Patents by Inventor Akio Yasukawa

Akio Yasukawa 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: 8104355
    Abstract: A measurement element includes a semiconductor substrate with electrical insulating film formed thereon. A resistor formed on the electrical insulating film constitutes a heater; and a cavity is formed by removing a portion of the semiconductor substrate that corresponds to a region where a body part of the resistor is formed. The region where the body part of the resistor is formed is formed into a thin wall part by the cavity, and an opening and a slit is formed in a portion of the thin wall part in such a manner as to penetrate the thin wall part in the thickness direction. The measurement element has a film formed covering the region of the opening or slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Rintaro Minamitani, Keiji Hanzawa, Akio Yasukawa
  • Patent number: 7992435
    Abstract: In a structure in which peripheral part of a diaphragm section of an electrical insulating film is covered with a protective film made of an organic material, the resistor wire on the diaphragm section crosses the peripheral part of the diaphragm section. At a place where a narrow wire of a resistance temperature detector and the like crosses the peripheral part of the diaphragm section, the protective film is thinner than the other part, and the dust impact resistance is reduced. At a place where a heating resistor wire connected to a heating resistor body or resistance temperature detector wires connected to resistance temperature detector bodies cross a periphery of the diaphragm section, a film component protruding from an electrical insulating film is arranged side by side with the heating resistor wire or the resistance temperature detector wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Rintaro Minamitani, Keiji Hanzawa, Akio Yasukawa
  • Patent number: 7942053
    Abstract: An air flow measuring instrument, comprising: an auxiliary passage 8 arranged inside a main passage through which fluid flows, a tabular member 5 on which a pattern of a heating resistor for measuring an air flow is provided on one face 5a, the tabular member being disposed inside the auxiliary passage so that the one face 5a on which the heating resistor pattern of the tabular member is provided is disposed along a flow of fluid inside the auxiliary passage 8, a heating resistor pattern-side fluid passage 8a portion formed so that the fluid flows between the face 5a and a passage-forming surface 8d of the auxiliary passage, and a back-surface 8b side fluid passage portion formed so that fluid flows between a face 5b on a side opposite to the face of the tabular member and the passage-forming surface of the auxiliary passage. Guidance portion 13 guiding dust that collides against the end portion to back-surface side fluid passage portion 8b side is provided on upstream-side end of tabular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Saito, Takeshi Morino, Yuki Okamoto, Keiji Hanzawa, Hiromu Kikawa, Akio Yasukawa
  • Publication number: 20110072897
    Abstract: A temperature of the heating resistor is set at a temperature equal to or higher than a temperature, at which liquid droplets contacting a surface of the heating resistor evaporate and disappear by film boiling. Alternatively, when a heating resistance type air flow rate measuring device starts to operate or stops operating, the temperature of the heating resistor may be set at a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature, at which liquid droplets contacting a surface of the heating resistor evaporate and disappear by film boiling. Moreover, a water-repellent and oil-repellent protective coating may be provided on the surface of the heating resistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Rintaro MINAMITANI, Keiji Hanzawa, Akio Yasukawa, Yasuo Onose
  • Publication number: 20100218614
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a structure unlikely to break in the dicing process while allowing easy execution of screening, for a measurement element in which a resistor constituting a heater is formed on a thin wall part thermally insulated from a semiconductor substrate by providing a cavity part formed in the semiconductor substrate. Provided is a measurement element including: a semiconductor substrate; an electrical insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; a resistor formed on the electrical insulating film, the resistor constituting a heater; and a cavity formed by removing a portion of the semiconductor substrate that corresponds to a region where a body part of the resistor is formed. The region where the body part of the resistor is formed is formed into a thin wall part by the cavity, and any of an opening and a slit is formed in a portion of the thin wall part in such a manner as to penetrate the thin wall part in a thickness direction thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Rintaro MINAMITANI, Keiji Hanzawa, Akio Yasukawa
  • Publication number: 20100077851
    Abstract: In a structure in which peripheral part of a diaphragm section of an electrical insulating film is covered with a protective film made of an organic material, the resistor wire on the diaphragm section crosses the peripheral part of the diaphragm section. At a place where a narrow wire of a resistance temperature detector and the like crosses the peripheral part of the diaphragm section, the protective film is thinner than the other part, and the dust impact resistance is reduced. At a place where a heating resistor wire connected to a heating resistor body or resistance temperature detector wires connected to resistance temperature detector bodies cross a periphery of the diaphragm section, a film component protruding from an electrical insulating film is arranged side by side with the heating resistor wire or the resistance temperature detector wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Rintaro Minamitani, Keiji Hanzawa, Akio Yasukawa
  • Publication number: 20090126477
    Abstract: An air flow measuring instrument, comprising: an auxiliary passage 8 arranged inside a main passage through which fluid flows, a tabular member 5 on which a pattern of a heating resistor for measuring an air flow is provided on one face 5a, the tabular member being disposed inside the auxiliary passage so that the one face 5a on which the heating resistor pattern of the tabular member is provided is disposed along a flow of fluid inside the auxiliary passage 8, a heating resistor pattern-side fluid passage 8a portion formed so that the fluid flows between the face 5a and a passage-forming surface 8d of the auxiliary passage, and a back-surface 8b side fluid passage portion formed so that fluid flows between a face 5b on a side opposite to the face of the tabular member and the passage-forming surface of the auxiliary passage. Guidance portion 13 guiding dust that collides against the end portion to back-surface side fluid passage portion 8b side is provided on upstream-side end of tabular member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Saito, Takeshi Morino, Yuki Okamoto, Keiji Hanzawa, Hiromu Kikawa, Akio Yasukawa
  • Patent number: 7469582
    Abstract: A heating resistor type flow measuring device comprising a housing having a support part provided between a frame body and a connector and connected to the mounting part of a fluid passage, a flow rate detection element held on the frame body side of the housing, and an electronic circuit held on the housing and connected electrically to the flow rate detection element and the connector, wherein the electronic circuit is held on the frame body side of the housing and positioned in the fluid passage, a member with the rigidity higher than the material of the main structural member of the housing is formed integrally with the support part, the housing is fixed to the fluid passage through the member with high rigidity. A metal plate is inserted into the support part so as to increase rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Saito, Masayuki Kozawa, Shinya Igarashi, Hiromu Kikawa, Akio Yasukawa, Akira Takasago
  • Patent number: 7437926
    Abstract: An air flow rate measuring device is provided in which a pressure loss across a grid therein due to the load which is generated when a hose band is tightened is reduced and deterioration of its measurement accuracy due to the grid deformation is prevented. The grid is configured to have a grid portion which absorbs deformation at the outer periphery thereof, and another grid portion which does not absorb deformation at the inner periphery thereof. In order to make the grid portions independent of each other, the grid is provided with a frame, and the mesh grid inside of the frame which maintains a rectifying effect, prevents the deterioration of the measurement accuracy, and does not absorb deformation, and the grid outside of the frame absorbs deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Kozawa, Makoto Iida, Akio Yasukawa, Mari Hikota, Takahiro Miki
  • Patent number: 7437927
    Abstract: The invention provides a thermal type flow meter which has a high reliability and a low cost. In a thermal type flow meter provided with a flow rate detecting element in which at least a heat generating resistor and a lead electrode are formed on a surface of a tabular substrate, and a support body in which a concave portion accommodating the flow rate detecting element is formed on a surface, and in which the flow rate detecting element is firmly fixed and accommodated by an adhesive agent in a back surface of the tabular substrate and a part of a bottom surface of the concave portion, an approximately straight discharge groove which is deeper than a bottom surface of the concave portion and passes through both end surfaces in upward and downward sides of the concave portion is formed from the upstream side of the support body concave portion to the downstream side, between the cavity of the tabular substrate and the back surface region of the tabular substrate in which the lead electrode is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Yamada, Masahiro Matsumoto, Hiroshi Nakano, Akio Yasukawa, Izumi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20080053215
    Abstract: The invention provides a thermal type flow meter which has a high reliability and a low cost. In a thermal type flow meter provided with a flow rate detecting element in which at least a heat generating resistor and a lead electrode are formed on a surface of a tabular substrate, and a support body in which a concave portion accommodating the flow rate detecting element is formed on a surface, and in which the flow rate detecting element is firmly fixed and accommodated by an adhesive agent in a back surface of the tabular substrate and a part of a bottom surface of the concave portion, an approximately straight discharge groove which is deeper than a bottom surface of the concave portion and passes through both end surfaces in upward and downward sides of the concave portion is formed from the upstream side of the support body concave portion to the downstream side, between the cavity of the tabular substrate and the back surface region of the tabular substrate in which the lead electrode is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi YAMADA, Masahiro MATSUMOTO, Hiroshi NAKANO, Akio YASUKAWA, Izumi WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20070295080
    Abstract: An air flow rate measuring device is provided in which a pressure loss across a grid therein due to the load which is generated when a hose band is tightened is reduced and deterioration of its measurement accuracy due to the grid deformation is prevented. The grid is configured to have a grid portion which absorbs deformation at the outer periphery thereof, and another grid portion which does not absorb deformation at the inner periphery thereof. In order to make the grid portions independent of each other, the grid is provided with a frame, and the mesh grid inside of the frame which maintains a rectifying effect, prevents the deterioration of the measurement accuracy, and does not absorb deformation, and the grid outside of the frame absorbs deformation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki Kozawa, Makoto IIda, Akio Yasukawa, Mari Hikota, Takahiro Miki
  • Publication number: 20070089504
    Abstract: A gas flow measuring apparatus includes a detecting element including a heating resistor and a thermo-sensitive resistor disposed on a diaphragm and external terminals connected to the heating resistor and the thermo-sensitive resistor, and a flow rate detecting unit which controls heating temperature of the heating resistor and which detects a flow rate of gas according to a change in a resistance value of the heating resistor or the thermo-sensitive resistor. The detecting element includes a resistor area in which the heating resistor and the thermo-sensitive resistor are formed and a fixed section area in which the external terminals are formed. A stress mitigating unit is formed between the resistor area and the fixed section area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Inventors: Keiji Hanzawa, Satoshi Shimada, Akio Yasukawa, Naoki Saito, Keiichi Nakada, Izumi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7062964
    Abstract: A heating resistor type flow measuring device comprising a housing having a support part provided between a frame body and a connector and connected to the mounting part of a fluid passage, a flow rate detection element held on the frame body side of the housing, and an electronic circuit held on the housing and connected electrically to the flow rate detection element and the connector, wherein the electronic circuit is held on the frame body side of the housing and positioned in the fluid passage, a member with the rigidity higher than the material of the main structural member of the housing is formed integrally with the support part, the housing is fixed to the fluid passage through the member with high rigidity. A metal plate is inserted into the support part so as to increase rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Saito, Masayuki Kozawa, Shinya Igarashi, Hiromu Kikawa, Akio Yasukawa, Akira Takasago
  • Patent number: 6877383
    Abstract: By sealing a diaphragm with less processes and lower cost and reducing deformation due to remaining stress, a stable and highly reliable pressure sensor construction is proposed. The pressure sensor is low in measurement error and small in floating capacitance and leakage current and good in characteristic. As a means to attain the above object, a polycrystalline silicon diaphragm is sealed with a silicon oxide film deposited through a LPCVD method and then completely covered. The diaphragm is placed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate with a nearly constant gap of 0.15 to 1.3 ?m, and has difference-in-grade constructions of a deformation reducing means due to remaining stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Horie, Yasuo Onose, Norio Ichikawa, Seiji Kuryu, Satoshi Shimada, Akihiko Saito, Keiji Hanzawa, Masahiro Matsumoto, Hiroshi Moriya, Akio Yasukawa, Atsushi Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20040129073
    Abstract: A heating resistor type flow measuring device comprising a housing having a support part provided between a frame body and a connector and connected to the mounting part of a fluid passage, a flow rate detection element held on the frame body side of the housing, and an electronic circuit held on the housing and connected electrically to the flow rate detection element and the connector, wherein the electronic circuit is held on the frame body side of the housing and positioned in the fluid passage, a member with the rigidity higher than the material of the main structural member of the housing is formed integrally with the support part, the housing is fixed to the fluid passage through the member with high rigidity. A metal plate is inserted into the support part so as to increase rigidity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Naoki Saito, Masayuki Kozawa, Shinya Igarashi, Hiromu Kikawa, Akio Yasukawa, Akira Takasago
  • Patent number: 6698282
    Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a heated type air flow rate sensor for measuring an air flow rate using heat generating resistive element or resistor formed within a diaphragm of which periphery is fixed, in which diaphragm destruction due to the collusion of dust is adapted to be prevented. Tapers of two or more stages are formed at a diaphragm fixing flange, and the angle of the most inside taper is made smaller than the angle of the taper which is outside with respect to the most inside taper. When dust collides with the diaphragm and the kinetic energy is transformed into distortion energy, the diaphragm destruction is avoided by making small the slope of the load-displacement curve at the neighborhood of the diaphragm flange to make the generated load small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Yasukawa, Rintaro Minamitani, Shinya Igarashi, Masamichi Yamada, Akira Koide
  • Publication number: 20030019299
    Abstract: By sealing a diaphragm with less processes and lower cost and reducing deformation due to remaining stress, a stable and highly reliable pressure sensor construction is proposed. The pressure sensor is low in measurement error and small in floating capacitance and leakage current and good in characteristic. As a means to attain the above object, a polycrystalline silicon diaphragm is sealed with a silicon oxide film deposited through a LPCVD method and then completely covered. The diaphragm is placed on a surface of a semiconductor substrate with a nearly constant gap of 0.15 to 1.3 &mgr;m, and has difference-in-grade constructions of a deformation reducing means due to remaining stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Horie, Yasuo Onose, Norio Ichikawa, Seiji Kuryu, Satoshi Shimada, Akihiko Saito, Keiji Hanzawa, Masahiro Matsumoto, Hiroshi Moriya, Akio Yasukawa, Atsushi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 6414867
    Abstract: A heat sink or cooling case has a cooling channel and at least one opening formed to face part of the channel. A first seal is provided outside the at least one opening. A cooling case has a groove located outside the first seal. Holes are discretely formed in the groove and lead from the groove to an exterior of the cooling case. A second seal is provided outside the groove. A radiating plate constituting a circuit case is mounted on the heat sink by using a clamping device inside or outside the second seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Suzuki, Heikichi Kuwabara, Akio Yasukawa, Mitsuyuki Hombu, Hirohisa Yamamura, Sanshirou Obara, Kaname Sasaki
  • Patent number: 6410978
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which fatigue failure of a solder layer underneath a semiconductor chip mounted on a base can be prevented from occurring due to repetitions of turn-on and -off of power during operation thereof, is provided, that is, a recess is formed in the base in a part underneath the semiconductor chip so as to prevent occurrence of thermal expansion in the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Yasukawa, Hirohisa Yamamura, Tatsuya Shigemura