Patents by Inventor Kuniaki Shinohara
Kuniaki Shinohara 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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Publication number: 20070170289Abstract: A garbage disposal apparatus includes a garbage disposition port, a storage chamber communicating with this garbage disposition port to store uncrushed garbage and into which flushing water is supplied, a crushing section provided adjacent to the storage chamber and having a crushing mechanism and a clearance for passing therethrough garbage crushed by the crushing mechanism, a discharge section provided in communication with the clearance and having a discharge port for externally discharging the garbage crushed by the crushing section, a driving mechanism for driving the crushing mechanism, a mechanism for controlling the amount of garbage passing through the clearance per unit of time, and a mechanism provided at the discharge section or on the downstream side of the discharge section for controlling the amount of garbage discharged within the discharge section or on the downstream side of the discharge section.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2005Publication date: July 26, 2007Applicant: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Takemasu Okada, Kenichi Ogata, Yoshimitsu Kora, Takeshi Shimizu, Makoto Hatakeyama, Kuniaki Shinohara, Yoshimasa Koumatsu
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Patent number: 6948194Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a toilet cleaning device which is capable of cleaning a toilet stool by supplying cleaning water in an appropriate quantity corresponding to the state of usage by a user, which is provided with a self-diagnosis function for diagnosing cleaning water stoppage or the like, and which has a simple constitution so that maintenance can be performed easily. The output of a Doppler sensor 11 is amplified by an amp 31, and a frequency spectrum is determined by an FFT calculation portion 32. A flow rate is determined by conversion in a flow rate calculation portion 33 on the basis of the frequency spectrum. A controller 34 operates other devices on the basis of the flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation portion 33 and the operational state of a cleaning instruction button 16. Cleaning water supply valve 36 is opened and closed in accordance with instructions from the controller 34.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2002Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: Toto, Ltd.Inventors: Kentaro Todoroki, Kuniaki Shinohara, Toshio Koguro, Yuichi Furuta, Mie Ikushima
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Publication number: 20050114992Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a toilet cleaning device which is capable of cleaning a toilet stool by supplying cleaning water in an appropriate quantity corresponding to the state of usage by a user, which is provided with a self-diagnosis function for diagnosing cleaning water stoppage or the like, and which has a simple constitution so that maintenance can be performed easily. The output of a Doppler sensor 11 is amplified by an amp 31,and a frequency spectrum is determined by an FFT calculation portion 32. A flow rate is determined by conversion in a flow rate calculation portion 33 on the basis of the frequency spectrum. A controller 34 operates other devices on the basis of the flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation portion 33 and the operational state of a cleaning instruction button 16. Cleaning water supply valve 36 is opened and closed in accordance with instructions from the controller 34.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2002Publication date: June 2, 2005Inventors: Kentaro Todoroki, Kuniaki Shinohara, Toshio Koguro, Yuichi Furuta, Mie Ikushima
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Patent number: 5735798Abstract: A toilet-installed digital sphygmomanometer provided with retractable cuffs. A housing (36) is arranged laterally of a toilet seat and two occluding finger cuffs (62) different in size are mounted to associated respective sliders (70) in a manner movable relative to the housing (36). In use, one of the sliders is moved to permit a cuff (62), of a size suited to the size of the user's finger, to protrude out of the surface of the housing (36) for engagement by the finger. When not in use, all the cuffs are retracted within the housing so that the cuffs are kept clean. In another embodiment, a plurality of pivoting arms are hinged to the housing and the cuffs different in size are mounted, respectively, to the associated pivoting arms. In still another embodiment, a plurality of cuffs different in size are mounted to a revolving member journaled to the housing and a particular cuff is selected by rotating the revolving member.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 1996Date of Patent: April 7, 1998Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Kuniaki Shinohara, Takanori Matsuno, Yoshiki Hiruta, Keisuke Kanzaki, Kentaro Todoroki
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Patent number: 5730149Abstract: A toilet bowl-mounted urinalysis unit (14) adapted to be readily mounted to a standard water closet bowl fixture (12) for sampling and analysis of urine at a toilet. The unit (14) includes a substantially self-contained housing (22) which is designed to be mounted on the upper surface of the standard bowl fixture (12) between the bowl (16) and the flushing water supply section (18). Hinged to the housing (22) is a toilet seat (24) to which is mounted a urine sampling device (26) designed such that urine excreted into the bowl (16) is sampled in mid-air within the inner space of the bowl. The housing (22) receives a urinalysis device (50) with a polarographic flow cell and a syringe pump (52) for transferring a urine sample to the flow cell together with a carrier liquid. The polarographic flow cell has a working electrode supporting an enzyme. In one embodiment, a reservoir for the carrier liquid is received within the housing (22).Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 1995Date of Patent: March 24, 1998Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Chiaki Nakayama, Kuniaki Shinohara, Takanori Matsuno, Toshio Koguro, Hiroshi Tsuboi, Yukihiro Fukuda, Naoki Sato
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Patent number: 5720054Abstract: A method and an apparatus (26) for sampling urine at a toilet equipped with a standard water closet bowl fixture. An elongated urine sampling vessel (96) extending transversely of the bowl fixture is used. While supported in such a manner that the axis thereof extends horizontally and perpendicular to the vertical central plane of the bowl fixture, the urine sampling vessel (96) is moved along the inner surface of the bowl (16) of the fixture and is brought to an optimum sampling position in the bowl space (16A). As the urine sampling vessel is adapted to any fore-and aft and lateral deviation of the direction of urination of an individual, urine is effectively sampled even by a sampling vessel which is small in size. The sampling vessel (96) is mounted to an end of a swing arm (94) having a horizontal pivot axis. In a simplest form of embodiment, only rotational movement is imparted to the swing arm (94).Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 1996Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Chiaki Nakayama, Kuniaki Shinohara, Takanori Matsuno, Toshio Koguro, Hiroshi Tsuboi, Naoki Sato
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Patent number: 5666672Abstract: A toilet accessory (10) having readily detachable toilet seat (14) and toilet lid (16). A hinge shaft (74) is supported by a pair of posts (72) to protrude away from the housing (12). The hinge portions of the toilet seat and the toilet lid are provided with elastic collars (84) of C-shaped cross-section and are snap-fitted on the hinge shaft (74). When the toilet seat and the toilet lid are to be removed for washing or cleaning, they can be readily dismounted only by pulling with hands. To re-install, the hinge portions readily snap-fit on the hinge shaft by bringing the elastic collars (84) in contact with the hinge shaft (74) and by pressing down the hinge portions. Since the hinge shaft (74) and the posts (72) are exposed out of the housing (12), they can be easily accessed for cleaning.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 1996Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Ayse Birsel, Noriko Hiraga, Junichi Tani, Kenichi Nagato, Koichi Watanabe, Kuniaki Shinohara
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Patent number: 5625911Abstract: A method and an apparatus (30) for sampling urine at a toilet (10) equipped with a standard water closet bowl fixture (12). An elongated, curved, urine sampling trough (32) having a U-shaped cross-section is used. For sampling of urine, the sampling trough (32) is positioned in the vertical central plane (46) of the toilet bowl fixture in such a manner that it extends obliquely between the upper front region and the bottom region of the inner space of the bowl (14). As the urine sampling trough (32) covers a substantial length in the vertical direction as well as in the fore-and-aft direction, the urine column hits on the sampling trough even when the trajectory of urine column is fluctuated in the vertical or fore-and-aft direction, whereby urine is effectively sampled. As the urine sampling trough is elongated and curved, it can be readily stored under the toilet seat when not in use.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 1996Date of Patent: May 6, 1997Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Chiaki Nakayama, Kuniaki Shinohara, Naoki Sato, Hiroshi Tsuboi
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Patent number: RE42840Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a toilet cleaning device which is capable of cleaning a toilet stool by supplying cleaning water in an appropriate quantity corresponding to the state of usage by a user, which is provided with a self-diagnosis function for diagnosing cleaning water stoppage or the like, and which has a simple constitution so that maintenance can be performed easily. The output of a Doppler sensor 11 is amplified by an amp 31, and a frequency spectrum is determined by an FFT calculation portion 32. A flow rate is determined by conversion in a flow rate calculation portion 33 on the basis of the frequency spectrum. A controller 34 operates other devices on the basis of the flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculation portion 33 and the operational state of a cleaning instruction button 16. Cleaning water supply valve 36 is opened and closed in accordance with instructions from the controller 34.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2002Date of Patent: October 18, 2011Assignee: Toto, Ltd.Inventors: Kentaro Todoroki, Kuniaki Shinohara, Toshio Koguro, Yuichi Furuta, Mie Ikushima