Patents by Inventor Izumi Nakagawa

Izumi Nakagawa 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).

  • Method for producing lactic acid and method for producing polylactic acid
    Patent number: 11597694
    Abstract: Lactic acid is obtained by a method including (A) a step of continuous fermentation wherein a fermentation culture medium of a microorganism having an ability of lactic acid fermentation is filtered through a porous membrane having an average pore size of not less than 0.01 ?m and less than 1 ?m with a transmembrane pressure difference within the range of 0.1 to 20 kPa, and the permeate is collected, while retaining the non-permeated liquid in or returning the non-permeated liquid to the culture, and adding a fermentation feedstock to the culture; (B) a step of filtering the permeate obtained in Step (A) through a nanofiltration membrane; and (C) a step of distilling the permeate obtained in Step (B) under a pressure of not less than 1 Pa and not more than atmospheric pressure, at 25° C. to 200° C. to recover lactic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Sawai, Hideki Sawai, Takashi Mimitsuka, Masateru Ito, Katsushige Yamada, Kenji Kawamura, Shin-ichi Minegishi, Izumi Nakagawa, Tatsuya Nagano
  • Method for producing lactic acid and method for producing polylactic acid
    Patent number: 10683254
    Abstract: Lactic acid is obtained by a method including (A) a step of continuous fermentation wherein a fermentation culture medium of a microorganism having an ability of lactic acid fermentation is filtered through a porous membrane having an average pore size of not less than 0.01 ?m and less than 1 ?m with a transmembrane pressure difference within the range of 0.1 to 20 kPa, and the permeate is collected, while retaining the non-permeated liquid in or returning the non-permeated liquid to the culture, and adding a fermentation feedstock to the culture; (B) a step of filtering the permeate obtained in Step (A) through a nanofiltration membrane; and (C) a step of distilling the permeate obtained in Step (B) under a pressure of not less than 1 Pa and not more than atmospheric pressure, at 25° C. to 200° C. to recover lactic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Sawai, Hideki Sawai, Takashi Mimitsuka, Ito Masateru, Katsushige Yamada, Kenji Kawamura, Shin-ichi Minegishi, Izumi Nakagawa, Tatsuya Nagano
  • Process for producing diamine and polyamide
    Patent number: 8334411
    Abstract: A method for producing a diamine includes purifying a diamine from an aqueous solution containing a diamine salt by adding an alkaline substance to the aqueous solution and then filtering the resulting solution by allowing the solution to pass through a nanofiltration membrane to remove the salt, thereby obtaining an aqueous diamine solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Masateru Ito, Izumi Nakagawa, Koya Kato, Takashi Mimitsuka, Kenji Sawai, Shin-ichi Minegishi, Hideki Sawai, Katsushige Yamada
  • METHOD FOR PRODUCING LACTIC ACID AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING POLYLACTIC ACID
    Publication number: 20110263811
    Abstract: Lactic acid is obtained by a method including (A) a step of continuous fermentation wherein a fermentation culture medium of a microorganism having an ability of lactic acid fermentation is filtered through a porous membrane having an average pore size of not less than 0.01 ?m and less than 1 ?m with a transmembrane pressure difference within the range of 0.1 to 20 kPa, and the permeate is collected, while retaining the non-permeated liquid in or returning the non-permeated liquid to the culture, and adding a fermentation feedstock to the culture; (B) a step of filtering the permeate obtained in Step (A) through a nanofiltration membrane; and (C) a step of distilling the permeate obtained in Step (B) under a pressure of not less than 1 Pa and not more than atmospheric pressure, at 25° C. to 200° C. to recover lactic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kenji Sawai, Hideki Sawai, Takashi Mimitsuka, Ito Masateru, Katsushige Yamada, Kenji Kawamura, Shin-ichi Minegishi, Izumi Nakagawa, Tatsuya Nagano
  • PROCESS FOR PRODUCING DIAMINE AND POLYAMIDE
    Publication number: 20110004018
    Abstract: A method for producing a diamine includes purifying a diamine from an aqueous solution containing a diamine salt by adding an alkaline substance to the aqueous solution and then filtering the resulting solution by allowing the solution to pass through a nanofiltration membrane to remove the salt, thereby obtaining an aqueous diamine solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masateru Ito, Izumi Nakagawa, Koya Kato, Takashi Mimitsuka, Kenji Sawai, Shin-ichi Minegishi, Hideki Sawai, Katsushige Yamada