Patents by Inventor Masaaki Kondo

Masaaki Kondo 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: 9897219
    Abstract: The pressure reduction valve includes: a cylindrical portion, a piston and a spring. The cylindrical portion includes an inlet communicating with the primary side flow path and an outlet communicating with the secondary side flow path. The piston fitted into the cylindrical portion is slidable along an axis direction of the cylindrical portion within the cylindrical portion, and defines, within the cylindrical portion, a space communicating with the inlet and the outlet. The spring applies, to the piston, a force acting toward the space. The outlet is displaced in one direction from the center of the piston when seen in the axis direction. The force applied to the piston by the spring is distributed so as to deviate from the center of the piston to the side of the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Norihiko Saito, Sogo Goto, Masaaki Kondo, Akira Yamashita, Eiji Okawachi, Munetoshi Kuroyanagi, Toshikatsu Kubo, Takashi Iwaguchi
  • Patent number: 9885979
    Abstract: A toner filling apparatus includes a filling tank, a toner filling path forming member, a toner fluidizing unit, a filling path opening/closing unit and a container room sucking unit. The toner filling path forming member is in communication with the filling tank and forms a toner filling path connected to the toner container. The container room sucking unit sucks air from the toner container through a filter member which is impermeable to the toner but permeable to air. When the toner fluidizing unit fluidizes the toner in the filling tank and the filling path opening/closing unit opens the toner filling path so as to load the toner to the toner container, the container room sucking unit reduces a pressure in the toner container to a negative pressure so as to draw in the toner into the toner container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Toru Toda, Katsumi Tashiro, Takeshi Arai, Masaaki Kondo, Kiyotaka Naito
  • Cap
    Patent number: 9884551
    Abstract: A cap includes a main body attached to an end part of a charging port for fuel gas. The main body includes an elastic deformable portion for locking the main body to the end part when the main body is attached to the end part. The cap further includes a cover covering at least part of the elastic deformable portion and surrounding the main body. The elastic deformable portion at least partially elastically deforms when the main body is attached to the end part and when the main body is detached from the end part. The cover is a separate member from the main body. When the elastic deformable portion elastically deforms, the cover applies force to the elastic deformable portion in a direction opposite from the deforming direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirofumi Onishi, Masaaki Kondo, Akira Yamashita, Yuji Furuta, Yukio Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9810327
    Abstract: A valve element of a pressure reducing valve includes a taper portion seated on an inner periphery of a valve hole that includes a first area, a second area and a third area in order from an upstream side. The first area is provided such that, when the valve element is open, the height of a passage defined between the first area and the taper portion gradually reduces toward a downstream side. The second area is provided such that the height of a passage defined between the second area and the taper portion is constant when the valve element is open and the entire second area contacts the taper portion when the valve element is closed. The third area is provided such that, when the valve element is open, the height of a passage defined between the third area and the taper portion gradually increases toward the downstream side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiko Shima, Takashi Iwaguchi, Hidetoshi Fujiwara, Munetoshi Kuroyanagi, Toshikatsu Kubo, Eiji Okawachi, Masaaki Kondo, Akira Yamashita, Hidetsugu Hayashi
  • Patent number: 9802480
    Abstract: Provided is a high-pressure tank that includes a tank main body including a mouthpiece, a valve fitted to the mouthpiece, and a pipe extending from the valve in an axially inward direction of the tank main body and for ejecting a gas into the tank main body. The pipe includes an ejection nozzle provided at an end of the pipe and for ejecting the gas, a first bent portion located between the ejection nozzle and the valve and extending in a direction inclined relative to an axial direction of the tank main body, and a second bent portion having the ejection nozzle and extending in a direction inclined relative to the axial direction. One of an inclination angle of the first bent portion relative to the axial direction and an inclination angle of the second bent portion relative to the axial direction is larger than 0° and not larger than 90°, and the other is not smaller than ?0° and smaller than 0°, when the pipe is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Komiya, Masaaki Kondo, Akira Yamashita, Shuusuke Inagi
  • Publication number: 20160274497
    Abstract: A toner filling apparatus includes a filling tank, a toner filling path forming member, a toner fluidizing unit, a filling path opening/closing unit and a container room sucking unit. The toner filling path forming member is in communication with the filling tank and forms a toner filling path connected to the toner container. The container room sucking unit sucks air from the toner container through a filter member which is impermeable to the toner but permeable to air. When the toner fluidizing unit fluidizes the toner in the filling tank and the filling path opening/closing unit opens the toner filling path so as to load the toner to the toner container, the container room sucking unit reduces a pressure in the toner container to a negative pressure so as to draw in the toner into the toner container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: TORU TODA, Katsumi TASHIRO, Takeshi ARAI, Masaaki KONDO, Kiyotaka NAITO
  • Publication number: 20160137056
    Abstract: Provided is a high-pressure tank that includes a tank main body including a mouthpiece, a valve fitted to the mouthpiece, and a pipe extending from the valve in an axially inward direction of the tank main body and for ejecting a gas into the tank main body. The pipe includes an ejection nozzle provided at an end of the pipe and for ejecting the gas, a first bent portion located between the ejection nozzle and the valve and extending in a direction inclined relative to an axial direction of the tank main body, and a second bent portion having the ejection nozzle and extending in a direction inclined relative to the axial direction. One of an inclination angle of the first bent portion relative to the axial direction and an inclination angle of the second bent portion relative to the axial direction is larger than 0° and not larger than 90°, and the other is not smaller than ?0° and smaller than 0°, when the pipe is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji KOMIYA, Masaaki KONDO, Akira YAMASHITA, Shuusuke INAGI
  • Publication number: 20160138726
    Abstract: The pressure reduction valve includes: a cylindrical portion, a piston and a spring. The cylindrical portion includes an inlet communicating with the primary side flow path and an outlet communicating with the secondary side flow path. The piston fitted into the cylindrical portion is slidable along an axis direction of the cylindrical portion within the cylindrical portion, and defines, within the cylindrical portion, a space communicating with the inlet and the outlet. The spring applies, to the piston, a force acting toward the space. The outlet is displaced in one direction from the center of the piston when seen in the axis direction. The force applied to the piston by the spring is distributed so as to deviate from the center of the piston to the side of the outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norihiko SAITO, Sogo GOTO, Masaaki KONDO, Akira YAMASHITA, Eiji OKAWACHI, Munetoshi KUROYANAGI, Toshikatsu KUBO, Takashi IWAGUCHI
  • CAP
    Publication number: 20160137057
    Abstract: A cap includes a main body attached to an end part of a charging port of fuel gas, an elastic deformable portion provided to the main body and for locking the main body to the end part when the main body is attached to the end part, and a cover covering at least part of the elastic deformable portion and surrounding the main body. The elastic deformable portion at least partially elastically deforms when the main body is attached to the end part and when the main body is detached from the end part. The cover is a separate member from the main body. When the elastic deformable portion elastically deforms, the cover applies force to the elastic deformable portion in a direction opposite from the deforming direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirofumi ONISHI, Masaaki KONDO, Akira YAMASHITA, Yuji FURUTA, Yukio YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 9341754
    Abstract: In a direct type point light source backlight using point light sources, a light diffuser is provided that can achieve coexistence of superior luminance, luminance uniformity (front and oblique views), and a color unevenness characteristic even with a desired backlight thickness and a few number of point light sources without using a number of optical films together. Specifically, provided is a light diffuser for point light sources, the light diffuser having a plurality of convex portions formed on a surface thereof, wherein the convex portion has a substantially triangular pyramid shape whose bottom surface is a triangle, and an inclined angle ? with respect to a bottom surface of a side surface of the substantially triangular pyramid shape and a refractive index A of a material forming the convex portion satisfy the following equations (1) and (2). ???40A°+115.2°??(1) ??25A°+22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei E-materials Corporation
    Inventors: Tomofumi Maekawa, Masaaki Kondo
  • Publication number: 20160131273
    Abstract: In order to reduce a pressure loss in a check valve and simplify a manufacturing process, a check valve (10) configured to be disposed in piping of fluid is provided, which includes a valve housing (31) including a valve element (52) and a valve seat (54) therein, a casing (20) that is configured to place the valve housing therein, in which a casing flow path (60) is provided between the casing and the valve housing to make a flow of the fluid in an axial direction of the valve housing. In the valve housing, a communicating hole (38) and sealing portion (34) are formed. The communicating hole that is formed through the valve housing in a thickness direction thereof introduces the fluid, which flows through between the valve element and the valve seat at the open position of the check valve, into the casing flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, NITTO KOHKI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirofumi ONISHI, Masaaki KONDO, Akira YAMASHITA, Takuya NISHIO
  • Publication number: 20160131285
    Abstract: An object is to prevent a reduction in an inner diameter of a front end portion of a pipe to be connected, and thereby prevent an increase in a pressure loss, even when a larger axial force is secured. A piping joint structure is provided, which includes a pipe, where a first flow path for a fluid is formed therein, having an opening of the first flow path, and having a first sealing surface on an outer surface thereof; a connector where a second flow path is formed therein, having an opening of the second flow path, having a second sealing surface in an inner surface thereof, and having a male threaded portion in an outer surface thereof; and a nut having a female threaded portion to be screwed to the male threaded portion, the female threaded portion of the nut is screwed to the male threaded portion of the connector in a state that the first sealing surface of the pipe is in contact with the second sealing surface of the connector, so that the pipe is connected with the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji KOMIYA, Masaaki KONDO, Akira YAMASHITA, Shusuke INAGI, Hidetsugu HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160133966
    Abstract: A fuel cell system comprises a fuel cell, a tank, a 1st pressure sensor that measures a fill-time pressure, a 2nd pressure sensor that measures a supply piping pressure, a temperature sensor that measures an internal temperature of the tank; and a controller that, when the fuel cell starts, derives an estimated pressure value of the supply piping pressure based on a 1st pressure value that shows the fill-time pressure, the internal temperature when the 1st pressure value was measured, and the internal temperature when the supply piping pressure was measured, and that detects as the supply piping pressure the lower value among the estimated pressure value and the 2nd pressure value that shows the measured supply piping pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji KOMIYA, Masaaki KONDO, Akira YAMASHITA
  • Publication number: 20160118676
    Abstract: A valve element of a pressure reducing valve includes a taper portion seated on an inner periphery of a valve hole that includes a first area, a second area and a third area in order from an upstream side. The first area is provided such that, when the valve element is open, the height of a passage defined between the first area and the taper portion gradually reduces toward a downstream side. The second area is provided such that the height of a passage defined between the second area and the taper portion is constant when the valve element is open and the entire second area contacts the taper portion when the valve element is closed. The third area is provided such that, when the valve element is open, the height of a passage defined between the third area and the taper portion gradually increases toward the downstream side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Toshihiko SHIMA, Takashi IWAGUCHI, Hidetoshi FUJIWARA, Munetoshi KUROYANAGI, Toshikatsu KUBO, Eiji OKAWACHI, Masaaki KONDO, Akira YAMASHITA, Hidetsugu HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160116918
    Abstract: A throttle valve includes a throttle valve element; a support member that supports the throttle valve element, the support member including a valve element support portion, and a shaft portion that is connected to the valve element support portion, the shaft portion having a gas passage and an inlet port; a mounting member that mounts the support member in a throttle valve flow passage; a filter that is disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion to cover the inlet port, in a space whose axial length is defined by the shaft portion and the mounting member; and gaskets that are respectively disposed between one axial end of the filter and the mounting member and between the other axial end of the filter and the shaft portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Akio NAKAMURA, Akira NAKANO, Shusuke INAGI, Akira YAMASHITA, Masaaki KONDO
  • Publication number: 20160102771
    Abstract: A valve device includes a body in which a gas flow passage is provided; and a check valve provided in the gas flow passage, the check valve including a poppet and a valve seat. The poppet excluding a block portion is in a form of a hollow shaft, the block portion being located at a distal end of the poppet and having a taper shape, and the poppet has at least one side hole that provides communication between an inside and an outside of a portion of the poppet, the portion being in the form of the hollow shaft. The at least one side hole extends obliquely with respect to a central axis line of the poppet such that the at least one side hole extends along a gas flow direction inclined with respect to a direction in which the poppet moves when the check valve opens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Munetoshi KUROYANAGI, Akio NAKAMURA, Kazuo HANEDA, Shusuke INAGI, Akira YAMASHITA, Masaaki KONDO
  • Publication number: 20160104903
    Abstract: A valve device includes a body, a solenoid valve accommodated in an accommodation hole of the body, and a joint member fixed to the body. The solenoid valve includes: a sleeve having a tubular shape and fitted in the accommodation hole, and including an introduction passage and a delivery passage; and a valve element configured to open and close the passages. A U-seal is disposed between an outer wall surface of the sleeve and an inner wall surface of the accommodation hole. The body has an attachment hole that is located downstream of the delivery passage of the sleeve and opens on an outer surface of the body. The joint member including a backflow reduction valve is fixed to the attachment hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Akio NAKAMURA, Takuya SUZUKI, Shusuke INAGI, Akira YAMASHITA, Masaaki KONDO
  • Patent number: 8858735
    Abstract: A high-strength quenched formed article has a zinc plating layer which is formed at a post-quenching formed steel sheet surface, and which contains 30 g/m2 or more of a phase that contains 5% or more by mass but 30% or less by mass of Fe, and which also contains 0.15% or more by mass but less than 2% by mass of at least one of Al and Si in a separate fashion or a composite fashion, and contains Zn, which makes up substantially a rest portion of the zinc plating layer, and an inevitable impurity, wherein the high-strength quenched formed article has a high-strength portion having a post-quenching-formation tensile strength of 1000 MPa or more, and a low-strength portion having a post-quenching-formation tensile strength of 800 MPa or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Aisin Takaoka Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Kondo, Shinichi Suzuki, Toshimasa Tomokiyo, Koichi Nishizawa, Takayuki Suzuki, Yuki Ishiguro, Hideyuki Kai
  • Patent number: 8828159
    Abstract: The present invention provides a steel material for automobile chassis parts which has high fatigue characteristics, does not require much cost for heat treatment, and further is superior in shapeability and a method of production of automobile chassis parts using this steel material, that is, one being a steel material to which Nb and Mo have been compositely added and having a difference 50 to 150 points between a Vicker's hardness of the center of plate thickness and a maximum value of Vicker's hardness within 0.5 mm from the surface after bending by a bending R of the plate outer surface of 2 to 5 times the plate thickness. The surface is high in hardness and the center part is low in hardness, so the fatigue characteristics and shapeability are superior. Note that if annealing under conditions giving a tempering parameter ? defined by ?=T(20+log(t)) of 14000 to 19000 (where T is the absolute temperature, t is the time (h), and the temperature rise is 660° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignees: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Nakamura, Isao Anai, Yasushi Yamamoto, Takaaki Fukushi, Izuru Yamamoto, Masaaki Kondo, Satoru Shimazu
  • Patent number: 8778261
    Abstract: The present invention provides a steel material for automobile chassis parts, having high fatigue characteristics, without a heat treatment, and superior shapeability, and a method of production of such automobile chassis parts. The surface of the steel has a high hardness and the center has a low hardness, providing the superior characteristics. With an annealing step of the invention, it is possible to relieve internal stress and further improve fatigue characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Nakamura, Isao Anai, Yasushi Yamamoto, Takaaki Fukushi, Izuru Yamamoto, Masaaki Kondo, Satoru Shimazu