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).
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Patent number: 10641407Abstract: The flow controller according to the present invention includes: a control valve; a first flow passage provided on the downstream side of the control valve; a second flow passage; and an expansion chamber provided between the first flow passage and the second flow passage. The second flow passage is provided in a position that is not on the extension of the first flow passage.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Toru Hirai, Kazuyuki Morisaki, Kaoru Hirata, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Patent number: 10604840Abstract: To provide a liquid level indicator and a liquid raw material vaporization feeder, in which the time to detect a switch from the liquid phase to the gas phase has reduced flow rate dependence, and also the detection time can be shortened. The present invention includes a chamber 2 that stores a liquid raw material, at least one protection tube 3 housing a resistance temperature detector for detecting the liquid level L1 in the chamber 2, and a flow controller 4 that controls the flow rate of the gas flowing out from the chamber 2 and feeds the same. The protection tube 3 is horizontally inserted into a sidewall 2a of the chamber 2 and fixed thereto.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2015Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Atsushi Hidaka, Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Satoru Yamashita, Keiji Hirao, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Publication number: 20200088561Abstract: The liquid level meter according to the present invention includes a resistive temperature detector, a temperature measuring body located above it, a temperature detecting unit detecting temperatures of the resistive temperature detector and the temperature measuring body, a current controlling unit determining a current value to be flowed through the resistive temperature detector so that the resistive temperature detector and the temperature measuring body become a predetermined temperature difference, a power supply unit supplying the current of the determined current value to the resistive temperature detector, and a liquid level detecting unit detecting a position of a liquid level.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2017Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Atsushi HIDAKA, Takatoshi NAKATANI, Satoru YAMASHITA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kaoru HIRATA, Masaaki NAGASE, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Publication number: 20200033895Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control device includes a restriction part; a control valve provided upstream of the restriction part; an upstream pressure sensor for detecting pressure between the restriction part and the control valve; and an arithmetic processing circuit connected to the control valve and the upstream pressor sensor. The device is configured to perform flow rate control by controlling the control valve according to an output of the upstream pressure sensor. The arithmetic processing circuit performs an operation of closing the control valve in order to reduce a flow rate of a fluid flowing through the restriction part, and performs an operation of closing the control valve by feedback control in which a target value is an exponential function more gradual than the pressure drop characteristic data when a gas flows out of the restriction part.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2018Publication date: January 30, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kaoru HIRATA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO, Masahiko TAKIMOTO, Takahiro IMAI, Shinya OGAWA
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Publication number: 20200018736Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2017Publication date: January 16, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Masaaki NAGASE, Kenji AIKAWA, Kaoru HIRATA, Takahiro IMAI, Tetsuo NARITOMI, Tsutomu SHINOHARA, Takahiro MATSUDA, Kouji NISHINO
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Publication number: 20200018413Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2017Publication date: January 16, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Koji KAWADA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Patent number: 10534376Abstract: A gas divided flow supplying apparatus, including a control valve 3, a pressure type flow control unit 1a connected to a process gas inlet 11, a gas supply main pipe 8 connected to the downstream side of control valve 3, a plurality of branched pipe passages 9a, 9n connected in parallel to the downstream side of main pipe 8, opening and closing valves 10a, 10n interposed in the respective branched pipe passages 9a, 9n, orifices 6a, 6n provided on the downstream sides of valves 10a, 10n, a temperature sensor 4 provided near the process gas passage between the control valve 3 and the orifices 6a, 6n, a pressure sensor 5 provided in the process gas passage between the control valve 3 and the orifices 6a, 6n, divided gas flow outlets 11a, 11n provided on the outlet sides of the orifices 6a, 6n, and an arithmetic and control unit 7.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2013Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Kouji Nishino, Ryousuke Dohi, Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Patent number: 10386863Abstract: A pressure-type flow controller includes a main body provided with a fluid channel between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet and an exhaust channel between the fluid channel and an exhaust outlet; a pressure control valve fixed to the fluid inlet of the main body for opening/closing the upstream side of the fluid channel; a pressure sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the fluid channel on the downstream side of the pressure control valve; an orifice provided in the fluid channel on the downstream side of the point of branching of the exhaust channel; and an exhaust control valve for opening/closing the exhaust channel.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: FUIIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Kaoru Hirata, Nobukazu Ikeda, Kouji Nishino, Ryousuke Dohi, Katsuyuki Sugita
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Patent number: 10386861Abstract: A pressure type flow control system with flow monitoring includes an inlet, a control valve including a pressure flow control unit connected downstream of the inlet, a thermal flow sensor connected downstream of the control valve, an orifice installed on a fluid passage communicatively connected downstream of the thermal flow sensor, a temperature sensor provided near the fluid passage between the control valve and orifice, a pressure sensor provided for the fluid passage between the control valve and orifice, an outlet communicatively connected to the orifice, and a control unit including a pressure type flow rate arithmetic and control unit receiving a pressure signal from the pressure sensor and a temperature signal from the temperature sensor, and a flow sensor control unit to which a flow rate signal from the thermal flow sensor is input.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2017Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: Fujikin IncorporatedInventors: Kaoru Hirata, Ryousuke Dohi, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda, Katsuyuki Sugita
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Publication number: 20190250648Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2017Publication date: August 15, 2019Applicant: Fujikin IncorporatedInventors: Kaoru HIRATA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO
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Publication number: 20190243391Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2017Publication date: August 8, 2019Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Kaoru HIRATA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Takahiro IMAI, Shinya OGAWA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Patent number: 10372145Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate controller includes a body provided with a fluid passage which communicates a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, a control valve for pressure control fixed to the body to open and close the fluid passage, an orifice arranged in the course of the fluid passage on the downstream side of the control valve, and a pressure sensor fixed to the body to detect the internal pressure of the fluid passage between the control valve and the orifice, wherein the fluid passage comprises a first passage portion communicating the control valve and a pressure detection chamber provided on a pressure detection surface of the pressure sensor, and a second passage portion spaced away from the first passage portion and communicating the pressure detection chamber and the orifice.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2014Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: Fujikin IncorporatedInventors: Takashi Hirose, Toshihide Yoshida, Atsushi Matsumoto, Kaoru Hirata, Nobukazu Ikeda, Kouji Nishino, Ryousuke Dohi, Katsuyuki Sugita
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Publication number: 20190227577Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2017Publication date: July 25, 2019Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Masaaki NAGASE, Kaoru HIRATA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Publication number: 20190178389Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2017Publication date: June 13, 2019Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Yohei SAWADA, Kaoru HIRATA, Masaaki NAGASE, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Publication number: 20190129452Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2017Publication date: May 2, 2019Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Kaoru HIRATA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Yohei SAWADA, Masahiko TAKIMOTO, Kouji NISHINO
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Patent number: 10274356Abstract: A liquid level meter includes a first resistive temperature detector; a first temperature measuring body a liquid level detection section a temperature detection section detecting the temperatures of the first resistive temperature detector and the first temperature measuring body; a current control section determining a value of a current to apply to the first resistive temperature detector such that a difference between the temperatures of the first resistive temperature detector and the first temperature measuring body detected by the temperature detection section to be a first constant value; and a power supply unit supplying a current of the determined current value to the first resistive temperature detector; wherein the liquid level detection section determines whether the first resistive temperature detector is present in a liquid or outside of the liquid using the value of the current applied to the first resistive temperature detector.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2015Date of Patent: April 30, 2019Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Atsushi Hidaka, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Patent number: 10261522Abstract: The pressure-type flow controller includes a main body provided with a fluid passage, a control valve for pressure control fixed in a horizontal position to the main body, an on/off valve fixed in a vertical position to the main body on the downstream side of the control valve for pressure control, an orifice provided in the fluid passage on the upstream side of the on/off valve, and a pressure sensor fixed to the main body for detecting the internal pressure of the fluid passage between the control valve for pressure control and the orifice. The fluid passage includes a first passage portion in a horizontal position connected to the control valve for pressure control, a second passage portion in a vertical position connecting the first passage portion to the orifice, and a third passage portion in a horizontal position connecting the second passage portion to the pressure sensor.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Ryousuke Dohi, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Publication number: 20190094847Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2017Publication date: March 28, 2019Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Masaaki NAGASE, Kaoru HIRATA, Yohei SAWADA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Publication number: 20190085988Abstract: The flow controller according to the present invention includes: a control valve; a first flow passage provided on the downstream side of the control valve; a second flow passage; and an expansion chamber provided between the first flow passage and the second flow passage. The second flow passage is provided in a position that is not on the extension of the first flow passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2017Publication date: March 21, 2019Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Toru HIRAI, Kazuyuki MORISAKI, Kaoru HIRATA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Patent number: 10174858Abstract: A piezoelectric element-driven valve includes a body provided with a fluid channel and a valve seat, a valve element which opens and closes the fluid channel by being in contact with and separated from the valve seat of the body, and piezoelectric actuators which drive the valve element to open and close by means of the extension of the piezoelectric element. In the piezoelectric element-driven valve, at least two piezoelectric actuators are arranged on a straight line via a spacer which allows pulling out of wiring.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2015Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Ryousuke Dohi, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda