Patents by Inventor Keiichi Hirako

Keiichi Hirako 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: 10407184
    Abstract: A debris removal device includes: an end mass adapted to approach debris to be removed; a debris capture device separably-mounted on the end mass; and a tether connecting the debris capture device and the end mass to each other. The debris capture device includes a harpoon adapted to penetrate into the debris, a shooting device adapted to shoot the harpoon, a guide member positioned to come into contact with the surface of the debris to adjust the shooting angle of the harpoon with respect to the surface of the debris, and a switch that sends the shooting signal to the shooting device. When the harpoon is penetrated into the debris, the end mass is separated from the debris capture device, and the tether is released into outer space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hatsuo Mori, Taku Izumiyama, Kozue Hashimoto, Satomi Kawamoto, Keiichi Hirako
  • Publication number: 20170113818
    Abstract: A debris removal device includes: an end mass adapted to approach debris to be removed; a debris capture device separably-mounted on the end mass; and a tether connecting the debris capture device and the end mass to each other. The debris capture device includes a harpoon adapted to penetrate into the debris, a shooting device adapted to shoot the harpoon, a guide member positioned to come into contact with the surface of the debris to adjust the shooting angle of the harpoon with respect to the surface of the debris, and a switch that sends the shooting signal to the shooting device. When the harpoon is penetrated into the debris, the end mass is separated from the debris capture device, and the tether is released into outer space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Hatsuo MORI, Taku IZUMIYAMA, Kozue HASHIMOTO, Satomi KAWAMOTO, Keiichi HIRAKO
  • Patent number: 5184139
    Abstract: An antenna pointing equipment of the present invention includes an error estimating section and a pointing angle correcting section. The error estimating section records the difference between a pointing mechanism angle detected by an angle detector and a reference angle estimated by a satellite position calculator, a pointing angle calculator and an angle estimating section in the tracking control mode and, for example, averages recorded differences to obtain a quantitative error of the estimated reference angle in the acquisition control mode. The pointing angle correcting section corrects the estimated reference angle for its error. The antenna pointing equipment also includes an area-impossible-to-track controller. The controller obtains an area which cannot be tracked by the antenna on the basis of orbital elements of a space navigation satellite and a target and forcible switches from the tracking control mode to the acquisition control mode when the target enters that area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Keiichi Hirako, Yoshihisa Kawaguchi