Patents by Inventor Yoichi Washizu

Yoichi Washizu 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: 7433587
    Abstract: An in-finder indicator for a single-lens reflex camera comprises an eyepiece lens, a reflecting mirror for reflecting a beam of light from a subject, a screen having a screen surface which is subjected to surface treatment to form prisms for presenting a superimposed indication and which forms an image of the subject based on the light beam reflected by the reflecting mirror, a dach mirror having a pair of mirror surfaces for reflecting the light beam from the screen, a reflecting surface for reflecting the light beam reflected by the dach mirror surfaces and introducing the light beam to the eyepiece lens, and an illumination member disposed in a laterally-offset space between the dach mirror surfaces and the screen and introducing an illumination beam to enter the screen surface laterally of the image formed on the screen surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Fujio Kosaka, Yoichi Washizu
  • Patent number: 7400827
    Abstract: According to the present invention, light from a taking lens is reflected by a quick return mirror in a lateral direction of a body unit. Then, after passing through a screen, the light is reflected toward an upper side of the body unit by a second mirror except part of the light. The light reflected by the second mirror is reflected by a third mirror in a direction opposite to a direction in which the light is reflected by the quick return mirror, and is further reflected by a fourth mirror toward an eyepiece located on a back side of the body unit. Part of the light which passing though the screen is taken by an AF sensor unit provided in rear of the second mirror, and an image formation position of an optical image is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Sumio Kawai, Yoichi Washizu, Koji Kato, Shigeru Iwase, Hiroshi Terada, Shigeru Kato
  • Publication number: 20060262214
    Abstract: A camera includes a first lens unit on which a light beam is incident from a subject, a reflective mirror for reflecting the light beam through the first lens unit, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the first lens unit, a first diaphragm member arranged on a surface of a lens of the first lens unit closest to the reflective mirror with the surface of the lens facing the reflective mirror, and which blocks unwanted rays of light other than the light beam that forms the image of the subject, a second lens unit on which the light beam reflected from the reflective mirror is incident, a second diaphragm member arranged between the first lens unit and the second lens unit blocks unwanted rays of light that travel outside the outermost periphery at which the light beam traveling from the first lens unit to the reflective member intersects the light beam traveling from the reflective mirror to the second lens unit, and an unwanted ray-of-light reflection prevention member arranged on
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Koyama, Takeshi Ito, Takashi Inoue, Kaoru Kaneko, Yoichi Washizu, Atsushi Nakamae, Takeshi Abe, Hiroyuki Ando, Kenichi Aoki
  • Publication number: 20060114348
    Abstract: In a digital camera (1), an LCD display unit (11) is arranged to the back of a lens barrel (3) having a CCD substrate (9) arranged to the right of the camera, and the components around the lens barrel are assembled as a unit while an image pickup substrate (10) is arranged to the left of the lens barrel (3). Further, a battery chamber (24a) and electric substrates ((A)6 and (B)7) are arranged to the left of the camera, a strobe light-emitting unit (5) is arranged to the top in the center of the camera and a strobe condenser (14) is accommodated on the back of the strobe light-emitting unit (5) in a long space sandwiched by the battery chamber (24a) and the lens barrel (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2003
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Inventors: Naoki Fujii, Yoichi Washizu
  • Publication number: 20060045513
    Abstract: According to the present invention, light from a taking lens is reflected by a quick return mirror in a lateral direction of a body unit. Then, after passing through a screen, the light is reflected toward an upper side of the body unit by a second mirror except part of the light. The light reflected by the second mirror is reflected by a third mirror in a direction opposite to a direction in which the light is reflected by the quick return mirror, and is further reflected by a fourth mirror toward an eyepiece located on a back side of the body unit. Part of the light which passing though the screen is taken by an AF sensor unit provided in rear of the second mirror, and an image formation position of an optical image is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Inventors: Sumio Kawai, Yoichi Washizu, Koji Kato, Shigeru Iwase, Hiroshi Terada, Shigeru Kato
  • Publication number: 20050254812
    Abstract: An in-finder indicator for a single-lens reflex camera comprises an eyepiece lens, a reflecting mirror for reflecting a beam of light from a subject, a screen having a screen surface which is subjected to surface treatment to form prisms therein for presenting superimposed indication and which forms an image of the subject based on the light beam reflected by the reflecting mirror, a dach mirror having a pair of mirror surfaces for reflecting the light beam from the screen, a reflecting surface for reflecting the light beam reflected by the dach mirror surfaces and introducing the light beam to the eyepiece lens, and an illumination member disposed in a laterally-offset space between the dach mirror surfaces and the screen and introducing an illumination beam to enter the screen surface laterally of the image formed on the screen surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Fujio Kosaka, Yoichi Washizu
  • Publication number: 20050237398
    Abstract: A recording-medium accommodating apparatus of a digital camera includes a connector/card chamber on the left thereof, and a connector cover, to which a waterproof packing is attached and which opens the connector/card chamber. The connector/card chamber includes a card connector, an inserting opening thereof, a video output terminal portion, a USB terminal portion, and a card cover which opens/closes the inserting opening. In the non-connection of the terminal portion, a memory card is attached, the card cover is closed, the connector cover is closed, and data is then written/read to/from the memory card. In the connection of the terminal portion, the data is written/read to/from the memory card with the connector cover opened. The recording-medium accommodating apparatus further includes a cover member which protects a connector portion between the recording medium and an external device, the recording medium is protected and the connector is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2005
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Applicant: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Fujii, Yoichi Washizu, Masahide Kawakubo, Shunji Matsutani
  • Publication number: 20020159774
    Abstract: A camera includes a first lens unit, formed of a plurality of lenses, on which a light beam is incident from a subject, a reflective mirror for reflecting a light beam, which has come from the subject and has been transmitted through the first lens unit, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the first lens unit, a first diaphragm member which is arranged on a surface of a lens of the first lens unit closest to the reflective mirror with the surface of the lens facing the reflective mirror, and which blocks unwanted rays of light other than the light beam that contributes to the forming of the image of the subject on an image formation surface, a second lens unit, formed of a plurality of lenses, on which the light beam reflected from the reflective mirror is incident, a second diaphragm member which is arranged between the first lens unit and the second lens unit, and blocks unwanted rays of light that travel outside the outermost periphery at which the light beam forming the subje
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Inventors: Takashi Koyama, Takeshi Ito, Takashi Inoue, Kaoru Kaneko, Yoichi Washizu, Atsushi Nakamae, Takeshi Abe, Hiroyuki Ando, Kenichi Aoki
  • Patent number: 6463222
    Abstract: The electronic camera comprises a photographing unit including a lens tube which holds a lens for forming an image of object light on a photographing element, and a photographing board disposed on a proximal end side of the lens tube, on which a photographing unit for outputting a signal photoelectric-converted by the photographing element, as an image signal, and a frame which holds each of a finder unit and an electric board, and has an opening section formed therein, which allows the photographing unit to be mounted on or removed from along a direction which crosses with the optical axis of the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ito, Yoichi Washizu
  • Patent number: 6195181
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus in accordance with the present invention is an apparatus capable of reading an image from a transmissible original or reflective original. A lens unit and line sensor are located on one side of an original feed path. A tubular lamp movable to a position opposite to the lens unit with respect to the feed path and to a position on the side of the lens unit is included. The type of inserted original is judged by an original detector located near an original insertion port. If the inserted original is a transmissible original, the tubular lamp is moved to the position opposite to the lens unit. If the inserted original is a reflective original, the tubular lamp is moved to the position on the side of the lens unit. Furthermore, the power of the lens unit for projection is automatically adjusted in line with the type of original. In the case of the image reading apparatus, the way of handling is easy, the design is compact, and the cost can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoichi Washizu
  • Patent number: 5973729
    Abstract: An image input device capable of: reading images on 35 mm film and images on another type of film contained in a new photo system-adapted cartridge; converting the images into digital image signals; and, feeding the signals into a computer. The device is constructed in such a manner that one selected between film adaptors (100, 300) can be loaded in a groove portion (2) of a main device body. The film adaptor (100) can retain 35 mm film (401, 402), while the film adaptor (300) can retain a new photo system-adapted cartridge film (403). The images on the loaded film are read by a linear CCD image sensor (9) being caused to execute scanning. This scanning results in the digital image signals which then are fed into a computer and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoichi Washizu