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: 10547234
    Abstract: An oscillatory actuator has: a fixed body that has a planar part and a flat coil disposed on the planar part; and a movable body that has a magnet facing the coil and oscillates in a reciprocating manner in one direction relative to the fixed body above the planar part via cooperation between the coil and the magnet. The fixed body has a pair of linear bearings that are respectively disposed along both side surfaces extending in said one direction of the movable body and are equipped with balls capable of rolling and coming into contact with the respective side surfaces. The movable body is supported via the balls of the linear bearings so as to be able to oscillate in said one direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Chikara Sekiguchi, Kazutaka Sakaguchi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Masaharu Kagami, Shigenori Inamoto
  • Publication number: 20190207496
    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: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigeyuki SHIMOMURA, Yuki OGIHARA
  • Publication number: 20190151896
    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: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigeyuki SHIMOMURA, Yuki OGIHARA
  • Publication number: 20190151894
    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: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigeyuki SHIMOMURA, Yuki OGIHARA
  • Publication number: 20190151895
    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: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigeyuki SHIMOMURA, Yuki OGIHARA
  • Patent number: 10277104
    Abstract: An electromagnetic converter that converts kinetic energy to electric energy, or converts electric energy to kinetic energy, includes a core configured to have a coil disposed; a magnet configured to be magnetically coupled with the core; a yoke configured to have the magnet disposed; a fixing portion configured to have the core and the yoke placed; and an elastic member configured to support the yoke, and to elastically deform so as to displace the magnet with respect to the core. Both ends of the elastic member are fixed to the fixing portion. The magnet and the yoke can rotate around an axis in an extending direction of the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Shigenori Inamoto
  • Publication number: 20190115816
    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: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Masaharu KAGAMI, Chikara SEKIGUCHI, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180367019
    Abstract: An oscillatory actuator has: a fixed body that has a planar part and a flat coil disposed on the planar part; and a movable body that has a magnet facing the coil and oscillates in a reciprocating manner in one direction relative to the fixed body above the planar part via cooperation between the coil and the magnet. The fixed body has a pair of linear bearings that are respectively disposed along both side surfaces extending in said one direction of the movable body and are equipped with balls capable of rolling and coming into contact with the respective side surfaces. The movable body is supported via the balls of the linear bearings so as to be able to oscillate in said one direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Chikara SEKIGUCHI, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Masaharu KAGAMI, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180301969
    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: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Chikara SEKIGUCHI, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Masaharu KAGAMI, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180234000
    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: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Masami KAMIJO, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Masaharu KAGAMI, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180215055
    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: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Masami KAMIJO, Kazutaka SAKAGUCHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Masaharu KAGAMI, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9755491
    Abstract: An actuator includes a fixed section that includes a spindle and a coil fixed to the spindle, a first movable section that includes a first magnet magnetized in an inside-outside direction and disposed to cover the outer peripheral surface of one end in an axial direction of the fixed section, that is mounted on the spindle in an elastically-maintained state, and that is movable in the axial direction, and a second movable section that includes a second magnet magnetized in the inside-outside direction and disposed to cover the outer peripheral surface of the other end in the axial direction of the fixed section, that is mounted on the spindle in an elastically-maintained state, and that is movable in the axial direction. When current flows in the coil, the first movable section and the second movable section move in the opposite directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Shigenori Inamoto, Yasutaka Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20170093266
    Abstract: An electromagnetic converter that converts kinetic energy to electric energy, or converts electric energy to kinetic energy, includes a core configured to have a coil disposed; a magnet configured to be magnetically coupled with the core; a yoke configured to have the magnet disposed; a fixing portion configured to have the core and the yoke placed; and an elastic member configured to support the yoke, and to elastically deform so as to displace the magnet with respect to the core. Both ends of the elastic member are fixed to the fixing portion. The magnet and the yoke can rotate around an axis in an extending direction of the elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Yasutaka KITAMURA, Shigenori INAMOTO
  • Patent number: 9075440
    Abstract: An operation input device includes a coil, an operation part configured to be displaced in an axial direction of the coil by the action of an operation input, a core whose positional relationship with the coil is changed by the displacement of the operation part, a yoke placed outside the coil, and a magnet configured to generate a magnetic flux that flows through the core and the yoke. The coil is configured to output a signal corresponding to the amount of the displacement of the operation part. The operation part is caused to move by an electric current flowing through the coil and the magnetic flux of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Furukawa, Shigenori Inamoto, Yuki Takahashi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Masaharu Kagami, Kensuke Yamada
  • Publication number: 20140049514
    Abstract: An operation input device includes a coil, an operation part configured to be displaced in an axial direction of the coil by the action of an operation input, a core whose positional relationship with the coil is changed by the displacement of the operation part, a yoke placed outside the coil, and a magnet configured to generate a magnetic flux that flows through the core and the yoke. The coil is configured to output a signal corresponding to the amount of the displacement of the operation part. The operation part is caused to move by an electric current flowing through the coil and the magnetic flux of the magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Inventors: Kenichi Furukawa, Shigenori Inamoto, Yuki Takahashi, Yasutaka Kitamura, Masaharu Kagami, Kensuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 8618701
    Abstract: Disclosed is an actuator that generates the reciprocating rotational motion of an electric toothbrush or similar without employing a drive transmission mechanism as a separate entity from a drive source. An actuator (100) includes a fixed body (110) comprising an outer yoke (140) having inner wall planes that respectively oppose the magnetic pole planes of unlike poles of a magnet (150) with a predetermined gap therebetween. A coil (122) is arranged to encircle the magnet (150) between the magnetic pole planes of the unlike poles of the magnet (150) and the inner wall planes of the outer yoke (140) that respectively oppose the magnetic pole planes of the unlike poles, and this coil (122) is movably supported as a movable body (120) by way of an elastic member (130) fastened to the fixed body (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Shigenori Inamoto, Yasutaka Kitamura, Kensuke Yamada
  • Publication number: 20130193780
    Abstract: An actuator includes a fixed section that includes a spindle and a coil fixed to the spindle, a first movable section that includes a first magnet magnetized in an inside-outside direction and disposed to cover the outer peripheral surface of one end in an axial direction of the fixed section, that is mounted on the spindle in an elastically-maintained state, and that is movable in the axial direction, and a second movable section that includes a second magnet magnetized in the inside-outside direction and disposed to cover the outer peripheral surface of the other end in the axial direction of the fixed section, that is mounted on the spindle in an elastically-maintained state, and that is movable in the axial direction. When current flows in the coil, the first movable section and the second movable section move in the opposite directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Yuki TAKAHASHI, Shigenori INAMOTO, Yasutaka KITAMURA
  • Patent number: 8214959
    Abstract: An actuator allows miniaturization by realizing back-and-forth rotating motion of, for example, an electric brush without a drive transmitting mechanism which is a separate entity from a drive source. In a movable body (110) of this actuator (100), an outer yoke (150) is provided with sidewalls (152 and 153) located opposing each other spaced a predetermined interval apart. A magnet (160) is provided in the outer yoke (150) through a non-magnetic body (170) and has different magnetic poles located opposing to the opposing inner wall planes of the outer yoke (150) through the air gaps. The movable body (110) is provided with a shaft (180). The fixed body (120) has a coil (128) which is located in the air gaps and which circles the magnet (160). The fixed body (120) movably supports the movable body (110) through elastic bodies (130).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Shigenori Inamoto, Yasutaka Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20110203061
    Abstract: Disclosed is an actuator that generates the reciprocating rotational motion of an electric toothbrush or similar without employing a drive transmission mechanism as a separate entity from a drive source. An actuator (100) includes a fixed body (110) comprising an outer yoke (140) having inner wall planes that respectively oppose the magnetic pole planes of unlike poles of a magnet (150) with a predetermined gap therebetween. A coil (122) is arranged to encircle the magnet (150) between the magnetic pole planes of the unlike poles of the magnet (150) and the inner wall planes of the outer yoke (140) that respectively oppose the magnetic pole planes of the unlike poles, and this coil (122) is movably supported as a movable body (120) by way of an elastic member (130) fastened to the fixed body (110).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Shigenori Inamoto, Yasutaka Kitamura, Kensuke Yamada
  • Publication number: 20090320219
    Abstract: An actuator allows miniaturization by realizing back-and-forth rotating motion of, for example, an electric brush without a drive transmitting mechanism which is a separate entity from a drive source. In a movable body (110) of this actuator (100), an outer yoke (150) is provided with sidewalls (152 and 153) located opposing each other spaced a predetermined interval apart. A magnet (160) is provided in the outer yoke (150) through anon-magnetic body (170) and has different magnetic poles located opposing to the opposing inner wall planes of the outer yoke (150) through the air gaps. The movable body (110) is provided with a shaft (180). The fixed body (120) has a coil (128) which is located in the air gaps and which circles the magnet (160). The fixed body (120) movably supports the movable body (110) through elastic bodies (130).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki Takahashi, Shigenori Inamoto, Yasutaka Kitamura