Patents by Inventor Kazuaki Kato

Kazuaki Kato 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: 11913129
    Abstract: It is determined whether an imaginary component at a predetermined frequency of an alternating current impedance is equal to or more than a preliminarily set film-formable value or not. The metallic coating is formed in a state where the substrate is pressed by the solid electrolyte membrane when the imaginary component is equal to or more than the film-formable value in the determining. The metallic coating is formed in a state where the pressing of the substrate by the solid electrolyte membrane is released to separate the solid electrolyte membrane from the substrate, the solid electrolyte membrane is re-tensioned with a constant tensile force, and subsequently, the substrate is pressed by the re-tensioned solid electrolyte membrane when the imaginary component is smaller than the film-formable value in the determining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruki Kondoh, Akira Kato, Kazuaki Okamoto, Keiji Kuroda
  • Patent number: 10702911
    Abstract: The goal is to provide a medical suture needle having, as the material, austenite stainless steel with a structure that is elongated in a fiber form while improving the hardness and flexural strength of the cutting portion. A medical suture needle is made of austenite stainless steel having a structure that is elongated in fiber form, and has a cutting portion and a body portion with a triangular cross-sectional shape that is continuous with said cutting portion. The cutting portion has cutting edges, at least one surface of which is formed by a pressed surface, and which are formed by the intersection of said pressed surface with two sharpened surfaces, and a cutting edge that is formed by the intersection of the two sharpened surfaces. The tip where the various cutting edges and converge is positioned in the center of the pressed surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: MANI, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Tochimura, Satoshi Tetsuka, Kazuaki Kato
  • Patent number: 10245060
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a medical cutting tool with low impalement resistance. [Solution] The edged medical cutting tool comprising a knife, trocar or cutting suture needle has a sharp edge (1) for incising living tissue and a flat part (2) that configures the edge, and the color of the portion of the flat part (2a) along the edge (1) differs from the color of the rest of the flat part (2b). The difference in color results from a difference in the thickness of an oxide film. Another edged medical cutting tool is configured of austenite stainless steel and has a sharp edge (1) for incising living tissue and a flat part (2) that configures the edge. The chrome content of the portion of the flat part (2a) along the edge is higher than the chrome content of the rest of the flat part (2b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: MANI, INC.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20180043419
    Abstract: The goal is to provide a medical suture needle having, as the material, austenite stainless steel with a structure that is elongated in a fiber form while improving the hardness and flexural strength of the cutting portion. A medical suture needle is made of austenite stainless steel having a structure that is elongated in fiber form, and has a cutting portion and a body portion with a triangular cross-sectional shape that is continuous with said cutting portion. The cutting portion has cutting edges, at least one surface of which is formed by a pressed surface, and which are formed by the intersection of said pressed surface with two sharpened surfaces, and a cutting edge that is formed by the intersection of the two sharpened surfaces. The tip where the various cutting edges and converge is positioned in the center of the pressed surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: MANI, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Tochimura, Satoshi Tetsuka, Kazuaki Kato
  • Patent number: 9610079
    Abstract: There are provided a medical staple realizing smooth feeding when loaded in a magazine and a magazine which can realize stable feeding by using the medical staple. Where the medical staple includes a body portion; and a pair of legs formed at both ends of the body portion, wherein the legs are tilted at an angle in which the legs become closer to each other and either one leg is twisted with respect to a plane including the body portion and the other leg in the out-of-plane direction. The magazine includes a body guiding portion which has a size substantially equal to or slightly smaller than the length of the body portions of the staples and carries and guides the body portions thereon; wherein the plurality of staples are loaded in a state where the legs are tilted to the downstream side in the discharge direction and the body portions to the upstream side in the discharge direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: MANI, INC.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Kamei, Kazuaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20160066941
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a medical cutting tool with low impalement resistance. [Solution] The edged medical cutting tool comprising a knife, trocar or cutting suture needle has a sharp edge (1) for incising living tissue and a flat part (2) that configures the edge, and the color of the portion of the flat part (2a) along the edge (1) differs from the color of the rest of the flat part (2b). The difference in color results from a difference in the thickness of an oxide film. Another edged medical cutting tool is configured of austenite stainless steel and has a sharp edge (1) for incising living tissue and a flat part (2) that configures the edge. The chrome content of the portion of the flat part (2a) along the edge is higher than the chrome content of the rest of the flat part (2b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Applicant: MANI, INC.
    Inventor: Kazuaki KATO
  • Publication number: 20160038143
    Abstract: The limit of crush or bend occurring at a needle tip is extended or the strength of a needle tip portion is improved without having a bad influence on operation performed by a medical doctor in a suture surgery. The medical suture needle (A) wherein the needle tip (1) to be thrust into a biomedical tissue is formed at the tip is characterized in that the dimension (d) of the needle tip (1) in the direction of the thickness of the material of the medical suture needle has a value not larger than 5% of the thickness (D) of the material of the medical suture needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventor: Kazuaki KATO
  • Publication number: 20160022264
    Abstract: The problem that a metal wire joined integrally to a hole formed in a proximal end face of a medical suture needle is susceptible to bending damage is reduced. A suture needle A has a blind hole 5 which is formed in a proximal end face 3, inserts the end of a wire 10 thereinto, and joins the wire 10 thereto by caulking, and a counterbore 6 which is formed on the proximal end face 3 side of the blind hole 5 and has a dimension D at least in the proximal end face 3 larger than a dimension d of the blind hole 5 and a depth L smaller than a depth of a caulked portion with respect to the blind hole 5. A suture needle with wire inserts the end of the wire 10 into the blind hole 5 to caulk the outer circumference of the suture needle corresponding to the blind hole 5, thereby integrally joins the wire 10 thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicant: MANI, INC.
    Inventors: Masaaki Matsutani, Shouichi Fukuda, Masatoshi Fukuda, Shinichi Akutsu, Kazuaki Kato, Shinichi Yano
  • Publication number: 20130197549
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a medical cutting tool with low impalement resistance. [Solution] The edged medical cutting tool comprising a knife, trocar or cutting suture needle has a sharp edge (1) for incising living tissue and a flat part (2) that configures the edge, and the color of the portion of the flat part (2a) along the edge (1) differs from the color of the rest of the flat part (2b). The difference in color results from a difference in the thickness of an oxide film. Another edged medical cutting tool is configured of austenite stainless steel and has a sharp edge (1) for incising living tissue and a flat part (2) that configures the edge. The chrome content of the portion of the flat part (2a) along the edge is higher than the chrome content of the rest of the flat part (2b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Applicant: MANI, INC.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Kato
  • Patent number: 8443645
    Abstract: A bending method and a bending apparatus are provided for bending a medical suturing needle into different curved shapes by using one bending roller. The bending apparatus comprises a reciprocally rotatable bending roller, and a belt having such a flexibility as can be wound on the outer circumference of the bending roller. The bending method curves a medical suturing needle by sandwiching and constricting a material for the medical suturing needle between the bending roller and the belt and by rotating the bending roller reciprocally in the winding direction and in the rewinding direction. In the bending method, the curved shape of the material is changed by changing the winding angle of the belt to be wound on the outer circumference of the bending top thereby to change the area for constricting the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: MANI, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Kato
  • Patent number: 8307684
    Abstract: There is provided a method of bending a medical suturing needle curved at different curvature radii in a length direction more reasonably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: MANI, Inc.
    Inventors: Kanji Matsutani, Tadashi Otsuka, Kazuaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20120158049
    Abstract: The limit of crush or bend occurring at a needle tip is extended or the strength of a needle tip portion is improved without having a bad influence on operation performed by a medical doctor in a suture surgery. The medical suture needle (A) wherein the needle tip (1) to be thrust into a biomedical tissue is formed at the tip is characterized in that the dimension (d) of the needle tip (1) in the direction of the thickness of the material of the medical suture needle has a value not larger than 5% of the thickness (D) of the material of the medical suture needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventor: Kazuaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20110112575
    Abstract: The goal is to provide a medical suture needle having, as the material, austenite stainless steel with a structure that is elongated in a fiber form while improving the hardness and flexural strength of the cutting portion. A medical suture needle (A) is made of austenite stainless steel having a structure that is elongated in fiber form, and has a cutting portion (1) and a body portion (2) with a triangular cross-sectional shape that is continuous with said cutting portion (1). The cutting portion (1) has cutting edges (13), at least one surface of which is formed by a pressed surface (11), and which are formed by the intersection of said pressed surface (11) with two sharpened surfaces (12), and a cutting edge (14) that is formed by the intersection of the two sharpened surfaces (12). The tip (15) where the various cutting edges (13) and (14) converge is positioned in the center of the pressed surface (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: MANI, INC.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Tochimura, Satoshi Tetsuka, Kazuaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20110030435
    Abstract: Provided are a bending method and a bending apparatus for bending a medical suturing needle into different curved shapes by using one bending top. The bending apparatus comprises a reciprocally rotatable bending top, and a belt having such a flexibility as can be wound on the outer circumference of the bending top. The bending method curves a medical suturing needle by sandwiching and constricting a material for the medical suturing needle between the bending top and the belt and by rotating the bending top reciprocally in the winding direction and in the rewinding direction. In the bending method, the curved shape of the material is changed by changing the winding angle of the belt to be wound on the outer circumference of the bending top thereby to change the area for constricting the material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: Mani Inc.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20110029015
    Abstract: There are provided a medical staple realizing smooth feeding when loaded in a magazine and a magazine which can realize stable feeding by using the medical staple. A staple A includes a body portion 1; and a pair of legs 2 and 3 formed at both ends of the body portion 1, wherein the legs 2 and 3 are tilted at an angle in which the legs 2 and 3 become closer to each other and either one leg 3 is twisted with respect to a plane 4 including the body portion 1 and the other leg 2 in the out-of-plane direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: MANI, INC.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Kamei, Kazuaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20100263425
    Abstract: There is provided a method of bending a medical suturing needle curved at different curvature radii in a length direction more reasonably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: MANI, INC.
    Inventors: Kanji Matsutani, Tadashi Otsuka, Kazuaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20100184934
    Abstract: Disclosed are a novel polyrotaxane having a main chain backbone essentially composed of —Si—O—, and a method for producing such a novel polyrotaxane. Also disclosed are a polyrotaxane having stretchability and/or viscoelasticity, while exhibiting oxygen permeability, heat resistance, chemical resistance, environmental resistance and/or durability, and a method for producing such a polyrotaxane. Further disclosed are a crosslinked polyrotaxane obtained by crosslinking the polyrotaxane with another polymer and/or polyrotaxane through a chemical bond, and a method for producing such a crosslinked polyrotaxane. Specifically disclosed is a polyrotaxane obtained by arranging blocking groups on both ends of a pseudopolyrotaxane, wherein a linear molecule passes through the open portion of a circular molecule in a skewering manner, for preventing elimination of the circular molecule from the linear molecule. In this polyrotaxane, the linear molecule has a main chain backbone essentially composed of —Si—O—.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Kohzo Ito, Kazuaki Kato, Masatoshi Kidowaki
  • Patent number: 6115288
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of sub bit lines 12a and 12b to which a plurality of memory cell transistors 13a through 13h are connected. The sub bit lines are selectively connected to a main bit line 11a. The sub and main bit lines are made of metallic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Amanai, Hiroyuki Kobatake, Satoru Oku, Kazuaki Kato, Masaki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 6111792
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprising a mode signal output means for outputting a mode signal for conducting flash programming or flash erasing, a group selection signal output means for outputting a group selection signal for selecting a row decoding group, a first selection means for selecting the row decoding group controlling the word line in accordance with 10 the group selection signal, and a second selection means selecting the word line corresponding to the memory cell from a plurality of the word lines controlled by the row decoding group selected by the first selection means. In the present inventions the time required for the flash programming and the flash erasing can be reduced without the addition of a further element and the chip areas can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Satoru Oku, Hiroyuki Kobatake, Masakazu Amanai, Kazuaki Kato, Masaki Kaneko
  • Patent number: 6084387
    Abstract: A power source circuit for a flash memory includes a positive circuit section for generating a positive voltage source, a source follower transistor for converting the impedance of the first voltage source, a negative circuit section for generating a negative voltage source while maintaining a voltage difference between the output of the source follower transistor and the negative voltage source at a first reference potential. The positive circuit section includes a voltage compensating transistor having a threshold voltage equal to the threshold of the source follower transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Kaneko, Hiroyuki Kobatake, Masakazu Amanai, Kazuaki Kato, Satoru Oku