free-end side of the movable part and a weight connecting part to which the weight is connected. The weight is fixed to the weight connecting part by a fixing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Shigeyuki Shimomura, Yuki Ogihara
  • Patent number: 10610893
    Abstract: A vibration actuator includes: a movable part including a coil or a magnet; a fixing part including the other one of the coil or the magnet; and an elastic supporting part supporting the movable part such that the movable part is movable to the fixing part. The movable part reciprocates with respect to the fixing part in a vibrating direction by interaction between the coil and the magnet. The magnet is disposed to be radially inwardly spaced apart from the coil. The elastic supporting part is fixed at its one end to the fixing part and at its other end to the movable part. The elastic supporting part has a structure for cantilevering the movable part. The coil in a state of being fixed to a resin coil holder is integrated in the movable part or the fixing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Shigeyuki Shimomura, Yuki Ogihara
  • Patent number: 10610894
    Abstract: A vibration actuator includes: a movable part including a coil; a fixing part including a magnet; and an elastic supporting part supporting the movable part such that the movable part is movable to the fixing part. The movable part reciprocates to the fixing part in a vibrating direction by interaction between the coil and the magnet. The magnet includes a first magnet and a second magnet joined to each other such that their magnetization directions are opposite to each other, and the magnet is disposed to be radially inwardly spaced apart from the coil. The elastic supporting part is fixed at its one end to the fixing part and at its other end to the movable part. The elastic supporting part has a structure for cantilevering the movable part. At least one of the first and the second magnets includes a depressed portion in its joining surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Shigeyuki Shimomura, Yuki Ogihara