Patents by Inventor Atsushi Heguri

Atsushi Heguri 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: 9605094
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method for producing water-absorbent resin particles, comprising a polymerization step that includes mixing an oily liquid comprising a hydrocarbon dispersing medium and a surfactant, and an aqueous liquid comprising an aqueous solvent and a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer, forming a suspension comprising an oily liquid and an aqueous liquid dispersed in the oily liquid, and polymerizing the water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in the suspension. The HLB of the surfactant is 6 or greater, and the temperature of the suspension is kept at 35° C. or higher during the period from initial mixing of the oily liquid and aqueous liquid until complete mixing of the entire amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Heguri, Kenji Tanimura, Yuichi Onoda, Masayoshi Handa
  • Patent number: 9320660
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing water-absorbing resin particles having high equilibrium swelling capacity, a high water-absorption rate or high initial swelling capacity, and an appropriate particle size that achieves good handling performance; water-absorbing resin particles obtained by the method; and a water blocking material and an absorbent article which include the water-absorbing resin particles. The present invention is a method for producing water-absorbing resin particles, which comprises: preparing a hydrogel polymer by reversed-phase suspension polymerization of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a hydrocarbon solvent in the absence of an internal crosslinking agent but in the presence of a surfactant with an HLB of 8 to 12; carrying out a post-crosslinking reaction of the hydrogel polymer whose moisture content is adjusted to 30 to 110 mass % based on a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer component that composes the hydrogel polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sachi Kikuno, Atsushi Heguri, Masayoshi Handa, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 9199218
    Abstract: Disclosed is a water-absorbent resin particle in which the water-absorption rate of physiological saline is 1 second to 15 seconds, the median particle size is 100 ?m to 600 ?m, and the residual volatile component content is 1.5% by weight or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Handa, Kenji Tanimura, Atsushi Heguri, Yuichi Onoda
  • Patent number: 9132413
    Abstract: A method for producing a water-absorbent resin comprising at least two stages of reversed-phase suspension polymerization, wherein the first stage of the at least two stages of reversed-phase suspension polymerization comprises the following steps of: (A) performing a primary dispersion by stirring to mix in the absence of surfactants an aqueous solution of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing a hydrophilic polymeric dispersion agent with a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium in which a hydrophobic polymeric dispersion agent dissolves or disperses; (B) further performing a secondary dispersion by adding a surfactant to the resultant dispersion liquid; and (C) performing a polymerization by using a water-soluble radical polymerization initiator to obtain a water-absorbent resin as particles in a hydrous gel state which disperse in the petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sachi Kikuno, Atsushi Heguri, Hideki Yokoyama, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 9102771
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a water-absorbent resin by a reversed-phase suspension polymerization method, wherein an odor originating from a raw material component, in particular, a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, is further reduced as compared with a water-absorbent resin obtained by a conventional method, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method. More specifically, a method is disclosed for producing a water-absorbent resin by performing a reversed-phase suspension polymerization of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, comprising adding and dispersing an aqueous solution of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing a hydrophilic polymeric dispersion agent to a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium in the presence of a surfactant under stirring, and performing a reversed-phase suspension polymerization using a radical polymerization initiator, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Yokoyama, Atsushi Heguri, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 8951637
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing water-absorbent resin particles which show an excellent water absorption rate and high equilibrium swelling capacity and which have an appropriate particle size to be excellent in handleability, and water-absorbent resin particles obtained by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Heguri, Kenji Tanimura, Yuichi Onoda
  • Patent number: 8900707
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing water-absorbent resin particles which show an excellent water absorption rate and high equilibrium swelling capacity and which have an appropriate particle size to be excellent in handleability, and water-absorbent resin particles obtained by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Heguri, Kenji Tanimura, Yuichi Onoda
  • Patent number: 8883944
    Abstract: A method for producing a water-absorbent resin by performing a reversed-phase suspension polymerization of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, comprising the following steps of: (A) performing a primary dispersion in the absence of surfactants by adding an aqueous solution of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing a hydrophilic polymeric dispersion agent to a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium in which a hydrophobic polymeric dispersion agent was heat-dispersed or heat-dissolved, under stirring; (B) further performing a secondary dispersion by adding a surfactant to a dispersion liquid obtained after the primary dispersion; and (C) performing the reversed-phase suspension polymerization by using a radical polymerization initiator; and the water-absorbent resin obtained by the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Heguri, Sachi Kikuno, Hideki Yokoyama, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 8859700
    Abstract: A method for producing a water-absorbent resin having a further reduced odor as compared with a water-absorbent resin obtained by a conventional method as well as a water-absorbent resin produced by the same method, by maintaining the addition rate V from the pouring nozzle for the aqueous solution of the water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a polymerization reaction tank not more than 0.30 [min?1], in the first stage polymerization step which is within the step of the conventional method upon performing multi-stages such as two or more stages of reversed-phase suspension polymerizations in a method for producing a water-absorbent resin, and thereby by being able to reduce the amount of the petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium remaining in the above water-absorbent resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Yokoyama, Sachi Kikuno, Atsushi Heguri, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 8841395
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a water-absorbent resin by a reversed-phase suspension polymerization method, wherein an odor originating from a raw material component, in particular, a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, was reduced, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method. More specifically, the present invention provides a method for producing a water-absorbent resin comprising performing a reversed-phase suspension polymerization of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium by using a surfactant, wherein an aqueous solution of the water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer is dispersed in the dispersion medium at a specific pouring rate to reduce an odor, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Seika Chemicals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Yokoyama, Sachi Kikuno, Atsushi Heguri, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Publication number: 20140243478
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method for producing water-absorbent resin particles, comprising a polymerization step that includes mixing an oily liquid comprising a hydrocarbon dispersing medium and a surfactant, and an aqueous liquid comprising an aqueous solvent and a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer, forming a suspension comprising an oily liquid and an aqueous liquid dispersed in the oily liquid, and polymerizing the water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in the suspension. The HLB of the surfactant is 6 or greater, and the temperature of the suspension is kept at 35° C. or higher during the period from initial mixing of the oily liquid and aqueous liquid until complete mixing of the entire amounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Atsushi Heguri, Kenji Tanimura, Yuichi Onoda, Masayoshi Handa
  • Publication number: 20140179886
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing a water-absorbent resin by a reversed-phase suspension polymerization method, wherein an odor originating from a raw material component, in particular, a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, is further reduced as compared with a water-absorbent resin obtained by a conventional method, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method. More specifically, a method is disclosed for producing a water-absorbent resin by performing a reversed-phase suspension polymerization of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, comprising adding and dispersing an aqueous solution of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing a hydrophilic polymeric dispersion agent to a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium in the presence of a surfactant under stirring, and performing a reversed-phase suspension polymerization using a radical polymerization initiator, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Yokoyama, Atsushi Heguri, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Publication number: 20140127510
    Abstract: Disclosed is a water-absorbent resin particle in which the water-absorption rate of physiological saline is 1 second to 15 seconds, the median particle size is 100 ?m to 600 ?m, and the residual volatile component content is 1.5% by weight or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Handa, Kenji Tanimura, Atsushi Heguri, Yuichi Onoda
  • Publication number: 20130260151
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing water-absorbent resin particles which show an excellent water absorption rate and high equilibrium swelling capacity and which have an appropriate particle size to be excellent in handleability, and water-absorbent resin particles obtained by the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Heguri, Kenji Tanimura, Yuichi Onoda
  • Publication number: 20130119309
    Abstract: A method for producing a water-absorbent resin comprising at least two stages of reversed-phase suspension polymerization, wherein the first stage of the at least two stages of reversed-phase suspension polymerization comprises the following steps of: (A) performing a primary dispersion by stirring to mix in the absence of surfactants an aqueous solution of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing a hydrophilic polymeric dispersion agent with a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium in which a hydrophobic polymeric dispersion agent dissolves or disperses; (B) further performing a secondary dispersion by adding a surfactant to the resultant dispersion liquid; and (C) performing a polymerization by using a water-soluble radical polymerization initiator to obtain a water-absorbent resin as particles in a hydrous gel state which disperse in the petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sachi Kikuno, Atsushi Heguri, Hideki Yokoyama, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Publication number: 20130123455
    Abstract: A method for producing a water-absorbent resin having a further reduced odor as compared with a water-absorbent resin obtained by a conventional method as well as a water-absorbent resin produced by the same method, by maintaining the addition rate V from the pouring nozzle for the aqueous solution of the water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a polymerization reaction tank not more than 0.30 [min?1], in the first stage polymerization step which is within the step of the conventional method upon performing multi-stages such as two or more stages of reversed-phase suspension polymerizations in a method for producing a water-absorbent resin, and thereby by being able to reduce the amount of the petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium remaining in the above water-absorbent resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Yokoyama, Sachi Kikuno, Atsushi Heguri, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Publication number: 20130123445
    Abstract: A method for producing a water-absorbent resin by performing a reversed-phase suspension polymerization of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, comprising the following steps of: (A) performing a primary dispersion in the absence of surfactants by adding an aqueous solution of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing a hydrophilic polymeric dispersion agent to a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium in which a hydrophobic polymeric dispersion agent was heat-dispersed or heat-dissolved, under stirring; (B) further performing a secondary dispersion by adding a surfactant to a dispersion liquid obtained after the primary dispersion; and (C) performing the reversed-phase suspension polymerization by using a radical polymerization initiator; and the water-absorbent resin obtained by the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Heguri, Sachi Kikuno, Hideki Yokoyama, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Publication number: 20130123454
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a water-absorbent resin by a reversed-phase suspension polymerization method, wherein an odor originating from a raw material component, in particular, a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium, was reduced, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method. More specifically, the present invention provides a method for producing a water-absorbent resin comprising performing a reversed-phase suspension polymerization of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a petroleum hydrocarbon dispersion medium by using a surfactant, wherein an aqueous solution of the water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer is dispersed in the dispersion medium at a specific pouring rate to reduce an odor, and a water-absorbent resin obtained by the method, are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideki Yokoyama, Sachi Kikuno, Atsushi Heguri, Nobuhiro Maeda
  • Publication number: 20120295103
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing water-absorbing resin particles having high equilibrium swelling capacity, a high water-absorption rate or high initial swelling capacity, and an appropriate particle size that achieves good handling performance; water-absorbing resin particles obtained by the method; and a water blocking material and an absorbent article which include the water-absorbing resin particles. The present invention is a method for producing water-absorbing resin particles, which comprises: preparing a hydrogel polymer by reversed-phase suspension polymerization of a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a hydrocarbon solvent in the absence of an internal crosslinking agent but in the presence of a surfactant with an HLB of 8 to 12; carrying out a post-crosslinking reaction of the hydrogel polymer whose moisture content is adjusted to 30 to 110 mass % based on a water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer component that composes the hydrogel polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sachi Kikuno, Atsushi Heguri, Masayoshi Handa, Nobuhiro Maeda