Patents by Inventor Yuichirou Usuda

Yuichirou Usuda 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: 8511836
    Abstract: When a rotation member is rotated clockwise by a stepping motor, one main operation member is rotated counterclockwise through a link member and the other main operation member is rotated clockwise by said main operation member through the link member. Also, one sub operation member is rotated counterclockwise by said main operation member through the link member, and the other sub operation member is rotated clockwise by the other main operation member through the link member. This causes the amount of overlap between a main split blade mounted to said main operation member and a sub split blade mounted to said sub operation member to be increased and also causes the amount of overlap between a main split blade mounted to the other main operation member and a sub split blade mounted to the other sub operation member to be also increased. As a result, the aperture opening formed between the two main split blades is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichirou Usuda, Shigemi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20110222026
    Abstract: When a rotation member is rotated clockwise by a stepping motor, one main operation member is rotated counterclockwise through a link member and the other main operation member is rotated clockwise by said main operation member through the link member. Also, one sub operation member is rotated counterclockwise by said main operation member through the link member, and the other sub operation member is rotated clockwise by the other main operation member through the link member. This causes the amount of overlap between a main split blade mounted to said main operation member and a sub split blade mounted to said sub operation member to be increased and also causes the amount of overlap between a main split blade mounted to the other main operation member and a sub split blade mounted to the other sub operation member to be also increased. As a result, the aperture opening formed between the two main split blades is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Inventors: Yuichirou Usuda, Shigemi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7431517
    Abstract: A first drive member which rotates with a rotor includes a first cam portion and a second cam portion, and a second drive member which connects a drive pin with a shutter blade includes a first cam portion and a second cam portion. A circular hole of the link member is fitted to a shaft member which is fixed to the first drive member and an elongated hole thereof is fitted to the shaft member fixed to the second drive member. The first drive member rotates the second drive member first via the link member and subsequently rotates the same directly so that when an abutting portion of the second drive member comes into abutment with an edge of the elongated hole, a generated repulsive force acts toward an axis of rotation of the first drive member irrespective of the direction of rotation of a rotor 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichirou Usuda, Nobuyoshi Inoue
  • Patent number: 7178998
    Abstract: A drive member attached to the output shaft of a DC motor placed on a shutter base board includes a drive pin connected to the arm of a shutter blade within a blade chamber for driving the shutter blade to open and close an exposure opening with the reciprocal rotation of the DC motor. A brake member rotatably attached to the shutter base board and having a frictional force applied thereto by a spring washer brakes the rotation of the drive member when a bent portion is pushed by the drive pin to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichirou Usuda, Shigemi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20060056840
    Abstract: A first drive member which rotates with a rotor includes a first cam portion and a second cam portion, and a second drive member which connects a drive pin with a shutter blade includes a first cam portion and a second cam portion. A circular hole of the link member is fitted to a shaft member which is fixed to the first drive member and an elongated hole thereof is fitted to the shaft member fixed to the second drive member. The first drive member rotates the second drive member first via the link member and subsequently rotates the same directly so that when an abutting portion of the second drive member comes into abutment with an edge of the elongated hole, a generated repulsive force acts toward an axis of rotation of the first drive member irrespective of the direction of rotation of a rotor 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Yuichirou Usuda, Nobuyoshi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20050063698
    Abstract: A drive member attached to the output shaft of a DC motor placed on a shutter base board includes a drive pin connected to the arm of a shutter blade within a blade chamber for driving the shutter blade to open and close an exposure opening with the reciprocal rotation of the DC motor. A brake member rotatably attached to the shutter base board and having a frictional force applied thereto by a spring washer brakes the rotation of the drive member when a bent portion is pushed by the drive pin to rotate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Yuichirou Usuda, Shigemi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6726381
    Abstract: A focal-plane shutter for a camera is provided with two blade chambers into which a space between two base plates is partitioned by an intermediate plate having an aperture for exposure. A shutter blade group placed in each of the blade chambers is constructed with a plurality of arms whose ends are pivotally mounted to one of the two base plates on the side of the aperture and at least one blade pivotally supported by the arms through individual joint shanks so that working paths of the joint shanks does not run inside the apertures. A wall is provided on at least one of the two base plates so as to project toward the blade chamber side, along the edge of the aperture, and has an inclined face directed toward the aperture of an opposite base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Nidec Copal Corporation
    Inventors: Shigemi Takahashi, Yuichirou Usuda
  • Publication number: 20020172519
    Abstract: A focal-plane shutter for cameras is provided with a single blade chamber between two base plates, each having an aperture for exposure at about the middle thereof, or two blade chambers into which the single blade chamber is partitioned between the two base plates by an intermediate plate having an aperture for exposure at about the middle thereof. A shutter blade group placed in each of the blade chambers is constructed with a plurality of arms whose ends are pivotally mounted to one of the two base plates on the side of the aperture and at least one blade pivotally supported by the arms through individual joint shanks so that working paths of the joint shanks does not run inside the apertures of the base plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Applicant: NIDEC COPAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigemi Takahashi, Yuichirou Usuda