Patents by Inventor Aoi Watanabe

Aoi Watanabe 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: 9983036
    Abstract: A measurement control section of a flow meter device causes a measurement block dividing section to divide a sampling cycle Tc into three or more, for example, four measurement blocks Tb of an equal length and causes the flow measuring section to measure the flow of a fluid in each of the measurement blocks Tb. A flow calculating section of the flow measuring section calculates an average value of flow values obtained in all of the measurement blocks in each sampling cycle Tc, as a flow value in each sampling cycle Tc. This configuration allows a flow meter device which employs an inverse transit time difference method, such as an estimation gas meter, to more effectively lessen the influence of a pulsation and to perform flow measurement with higher accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Aoi Watanabe, Kouichi Takemura, Yasuo Koba, Masato Satou
  • Patent number: 9778084
    Abstract: A flow-rate measurement device which measures a flow rate of a fluid flowing through a fluid flow channel unit includes a tubular measurement flow channel unit that is stored in the fluid flow channel unit and has an inside in communication with the fluid flow channel unit. The flow-rate measurement device also includes a pair of sealing materials that blocks a flow of a fluid and is provided to encircle outer peripheries of the measurement flow channel unit at a first end and a second end; and a measurement unit including a substrate, on which a measurement circuit is mounted, and a pair of ultrasonic transducers. Further, the pair of ultrasonic transducers is electrically and fixedly connected to the substrate in the measurement unit, and the measurement unit is disposed between the pair of sealing materials on the measurement flow channel unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Satou, Yuji Nakabayashi, Hidetomo Nagahara, Akihisa Adachi, Aoi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9726532
    Abstract: A flow meter device includes plural fluid passages which are provided between an inlet section into which a fluid flows and an outlet section from which the fluid flows out, and through which the fluid flows and flow value measuring units installed in the plural fluid passages, respectively. The flow value measuring units are configured to measure flow values of the fluid flowing through the fluid passages. The flow meter device further includes a control unit configured to determine whether or not to cause one or more of the flow value measuring units to stop a measuring operation of the flow value based on the flow values measured by the flow value measuring units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihisa Adachi, Yuji Fujii, Yuji Nakabayashi, Hirokazu Gotou, Yukio Sakaguchi, Aoi Watanabe, Yasuharu Kawano
  • Patent number: 9683880
    Abstract: A setting method of a flow meter device comprises (A) measuring a compensation coefficient in a case where a fluid is flowed with a flow within a predetermined range, and deriving a first function representing as a linear function a relationship between a measurement compensation coefficient which is the measured compensation coefficient and a conversion value which is obtained by converting a set flow which is the flow of the flowed fluid, using a predetermined function; (B) setting a reference flow which is an arbitrary flow within the predetermined range and calculating a reference compensation coefficient which is a compensation coefficient corresponding to the reference flow based on the reference flow and the first function; and (C) storing the reference flow and the reference compensation coefficient corresponding to the reference flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Takemura, Aoi Watanabe, Yasuo Koba, Masato Satou
  • Patent number: 9664549
    Abstract: A gas meter device of the present invention includes an inlet into which a fluid flows, and an outlet from which the fluid flows out, and is configured to derive a flow value of the fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukio Sakaguchi, Akihisa Adachi, Yuji Fujii, Yuji Nakabayashi, Hirokazu Gotou, Yasuharu Kawano, Aoi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9638557
    Abstract: A flow meter device includes: a first vibrator, a second vibrator, a control unit, a timekeeper, and an arithmetic operation unit. The arithmetic operation unit is configured to: determine whether or not a time difference between a propagation time in the forward direction and a propagation time in the reverse direction is less than a predetermined value; calculate a propagation time correction amount based on the time difference if it is determined that the time difference is less than the predetermined value; and calculate a flow rate of the fluid by using the propagation time correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Takemura, Yuji Fujii, Yasuo Koba, Aoi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20160377468
    Abstract: A flow-rate measurement device which measures a flow rate of a fluid flowing through a fluid flow channel unit includes a tubular measurement flow channel unit that is stored in the fluid flow channel unit and has an inside in communication with the fluid flow channel unit. The flow-rate measurement device also includes a pair of sealing materials that blocks a flow of a fluid and is provided to encircle outer peripheries of the measurement flow channel unit at a first end and a second end; and a measurement unit including a substrate, on which a measurement circuit is mounted, and a pair of ultrasonic transducers. Further, the pair of ultrasonic transducers is electrically and fixedly connected to the substrate in the measurement unit, and the measurement unit is disposed between the pair of sealing materials on the measurement flow channel unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: MASATO SATOU, YUJI NAKABAYASHI, HIDETOMO NAGAHARA, AKIHISA ADACHI, AOI WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9528867
    Abstract: An ultrasonic flow meter comprises a flow channel for a fluid to be measured to flow through, an ultrasonic transducer having an acoustic matching body and a piezoelectric element fixed to a metal plate, an insulating damping member which covers the metal plate except for the acoustic matching body, a mounting portion provided in the flow channel, and a fixing member that fixes the ultrasonic transducer to the mounting portion, The fixing member has a pressing portion and an extended portion, and the ultrasonic transducer is fixed to the mounting portion by engaging a hole disposed in the extended portion with a hook disposed on the mounting portion. This structure reduces through-the-case conduction, and achieves the ultrasonic flow meter of high accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Satou, Hidetomo Nagahara, Aoi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9500508
    Abstract: A gas meter device of the present invention comprises plural measurement fluid passages provided in parallel between an inlet into which a fluid flows, and an outlet from which the fluid flows out; flow value measuring sections provided in the measurement fluid passages, respectively, and configured to obtain flow values of fluids flowing through the measurement fluid passages, respectively; memories configured to store coefficient data which are values corresponding to the measurement fluid passages, respectively and indicating a relation between the flow values of the fluids flowing through the measurement fluid passages, respectively, and a total flow value of the fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet; and total flow value estimation sections configured to estimate total flow values of the fluids based on the flow values obtained by the flow value measuring sections, respectively, and the coefficient data stored in the memories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Gotou, Akihisa Adachi, Yuji Fujii, Yuji Nakabayashi, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yasuharu Kawano, Aoi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9453748
    Abstract: A flow meter device includes: an inlet portion, into which a fluid flows; an outlet portion, from which the fluid flows out; a plurality of measurement passage portions provided parallel to each other between the inlet portion and the outlet portion; and at least one flow rate measurement unit, each flow rate measurement unit being configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid that flows through a passage in a corresponding one of the measurement passage portions. Shapes of passages in the respective measurement passage portions coincide with each other. The plurality of measurement passage portions include: the one measurement passage portion(s), which is/are each provided with the flow rate measurement unit; and the other measurement passage portion(s), which is/are not provided with the flow rate measurement unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Yasuda, Akihisa Adachi, Yuji Fujii, Yuji Nakabayashi, Yukio Sakaguchi, Hirokazu Gotou, Yasuharu Kawano, Aoi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9378725
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transducer comprises a metal plate; an acoustic matching member fastened to one of surfaces of the metal plate, a piezoelectric substrate which is fastened to the other surface of the metal plate and generates a vibration; and an insulating damping member covering a surface of the piezoelectric substrate which surface is on an opposite side of a surface fastened to the metal plate; wherein a thickness of the insulating damping member is set to a length which is n/2 of a wavelength of the vibration propagating through the insulating damping member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Satou, Hidetomo Nagahara, Yuji Fujii, Akihisa Adachi, Aoi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9212937
    Abstract: A flow meter device of a fluid includes a time difference measuring means which measures time for a received wave to reach a zero cross point after the received wave exceeds a reference voltage, after transmission of a signal, and a reference voltage setting means which changes the reference voltage from a minimum value to a maximum value, recognizes peak voltages of waves of the received wave based on a plurality of inflection points at which a time difference measured by the time difference measuring means when the reference voltage is changed from the minimum voltage to the maximum voltage, is significantly changed, and automatically sets the reference voltage to a point between peak voltages of particular two waves based on a ratio between the peak voltages, and the reference voltage is changed from a voltage which is close to the peak voltages of the two waves and the peak voltages are newly recognized, when the reference voltage is newly set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuo Koba, Kouichi Takemura, Aoi Watanabe, Yuji Fujii
  • Publication number: 20150338255
    Abstract: A flow meter device of a fluid includes a time difference measuring means which measures time for a received wave to reach a zero cross point after the received wave exceeds a reference voltage, after transmission of a signal, and a reference voltage setting means which changes the reference voltage from a minimum value to a maximum value, recognizes peak voltages of waves of the received wave based on a plurality of inflection points at which a time difference measured by the time difference measuring means when the reference voltage is changed from the minimum voltage to the maximum voltage, is significantly changed, and automatically sets the reference voltage to a point between peak voltages of particular two waves based on a ratio between the peak voltages, and the reference voltage is changed from a voltage which is close to the peak voltages of the two waves and the peak voltages are newly recognized, when the reference voltage is newly set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Yasuo KOBA, Kouichi TAKEMURA, Aoi WATANABE, Yuji FUJII
  • Publication number: 20150323364
    Abstract: A gas meter device of the present invention includes an inlet into which a fluid flows, and an outlet from which the fluid flows out, and is configured to derive a flow value of the fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Yukio SAKAGUCHI, Akihisa ADACHI, Yuji FUJII, Yuji NAKABAYASHI, Hirokazu GOTOU, Yasuharu KAWANO, Aoi WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20150323365
    Abstract: A flow meter device of the present invention comprises plural fluid passages which are provided between an inlet section into which a fluid flows and an outlet section from which the fluid flows out, and through which the fluid flows; flow value measuring units installed in the plural fluid passages, respectively, and configured to measure flow values of the fluid flowing through the fluid passages; and a control unit configured to determine whether or not to cause one or more of the flow value measuring units to stop a measuring operation of the flow value based on the flow values measured by the flow value measuring units, and whether or not to cause the one or more of the flow value measuring units to resume the measuring operation of the flow value, based on the flow value measured by the flow value measuring unit as a monitoring measuring unit which is other than the one or more of the flow value measuring units and is activated to perform the measuring operation of the flow value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Akihisa ADACHI, Yuji FUJII, Yuji NAKABAYASHI, Hirokazu GOTOU, Yukio SAKAGUCHI, Aoi WATANABE, Yasuharu KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20150292927
    Abstract: An ultrasonic flow meter comprises a flow channel (3) for a fluid to be measured to flow through, an ultrasonic transducer (5, 6) having an acoustic matching body (9c) and a piezoelectric element (9b) fixed to a metal plate (9a), an insulating damping member (11) which covers the metal plate (9a) except for the acoustic matching body (9c), a mounting portion (3b) provided in the flow channel (3), and a fixing member (13) that fixes the ultrasonic transducer (5, 6) to the mounting portion (3b), The fixing member (13) has a pressing portion (18) and an extended portion (12), and the ultrasonic transducer (5, 6) is fixed to the mounting portion (3b) by engaging a hole (16) disposed in the extended portion (12) with a hook (15) disposed on the mounting portion (3b). This structure reduces through-the-case conduction, and achieves the ultrasonic flow meter of high accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Masato Satou, Hidetomo Nagahara, Aoi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20150292926
    Abstract: A flow meter device includes: a first vibrator, a second vibrator, a control unit, a timekeeper, and an arithmetic operation unit. The arithmetic operation unit is configured to: determine whether or not a time difference between a propagation time in the forward direction and a propagation time in the reverse direction is less than a predetermined value; calculate a propagation time correction amount based on the time difference if it is determined that the time difference is less than the predetermined value; and calculate a flow rate of the fluid by using the propagation time correction amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Kouichi Takemura, Yuji Fujii, Yasuo Koba, Aoi Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20150292925
    Abstract: A setting method of a flow meter device comprises (A) measuring a compensation coefficient in a case where a fluid is flowed with a flow within a predetermined range, and deriving a first function representing as a linear function a relationship between a measurement compensation coefficient which is the measured compensation coefficient and a conversion value which is obtained by converting a set flow which is the flow of the flowed fluid, using a predetermined function; (B) setting a reference flow which is an arbitrary flow within the predetermined range and calculating a reference compensation coefficient which is a compensation coefficient corresponding to the reference flow based on the reference flow and the first function; and (C) storing the reference flow and the reference compensation coefficient corresponding to the reference flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Kouichi TAKEMURA, Aoi WATANABE, Yasuo KOBA, Masato SATOU
  • Publication number: 20150253166
    Abstract: A flow meter device includes: an inlet portion, into which a fluid flows; an outlet portion, from which the fluid flows out; a plurality of measurement passage portions provided parallel to each other between the inlet portion and the outlet portion; and at least one flow rate measurement unit, each flow rate measurement unit being configured to measure a flow rate of the fluid that flows through a passage in a corresponding one of the measurement passage portions. Shapes of passages in the respective measurement passage portions coincide with each other. The plurality of measurement passage portions include: the one measurement passage portion(s), which is/are each provided with the flow rate measurement unit; and the other measurement passage portion(s), which is/are not provided with the flow rate measurement unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Kenji Yasuda, Akihisa Adachi, Yuji Fujii, Yuji Nakabayashi, Yukio Sakaguchi, Hirokazu Gotou, Yasuharu Kawano, Aoi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9091575
    Abstract: An ultrasonic flow-meter of the present invention includes a partition plate which partitions a passage of a target fluid into a measurement passage and a non-measurement passage, a pair of ultrasonic transducers which is disposed in the measurement passage, a measuring unit which measures a propagation time of an ultrasonic wave between the pair of ultrasonic transducers, and a calculating unit which calculates a flow rate of the target fluid. Further, the calculating unit has a computing unit which computes at least one of a flow velocity and a flow rate of the target fluid in the measurement passage based on the propagation time and an estimating unit which estimates the flow rate of the target fluid in the passage based on the flow velocity or the flow rate in the measurement passage. As a result, an ultrasonic flow-meter which highly accurately measures a target fluid by using a simple configuration can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihisa Adachi, Masato Satou, Aoi Watanabe, Hajime Miyata