Patents by Inventor Hajime Yui

Hajime Yui 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: 11855315
    Abstract: A separator-integrated gasket with improved productivity includes a separator main body for a fuel cell and an elastic gasket formed integrally with the separator main body. The separator main body includes a bead and a pair of protrusions located on opposite sides of the bead to block the liquid rubber applied to the bead. The gasket is formed when the liquid rubber is cured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Yui, Toshihiro Shimazoe, Ryo Tomita
  • Publication number: 20230317978
    Abstract: A gasket includes a first separator having a first bead, and a second separator superposed with the first separator and having a second bead formed at a position opposite to the first bead, wherein the first separator further has a first protrusion disposed close to the first bead and protruding from a first separator front surface in the same direction as the protruding direction of the first bead, and the second separator further has a second protrusion disposed close to the second bead, protruding from a second separator rear surface in a direction opposite to the protruding direction of the second bead, and fittable to the first protrusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Hajime YUI, Shigeru WATANABE, Takeshi MASAKA
  • Publication number: 20230035997
    Abstract: A gasket manufacturing method, which enables an improvement in sealing performance by making the thickness of a gasket formed on a bead on a base member more uniform. The manufacturing method of a separator-integrated gasket includes dispensing a gasket material, and curing the gasket material dispensed on the bead. The bead includes portions having different widths in a short direction thereof. Compared to a moving speed of a dispensing apparatus relative to the separator body in a narrow portion where the width is small, the moving speed is slower in a wide portion having a larger width than the narrow portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime YUI, Ryo TOMITA, Takuro NISHIMURA, Taiki YUASA
  • Patent number: 11525511
    Abstract: A film-integrated gasket is provided in which a gasket body is supported by a gasket support body formed of a resin film and a film thickness t2 at a position where the gasket body is supported is set to be smaller than a film thickness t1 at an adjacent position thereto so as to satisfy a demand for low reaction force by reducing the compression ratio in the thickness directional in mounting. The film-integrated gasket can be provided with a portion compressed in the thickness direction at the position where the gasket body is supported, so that the portion sets a thickness difference. The film-integrated gasket can alternatively be provided with a portion where a plurality of resin films is stacked at an adjacent position to the position where the gasket main body is supported, so that the portion sets a thickness difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Inventors: Hajime Yui, Kenichi Oba
  • Patent number: 11433582
    Abstract: A base-material/gasket unit mold which can reduce molding failure occurrence is provided. The mold includes a first half mold including a base material holding portion arranged on a first parting surface to hold a base material, and a second half mold having a second parting surface and used together with the first half mold to close and open the mold. The second half mold includes a gasket cavity defined on the second parting surface side to form a gasket main body on a surface of the base material, an isolated rubber cavity forming an isolated rubber portion isolated from the gasket main body on the surface of the base material, and a mold-pressing portion arranged around the isolated rubber cavity to press the base material when the mold is closed and having a recessed part defined on a press surface side to reduce deformation of the base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Yui, Kenichi Oba
  • Patent number: 11437633
    Abstract: A fuel cell seal structure includes stacked fuel cells and an electrolyte membrane or a film supported between the neighboring metal separators. Each of the stacked fuel cells includes neighboring metal separators each including a plate portion having a plate portion surface, a bead seal portion projecting from the plate portion surface and including a distal end having a distal end surface, an elastic body disposed on the distal end surface, and a stopper disposed on the plate portion surface and away from the elastic body. The neighboring metal separators are disposed such that elastic bodies are located opposed to each other in a stacking direction with the electrolyte membrane or the film supported in between the elastic bodies and face each other, and such that stoppers are located neighboring to each other in the stacking direction with the electrolyte membrane or the film supported in between the stoppers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Tomita, Hajime Yui
  • Patent number: 11431004
    Abstract: A method of suctioning a gasket main body with a suction jig to separate the gasket main body from a carrier film. The method separates a gasket main body from a carrier film in a gasket including a combination of the gasket main body and the carrier film adhered thereto, where a suction jig is used to separate the carrier film and the gasket main body; the suction jig includes a suction surface at a position facing the carrier film; the suction surface being formed with a suction groove having a shape that corresponds with a planar shape of the gasket main body, the suction groove being formed with a plurality of suction paths across the entire periphery; and the gasket main body is suctioned to the suction groove with the suction force from the suction paths in the suction jig and separated from the carrier film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Inventors: Hajime Yui, Kenichi Oba, Takuro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 11302931
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a separator assembly for fuel cell includes a separator assembly forming step in which a separator assembly including a first metal separator and a second metal separator each having a protruding bead portion is formed by joining together the surfaces of the first and second metal separators opposite from their respective bead portions protruding, and a preload applying step in which a pair of platens apply a preload in a thickness direction of the separator assembly to a bead seal section formed of one pair of the bead portions, and thereby the bead seal section is plastically deformed. In the preload applying step, the preload applied to a linear portion of the bead seal section is set to be smaller than the preload applied to a curve portion of the bead seal section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Shimada, Hajime Yui, Shigeru Watanabe, Toshihiro Shimazoe
  • Patent number: 11255435
    Abstract: A gasket includes a reinforcing body made of a resin film, a one-side gasket body on one surface of the reinforcing body, and another-side gasket body on another surface of the reinforcing body. The reinforcing body has, between both gasket bodies, a three-dimensional shape in which the resin film is bent. The one-side gasket body includes an inversely-tapered engaging convex portion protruding toward the other-side gasket body, the reinforcing body includes a deformation portion as the three-dimensional shape deforming along a shape of the engaging convex portion, and the other-side gasket body includes an inversely-tapered engaging concave portion embedding therein the engaging convex portion and the deformation portion. At least one of the one-side gasket body and the other-side gasket body includes a flat surface-shaped seal surface, and the reinforcing body has a convex shape as the three-dimensional shape protruding toward the flat surface-shaped seal surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Inventors: Sohei Shirakawa, Hajime Yui, Takayuki Horimoto, Hidetoshi Saso
  • Publication number: 20210280880
    Abstract: A separator-integrated gasket with improved productivity includes a separator main body for a fuel cell and an elastic gasket formed integrally with the separator main body. The separator main body includes a bead and a pair of protrusions located on opposite sides of the bead to block the liquid rubber applied to the bead. The gasket is formed when the liquid rubber is cured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Hajime YUI, Toshihiro SHIMAZOE, Ryo TOMITA
  • Publication number: 20210234178
    Abstract: A fuel cell seal structure includes stacked fuel cells and an electrolyte membrane or a film supported between the neighboring metal separators. Each of the stacked fuel cells includes neighboring metal separators each including a plate portion having a plate portion surface, a bead seal portion projecting from the plate portion surface and including a distal end having a distal end surface, an elastic body disposed on the distal end surface, and a stopper disposed on the plate portion surface and away from the elastic body. The neighboring metal separators are disposed such that elastic bodies are located opposed to each other in a stacking direction with the electrolyte membrane or the film supported in between the elastic bodies and face each other, and such that stoppers are located neighboring to each other in the stacking direction with the electrolyte membrane or the film supported in between the stoppers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo TOMITA, Hajime YUI
  • Publication number: 20210206038
    Abstract: A base-material/gasket unit mold which can reduce molding failure occurrence is provided. The mold includes a first half mold including a base material holding portion arranged on a first parting surface to hold a base material, and a second half mold having a second parting surface and used together with the first half mold to close and open the mold. The second half mold includes a gasket cavity defined on the second parting surface side to form a gasket main body 121 on a surface of the base material, an isolated rubber cavity forming an isolated rubber portion isolated from the gasket main body on the surface of the base material, and a mold-pressing portion arranged around the isolated rubber cavity to press the base material when the mold is closed and having a recessed part defined on a press surface side to reduce deformation of the base material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime YUI, Kenichi OBA
  • Publication number: 20210194016
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a separator assembly for fuel cell includes a separator assembly forming step in which a separator assembly including a first metal separator and a second metal separator each having a protruding bead portion is formed by joining together the surfaces of the first and second metal separators opposite from their respective bead portions protruding, and a preload applying step in which a pair of platens apply a preload in a thickness direction of the separator assembly to a bead seal section formed of one pair of the bead portions, and thereby the bead seal section is plastically deformed. In the preload applying step, the preload applied to a linear portion of the bead seal section is set to be smaller than the preload applied to a curve portion of the bead seal section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi SHIMADA, Hajime YUI, Shigeru WATANABE, Toshihiro SHIMAZOE
  • Patent number: 11028924
    Abstract: A two-sided gasket is constituted of gasket bodies respectively provided on both surfaces of a base member in a thickness direction. The gasket has a structure in which one gasket body contributes to ensuring a seal surface pressure in an opposite gasket body, such that a configuration of the opposite gasket body and a method for forming the opposite gasket body are simplified. The gasket includes a base member, one gasket body that is provided on one side surface of the base member in the thickness direction, and an opposite gasket body that is provided on an opposite side surface of the base member in the thickness direction. The one gasket body includes a projection protruding toward the opposite side in the thickness direction. The base member includes a deformed portion protruding toward the opposite side in the thickness direction by covering the projection. The opposite gasket body is formed as a film-shaped rubber layer deposited on a front surface of the deformed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventors: Satomi Yoshida, Hajime Yui
  • Patent number: 10960585
    Abstract: A gasket with a carrier film containing a combination of a rubber-only gasket body and a carrier film holding the gasket body. The carrier film can be easily detached from the gasket body even when the gasket body adheres to the carrier film. In embodiments, the gasket contains a combination of a rubber-only gasket body and a carrier film holding the gasket body. A tab enlarging the plane area of the gasket body is integrally provided in the gasket body. As a method for handling the gasket, when the carrier film is detached from the gasket body, the carrier film is detached from the gasket body in a state where the gasket body is fixed to a base with the tab or the carrier film is detached from the gasket body with the tab in a state where the carrier film is fixed to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Yui, Kenichi Oba, Takuro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 10865881
    Abstract: A gasket is provided which is configured so that a gasket body is easily separated from a carrier film and the positional shift of the gasket body in stacking can be prevented. The gasket has a combination of a gasket body which contains only a rubber-like elastic body and which, in order to seal a gap between one member and the other member, is mounted in the other member and a carrier film separably stuck to one surface side in the thickness direction of the gasket body, in which an engagement portion is formed in the other surface in the thickness direction of the gasket body at a position corresponding to a portion to be engaged formed in the other member, and the gasket body is mounted in the other member by engagement of the engagement portion and the portion to be engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Inventors: Hajime Yui, Kenichi Oba, Takuro Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20200321635
    Abstract: A gasket handling method is provided of suctioning a gasket main body with a suction jig to separate the gasket main body from a carrier film. The gasket handling method separates a gasket main body from a carrier film in a gasket including a combination of the gasket main body and the carrier film adhered thereto, where a suction jig is used to separate the carrier film and the gasket main body; the suction jig includes a suction surface at a position facing the carrier film; the suction surface being formed with a suction groove having a shape that corresponds with a planar shape of the gasket main body, the suction groove being formed with a plurality of suction paths across the entire periphery; and the gasket main body is suctioned to the suction groove with the suction force from the suction paths in the suction jig and separated from the carrier film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: Hajime YUI, Kenichi OBA, Takuro NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 10741853
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a structure which is configured so that the handling workability of a rubber-only gasket is improved and, even when a gasket body and a carrier film adhere to each other, the carrier film is easily detached from the gasket body. To achieve the object, a rubber-only gasket body and a carrier film containing a resin film detachably holding the gasket body are combined and a gasket holding portion containing a three-dimensional shape deformed along an outer shape of the gasket body is provided in a portion overlapping with the gasket body on the plane in the carrier film. The gasket holding portion containing the three-dimensional shape has a stepped shape in which one side surface of the gasket body is not held and only the other side surface and the lower surface of the gasket body are held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Horimoto, Hajime Yui
  • Patent number: 10625445
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a substrate-integrated gasket using screen printing. The method includes: a step for forming, on a surface of a substrate by means of screen printing, a coating layer of a paste for forming a gasket; and a step for hardening the coating layer by pressing, at a predetermined height, a coating layer correction member to the coating layer. The cross-sectional shape of the coating layer formed on the surface of the substrate is corrected by means of the coating layer correction member, and in such state, the coating layer hardens to be a gasket, thereby forming a gasket having a highly accurate cross-sectional shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hajime Yui, Tetsuya Urakawa, Kenichi Oba
  • Patent number: 10626993
    Abstract: The present invention improves the handling properties of a rubber-only gasket and the affixability thereof to an attachment position. To this end, the provided gasket is: obtained by combining a gasket body of the rubber-only type, and a carrier sheet that comprises a resin film and holds the gasket body in an un-adhered state; and characterized in that the gasket body is provided with an adhesive section or bonding section for adhering or bonding the gasket body to an attachment position when attaching the gasket body to the attachment position. The adhesive section or bonding section is prepared by providing the lateral surface of the gasket body with a projecting section, and coating the surface of the projecting section with an adhesive or bonding agent. The gasket body is to be used as a gasket for a fuel cell to be incorporated into a fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Saso, Yoshihiro Kurano, Takayuki Horimoto, Tetsuya Urakawa, Kenichi Oba, Takuro Nishimura, Hajime Yui