Patents by Inventor Yoichi Hirano

Yoichi Hirano 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: 11948958
    Abstract: The solid-state imaging element includes a photoelectric converter, a first separator, and a second separator. The photoelectric converter is configured to perform photoelectric conversion of incident light. The first separator configured to separate the photoelectric converter is formed in a first trench formed from a first surface side. The second separator configured to separate the photoelectric converter is formed in a second trench formed from a second surface side facing a first surface. The present technology is applicable to an individual imaging element mounted on, e.g., a camera and configured to acquire an image of an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: SONY GROUP CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideyuki Honda, Tetsuya Uchida, Toshifumi Wakano, Yusuke Tanaka, Yoshiharu Kudoh, Hirotoshi Nomura, Tomoyuki Hirano, Shinichi Yoshida, Yoichi Ueda, Kosuke Nakanishi
  • Publication number: 20240088184
    Abstract: There is provided a imaging device including: an N-type region formed for each pixel and configured to perform photoelectric conversion; an inter-pixel light-shielding wall penetrating a semiconductor substrate in a depth direction and formed between N-type regions configured to perform the photoelectric conversion, the N-type regions each being formed for each of pixels adjacent to each other; a P-type layer formed between the N-type region configured to perform the photoelectric conversion and the inter-pixel light-shielding wall; and a P-type region adjacent to the P-type layer and formed between the N-type region and an interface on a side of a light incident surface of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya UCHIDA, Ryoji SUZUKI, Hisahiro ANSAI, Yoichi Ueda, Shinichi YOSHIDA, Yukari TAKEYA, Tomoyuki HIRANO, Hiroyuki MORI, Hirotoshi NOMURA, Yoshiharu KUDOH, Masashi OHURA, Shin IWABUCHI
  • Publication number: 20230235779
    Abstract: (Task) To provide a ball joint which is easily mounted to the panel with the ball stud mounted therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventor: Yoichi HIRANO
  • Patent number: 11124995
    Abstract: A push-lifter for a vehicle drains water entered into an inside through a drainage portion. A lower portion of a case includes a peripheral wall, a bottom wall, and an air vent portion opening at a center of the bottom wall. A cap includes a bottom portion located away from the bottom wall, and forming a first air flow channel communicating with the air vent portion between the bottom portion and the bottom wall; a side portion located away from the peripheral wall by continuing to the bottom portion, and having a cylindrical shape forming a second air flow channel communicating with the first air flow channel between the side portion and the peripheral wall; and a drainage portion located on a lower side in an attachment state of the case relative to a vehicle body side, communicating with the second air flow channel, and opening toward the bottom portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Yoichi Hirano
  • Patent number: 11084409
    Abstract: This shaft-support structure for a rotary body is provided with a bearing portion disposed to a base panel and a fulcrum shaft that is disposed to a cup holder and is supported by the bearing portion in a rotatable manner. The bearing portion has slits on the side apart from the base panel. A center cover is disposed at a position facing the slits. The cup holder is configured in such a way that, when a load exceeding a predetermined level is exerted in the direction away from the base panel, the fulcrum shaft moves in a direction in which the fulcrum shaft disengages from the bearing portion through the slits and, therewith, by pressing the center cover from the inside and causing the center cover to move in the direction separating from the bearing portion, the fulcrum shaft disengages from the bearing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: NIFCO, INC.
    Inventor: Yoichi Hirano
  • Patent number: 10640027
    Abstract: Provided is a table unit enabling easy opening of a table provided to the back surface of a seat backrest. A table unit is provided with: a hinge mechanism that is coaxially fitted to a fulcrum shaft portion of a table main body and that can retain and release the table main body in and from a plurality of attitudes; and a hook unit that retains and releases the table main body at the position of a housed attitude. The hinge mechanism is configured to have a pair of cam bodies that face each other in the axial direction, and, through mutual cooperation of the pair of cam bodies, position the table main body to a use attitude in which the table main body is deployed to a use position and to a partially-housed attitude between the housed attitude and the use attitude as a plurality of stages of attitudes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Nifco, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoichi Hirano, Ryuji Tsunoda
  • Publication number: 20190264475
    Abstract: A push-lifter for a vehicle drains water entered into an inside through a drainage portion. A lower portion of a case includes a peripheral wall, a bottom wall, and an air vent portion opening at a center of the bottom wall. A cap includes a bottom portion located away from the bottom wall, and forming a first air flow channel communicating with the air vent portion between the bottom portion and the bottom wall; a side portion located away from the peripheral wall by continuing to the bottom portion, and having a cylindrical shape forming a second air flow channel communicating with the first air flow channel between the side portion and the peripheral wall; and a drainage portion located on a lower side in an attachment state of the case relative to a vehicle body side, communicating with the second air flow channel, and opening toward the bottom portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventor: Yoichi HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20190232848
    Abstract: This shaft-support structure for a rotary body is provided with a bearing portion disposed to a base panel and a fulcrum shaft that is disposed to a cup holder and is supported by the bearing portion in a rotatable manner. The bearing portion has slits on the side apart from the base panel. A center cover is disposed at a position facing the slits. The cup holder is configured in such a way that, when a load exceeding a predetermined level is exerted in the direction away from the base panel, the fulcrum shaft moves in a direction in which the fulcrum shaft disengages from the bearing portion through the slits and, therewith, by pressing the center cover from the inside and causing the center cover to move in the direction separating from the bearing portion, the fulcrum shaft disengages from the bearing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventor: Yoichi HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20190152373
    Abstract: Provided is a table unit enabling easy opening of a table provided to the back surface of a seat backrest. A table unit is provided with: a hinge mechanism that is coaxially fitted to a fulcrum shaft portion of a table main body and that can retain and release the table main body in and from a plurality of attitudes; and a hook unit that retains and releases the table main body at the position of a housed attitude. The hinge mechanism is configured to have a pair of cam bodies that face each other in the axial direction, and, through mutual cooperation of the pair of cam bodies, position the table main body to a use attitude in which the table main body is deployed to a use position and to a partially-housed attitude between the housed attitude and the use attitude as a plurality of stages of attitudes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Yoichi Hirano, Ryuji Tsunoda
  • Patent number: 9341210
    Abstract: In a fastener (10), a pin (14) is pressed into a grommet (12), so that a guide portion (56) formed in an end side of the pin (14) contacts with a guided portion (42) of the grommet (12), and a leg piece (34) of a leg portion (28) of the grommet bends and is expanded. Then, the guided portion (42) of the leg piece (34) in the leg portion (28) of the grommet (12) is engaged with an upper end edge (56A) of the guide portion (56) of the pin (14). Also, the guide portion (56) of the pin (14) is a curved surface having a tangent angle (?) changing relative to a shaft line (14B) at a contact point (P1) with the guided portion (42) from an outer circumferential portion of an end (14A) of the pin (14) toward an upper end edge (56A), and an insertion force (S) into the grommet (12) of the pin (14) at each contact point (P1) is held approximately constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Yoichi Hirano
  • Publication number: 20140341674
    Abstract: In a fastener (10), a pin (14) is pressed into a grommet (12), so that a guide portion (56) formed in an end side of the pin (14) contacts with a guided portion (42) of the grommet (12), and a leg piece (34) of a leg portion (28) of the grommet bends and is expanded. Then, the guided portion (42) of the leg piece (34) in the leg portion (28) of the grommet (12) is engaged with an upper end edge (56A) of the guide portion (56) of the pin (14). Also, the guide portion (56) of the pin (14) is a curved surface having a tangent angle (?) changing relative to a shaft line (14B) at a contact point (P1) with the guided portion (42) from an outer circumferential portion of an end (14A) of the pin (14) toward an upper end edge (56A), and an insertion force (S) into the grommet (12) of the pin (14) at each contact point (P1) is held approximately constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Yoichi Hirano
  • Publication number: 20130340856
    Abstract: A chamber device is designed to be attached to a float valve for reducing noise generated by the float valve. The chamber device includes an upper plate having a top opening portion to be attached to the float valve, a bottom plate facing the upper plate, a side wall extending between the upper plate and the bottom plate, and an introduction passage formed on the side wall for allowing a fuel to flow into the float valve. A space is defined by the upper plate, and the bottom plate and the side wall so as to absorb the noise in the float valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: NIFCO INC.
    Inventor: Yoichi HIRANO
  • Patent number: 8056783
    Abstract: An exterior member mounting unit is used for installing an exterior member to a device, such as a vehicle roof. The mounting unit includes a first part detachably supporting the exterior member so that an upper surface thereof is covered by the exterior member, a second part detachably held by the first part, and a screw for attaching the exterior member to the device while utilizing the second part detachably supported by the first part as a seating plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignees: Nifco Inc., Mazda Motor Corporation, Katayama Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Hirano, Mamoru Morita, Takeo Matsui, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Haruo Miyake, Kenichi Hirata
  • Publication number: 20060049322
    Abstract: An exterior member mounting unit is used for installing an exterior member to a device, such as a vehicle roof. The mounting unit includes a first part detachably supporting the exterior member so that an upper surface thereof is covered by the exterior member, a second part detachably held by the first part, and a screw for attaching the exterior member to the device while utilizing the second part detachably supported by the first part as a seating plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Applicants: NIFCO INC., MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, KATAYAMA KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Hirano, Mamoru Morita, Takeo Matsui, Nobuyuki Takahashi, Haruo Miyake, Kenichi Hirata
  • Patent number: 5087999
    Abstract: A capacitor bank comprising a plurality of capacitor units coupled in parallel, and an energy absorbing resistor Rj is inserted in series with each one Cj of the capacitor units. Thus, when a capacitor unit Cj suffers an insulation failure, the energy flowing into the failing capacitor unit Cj from the other capacitor units is absorbed substantially by the resistor Rj. The capacitor bank may comprise several serially connected rows of parallel connected capacitor units, an energy absorbing capacitor Rij being inserted in series with each one Cij of the capacitor units. Further, each capacitor unit Cj may be provided with a protective short-circuiting device Sj, which short circuits the two terminals of the capacitor unit Cj via a bypass line 9 upon an occurance of failure of the capacitor unit Cj. An oscillation preventing resistor Ry is connected in series with each capacitor unit Cj in addition to an energy absorbing resistor Rx.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1992
    Assignees: Director General, Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sato, Yoichi Hirano, Sataro Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: D673841
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventor: Yoichi Hirano
  • Patent number: D675508
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventor: Yoichi Hirano