Patents by Inventor Yuji Watazu

Yuji Watazu 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: 11972081
    Abstract: A capacitive pressure sensor is disclosed. The capacitive pressure sensor includes a first electrode sheet, a second electrode sheet, an elastic body layer formed by a foam sheet in which air bubbles having an average air bubble diameter of 2 to 40 ?m are dispersed and sandwiched between the first electrode sheet and the second electrode sheet, and adhesive layers, one adhesive layer being formed on a surface of the elastic body layer on a side of the first electrode sheet and another adhesive layer being formed on a surface of the elastic body layer on a side of the second electrode sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NISSHA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji Watazu
  • Patent number: 11960692
    Abstract: To provide an information input device excellent in durability and visibility and configured to detect a shear force, the information input device of the present invention includes a cover panel, a housing including a support portion that supports a peripheral edge of the cover panel from a back surface, a frame-shaped shear force sensor disposed between the peripheral edge of the cover panel and the support portion of the housing and detects a horizontal input with respect to a surface of the cover panel, and a detection circuit connected to the shear force sensor. The frame-shaped shear force sensor has a layered body including a band-like first electrode, an elastic member, and a pair of band-like second electrodes disposed so as to partially overlap with the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NISSHA CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji Watazu
  • Patent number: 11762517
    Abstract: A touch panel includes: first electrodes disposed in parallel at a position corresponding to a viewing area of a panel member and have a capacitance changing according to a proximity of an object to be detected; second electrodes that intersect with the first electrodes, are disposed in parallel, and similarly change in capacitance; third electrodes disposed in parallel between the first or second electrodes and have electrical resistances changing according to posture and temperature; and fourth electrodes extending along the respective third electrodes and similarly change in electrical resistance. A resistance change rate of the fourth electrodes due to temperature is the same as for the third electrodes. The resistance change rate of the fourth electrodes due to the posture change is 90% or less than for the third electrodes due to the posture change. This allows a pressing force to be accurately measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: NISSHA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Watazu, Takashi Yokoyama, Yuichiro Yonemura
  • Patent number: 11733114
    Abstract: An electrostatic capacitance detection device is provided, which is provided with a first electrode, an insulating layer on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the insulating layer, the electrostatic capacitance detection device being configured to calculate a shear force applied from above an upper portion of the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: NISSHA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fujio Mori, Katsumi Tokuno, Youichi Yamaguchi, Eiko Seki, Yuji Watazu
  • Publication number: 20230251749
    Abstract: A capacitive pressure sensor is disclosed. The capacitive pressure sensor includes a first electrode sheet, a second electrode sheet, an elastic body layer formed by a foam sheet in which air bubbles having an average air bubble diameter of 2 to 40 ?m are dispersed and sandwiched between the first electrode sheet and the second electrode sheet, and adhesive layers, one adhesive layer being formed on a surface of the elastic body layer on a side of the first electrode sheet and another adhesive layer being formed on a surface of the elastic body layer on a side of the second electrode sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Applicant: NISSHA CO.,LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji WATAZU
  • Publication number: 20230089017
    Abstract: To provide an information input device excellent in durability and visibility and configured to detect a shear force, the information input device of the present invention includes a cover panel, a housing including a support portion that supports a peripheral edgeof the cover panel from a back surface, a frame-shaped shear force sensor disposed between the peripheral edge of the cover panel and the support portion of the housing and detects a horizontal input with respect to a surface of the cover panel, and a detection circuit connected to the shear force sensor. The frame-shaped shear force sensor has a layered body including a band-like first electrode, an elastic member, and a pair of band-like second electrodes disposed so as to partially overlap with the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2021
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventor: Yuji WATAZU
  • Publication number: 20220236832
    Abstract: A touch panel includes: first electrodes disposed in parallel at a position corresponding to a viewing area of a panel member and have a capacitance changing according to a proximity of an object to be detected; second electrodes that intersect with the first electrodes, are disposed in parallel, and similarly change in capacitance; third electrodes disposed in parallel between the first or second electrodes and have electrical resistances changing according to posture and temperature; and fourth electrodes extending along the respective third electrodes and similarly change in electrical resistance. A resistance change rate of the fourth electrodes due to temperature is the same as for the third electrodes. The resistance change rate of the fourth electrodes due to the posture change is 90% or less than for the third electrodes due to the posture change. This allows a pressing force to be accurately measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Yuji WATAZU, Takashi YOKOYAMA, Yuichiro YONEMURA
  • Publication number: 20220042866
    Abstract: An electrostatic capacitance detection device is provided, which is provided with a first electrode, an insulating layer on the first electrode, and a second electrode on the insulating layer, the electrostatic capacitance detection device being configured to calculate a shear force applied from above an upper portion of the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Fujio Mori, Katsumi Tokuno, Youichi Yamaguchi, Eiko Seki, Yuji Watazu
  • Patent number: 10760982
    Abstract: Each of a first electrode pattern Ty and a second electrode pattern Tx extends between third electrodes Rx neighboring in a Y direction among the plurality of third electrodes Rx so as to overlap only partly with each of the neighboring third electrodes Rx in a plan view. A microcontroller is configured to detect capacitance generated at those portions. The microcontroller is configured to calculate shear force based on a capacitance change obtained due to a change in an overlapping surface area between the third electrode Rx and the first electrode pattern Ty and the second electrode pattern Tx overlapping each other in a plan view, when a pressure is applied so that an insulator is deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: NISSHA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Watazu, Yosuke Shibata
  • Publication number: 20180356299
    Abstract: Each of a first electrode pattern Ty and a second electrode pattern Tx extends between third electrodes Rx neighboring in a Y direction among the plurality of third electrodes Rx so as to overlap only partly with each of the neighboring third electrodes Rx in a plan view. A microcontroller is configured to detect capacitance generated at those portions. The microcontroller is configured to calculate shear force based on a capacitance change obtained due to a change in an overlapping surface area between the third electrode Rx and the first electrode pattern Ty and the second electrode pattern Tx overlapping each other in a plan view, when a pressure is applied so that an insulator is deformed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Yuji WATAZU, Yosuke SHIBATA
  • Patent number: 9933877
    Abstract: Problem: To achieve a pressure sensitive sensor capable of suppressing a drop in the accuracy of detecting a pressing force even in cases where the ambient temperature changes. Resolution means: A pressure sensitive sensor (7) includes: an elastically deformable covering member (10A) covering a front surface side; a variable resistance electrode (42A), electrical resistance thereof changing in response to a change in posture; a pyroelectric material layer (50) disposed covering the variable resistance electrode (42A); and a pair of charge detection electrodes (51, 52) disposed on both sides of the pyroelectric material layer (50) in a layering direction (L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Nissha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Watazu, Naoto Imae, Keisuke Ozaki, Eiji Kakutani, Junichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 9885620
    Abstract: In a pressure detecting apparatus, a pressure sensor includes a piezoelectric sheet that generates a piezoelectric signal according to a load that is applied. A touch detecting unit detects contact with the pressure sensor. An acquirer acquires a piezoelectric output based on the piezoelectric signal. A rate-of-change calculator calculates a rate of change with respect to time of the piezoelectric output acquired within an arbitrary time range before a touch detection time when the touch detecting unit detects contact with the pressure sensor. An applied pressure calculator calculates applied pressure by correcting the piezoelectric output acquired after an end time of the time range used in the calculation of the rate of change using the rate of change. The apparatus enables precise measurement of applied pressure in a pressure sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: NISSHA PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Watazu, Naoto Imae, Eiji Kakutani, Keisuke Ozaki, Shinichi Hagihara, Junichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 9864450
    Abstract: A piezoelectric sensor in which position detection and load detection can be achieved. The piezoelectric sensor includes a piezoelectric layer interposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. In the piezoelectric sensor, at least one of the upper electrode and the lower electrode includes a plurality of electrodes patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Nissha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Watazu, Yoshiko Suetomi, Eiji Kakutani, Keisuke Ozaki, Junichi Shibata, Katsumi Tokuno, Shuzo Okumura, Ryomei Omote
  • Patent number: 9836171
    Abstract: A pressure detection and display apparatus can provide good visibility even if a person wears polarized sunglasses. The pressure detection and display apparatus includes a piezoelectric sensor having upper electrode, lower electrode, and a piezoelectric layer interposed between the upper electrode and the lower electrode, a polarization plate disposed under the lower electrode, and a display member disposed under the polarization plate. The piezoelectric layer is made of a retardation plate. The piezoelectric sensor and the polarization plate are arranged such that the absorption axis of the piezoelectric layer defines an angle of 20 degrees to 70 degrees relative to the slow phase axis of the polarization plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Nissha Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuji Watazu
  • Patent number: 9785301
    Abstract: A film-like pressure-sensitive sensor capable of detecting a touch pressure in high accuracy, a touch pad, a protective panel having a touch-input function and an electronic device, all using the sensor. A film-like pressure-sensitive sensor with a frame-shaped adhesive layer on a rear face peripheral edge portion of the film-like pressure-sensitive sensor is provided. The film-like pressure-sensitive sensor includes a rectangular piezoelectric film, a detection electrode formed partially on a rear face of the piezoelectric film and a reference potential electrode formed on a front face of the piezoelectric film in such a manner as to be overlapped with the detection electrode. The detection electrode is formed continuously in a first frame-shaped region present across an inner boundary of the adhesive layer and a whole region adjacent to an inner side of the first frame-shaped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Nissha Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuji Watazu
  • Patent number: 9772735
    Abstract: A low cost touch sensor can, in conjunction with a detection of an input operation, perform detection related to a pressing force during the input operation. Upper part electrodes of the touch sensor are disposed such that they extend in an X axial direction and are arrayed in a Y axial direction that intersects the X axial direction. Furthermore, each upper part electrode comprises a plurality of upper part resistive films whose end parts in the X axial direction are electrically connected by a connection pattern. Lower part electrodes are disposed opposing the upper part resistive films and comprise lower part resistive films, whose contact surface area with the upper part resistive films varies in accordance with a pressing force that narrows the spacing to the upper part resistive films. A detection device detects contact between the upper part resistive films and the lower part resistive films based on the change in the resistance from the upper part electrodes to the lower part electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: NISSHA PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuji Watazu
  • Publication number: 20170052074
    Abstract: In a pressure detecting apparatus, a pressure sensor includes a piezoelectric sheet that generates a piezoelectric signal according to a load that is applied. A touch detecting unit detects contact with the pressure sensor. An acquirer acquires a piezoelectric output based on the piezoelectric signal. A rate-of-change calculator calculates a rate of change with respect to time of the piezoelectric output acquired within an arbitrary time range before a touch detection time when the touch detecting unit detects contact with the pressure sensor. An applied pressure calculator calculates applied pressure by correcting the piezoelectric output acquired after an end time of the time range used in the calculation of the rate of change using the rate of change. The apparatus enables precise measurement of applied pressure in a pressure sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: NISSHA PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji WATAZU, Naoto IMAE, Eiji KAKUTANI, Keisuke OZAKI, Shinichi HAG, Junichi SHIBATA
  • Patent number: 9519378
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a pressure detector capable of accurately detecting a pressing force. [Solution] A pressure detector according to the present invention includes a first piezoelectric sheet 3a, a second piezoelectric sheet 3b located so as to be close to or in contact with the first piezoelectric sheet 3a, and a detection electrode 4 that sandwiches the first piezoelectric sheet 3a and the second piezoelectric sheet 3b. The first piezoelectric sheet 3a and the second piezoelectric sheet 3b are composed of materials having identical characteristics and have a thickness of 5 ?m to 50 ?m. Potential differences respectively generated between surfaces on a support substrate 1 side and surfaces opposite to the support substrate 1 of the first piezoelectric sheet 3a and the second piezoelectric sheet 3b when the first piezoelectric sheet 3a and the second piezoelectric sheet 3b are pulled in an in-plane direction have a relationship expressed by expression 1: V1/V2<0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: NISSHA PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Watazu, Keisuke Ozaki, Eiji Kakutani, Junichi Shibata
  • Patent number: 9507456
    Abstract: A touch panel equipped with both a capacitive sensor and a piezoelectric sensor, wherein the touch panel solves the problems of increased panel thickness, changes in the optical properties, and increased manufacturing costs. This touch panel is provided with force measurement using a piezoelectric body and capacitive point detection. The force measurement uses a pair of electrodes arranged with the piezoelectric body sandwiched therebetween. The point detection uses one electrode and another electrode. At least one top electrode is disposed on the side of the top surface of the piezoelectric body, and at least one bottom electrode is disposed on the side of the bottom surface of the piezoelectric body. One electrode among the pair of electrodes used in force measurement is a bottom electrode, and at least one electrode among the two electrodes used in point detection is a top electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: NISSHA PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Watazu, Junichi Shibata, Shuzo Okumura, Keisuke Ozaki, Takao Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20160342257
    Abstract: Problem: To achieve a pressure sensitive sensor capable of suppressing a drop in the accuracy of detecting a pressing force even in cases where the ambient temperature changes. Resolution means: A pressure sensitive sensor (7) includes: an elastically deformable covering member (10A) covering a front surface side; a variable resistance electrode (42A), electrical resistance thereof changing in response to a change in posture; a pyroelectric material layer (50) disposed covering the variable resistance electrode (42A); and a pair of charge detection electrodes (51, 52) disposed on both sides of the pyroelectric material layer (50) in a layering direction (L).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: NISSHA PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji WATAZU, Naoto IMAE, Keisuke OZAKI, Eiji KAKUTANI, Junichi SHIBATA