Patents by Inventor Kouji Nagano

Kouji Nagano 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: 10355189
    Abstract: A thermoelectric generator unit includes: a case having a heating surface and a cooling surface; first to fourth thermoelectric generator modules housed in the case, the thermoelectric generator modules including a plurality of thermoelectric elements; a multilayer substrate including: a first layer including an interelement electrode for forming an output circuit configured to connect the thermoelectric elements; a second layer provided with a plurality of through holes penetrating therethrough from front to back; and a third layer including a plurality of bypass patterns electrically continuous with the through holes; and lead pins that penetrate through the case inward and outward, the lead pins having base ends connected to both ends of the output circuit on a surface of the first layer, the output circuit being defined in each of the thermoelectric generator modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: KELK Ltd.
    Inventors: Yonghoon Lee, Kouji Nagano, Hiroyuki Matsunami
  • Publication number: 20170365761
    Abstract: A thermoelectric generator unit includes: a case having a heating surface and a cooling surface; first to fourth thermoelectric generator modules housed in the case, the thermoelectric generator modules including a plurality of thermoelectric elements; a multilayer substrate including: a first layer including an interelement electrode for forming an output circuit configured to connect the thermoelectric elements; a second layer provided with a plurality of through holes penetrating therethrough from front to back; and a third layer including a plurality of bypass patterns electrically continuous with the through holes; and lead pins that penetrate through the case inward and outward, the lead pins having base ends connected to both ends of the output circuit on a surface of the first layer, the output circuit being defined in each of the thermoelectric generator modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Yonghoon Lee, Kouji Nagano, Hiroyuki Matsunami
  • Patent number: 9793462
    Abstract: A thermoelectric module includes a low temperature-side wiring line, a high temperature-side wiring line, a low temperature-side member, a plurality of low temperature-side thermoelectric conversion elements made of a BiTe-based material, a high temperature-side member, a plurality of high temperature-side thermoelectric conversion elements made of a material different from the BiTe-based material, an insulating member, a radiant heat blocking plate, a low temperature-side electrode, and a high temperature-side electrode. The radiant heat blocking plate is arranged on the side of the high temperature-side member with respect to the low temperature-side wiring line and the high temperature-side wiring line. A thermoelectric module that can restrain burning of wiring lines, as well as a thermoelectric power generating apparatus and a thermoelectric generator including the same can thereby be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: KELK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromasa Kaibe, Kazuya Makino, Kouji Nagano, Hirokuni Hachiuma
  • Publication number: 20150013740
    Abstract: A thermoelectric module includes a low temperature-side wiring line, a high temperature-side wiring line, a low temperature-side member, a plurality of low temperature-side thermoelectric conversion elements made of a BiTe-based material, a high temperature-side member, a plurality of high temperature-side thermoelectric conversion elements made of a material different from the BiTe-based material, an insulating member, a radiant heat blocking plate, a low temperature-side electrode, and a high temperature-side electrode. The radiant heat blocking plate is arranged on the side of the high temperature-side member with respect to the low temperature-side wiring line and the high temperature-side wiring line. A thermoelectric module that can restrain burning of wiring lines, as well as a thermoelectric power generating apparatus and a thermoelectric generator including the same can thereby be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Hiromasa Kaibe, Kazuya Makino, Kouji Nagano, Hirokuni Hachiuma
  • Patent number: 6246837
    Abstract: An image sensing apparatus invention has an image sensing device for sensing a subject image from a range which is wider than a photographic range, a processor for calculating position information of a subject with respect to the photographic range based on an output from the image sensing device, a discriminator for determining whether photographing is appropriately performed or not, based on information calculated by the processor, and a notifier for notifying a result of determination by the discriminator before photographing. In this structure, appropriate photographing can be performed by referring to the notifying contents of the notifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumi Kageyama, Shinichi Maehama, Kouji Nagano, Kenji Nakamura