Patents by Inventor Kentaro Shindo
Kentaro Shindo 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: 11959398Abstract: This composite material blade, which is formed using a composite material including reinforcing fibers and resin, and which has a positive pressure surface and a negative pressure surface, is provided with a ventral part, being the part on the positive pressure surface side in a blade thickness direction, which is the direction joining the positive pressure surface and the negative pressure surface, a dorsal part, being the part on the negative pressure surface side in the blade thickness direction, and a metal shield portion which is provided on the leading edge side, being the upstream side in a flow direction in which a fluid flows, wherein: the metal shield portion includes a main body portion provided on the leading edge side, and an embedded portion which is provided on the trailing edge side, being the downstream side in the flow direction, of the main body portion, and which is provided between the ventral part and the dorsal part; and the plate thickness of the metal shield portion in the blade thickType: GrantFiled: February 22, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Masami Kamiya, Ryoji Okabe, Kentaro Shindo, Takahiro Tachibana
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Publication number: 20230398751Abstract: A manufacturing device manufactures a composite material structure by impregnating resin into a preform formed in a predetermined shape. The manufacturing device includes: a caul plate defining a space inside and covering the preform in the space; a supply part that supplies resin to the preform; a discharge part that discharges a gas from the space through a discharge hole in the caul plate; and a pressure intensifier that is provided in the space and between the caul plate and the preform and pressurizes the preform by a gas being discharged through the discharge part. The pressure intensifier has a web part facing surface facing the preform and a caul plate facing surface facing the caul plate, and through holes between the web part facing surface and the caul plate facing surface are in the pressure intensifier.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2023Publication date: December 14, 2023Inventors: Hiroshi TOKUTOMI, Masahiko SHIMIZU, Shoya MANO, Kentaro SHINDO, Takeshi FUJITA
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Patent number: 11679536Abstract: A composite material blade molding method is for molding a composite material blade by curing a prepreg. The composite material blade has a back-side blade member and a belly-side blade member which are superposed and joined. The composite material blade molding method includes: a lamination step for forming a back-side laminate in a back-side molding die and forming a belly-side laminate in a belly-side molding die; an inner surface cowl plate disposition step for disposing an inner surface cowl plate for maintaining an inner space formed by the back-side laminate and the belly-side laminate; a die mating step for die-mating the back-side molding die and the belly-side molding die and disposing a foaming agent in the inner space maintained by the inner surface cowl plate; and a curing step for heating and expanding the foaming agent and heat-curing the back-side laminate and the belly-side laminate.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2018Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Ryoji Okabe, Masami Kamiya, Kentaro Shindo
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Publication number: 20230150175Abstract: Provided is a forming device including: a lower die; an upper die for forming a laminated body along the surface shape of the lower die by pressing the laminated body against the lower die; a pushing force generating mechanism that generates pushing force for pressing the upper die against the lower die; and a control unit that controls the pushing force generating mechanism, the upper die has a plurality of forming members aligned in the longitudinal direction, the pushing force generating mechanism has a plurality of pushing force generating units connected to the plurality of forming members and configured to generate pushing force for pressing the forming members against the lower die, and the control unit controls the plurality of pushing force generating units so as to press a pair of forming members arranged adjacent in the longitudinal direction toward the lower die at different timings from each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2022Publication date: May 18, 2023Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Kentaro SHINDO, Kazuki NOMA, Hiroshi TOKUTOMI
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Publication number: 20230135339Abstract: A sandwich panel includes: a core material having a plate shape; a pair of face plates that are formed using a composite material, and respectively disposed on both sides in a thickness direction of the core material; and a crack arrester that is formed using the composite material, disposed on at least one side in the thickness direction of the core material, disposed between the face plate and the core material, and disposed to project from the face plate toward the core material side. The crack arrester includes flat side surfaces being in contact with the core material and extending along the thickness direction from a boundary surface between the face plate and the crack arrester, and an angle formed by the side surface and the boundary surface is equal to or larger than 90 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Kazuhiro MIURA, Kentaro SHINDO, Mikoto OMORI
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Publication number: 20230129429Abstract: This composite material blade, which is formed using a composite material including reinforcing fibers and resin, and which has a positive pressure surface and a negative pressure surface, is provided with a ventral part, being the part on the positive pressure surface side in a blade thickness direction, which is the direction joining the positive pressure surface and the negative pressure surface, a dorsal part, being the part on the negative pressure surface side in the blade thickness direction, and a metal shield portion which is provided on the leading edge side, being the upstream side in a flow direction in which a fluid flows, wherein: the metal shield portion includes a main body portion provided on the leading edge side, and an embedded portion which is provided on the trailing edge side, being the downstream side in the flow direction, of the main body portion, and which is provided between the ventral part and the dorsal part; and the plate thickness of the metal shield portion in the blade thickType: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2021Publication date: April 27, 2023Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Masami KAMIYA, Ryoji OKABE, Kentaro SHINDO, Takahiro TACHIBANA
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Patent number: 11493021Abstract: A windmill blade includes a leading edge protector at a leading edge portion of a blade main body including a skin surrounding a hollow space. The leading edge protector is fixed to the skin from the hollow space.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2021Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Takeshi Fujita, Kentaro Shindo, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Toshiyuki Hirano, Atsushi Yuge
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Patent number: 11480156Abstract: A method of evaluating quality of a wind turbine blade which has a hollow structure where an interior space of the wind turbine blade is surrounded by an outer skin which includes a laminated body includes: setting a scanning line on at least a part of an inner wall surface or an outer wall surface of the outer skin; and moving an ultrasound probe along the scanning line; generating a cross-sectional image corresponding to the scanning line, on the basis of a position of the ultrasound probe or a reflection echo to detect an indication whose echo level is greater than a first threshold; obtaining an inclination of the indication with respect to a reference line as a first parameter; and evaluating the lifetime or the breakage risk of the wind turbine blade on the basis of the first parameter.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2019Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Takao Kuroiwa, Kouji Esaki, Kentaro Shindo, Masakazu Kamibayashi
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Patent number: 11426963Abstract: A composite blade made of prepreg obtained by impregnating reinforcement fibers with resin and curing the resin-impregnated reinforcement fibers, the composite blade including: a blade root provided on a base end and fitted into a blade groove; an airfoil provided extending from the blade root toward a tip end; and a metal patch provided between the blade groove and the blade root and placed on the blade root. The metal patch includes a plurality of projections protruding toward the blade root.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2020Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Ryoji Okabe, Masami Kamiya, Kentaro Shindo, Takahiro Tachibana
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Patent number: 11384647Abstract: A composite blade formed by laying up composite layers containing reinforcing fiber and resin, the composite blade comprising: a blade root mounted in a blade groove; an airfoil extending from the blade root to a front end side; and a metal patch mounted between the blade groove and the blade root, and bonded to the blade root.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2020Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Ryoji Okabe, Masami Kamiya, Kentaro Shindo
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Patent number: 11371365Abstract: A composite blade is formed by laying up composite layers in which reinforced fibers are impregnated with resin. The composite layers are laid up in a blade thickness direction that is a direction connecting a suction side and a pressure side of the composite blade. The composite blade includes a thick part that has a surface layer area from a surface of the thick part to a predetermined depth in the blade thickness direction and a deep layer area at a depth larger than the predetermined depth from the surface in the blade thickness direction. A median value in a predetermined range of thicknesses of each composite layer in the surface layer area is smaller than a median value in a predetermined range of thicknesses of each composite layer in the deep layer area.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2018Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Ryoji Okabe, Kentaro Shindo, Masami Kamiya
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Patent number: 11306597Abstract: A composite blade includes an airfoil; and a blade root including a straight section from a blade end part being a connection location with the airfoil to an inclination start part between the blade end part and a base end, and a bearing section from the inclination start part to the base end. A laminate of composite layers with reinforced fibers impregnated with resin is provided across the airfoil and the blade root. A metal body is provided on the blade root. The laminate extends along the longitudinal direction in the airfoil and in the straight section, and extends to be inclined away from a center axis in the bearing section. The metal body is provided on both surfaces of the laminate in the blade root, extends along the longitudinal direction in the straight section, and extends to be inclined away from the center axis in the bearing section.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2018Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Ryoji Okabe, Kentaro Shindo, Masami Kamiya, Yoshinori Nonaka
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Patent number: 11292219Abstract: Provided is a method of shaping a composite blade made of a composite material by curing prepreg in which reinforcing fibers are impregnated with resin. A foaming agent disposed in an internal space of the composite blade contains a plurality of foaming bodies and foaming agent resin. The foaming bodies foam by being heated. The foaming agent resin cures by being heated. The foaming bodies include low-temperature side foaming bodies and high-temperature side foaming bodies. The low-temperature side foaming bodies foam in a low temperature range during a curing step. The high-temperature side foaming bodies foam in a high temperature range corresponding to temperatures higher than the low temperature range during the curing step.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Ryoji Okabe, Kentaro Shindo, Masami Kamiya
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Publication number: 20210363963Abstract: A windmill blade includes a blade main body and a leading edge protector. The leading edge protector includes a conductive plate covering a leading edge, and a conductive mesh member connected to the conductive plate along a blade chord direction of the windmill blade. The conductive mesh member is provided with a plurality of holes. A skin or an adhesive at least partially enters the plurality of holes, so that the leading edge protector is fixed to the skin.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Takeshi FUJITA, Keisuke Ota, Kentaro SHINDO, Hiroaki TAKEUCHI, Toshiyuki HIRANO, Atsushi YUGE
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Publication number: 20210363962Abstract: A windmill blade includes a leading edge protector provided at a leading edge portion of a blade main body including a skin surrounding a hollow space. The leading edge protector is fixed to the skin from the inner side of the hollow space.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Takeshi FUJITA, Kentaro SHINDO, Hiroaki TAKEUCHI, Toshiyuki HIRANO, Atsushi YUGE
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Patent number: 11066939Abstract: A composite blade is formed by laying up composite layers in which reinforced fibers are impregnated with resin, and has a blade root and an airfoil extending from the blade root in a longitudinal direction. The composite blade includes a first laminate of the composite layers extending along the longitudinal direction in the airfoil and extending along a first inclination direction inclined toward a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction in the blade root; a second laminate of the composite layers extending along the longitudinal direction and contacting the first laminate in the airfoil, the second laminate extending along a second inclination direction inclined toward a direction opposite to the first inclination direction in the blade root and being separated from the first laminate; and a third laminate of the composite layers provided between the first and second laminates in the blade root.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2018Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Ryoji Okabe, Yoshinori Nonaka, Kentaro Shindo, Masami Kamiya
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Patent number: 10981229Abstract: A method is for producing a TiAl-based intermetallic sintered compact. The method includes mixing Ti powder, Al powder, and a binder to yield a mixture; molding the mixture into a molded product having a predetermined shape with a metal injection molder; placing the molded product in a preliminary sintering die having a storage space inside; performing sintering at a predetermined preliminary sintering temperature to produce a preliminary sintered compact; releasing the preliminary sintered compact from the preliminary sintering die; and performing sintering at a sintering temperature higher than the preliminary sintering temperature to form the TiAl-based intermetallic sintered compact.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2017Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignees: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AERO ENGINES, LTD., OSAKA YAKIN KOGYO CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenji Suzuki, Kentaro Shindo, Shuntaro Terauchi, Hisashi Kitagaki, Kazuki Hanami, Tadayuki Hanada
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Publication number: 20210108521Abstract: A composite blade is formed by laying up composite layers in which reinforced fibers are impregnated with resin, and has a blade root and an airfoil extending from the blade root in a longitudinal direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2018Publication date: April 15, 2021Inventors: Ryoji OKABE, Yoshinori NONAKA, Kentaro SHINDO, Masami KAMIYA
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Publication number: 20210078217Abstract: This composite material blade molding method for molding a composite material blade by curing a prepreg, wherein the composite material blade has a back-side blade member and a belly-side blade member which are superposed and joined. The composite material blade molding method comprises: a lamination step for forming a back-side laminate in a back-side molding die and forming a belly-side laminate in a belly-side molding die; an inner surface cowl plate disposition step for disposing an inner surface cowl plate for maintaining an inner space formed by the back-side laminate and the belly-side laminate; a die mating step for die-mating the back-side molding die and the belly-side molding die and disposing a foaming agent in the inner space maintained by the inner surface cowl plate; and a curing step for heating and expanding the foaming agent and heat-curing the back-side laminate and the belly-side laminate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2018Publication date: March 18, 2021Inventors: Ryoji OKABE, Masami KAMIYA, Kentaro SHINDO
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Patent number: 10914176Abstract: A composite blade is formed by laying up composite material layers in which reinforcement fibers are impregnated with resin in a thickness direction of the blade. The composite blade includes a blade root on a base end side, an airfoil on a tip side, a first lay-up in which some composite material layers are laid up in the blade root so as to space parts of the composite material layers to form spacing parts and to extend from the distal toward the base end side in the thickness direction, and second lay-ups in which some composite material layers are laid up in the spacing parts so as to be lined up in the thickness direction. Among the second lay-ups, a second lay-up closer to a center side than to an outer side in the thickness direction is a larger distance from a proximal position to a top position.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2019Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Masami Kamiya, Ryoji Okabe, Yoshinori Nonaka, Kentaro Shindo