Patents by Inventor Katsuya Akimoto

Katsuya Akimoto 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: 11788338
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pinch detection switch (1) that includes one tubular pressure-sensitive detection member (5) having a plurality of electrode wires spaced apart from one another, and a cover member (4) covering the pressure-sensitive detection member. When the cover member (4) is viewed in cross section, the cover member (4) includes a base portion (4-1), a hollow portion (6), and a deformation portion (4-2) provided on the base portion (4-1) so as to cover the hollow portion (6). The pressure-sensitive detection member (5) is arranged in the deformation portion (4-2), and a receiving portion (9) configured to receive the pressure-sensitive detection member (5) is arranged on the base portion (4-1). The receiving portion (9) has at least two receiving surfaces (9-1, 9-3) formed at positions facing the pressure-sensitive detection member (5), the two receiving surfaces being configured to receive the pressure-sensitive detection member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: PROTERIAL, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Akimoto, Shuichi Suzuki, Katsutoshi Nakatani
  • Patent number: 11276812
    Abstract: A piezoelectric body that is excellent in endurance, flexibility and bendability is achieved. A piezoelectric member includes: belt type first and second conductive rubber sheets that face each other; and a piezoelectric layer formed between an upper surface of the first conductive rubber sheet and a lower surface of the second conductive rubber sheet. The piezoelectric layer is made of a piezoelectric coating material with which at least either one of the upper surface of the first conductive rubber sheet and the lower surface of the second conductive rubber sheet is coated. When a pressure is applied to the piezoelectric layer through at least either one of the first conductive rubber sheet and the second conductive rubber sheet, a potential difference is generated between the first conductive rubber sheet and the second conductive rubber sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuya Akimoto, Yukio Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11225818
    Abstract: A door leading edge sensor has a door leading edge elastic member which is attached to a front end portion of a door in a door closing direction and includes a cavity extending in a direction intersecting with the closing direction; a linear pressure sensitive sensor is attached to the door leading edge elastic member and is disposed along the extending direction of the cavity. The pressure sensitive sensor has an insulator tube having such an elasticity as to be deformed in accordance with an elastic deformation of the door leading edge elastic member and has plural conductive members fixed to an inner surface of the insulator tube. The plural conductive members are in a non-contact state when the insulator tube is not deformed and are in contact with each other when the insulator tube is deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsuya Akimoto, Kenji Kawase, Shuichi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10996246
    Abstract: A current detection method for a current detection device including magnetism detection elements that detect magnetic flux density and output a voltage signal corresponding to the magnetic flux density is provided. The method includes acquiring measured value data that is obtained as a result of providing magnetic flux density in a detectable range of the magnetism detection elements that indicates the relationship between the magnetic flux density and an output voltage signal from the current detection device. Next, computational processing is performed so as to fit the acquired measured value data to a formula that includes plural factors and indicates the output voltage of the magnetism detection elements, thereby calculating the plural factors, and correcting the output voltage signal from the magnetism detection elements in accordance with the calculated factors so as to be approximately linear with respect to the magnetic flux density.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Futakuchi, Naofumi Chiwata, Katsuya Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20210002941
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pinch detection switch (1) that includes one tubular pressure-sensitive detection member (5) having a plurality of electrode wires spaced apart from one another, and a cover member (4) covering the pressure-sensitive detection member. When the cover member (4) is viewed in cross section, the cover member (4) includes a base portion (4-1), a hollow portion (6), and a deformation portion (4-2) provided on the base portion (4-1) so as to cover the hollow portion (6). The pressure-sensitive detection member (5) is arranged in the deformation portion (4-2), and a receiving portion (9) configured to receive the pressure-sensitive detection member (5) is arranged on the base portion (4-1). The receiving portion (9) has at least two receiving surfaces (9-1, 9-3) formed at positions facing the pressure-sensitive detection member (5), the two receiving surfaces being configured to receive the pressure-sensitive detection member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Katsuya Akimoto, Shuichi Suzuki, Katsutoshi Nakatani
  • Patent number: 10877071
    Abstract: A current sensor includes three bus bars arranged in such a manner to be spaced and aligned in a width direction thereof. A first shield plate and a second shield plate, which are made of a magnetic material, are arranged in such a manner to sandwich the three bus bars therebetween together in a thickness direction perpendicular to the width direction. Three magnetic detection elements are arranged between the three bus bars respectively and the first shield plate to detect a magnetic field strength generated by currents flowing through the corresponding bus bars. A conductive plate is disposed between each of the magnetic detection elements and the first shield plate. The conductive plate is disposed in such a manner to sandwich the three bus bars together between the conductive plate and the second shield plate. The conductive plate is made of a nonmagnetic conductive material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Okuyama, Katsuya Akimoto, Naoki Futakuchi, Haruyasu Komano, Jun Umetsu, Yujiro Tomita
  • Patent number: 10794935
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a bus bar through which a measured current is carried, a pair of shielding plates that include a magnetic material, and are arranged to sandwich the bus bar in a thickness direction of the bus bar, and a magnetic detection element that is arranged between the bus bar and one of the shielding plates, and detects an intensity of magnetic field caused by the current carried through the bus bar. The shielding plate has a length of not less than 20 mm in a length direction of the bus bar, and a width of not less than 24 mm and not more than 38 mm in a width direction orthogonal to the length direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Okuyama, Katsuya Akimoto, Naoki Futakuchi, Haruyasu Komano, Jun Umetsu, Yujiro Tomita
  • Patent number: 10712370
    Abstract: A current sensor includes plural bus bars which are each formed rectangular in a cross section, a pair of shield plates that include a magnetic material and are arranged so as to collectively sandwich the plural bus bars therebetween, and plural magnetic detection elements that are each arranged between the bus bars and one of the shield plates. A distance d between a detection position of a magnetic field intensity at an arbitrary one of the magnetic detection elements and a center position in the width direction between one of the bus bars corresponding to the arbitrary magnetic detection element and an other of the bus bars adjacent thereto in the width direction satisfies the following expression: d/w+0.023(w/h)?0.36 where a width of the shield plates is w and an interval along a height direction of the shield plates is h.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Futakuchi, Ken Okuyama, Katsuya Akimoto, Haruyasu Komano, Jun Umetsu, Yujiro Tomita
  • Patent number: 10659043
    Abstract: A proximity sensor includes a sensor cable that includes a first electrode wire and a second electrode wire arranged parallel to each other, an insulation covering both the first electrode wire and the second electrode wire, and a shield partially covering a surface of the insulation so as to form an opening, the first electrode wire and the second electrode wire being arranged to have different distances to the opening, and a detector circuit that includes a first capacitance detecting portion for detecting a first capacitance to be detected by the first electrode wire, a second capacitance detecting portion for detecting a second capacitance to be detected by the second electrode wire, and a differential output portion for outputting a difference between the first capacitance and the second capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Nakatani, Kenji Ajima, Katsuya Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20190252596
    Abstract: A piezoelectric body that is excellent in endurance, flexibility and bendability is achieved. A piezoelectric member includes: belt type first and second conductive rubber sheets that face each other; and a piezoelectric layer formed between an upper surface of the first conductive rubber sheet and a lower surface of the second conductive rubber sheet. The piezoelectric layer is made of a piezoelectric coating material with which at least either one of the upper surface of the first conductive rubber sheet and the lower surface of the second conductive rubber sheet is coated. When a pressure is applied to the piezoelectric layer through at least either one of the first conductive rubber sheet and the second conductive rubber sheet, a potential difference is generated between the first conductive rubber sheet and the second conductive rubber sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Katsuya AKIMOTO, Yukio IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20190250193
    Abstract: A current sensor includes plural bus bars which are each formed rectangular in a cross section, a pair of shield plates that include a magnetic material and are arranged so as to collectively sandwich the plural bus bars therebetween, and plural magnetic detection elements that are each arranged between the bus bars and one of the shield plates. A distance d between a detection position of a magnetic field intensity at an arbitrary one of the magnetic detection elements and a center position in the width direction between one of the bus bars corresponding to the arbitrary magnetic detection element and an other of the bus bars adjacent thereto in the width direction satisfies the following expression: d/w+0.023(w/h)?0.36 where a width of the shield plates is w and an interval along a height direction of the shield plates is h.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Naoki FUTAKUCHI, Ken OKUYAMA, Katsuya AKIMOTO, Haruyasu KOMANO, Jun UMETSU, Yujiro TOMITA
  • Patent number: 10338105
    Abstract: A current detector includes a half-bridge configuration including first and second magnetic detection elements that are connected in series and disposed such that a magnetization direction of a magnetic pinned layer thereof is opposite to each other, and a bias magnetic field generating means for applying a bias magnetic field to the first and second magnetic detection elements. The bias magnetic field has a substantially same intensity and is formed in a direction substantially orthogonal to the magnetization direction and opposite to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Futakuchi, Naofumi Chiwata, Katsuya Akimoto
  • Patent number: 10330708
    Abstract: A current detection device includes plural bus bars, plural magnetic detection elements that are arranged respectively corresponding to the bus bars, a magnetic shield arranged to surround parts of the bus bars and the magnetic detection elements, a correction factor calculation unit that, on the basis of voltages output from the magnetic detection elements when any two or more of the bus bars are supplied with inversely phased currents, calculates correction factors for correcting mutual interference between the magnetic detection elements, a recording medium that holds the correction factors calculated by the correction factor calculation unit, and a current calculation unit that, using the correction factors held in the recording medium, calculates the currents flowing through the bus bars on the basis of the voltages output from the magnetic detection elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Futakuchi, Katsuya Akimoto
  • Publication number: 20190187183
    Abstract: A current sensor includes three bus bars arranged in such a manner to be spaced and aligned in a width direction thereof. A first shield plate and a second shield plate, which are made of a magnetic material, are arranged in such a manner to sandwich the three bus bars therebetween together in a thickness direction perpendicular to the width direction. Three magnetic detection elements are arranged between the three bus bars respectively and the first shield plate to detect a magnetic field strength generated by currents flowing through the corresponding bus bars. A conductive plate is disposed between each of the magnetic detection elements and the first shield plate. The conductive plate is disposed in such a manner to sandwich the three bus bars together between the conductive plate and the second shield plate. The conductive plate is made of a nonmagnetic conductive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken OKUYAMA, Katsuya AKIMOTO, Naoki FUTAKUCHI, Haruyasu KOMANO, Jun UMETSU, Yujiro TOMITA
  • Publication number: 20190186190
    Abstract: A door leading edge sensor has: a door leading edge elastic member which is attached to a front end portion of a door in a door closing direction and in which a cavity extending in a direction intersecting with the closing direction is formed therein; and a linear pressure sensitive sensor that is attached to the door leading edge elastic member and is disposed along the extending direction of the cavity. The pressure sensitive sensor has an insulator tube having such an elasticity as to be deformed in accordance with an elastic deformation of the door leading edge elastic member and plural conductive members fixed to an inner surface of the insulator tube. The plural conductive members are in a non-contact state when the insulator tube is not deformed and are in contact with each other when the insulator tube is deformed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Katsuya AKIMOTO, Kenji KAWASE, Shuichi SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 10225967
    Abstract: A noise suppression cable includes an insulated electric wire including an insulator that covers an outer periphery of a conductor wire, and a magnetic tape layer formed by transversely winding a magnetic tape on an outer periphery of the insulated electric wire. A magnetic body constituting the magnetic tape is cut out from a rolled material in such a manner that a width direction of the magnetic tape corresponds to a rolled direction, and the magnetic body has a magnetic property that is different between the width direction and an orthogonal direction to the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Nakatani, Kenji Ajima, Yosuke Sumi, Katsuya Akimoto, Naofumi Chiwata, Hiroshi Okikawa, Yasuharu Muto
  • Patent number: 10209277
    Abstract: A current sensor includes, a bus bar through which a current flows, a magnetic detection element detecting a magnetic field intensity generated by the current, first and second shielding plates arranged so as to sandwich the bus bar between the first and second shielding plates, a first conductive plate made of a conductive nonmagnetic material, arranged between the bus bar and the first shielding plate, and a second conductive plate made of the conductive nonmagnetic material, arranged between the bus bar and the second shielding plate, wherein the magnetic detection element is arranged at a first conductive plate-side. A distance between the first conductive plate and the bus bar is longer than a distance between the second conductive plate and the bus bar. The first conductive plate includes a slit formed in the first conductive plate at an overlapping position, and the slit pierces the first conductive plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Okuyama, Katsuya Akimoto, Naoki Futakuchi, Jun Umetsu, Yujiro Tomita
  • Publication number: 20180316348
    Abstract: A proximity sensor includes a sensor cable that includes a first electrode wire and a second electrode wire arranged parallel to each other, an insulation covering both the first electrode wire and the second electrode wire, and a shield partially covering a surface of the insulation so as to form an opening, the first electrode wire and the second electrode wire being arranged to have different distances to the opening, and a detector circuit that includes a first capacitance detecting portion for detecting a first capacitance to be detected by the first electrode wire, a second capacitance detecting portion for detecting a second capacitance to be detected by the second electrode wire, and a differential output portion for outputting a difference between the first capacitance and the second capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Applicant: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi NAKATANI, Kenji AJIMA, Katsuya AKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20180284162
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a bus bar through which a measured current is carried, a pair of shielding plates that include a magnetic material, and are arranged to sandwich the bus bar in a thickness direction of the bus bar, and a magnetic detection element that is arranged between the bus bar and one of the shielding plates, and detects an intensity of magnetic field caused by the current carried through the bus bar. The shielding plate has a length of not less than 20 mm in a length direction of the bus bar, and a width of not less than 24 mm and not more than 38 mm in a width direction orthogonal to the length direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Ken Okuyama, Katsuya Akimoto, Naoki Futakuchi, Haruyasu Komano, Jun Umetsu, Yujiro Tomita
  • Patent number: 10088505
    Abstract: A current sensor includes a busbar carrying an electric current to be measured, a magnetic sensing element for detecting intensity of a magnetic field generated by the current flowing through the busbar, and a pair of shield plates that include magnetic materials and are arranged to sandwich the busbar in a thickness direction of the busbar. The shield plates include a conductive shield plate including a conductive magnetic material and a non-conductive shield plate including a non-conductive magnetic material. The conductive shield plate includes a slit penetrating therethrough. The magnetic sensing element is arranged at a position where the magnetic sensing element overlaps the slits in the thickness direction and does not overlap the conductive shield plate in the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Okuyama, Katsuya Akimoto, Naoki Futakuchi, Yujiro Tomita