Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Niwa

Hitoshi Niwa 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: 4723069
    Abstract: A ceramic heater for regenerating a fine particle collecting filter which is exposed to exhaust gases at elevated temperatures. This ceramic heater comprises two electrode potions, a heat generation portion connected to the two electrode portions and a holding projection portion of a ceramic heater connected to the side of the heat generating portion. The two electrode portions, the heat generating portion and the holding projection portion are formed integrally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1988
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Hoshizaki, Kazuo Oyobe, Hirofumi Suzuki, Nobuaki Kawahara, Terutaka Kageyama, Hitoshi Niwa, Shinichi Takeshima, Yoshihiko Imamura, Kiyoshi Kobashi, Kenichiro Takama
  • Patent number: 4716279
    Abstract: A self-temperature controlling type heating device comprises a positive temperature coefficient ceramic resistor having a thin layer portion, a first electrode provided on one face of the thin layer portion, a second electrode provided on the other face of the thin layer portion opposite to the first electrode, and at least one third electrode provided on the surface of the PTC ceramic resistor in spaced relation to the first electrode. An electric current is allowed to flow between the first and second electrodes to form a heating element, and an electric resistance value between the first and third electrodes is detected to thereby make a temperature control. Thus, a high output is obtained at a low voltage and the control temperature is freely varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1987
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Hori, Toshiatsu Nagaya, Hirokatsu Mukai, Hitoshi Niwa, Naoto Miwa
  • Patent number: 4685437
    Abstract: An air heater for heating intake air for an internal combustion engine only in cold start or further warming up operation, having a frame which defines an opening for passing air therethrough, and at least one heater element in the shape of a perforated plate such as a lattice or honeycomb plate supported by the frame so as to traverse only a part of the opening area of the air passage opening, while leaving a substantial part of the opening area free as untraversed by the heater element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Nippondenso Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Tanaka, Hitoshi Niwa, Hirokatsu Mukai, Naoto Miwa, Akio Nara, Etsuji Nomura, Makoto Hori, Koichi Hasegawa, Hiroshi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 4667644
    Abstract: In an apparatus for heating intake air arranged in an intake air passage, a heater member of ceramic material having apertures for passing air therethrough is supported between upper and lower frame members. Metal plate members, such as silver plate members, are inserted between the end portions of the heater member and the electrode lead members which connect the heater member with terminal bolts of the heating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 26, 1987
    Assignees: Nippondenso Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Hori, Etsuji Nomura, Hitoshi Niwa, Hirokatsu Mukai, Toshiaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 4313810
    Abstract: An oxygen concentration sensing apparatus in which a block of an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte is interposed between a first electrode and a second electrode disposed opposite to each other. The first electrode is made of a catalytic metal and is exposed at a portion thereof on a surface of the solid electrolyte block, and an electrical insulating heat-resistive layer having a plurality of communication pores covers the exposed portion of the first electrode. The second electrode is porous and made of a catalytic metal. The solid electrolyte is wholly exposed to a stream of gases containing oxygen whose concentration is to be measured, and during measurement, a current source supplies continuously an electric current in a direction from the first electrode toward the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1979
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1982
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Niwa, Naoto Miwa, Masatoshi Suzuki, Masami Ouki
  • Patent number: 4220517
    Abstract: In an oxygen concentration sensing apparatus comprising a solid, oxygen ion conductive, electrolyte and intervening between two electrodes to generate across the two electrodes a potential difference due to a difference in oxygen concentrations at the boundaries between the two electrodes and the solid electrolyte, one of the two electrodes is made of a metal performing catalytic action, one end portion of the one electrode is embedded in the solid electrolyte to be fixed thereby, the other end portion of the one electrode projects outwardly of the solid electrolyte, a portion of the one electrode contacting with an outer surface of the solid electrolyte is hermetically sealed with a nonconductive layer of a heat-resistant material, and the other electrode is made of a porous metal performing catalytic action and is disposed on the outer surface of the solid electrolyte but preventing the other electrode from being in contact with the one electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1980
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Niwa, Naoto Miwa, Masatoshi Suzuki, Masami Ouki