Patents by Inventor Kenji Kawamura

Kenji Kawamura 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).

  • LACTIC ACID MANUFACTURING METHOD
    Publication number: 20170152204
    Abstract: A method of producing lactic acid includes subjecting a lactic acid-containing solution to distillation to collect lactic acid from the vapor side (Step A); subjecting the lactic acid obtained in Step A to crystallization (Step B); subjecting the lactic acid slurry obtained in Step B to solid-liquid separation into lactic acid crystals and a mother liquor (Step C); and circulating the mother liquor obtained in Step C to Step B (Step D).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Kenji Kawamura, Miyuki Horiguchi, Satoshi Sakami, Katsushige Yamada
  • VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20170120808
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle lighting device intended to improve convenience and safety. A vehicle lighting device includes a light disposed in a vehicle interior, a controller controlling the light, and a detecting unit detecting position or motion of a detecting object by detecting a detection object at a plurality of positions, and the controller controls the light when the position or motion of the detection object is detected by the detecting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Inventors: Makoto ABE, Satoshi SUZUKI, Kenji KAWAMURA, Shingo TSUJI
  • HEAT TRANSFER DEVICE AND METHOD OF MAKING HEAT TRANSFER DEVICE
    Publication number: 20170067702
    Abstract: A heat transfer device includes a base material and a composite plating layer formed on the base material, wherein the composite plating layer includes metal and graphene particles dispersed in the metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Yoriyuki SUWA, Kenji KAWAMURA, Susumu ARAI
  • Process of producing 1,4-butanediol
    Patent number: 9533931
    Abstract: A process produces 1,4-butanediol by purifying 1,4-butanediol originated from a fermentation broth, by which process 1,4-butanediol having properties suited as a material of producing a polyester is obtained, which 1,4-butanediol enables to reduce by-production of tetrahydrofuran during the esterification reaction and to reduce the delay in polymerization. The process of producing 1,4-butanediol includes adding an alkaline substance other than an ammonia or an amine to an aqueous 1,4-butanediol-containing solution originated from a fermentation broth; distilling the resulting mixture; and recovering a 1,4-butanediol-containing solution from the vapor flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Kawamura, Izumi Morita, Masateru Ito, Satoshi Sakami, Masataka Makino, Katsushige Yamada, Mark J. Burk, Michael Japs, Warren Clark
  • Radiation member
    Patent number: 9513070
    Abstract: A radiation member includes a base material; and a composite plating layer, formed on the base material, that includes a metal layer and two or more kinds of carbon materials, having different diameters from each other, dispersed in the metal layer such that to be provided with a plurality of protruding portions, each of the protruding portions being composed by a part of each of the carbon materials that are protruded from a surface of the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignees: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD., SHINSHU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yoriyuki Suwa, Kenji Kawamura, Susumu Arai
  • Alcohol production method
    Patent number: 9499460
    Abstract: An alcohol production method whereby high quality alcohol can be easily and effectively produced includes a step in which an alcohol solution, which contains sugar and/or sugar alcohol as an impurity and an alcohol other than sugar alcohol as a main component, has the sugar and/or sugar alcohol adsorptively removed therefrom by contacting the alcohol solution with one type or a mixture of two or more types of adsorbents selected from zeolite, an ion-exchange resin, silica alumina, and alumina.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Kawamura, Masateru Ito, Satoshi Sakami, Katsushige Yamada
  • Composite plating liquid
    Patent number: 9476138
    Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a composite plating liquid. The composite plating liquid includes: a plating metal salt; a sulfate of at least one element selected from alkali metals and alkaline earth metals; boric acid; a carbon nanotube; and a dispersant. Also, there is provided a plating method of plating a member using the composite plating liquid, and a composite plating film formed by the plating method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignees: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD, SHINSHU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Yoriyuki Suwa, Kenji Kawamura, Syuzo Aoki, Masao Nakazawa, Susumu Arai
  • METHOD OF PRODUCING 2,3-BUTANEDIOL
    Publication number: 20160298144
    Abstract: A method of producing 2,3-butanediol includes the steps of: culturing a microorganism belonging to the genus Zymobacter in a fermentation feedstock containing a carbon source (Step A); and purifying 2,3-butanediol from culture liquid obtained in this step (Step B). In this method, the carbon source contains pentose, and the microorganism belonging to the genus Zymobacter has a capacity to metabolize pentose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyohei Isobe, Kenji Sawai, Kenji Kawamura, Katsushige Yamada, Hideshi Yanase
  • MOVABLE DEVICE
    Publication number: 20160282960
    Abstract: A movable device has a moving portion causing a movable object to move when a motion of a detected object is detected. A shutter of a cup holder is slidably provided in a front and rear direction of a vehicle. A moving unit causes the shutter to move. A detecting sensor is provided on a surface of the shutter. When a person traces the surface of the shutter with a human finger, the detecting sensor detects the human finger at a plurality of positions. At this time, a CPU detects a motion of the human finger and controls the moving unit, and when the human finger moves to a rear side, the moving unit causes the shutter to be slid to the rear side and when the human finger moves to a front side, the moving unit causes the shutter to be slid to the front side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Makoto ABE, Takeru MIKI, Masanori SHOJI, Kenji KAWAMURA
  • METHOD FOR PRODUCING BUTADIENE
    Publication number: 20160229765
    Abstract: A method for producing butadiene from 2,3-butanediol with high selectivity without using a radioactive substance is disclosed. The method for producing butadiene comprises the step of dehydrating 2,3-butanediol in the presence of a catalyst containing an alkali metal salt of phosphoric acid such as an alkali metal dihydrogen phosphate supported on silica. Preferred examples of the alkali metal herein include K, Rb, and Cs. The catalyst is preferably a catalyst prepared by calcination of the silica to which the alkali metal of phosphoric acid is attached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daijiro Tsukamoto, Satoshi Sakami, Kenji Kawamura, Katsushige Yamada
  • METHOD OF PRODUCING LACTIC ACID AND POLYLACTIC ACID
    Publication number: 20160207868
    Abstract: A method of producing lactic acid includes filtering a lactic acid-containing aqueous solution through a nanofiltration membrane to recover an aqueous lactic acid solution from the permeate side (Step A); distilling the aqueous lactic acid solution to recover lactic acid from the vapor side (Step B); and crystallizing the lactic acid obtain in Step B, and performing solid-liquid separation to recover a lactic acid crystal(s) (Step C).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji Kawamura, Miyuki Horiguchi, Satoshi Sakami, Katsushige Yamada
  • ALCOHOL PRODUCTION METHOD
    Publication number: 20160185694
    Abstract: An alcohol production method whereby high quality alcohol can be easily and effectively produced includes a step in which an alcohol solution, which contains sugar and/or sugar alcohol as an impurity and an alcohol other than sugar alcohol as a main component, has the sugar and/or sugar alcohol adsorptively removed therefrom by contacting the alcohol solution with one type or a mixture of two or more types of adsorbents selected from zeolite, an ion-exchange resin, silica alumina, and alumina.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji Kawamura, Masateru Ito, Satoshi Sakami, Katsushige Yamada
  • High strength cold rolled steel sheet with excellent deep drawability and material uniformity in coil and method for manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 9297052
    Abstract: A high strength cold rolled steel sheet includes a chemical composition containing, by mass %, C: 0.010% or more and 0.060% or less, Si: more than 0.5% and 1.5% or less, Mn: 1.0% or more and 3.0% or less, P: 0.005% or more and 0.100% or less, S: 0.010% or less, sol.Al: 0.005% or more and 0.500% or less, N: 0.0100% or less, Nb: 0.010% or more and 0.100% or less, Ti: 0.015% or more and 0.150% or less and the balance comprising Fe and inevitable impurities. The microstructure includes, in area fraction, 70% or more of a ferrite phase and 3% or more of a martensite phase. The tensile strength is 440 MPa or more and an average r value is 1.20 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Kimura, Yasunobu Nagataki, Kaneharu Okuda, Kenji Kawamura
  • PROCESS OF PRODUCING 1,4-BUTANEDIOL
    Publication number: 20160052845
    Abstract: A process produces 1,4-butanediol by purifying 1,4-butanediol originated from a fermentation broth, by which process 1,4-butanediol having properties suited as a material of producing a polyester is obtained, which 1,4-butanediol enables to reduce by-production of tetrahydrofuran during the esterification reaction and to reduce the delay in polymerization. The process of producing 1,4-butanediol includes adding an alkaline substance other than an ammonia or an amine to an aqueous 1,4-butanediol-containing solution originated from a fermentation broth; distilling the resulting mixture; and recovering a 1,4-butanediol-containing solution from the vapor flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Kenji Kawamura, Izumi Morita, Masateru Ito, Satoshi Sakami, Masataka Makino, Katsushige Yamada, Mark J. Burk, Michael Japs, Warren Clark
  • High strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet having excellent deep drawability
    Patent number: 9175374
    Abstract: A high strength hot-dip galvanized steel sheet has TS of 440 MPa or more and an average r value of 1.30 or more, where the absolute value of the planar anisotropy of the r value (?r) is 0.20 or less. A chemical composition contains C: 0.010% or more and 0.04% or less, Si: more than 1.0% and 1.5% or less, Mn: 1.0% or more and 3.0% or less, P: 0.005% or more and 0.1% or less, S: 0.01% or less, sol. Al: 0.005% or more and 0.5% or less, N: 0.01% or less, Nb: 0.010% or more and less than 0.05%, Ti: 0.015% or more and 0.120% or less, and the remainder composed of Fe and incidental impurities, wherein (Nb/93)/(C/12) 0.20 and 0.005<C*?0.020 are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Kimura, Kaneharu Okuda, Yasunobu Nagataki, Kenji Kawamura
  • Heat radiating component and method of producing same
    Patent number: 9136200
    Abstract: A heat radiating component includes a base including a first metal, a first plating layer formed on the base and including a second metal and carbon material structures dispersed in the second metal, and a second plating layer formed on the first plating layer. The first plating layer includes protruding parts that are parts of the carbon material structures protruding from a surface of the second metal. The second plating layer is formed on the first plating layer to cover surfaces of the protruding parts and the surface of the second metal without filling spaces between the protruding parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoriyuki Suwa, Kenji Kawamura, Syuzo Aoki, Masao Nakazawa
  • Heat radiating component and semiconductor package having the same
    Patent number: 9093417
    Abstract: In one embodiment, there is provided a heat radiating component. The heat radiating component includes: a base material made mainly of copper; an electroplated aluminum layer that covers at least a part of a surface of the base material; and an alumite layer formed on the electroplated aluminum layer and formed by anodic-oxidizing the electroplated aluminum layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoriyuki Suwa, Kenji Kawamura
  • High strength galvanized steel sheet having excellent formability and method for manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 9073292
    Abstract: A high strength galvanized steel sheet includes a steel sheet which is a base sheet and a galvanized layer on a surface of the steel sheet, the steel sheet has a composition including, by mass %, 0.08 to 0.15% of C, 0.5 to 1.5% of Si, 0.5 to 1.5% of Mn, 0.1% or less of P, 0.01% or less of S, 0.01 to 0.1% of Al, 0.005% or less of N, and the balance Fe with inevitable impurities, and a microstructure composed of 75 to 90% of a ferrite phase as a main phase and 10 to 25% of a second phase including at least pearlite in terms of an area fraction with respect to the entire microstructure; an average grain size of the pearlite is 5 ?m or smaller; and the pearlite has an area fraction of 70% or greater with respect to the total area of the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: JFE Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Kawamura, Hidetaka Kawabe, Kazuhiro Seto
  • Method of producing diol or triol
    Patent number: 9018424
    Abstract: A method for producing a diol or triol, which has a step of removing impurities contained in a diol- or triol-containing solution, is provided. In the method, a diol- or triol-containing solution is filtered through a nanofiltration membrane having a polyamide-containing functional layer. The diol- or triol-containing solution is then collected from the permeate flow of the nanofiltration membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Izumi Morita, Masateru Ito, Hideki Sawai, Shinichi Minegishi, Katsushige Yamada, Kenji Kawamura, Shinichi Yamane
  • LACTIC ACID PRODUCTION METHOD
    Publication number: 20150112041
    Abstract: A method of producing lactic acid includes removing glycerol from an aqueous lactic acid solution containing glycerol as an impurity using an ion-exchange resin. The lactic acid can be separated simply and at low cost from an aqueous lactic acid solution containing glycerol as an impurity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2013
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Kenji Kawamura, Masateru Ito, Katsushige Yamada