Patents by Inventor Masaki Ikeda

Masaki Ikeda 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: 10468648
    Abstract: A battery pack for an electric power tool is adapted for attachment in a removable manner to a tool body of the electric power tool. The battery pack includes an outer shell and a rechargeable battery unit accommodated in the outer shell. The rechargeable battery unit includes at least one rechargeable battery cell, a battery case that is sealed accommodating the at least one rechargeable battery cell, and a relief valve arranged on the battery case. The relief valve is configured to open when the at least one rechargeable battery cell generates gas and builds up pressure in the battery case to a predetermined value or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Ikeda, Akira Kawai, Naoki Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 10263543
    Abstract: A power tool system includes a battery pack, a charger connectable to the battery pack, and a power tool body connectable to the battery pack. The battery pack includes a battery pack memory that stores identification information in a smallest unit allowing for communication with the charger and the power tool body. Each of the charger and the power tool body includes a device memory that stores at least one piece of identification information of a usable battery pack. Each of the charger and the power tool body or the battery pack includes a determination unit that determines whether or not the at least one piece of identification information stored in the device memory includes the identification information stored in the battery pack memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Ikeda, Naoki Tsuruta, Akira Kawai
  • Publication number: 20180048249
    Abstract: A power tool system includes a battery pack, a charger connectable to the battery pack, and a power tool body connectable to the battery pack. The battery pack includes a battery pack memory that stores identification information in a smallest unit allowing for communication with the charger and the power tool body. Each of the charger and the power tool body includes a device memory that stores at least one piece of identification information of a usable battery pack. Each of the charger and the power tool body or the battery pack includes a determination unit that determines whether or not the at least one piece of identification information stored in the device memory includes the identification information stored in the battery pack memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki IKEDA, Naoki TSURUTA, Akira KAWAI
  • Patent number: 9847523
    Abstract: The battery pack includes a battery cell for supplying electric power to an external device connected thereto, a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of a place on which the temperature sensor is arranged, a switch member for making and breaking an electric path between the external device and the battery cell; and a controller configured to control the switch member to turn on and off according to the temperature sensed by the temperature sense. The temperature sensor is arranged on a position between the battery cell and the switch member so as to be affected by the temperatures of both of the battery cell and the switch member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Iwamura, Masaaki Sakaue, Masaki Ikeda, Naoki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9800660
    Abstract: A communication device according to the present invention aims to restart data transmission/reception between communication devices in a short amount of time, without performing key sharing again, even when a communication device of a transmitting side is rebooted. The communication device includes a volatile memory storing a count value, a generator generating data including a count value, a communicator transmitting data to another communication device, a storage instructor, each time the communicator transmits data, updating the volatile memory with a count value, and a nonvolatile memory. A count value is incremented each time the communicator transmits data, the storage instructor causes the nonvolatile memory to store a count value at certain intervals, and the generator, when the communication device is rebooted, includes in data a sum of a certain value and a count value stored in the nonvolatile memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Masuda, Masaki Ikeda, Tomoya Watanabe, Keiji Sakaguchi, Hirotatsu Shinomiya, Seiji Nimura
  • Patent number: 9746860
    Abstract: An electric tool adaptor is configured to be disposed between an electric tool and a battery pack and attached detachably with respect to the electric tool and the battery pack. This adaptor includes a DC-DC converter configured to increase or reduce a voltage of the battery pack to convert the voltage to a drive voltage of the electric tool and supply the drive voltage to the electric tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Sakaue, Masaki Ikeda, Akira Kawai
  • Patent number: 9553534
    Abstract: An electric power tool includes a drive source, a rechargeable battery that supplies power to the drive source, a voltage meter that measures voltage of the rechargeable battery, a temperature meter that measures temperature of the rechargeable battery, and a drive control unit that regulates the power supplied to the drive source from the rechargeable battery to drive the drive source. If the battery temperature measured by the temperature meter is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature when the battery voltage measured by the voltage meter is lower than or equal to a predetermined voltage, the drive control unit drives the drive source differently from normal driving that is performed if the battery temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature when the battery voltage is higher than the predetermined voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miwa, Masaki Ikeda, Naoki Tsuruta
  • Publication number: 20160263684
    Abstract: A cutting tool includes a drive source, and a cutting blade driven by the drive source. A cutting line detector detects a cutting line marked on a surface of a cut subject. A deviation determination unit determines whether or not deviation of a location of the cutting blade from a location of the cutting line detected by the cutting line detector is greater than a threshold value. A notification unit notifies a user when the deviation determination unit determines that the deviation is greater than the threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Masaki IKEDA, Naoki TSURUTA
  • Publication number: 20160268873
    Abstract: A power tool includes a motor that is driven by power supplied from a battery pack, a trigger switch that is operable by a user, and a controller that controls the motor in accordance with an operation amount of the trigger switch, wherein the controller includes a load determination unit that uses a terminal voltage of the battery pack when the motor is stopped as a reference voltage to determine load applied to the motor based on a relationship of a voltage drop amount from the reference voltage when the motor is driven, the operation amount of the trigger switch, and an operation time of the trigger switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Masaki IKEDA, Naoki TSURUTA
  • Patent number: 9430928
    Abstract: A power tool system includes a plurality of tool devices. Each of the tool devices includes a condition detection unit that detects condition information of the tool device and a communication unit capable of performing bidirectional wireless communication with a further one of the tool devices. The communication unit is configured to obtain the condition information of the tool device from the condition detection unit and transmit the obtained condition information of the tool device to the further one of the tool devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Ikeda, Tatsuya Miwa, Naoki Tsuruta
  • Publication number: 20160226044
    Abstract: A battery pack for an electric power tool is adapted for attachment in a removable manner to a tool body of the electric power tool. The battery pack includes an outer shell and a rechargeable battery unit accommodated in the outer shell. The rechargeable battery unit includes at least one rechargeable battery cell, a battery case that is sealed accommodating the at least one rechargeable battery cell, and a relief valve arranged on the battery case. The relief valve is configured to open when the at least one rechargeable battery cell generates gas and builds up pressure in the battery case to a predetermined value or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Masaki Ikeda, Akira Kawai, Naoki Tsuruta
  • Publication number: 20160079895
    Abstract: An electric power tool includes a drive source, a rechargeable battery that supplies power to the drive source, a voltage meter that measures voltage of the rechargeable battery, a temperature meter that measures temperature of the rechargeable battery, and a drive control unit that regulates the power supplied to the drive source from the rechargeable battery to drive the drive source. If the battery temperature measured by the temperature meter is lower than or equal to a predetermined temperature when the battery voltage measured by the voltage meter is lower than or equal to a predetermined voltage, the drive control unit drives the drive source differently from normal driving that is performed if the battery temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature when the battery voltage is higher than the predetermined voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: Tatsuya MIWA, Masaki IKEDA, Naoki TSURUTA
  • Patent number: 9287721
    Abstract: The charger includes: a connector to be connected to a battery; an identification unit configured to perform an identification process of judging whether the battery being connected to the connector is a compliant battery allowed to be directly connected to the connector or a non-compliant battery allowed to be indirectly connected to the connector, and output a result of the identification process; a main charging unit configured to charge the compliant battery according to a main charging condition appropriate to the compliant battery; an auxiliary charging unit configured to charge the non-compliant battery according to an auxiliary charging condition which does not cause a harmful effect on the non-compliant battery; and a control unit configured to receive the result from the identification unit, and, when the result indicates the compliant battery, activate the main charging unit, and, when the result indicates the non-compliant battery, activate the auxiliary charging unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Miwa, Masaki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9257853
    Abstract: The battery pack includes: a charging terminal receiving power from a charger while connected to the charger; a battery connected to the charging terminal and recharged by power from the charger via the charging terminal; a protective circuit performing a protective operation of detecting an overcharge of the battery by using power from the battery while receiving a driving signal, and terminating the protective operation when receiving no driving signal; an activation terminal receiving an activation signal from the charger while connected to the charger; an activation circuit connected to the activation terminal and configured to output the driving signal to the protective circuit while receiving the activation signal from the charger via the activation terminal; and an auxiliary activation circuit connected to the charging terminal and configured to provide the driving signal to the protective circuit while the battery receives power from the charger via the charging terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Okada, Masaki Ikeda, Norihiro Iwamura, Motoharu Muto
  • Publication number: 20160005295
    Abstract: A power tool system includes a plurality of tool devices. Each of the tool devices includes a condition detection unit that detects condition information of the tool device and a communication unit capable of performing bidirectional wireless communication with a further one of the tool devices. The communication unit is configured to obtain the condition information of the tool device from the condition detection unit and transmit the obtained condition information of the tool device to the further one of the tool devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Masaki IKEDA, Tatsuya MIWA, Naoki TSURUTA
  • Publication number: 20160006389
    Abstract: A series multiplex matrix converter includes a power converter and a controller. The power converter is disposed between a power system and a rotating electric machine, and includes a plurality of power conversion cells connected in series to each other. The controller is configured to control at least one power conversion cell among the plurality of power conversion cells to cause a current to flow from the at least one power conversion cell toward the rotating electric machine, and configured to control a rest of the plurality of power conversion cells to cause the current flowing toward the rotating electric machine to flow from the rest of the plurality of power conversion cells toward the power system as a reactive current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Kotaro TAKEDA, Takashi TANAKA, Takuya NAKA, Wataru YOSHINAGA, Masaki IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20160006280
    Abstract: A power tool charging device includes a charging unit that charges a rechargeable battery of a power tool, a condition detection unit that detects condition information of the rechargeable battery, and an information processing unit that receives the condition information of the rechargeable battery from the condition detection unit and outputs the received condition information of the rechargeable battery to a communication unit capable of performing near field communication with another device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Masaki IKEDA, Tatsuya MIWA, Naoki TSURUTA
  • Publication number: 20160006279
    Abstract: An electric power tool that receives driving power from a rechargeable battery includes loads and a control circuit that controls supply of the driving power from the rechargeable battery to the loads. The control circuit sets and stores for each of the loads a reference voltage value of the rechargeable battery used for stopping or issuing a notification in order to obviate over-discharging of the rechargeable battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Naoki TSURUTA, Masaki IKEDA, Tatsuya MIWA
  • Publication number: 20150381733
    Abstract: A communication device according to the present invention aims to restart data transmission/reception between communication devices in a short amount of time, without performing key sharing again, even when a communication device of a transmitting side is rebooted. The communication device includes a volatile memory storing a count value, a generator generating data including a count value, a communicator transmitting data to another communication device, a storage instructor, each time the communicator transmits data, updating the volatile memory with a count value, and a nonvolatile memory. A count value is incremented each time the communicator transmits data, the storage instructor causes the nonvolatile memory to store a count value at certain intervals, and the generator, when the communication device is rebooted, includes in data a sum of a certain value and a count value stored in the nonvolatile memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Yoichi MASUDA, Masaki IKEDA, Tomoya WATANABE, Keiji SAKAGUCHI, Hirotatsu SHINOMIYA, Seiji NIMURA
  • Patent number: 9178380
    Abstract: A charger includes an output circuit unit to output a charging current to a secondary battery, a voltage detection unit to detect a voltage of the secondary battery, and a control unit to control the output circuit unit, whereby constant current charging and constant voltage charging are performed. The control unit decreases a constant current value of the charging current by stages during the constant current charging and determines that the secondary battery has deteriorated by using a first voltage drop value of the secondary battery occurring upon first conversion and a second voltage drop value of the secondary battery occurring upon second conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kawai, Masaki Ikeda, Masaaki Sakaue, Toshiharu Ohashi