Patents by Inventor Kaoru Hirata

Kaoru Hirata 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: 11226641
    Abstract: A fluid control device includes a main body block including a first flow passage, and a second flow passage, a first and second fluid control units installed on an installation surface of the main body block. The first and second flow passages include a first portion extending along a first direction and a second flow passage portion orthogonal to the first direction. The second portion is formed of a hole extending from a side surface of the main body block and a sealing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Takahiro Imai, Shinya Ogawa, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11216016
    Abstract: A flow rate control method for raising a flow rate performed in a flow control device having a first control valve, a second control valve downstream of the first control valve, and a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure between the first and the second control valves, comprises a step (a) of determining a pressure remaining downstream of the first control valve in a state of closing the second control valve, and a step (b) of controlling the pressure remaining downstream of the first control valve by adjusting the opening degree of the second control valve based on the output of the pressure sensor to flow the fluid downstream the second control valve at the first flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kaoru Hirata, Shinya Ogawa, Katsuyuki Sugita, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11137779
    Abstract: The fluid controller includes a fluid control module and an external control module. The fluid control module includes a control valve on a flow channel, a valve driver circuit that drives the control valve, a fluid meter on a flow channel, and a first processor that processes a signal output from the fluid meter. The external control module includes a second processor that processes a signal output from the first processor. The second processor outputs a valve control signal according to the signal of the fluid meter output from the first processor, the valve control signal is directly input to the valve driver circuit without through the first processor, and the valve driver circuit outputs a voltage that drives the control valve according to the valve control signal from the second processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Yohei Sawada, Masahiko Takimoto, Kouji Nishino
  • Publication number: 20210240208
    Abstract: A flow rate control method performed in a flow control device 100 having a first control valve 6 provided in the flow path, a second control valve 8 provided downstream of the first control valve, and a pressure sensor 3 for measuring a fluid pressure upstream of the first control valve and downstream of the second control valve, comprises, at the time of flow rate raise, a step (a) of determining a pressure remaining downstream of the first control valve by using a pressure sensor in a state of closing the second control valve, and a step (b) of controlling the pressure remaining downstream of the first control valve by adjusting the opening degree of the second control valve on the basis of the output from the pressure sensor, and flowing a fluid at the first flow rate downstream the second control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kaoru HIRATA, Shinya OGAWA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20210239230
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element-driven valve 1 including a main body, a valve element, piezoelectric actuators, a plurality of cylindrical actuator boxes arranged in series, a cylindrical outer connecting jig detachably connecting the adjacent actuator boxes and having an opening for drawing out wiring, a plurality of piezoelectric actuators accommodated in the actuator box respectively in the same direction, and a cylindrical inner connecting jig slidably accommodated in the outer connecting jig and having an opening for positioning the adjacent piezoelectric actuators and drawing out wiring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Koji KAWADA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Patent number: 11079774
    Abstract: A flow rate control device (100) comprises: a pressure control valve (6) provided in a flow path; a flow rate control valve (8) provided downstream side of the pressure control valve; and a first pressure sensor (3) for measuring pressure on the downstream side of the pressure control valve and on the upstream side of the flow rate control valve. The flow rate control valve has a valve element (13) seated on/separated from a valve seat (12); a piezoelectric element (10b) for moving the valve element so as be seated on/separated from the valve seat; and a strain sensor (20) provided on a side surface of the piezoelectric element. The pressure control valve (6) is configured to control the pressure control valve (6) on the basis of a signal output from the first pressure sensor (3), and to control the driving of the piezoelectric element of the flow rate control valve (8) based on a signal output from the strain sensor (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Sugita, Ryousuke Dohi, Kaoru Hirata, Koji Kawada, Nobukazu Ikeda, Kouji Nishino
  • Patent number: 11054052
    Abstract: A piezoelectric-element-driven valve includes a valve seat provided on a flow path, a valving element detachably seated on the valve seat, and a piezoelectric element, and is configured to move the valve body by extension of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric-element-driven valve also is provided with a detection mechanism for detecting an extension amount of the piezoelectric element, the detection mechanism including a strain sensor, and being capable of detecting an movement amount of the valving element from an output of the strain sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ryousuke Dohi, Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Koji Kawada, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20210157341
    Abstract: A flow rate control method performed using a flow rate control device 100 comprising a first control valve 6 provided in a flow path, a second control valve 8 provided downstream of the first control valve, and a pressure sensor 3 for measuring fluid pressure downstream of the first control valve, the method comprising steps of: (a) closing the opening of the first control valve from a state in which, while controlling the opening of the first control valve based on an output of the pressure sensor so as to be the first flow rate, maintaining the opening of the second control valve in an open state, and flowing a fluid at the first flow rate; and (b) based on the output of the pressure sensor, the pressure remaining downstream of the first control valve is controlled by adjusting the opening of the second control valve, and flowing the fluid at the second flow rate downstream of the second control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kaoru HIRATA, Shinya OGAWA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20210141399
    Abstract: A flow rate control device 100 includes a control valve 6 provided in a flow path 1, a flow rate measurement unit 2, 3 for measuring fluid flow rate controlled by the control valve 6, and a controller 7. The controller 7 is configured so as to control the opening/closing operation of the control valve 6 to match the measurement integral flow rate based on the signal outputted from the flow rate measurement unit (Vn+Vd) to the target integral flow rate Vs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kouji NISHINO, Naofumi YASUMOTO, Kaoru HIRATA, Shinya OGAWA, Keisuke IDEGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10962513
    Abstract: A method for detecting the concentration of a specified gas contained in a mixed gas includes, in a pressure-type flow rate control device including a restriction portion, an upstream valve provided upstream of the restriction portion, and a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure between the restriction portion and the upstream valve, a step of flowing the mixed gas from the upstream side of the upstream valve in a state in which the pressure on the downstream side of the restriction portion is lower than the pressure on the upstream side of the restriction portion, a step of determining with a pressure sensor pressure drop characteristics occurring after the upstream valve is changed from an open to a closed state, and a step of determining the concentration of the specified gas in the mixed gas based on the pressure drop characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masaaki Nagase, Kenji Aikawa, Kaoru Hirata, Takahiro Imai, Tetsuo Naritomi, Tsutomu Shinohara, Takahiro Matsuda, Kouji Nishino
  • Patent number: 10928813
    Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control device includes a restriction part, a control valve disposed upstream of the restriction part, an upstream pressure sensor, a downstream pressure sensor, and a controller that diagnoses flow rate control by using pressure drop data on a flow passage between the control valve and the restriction part and reference pressure drop data, wherein a close command is issued to the control valve and a shutoff valve provided downstream of the downstream pressure sensor, and the controller determines whether a predetermined critical expansion condition is satisfied by using outputs of the upstream pressure sensor and the downstream pressure sensor after the control valve is closed, and diagnoses flow rate control by using the pressure drop data acquired during a period in which the predetermined critical expansion condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Yohei Sawada, Katsuyuki Sugita, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10884435
    Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control device 1, while maintaining an upstream pressure P1 of an orifice 5 at approximately at least twice a downstream pressure P2, calculates a flow factor FF of a mixed gas consisting of two types of gases mixed at a mixture ratio of X:(1?X) by FF=(k/?){2/(?+1)}1/(??1)[?/{(?+1)R}]1/2 using an average density ?, an average specific heat ratio ?, and an average gas constant R of the mixed gas that are calculated by weighting the densities, specific heat ratios, and gas constants of the two types of gases at the mixture ratio, and calculates a flow rate Q of the mixed gas passing through the orifice by Q=FF·S·P1(1/T1)1/2, where S is the orifice cross section, and P1 and T1 are respectively the pressure and temperature of the mixed gas on the upstream side of the orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10884436
    Abstract: A flow rate signal correction method applicable to a pressure-type flow rate control device that controls a flow rate by controlling pressure existing upstream of a restriction part includes a step of generating a primary signal indicating the flow rate in accordance with an output of a pressure sensor provided upstream of the restriction part and a step of generating a secondary signal as a corrected signal of the primary signal such that the current value of the primary signal and a value including information regarding one or a plurality of past values of the primary signal are used to derive a current value corrected according to a predetermined relational expression. The secondary signal is output as a flow rate signal during a stable flow rate period, and the secondary signal is not output as a flow rate signal during a transient change period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Sugita, Nobukazu Ikeda, Kouji Nishino, Kaoru Hirata, Masahiko Takimoto, Masayoshi Kawashima, Takahiro Imai
  • Patent number: 10883866
    Abstract: The pressure-type flow rate control device includes: a restriction part interposed in a flow channel; an upstream-side pressure sensor detecting a fluid pressure on the upstream side of the restriction part; a downstream-side pressure sensor detecting a fluid pressure on the downstream side of the restriction part; a flow control valve provided in the flow channel on the upstream side of the upstream-side pressure sensor; and computation control circuit controlling the flow control valve based on detected values of the upstream-side pressure sensor and the downstream-side pressure sensor, thereby controlling the flow. Under conditions where no fluid flow occurs in the flow channel, the computation control circuit computes the difference between the detected value of the upstream-side pressure sensor and the detected value of the downstream-side pressure sensor, and outputs a signal for pressure sensor malfunction determination based on the computed difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki Sugita, Kouji Nishino, Kaoru Hirata, Masahiko Takimoto, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10838435
    Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control device includes a control valve; a pressure sensor provided downstream of the control valve; an orifice-built-in valve provided downstream of the pressure sensor; and a control unit connected to the control valve and pressure sensor. The built-in orifice valve has a valve mechanism comprising a valve seat body and a valve element for opening/closing a flow path; a drive mechanism for driving the valve mechanism, and an orifice member provided in the vicinity of the valve mechanism. The pressure-type flow rate control device further includes an opening/closing-detection mechanism for detecting the open/closed state of the valve mechanism, the control unit being configured to receive a detection signal from the opening/closing-detection mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Nobukazu Ikeda, Kouji Nishino
  • Publication number: 20200348704
    Abstract: A flow rate control device (100) comprises: a pressure control valve (6) provided in a flow path; a flow rate control valve (8) provided downstream side of the pressure control valve; and a first pressure sensor (3) for measuring pressure on the downstream side of the pressure control valve and on the upstream side of the flow rate control valve. The flow rate control valve has a valve element (13) seated on/separated from a valve seat (12); a piezoelectric element (10b) for moving the valve element so as be seated on/separated from the valve seat; and a strain sensor (20) provided on a side surface of the piezoelectric element. The pressure control valve (6) is configured to control the pressure control valve (6) on the basis of a signal output from the first pressure sensor (3), and to control the driving of the piezoelectric element of the flow rate control valve (8) based on a signal output from the strain sensor (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Koji KAWADA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO
  • Publication number: 20200348158
    Abstract: A self-diagnosis method of a flow rate control device includes: a step (a) for measuring a pressure drop characteristic after a pressure control valve (6) has been changed to a closed state from a state where a fluid flows from the upstream side of the pressure control valve with the opening of a flow rate control valve (8) is larger than a restriction part; a step (b) for measuring the pressure drop characteristic after the pressure control valve has been changed to the closed state from a state where the fluid flows from the upstream side of the flow rate control valve to the downstream side with the opening of the flow rate control valve is smaller than the restriction part; a step (c) for determining whether there is an abnormality by comparing the pressure drop characteristic measured in step (a) with a corresponding reference pressure drop characteristic; a step (d) for determining whether there is an abnormality by comparing the pressure drop characteristic measured in step (b) with a corresponding ref
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Koji KAWADA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO
  • Publication number: 20200232873
    Abstract: An abnormality detection method performed using a flow rate control device including a restriction portion, a control valve, a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and a downstream valve, includes a step of changing the control valve and the downstream valve from an open state to a closed state, a step of measuring an upstream pressure or a downstream pressure in the closed state, and at least one step of (a) extracting an upstream pressure at a point when a difference between the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure reaches a predetermined value as an upstream convergence pressure, and extracting the downstream pressure as a downstream convergence pressure, and (b) extracting the time from a point when the control valve are changed to a closed state to a point when a difference between the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure reaches a predetermined value as a convergence time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masaaki NAGASE, Kaoru HIRATA, Yohei SAWADA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Patent number: 10646844
    Abstract: A vaporization supply apparatus comprises a vaporizer which heats and vaporize a liquid, a flow-rate control device which controls a flow rate of a gas sent out from the vaporizer, a first control valve interposed in a supply channel of a liquid to the vaporizer, a pressure detector for detecting a pressure of a gas vaporized by the vaporizer, a liquid detection part for measuring parameters of a liquid in an amount higher than a predetermined amount in the vaporizer, and a control device which controls the first control valve to supply a predetermined amount of a liquid to the vaporizer based on the pressure value detected by the pressure detector, and to close the first control valve when the liquid detection part detect a liquid in an amount higher than the predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Atsushi Hidaka, Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Takatoshi Nakatani, Satoru Yamashita, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda, Keiji Hirao
  • Patent number: 10648572
    Abstract: A valve with a built-in orifice includes a base section having a housing recess and first and second flow passages; a valve seat body; an inner disc; a valve element; and an orifice body, wherein the housing recess has a wide-diameter section and a narrow-diameter section, the first flow passage is connected to a space between a wall surface of the narrow-diameter section and the orifice body to communicate with a valve chamber, and the second flow passage communicates with the valve chamber through a through hole of the orifice body and a through hole of the valve seat body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yohei Sawada, Kaoru Hirata, Masaaki Nagase, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda