Patents by Inventor Nobukazu Ikeda

Nobukazu 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: 10876870
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a gas supply unit having a first gas flow channel. A second gas flow channel of a flow rate measurement system is connected to the first gas flow channel. The flow rate measurement system further includes a third gas flow channel connected to the second gas flow channel, and a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor that measure a pressure and a temperature, respectively, in the third gas flow channel. In a method, a flow rate of a gas output from a flow rate controller of the gas supply unit is calculated using a build-up method. The flow rate of a gas is calculated without using the total volume of the first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel and temperatures in the first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Risako Miyoshi, Norihiko Amikura, Kazuyuki Miura, Masaaki Nagase, Satoru Yamashita, Yohei Sawada, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10838435
    Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control device includes a control valve; a pressure sensor provided downstream of the control valve; an orifice-built-in valve provided downstream of the pressure sensor; and a control unit connected to the control valve and pressure sensor. The built-in orifice valve has a valve mechanism comprising a valve seat body and a valve element for opening/closing a flow path; a drive mechanism for driving the valve mechanism, and an orifice member provided in the vicinity of the valve mechanism. The pressure-type flow rate control device further includes an opening/closing-detection mechanism for detecting the open/closed state of the valve mechanism, the control unit being configured to receive a detection signal from the opening/closing-detection mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Nobukazu Ikeda, Kouji Nishino
  • Publication number: 20200348704
    Abstract: A flow rate control device (100) comprises: a pressure control valve (6) provided in a flow path; a flow rate control valve (8) provided downstream side of the pressure control valve; and a first pressure sensor (3) for measuring pressure on the downstream side of the pressure control valve and on the upstream side of the flow rate control valve. The flow rate control valve has a valve element (13) seated on/separated from a valve seat (12); a piezoelectric element (10b) for moving the valve element so as be seated on/separated from the valve seat; and a strain sensor (20) provided on a side surface of the piezoelectric element. The pressure control valve (6) is configured to control the pressure control valve (6) on the basis of a signal output from the first pressure sensor (3), and to control the driving of the piezoelectric element of the flow rate control valve (8) based on a signal output from the strain sensor (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Koji KAWADA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO
  • Publication number: 20200348158
    Abstract: A self-diagnosis method of a flow rate control device includes: a step (a) for measuring a pressure drop characteristic after a pressure control valve (6) has been changed to a closed state from a state where a fluid flows from the upstream side of the pressure control valve with the opening of a flow rate control valve (8) is larger than a restriction part; a step (b) for measuring the pressure drop characteristic after the pressure control valve has been changed to the closed state from a state where the fluid flows from the upstream side of the flow rate control valve to the downstream side with the opening of the flow rate control valve is smaller than the restriction part; a step (c) for determining whether there is an abnormality by comparing the pressure drop characteristic measured in step (a) with a corresponding reference pressure drop characteristic; a step (d) for determining whether there is an abnormality by comparing the pressure drop characteristic measured in step (b) with a corresponding ref
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Koji KAWADA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO
  • Publication number: 20200232873
    Abstract: An abnormality detection method performed using a flow rate control device including a restriction portion, a control valve, a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and a downstream valve, includes a step of changing the control valve and the downstream valve from an open state to a closed state, a step of measuring an upstream pressure or a downstream pressure in the closed state, and at least one step of (a) extracting an upstream pressure at a point when a difference between the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure reaches a predetermined value as an upstream convergence pressure, and extracting the downstream pressure as a downstream convergence pressure, and (b) extracting the time from a point when the control valve are changed to a closed state to a point when a difference between the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure reaches a predetermined value as a convergence time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masaaki NAGASE, Kaoru HIRATA, Yohei SAWADA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20200199753
    Abstract: In order to appropriately control temperatures of fluid heating sections that are maintained at different temperatures, the fluid control device (100) comprises a plurality of fluid heating sections (1) connected to each other and each having a flow path or a fluid accommodating portion inside, heaters (10) configured to heat each of the plurality of fluid heating sections to different temperatures, and heat insulating members (13, 13?) disposed between adjacent fluid heating sections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Atsushi HIDAKA, Takatoshi NAKATANI, Keisuke NAKATSUJI, Keiji HIRAO, Yukio MINAMI, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20200159257
    Abstract: A fluid control system (1) comprises: a first valve (21) provided downstream of a flow rate controller (10), a flow rate measuring device (30) provided downstream of the first valve (21) and having a second valve (22), an open/close detector (26) provided to the second valve (22), and a controller (25) for controlling an open/close operation of the first valve (21) and the second valve (22), and the controller (25) controls the open/close operation of the first valve (21) in response to a signal output from the open/close detector (26).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Satoru YAMASHITA, Yohei SAWADA, Masaaki NAGASE, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20200149162
    Abstract: In order to optimally supply a raw material by using a heater, the fluid control device (100) includes a fluid heating section (1) provided with a flow path or a fluid accommodation portion inside, and a heater (10) for heating the fluid heating section, the heater having a heating element (10a) and a metallic heat transfer member (10b) thermally connected to the heating element and arranged so as to surround the fluid heating section, and the surface of the heat transfer member facing the fluid heating section includes a surface (S1) subjected to surface treatment for improving heat dissipation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Atsushi HIDAKA, Takatoshi NAKATANI, Keisuke NAKATSUJI, Keiji HIRAO, Yukio MINAMI, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Patent number: 10646844
    Abstract: A vaporization supply apparatus comprises a vaporizer which heats and vaporize a liquid, a flow-rate control device which controls a flow rate of a gas sent out from the vaporizer, a first control valve interposed in a supply channel of a liquid to the vaporizer, a pressure detector for detecting a pressure of a gas vaporized by the vaporizer, a liquid detection part for measuring parameters of a liquid in an amount higher than a predetermined amount in the vaporizer, and a control device which controls the first control valve to supply a predetermined amount of a liquid to the vaporizer based on the pressure value detected by the pressure detector, and to close the first control valve when the liquid detection part detect a liquid in an amount higher than the predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Atsushi Hidaka, Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Takatoshi Nakatani, Satoru Yamashita, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda, Keiji Hirao
  • Patent number: 10648572
    Abstract: A valve with a built-in orifice includes a base section having a housing recess and first and second flow passages; a valve seat body; an inner disc; a valve element; and an orifice body, wherein the housing recess has a wide-diameter section and a narrow-diameter section, the first flow passage is connected to a space between a wall surface of the narrow-diameter section and the orifice body to communicate with a valve chamber, and the second flow passage communicates with the valve chamber through a through hole of the orifice body and a through hole of the valve seat body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yohei Sawada, Kaoru Hirata, Masaaki Nagase, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10641407
    Abstract: The flow controller according to the present invention includes: a control valve; a first flow passage provided on the downstream side of the control valve; a second flow passage; and an expansion chamber provided between the first flow passage and the second flow passage. The second flow passage is provided in a position that is not on the extension of the first flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Toru Hirai, Kazuyuki Morisaki, Kaoru Hirata, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10604840
    Abstract: To provide a liquid level indicator and a liquid raw material vaporization feeder, in which the time to detect a switch from the liquid phase to the gas phase has reduced flow rate dependence, and also the detection time can be shortened. The present invention includes a chamber 2 that stores a liquid raw material, at least one protection tube 3 housing a resistance temperature detector for detecting the liquid level L1 in the chamber 2, and a flow controller 4 that controls the flow rate of the gas flowing out from the chamber 2 and feeds the same. The protection tube 3 is horizontally inserted into a sidewall 2a of the chamber 2 and fixed thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Atsushi Hidaka, Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Satoru Yamashita, Keiji Hirao, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20200088561
    Abstract: The liquid level meter according to the present invention includes a resistive temperature detector, a temperature measuring body located above it, a temperature detecting unit detecting temperatures of the resistive temperature detector and the temperature measuring body, a current controlling unit determining a current value to be flowed through the resistive temperature detector so that the resistive temperature detector and the temperature measuring body become a predetermined temperature difference, a power supply unit supplying the current of the determined current value to the resistive temperature detector, and a liquid level detecting unit detecting a position of a liquid level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Atsushi HIDAKA, Takatoshi NAKATANI, Satoru YAMASHITA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kaoru HIRATA, Masaaki NAGASE, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20200033895
    Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control device includes a restriction part; a control valve provided upstream of the restriction part; an upstream pressure sensor for detecting pressure between the restriction part and the control valve; and an arithmetic processing circuit connected to the control valve and the upstream pressor sensor. The device is configured to perform flow rate control by controlling the control valve according to an output of the upstream pressure sensor. The arithmetic processing circuit performs an operation of closing the control valve in order to reduce a flow rate of a fluid flowing through the restriction part, and performs an operation of closing the control valve by feedback control in which a target value is an exponential function more gradual than the pressure drop characteristic data when a gas flows out of the restriction part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kaoru HIRATA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO, Masahiko TAKIMOTO, Takahiro IMAI, Shinya OGAWA
  • Publication number: 20200018413
    Abstract: A piezoelectric-element-driven valve includes a valve seat provided on a flow path, a valving element detachably seated on the valve seat, and a piezoelectric element, and is configured to move the valve body by extension of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric-element-driven valve also is provided with a detection mechanism for detecting an extension amount of the piezoelectric element, the detection mechanism including a strain sensor, and being capable of detecting an movement amount of the valving element from an output of the strain sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Koji KAWADA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Patent number: 10534376
    Abstract: A gas divided flow supplying apparatus, including a control valve 3, a pressure type flow control unit 1a connected to a process gas inlet 11, a gas supply main pipe 8 connected to the downstream side of control valve 3, a plurality of branched pipe passages 9a, 9n connected in parallel to the downstream side of main pipe 8, opening and closing valves 10a, 10n interposed in the respective branched pipe passages 9a, 9n, orifices 6a, 6n provided on the downstream sides of valves 10a, 10n, a temperature sensor 4 provided near the process gas passage between the control valve 3 and the orifices 6a, 6n, a pressure sensor 5 provided in the process gas passage between the control valve 3 and the orifices 6a, 6n, divided gas flow outlets 11a, 11n provided on the outlet sides of the orifices 6a, 6n, and an arithmetic and control unit 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kouji Nishino, Ryousuke Dohi, Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Nobukazu Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20200011720
    Abstract: The flow rate measuring method is performed in a common gas supply system comprising a plurality of gas supply paths each having a first valve, and a gas measuring device formed downstream side of the plurality of gas supply paths, having a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and a downstream side second valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Masaaki NAGASE, Yohei SAWADA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Patent number: 10408742
    Abstract: To provide a concentration measurement method with which the concentrations of predetermined chemical components can be measured non-destructively, accurately, and rapidly by a simple means, up to the concentrations in trace amount ranges, as well as a concentration measurement method with which the concentrations of chemical components in a measurement target can be accurately and rapidly measured in real time up to the concentrations in nano-order trace amount ranges, and which is endowed with a versatility that can be realized in a variety of embodiments and modes. In the present invention, a measurement target is irradiated, in a time sharing manner, with light of a first wavelength and light of a second wavelength that have different optical absorption rates with respect to the measurement target. The light of each wavelength, arriving optically via the measurement target as a result of irradiation with the light of each wavelength, is received at a shared light-receiving sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignees: FUJIKIN INCORPORATED, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Masaaki Nagase, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda, Michio Yamaji, Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20190271636
    Abstract: A concentration measuring device includes a measuring cell having a flow passage and a translucent window, a light source for emitting light to the measuring cell through the window, a reflective member for reflecting light propagating through the measuring cell to the window, a light detector for detecting the light exiting from the window, a calculation part for calculating the concentration of the fluid on the basis of a detection signal from the light detector, and an optical device for guiding the light from the light source to the window and guiding the light from the window to the light detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2017
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicants: TOKUSHIMA UNIVERSITY, FUJIKIN INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Yoshihiro DEGUCHI, Takashi FUKAWA, Taiki HATTORI, Masaaki NAGASE, Kazuteru TANAKA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
  • Patent number: 10386861
    Abstract: A pressure type flow control system with flow monitoring includes an inlet, a control valve including a pressure flow control unit connected downstream of the inlet, a thermal flow sensor connected downstream of the control valve, an orifice installed on a fluid passage communicatively connected downstream of the thermal flow sensor, a temperature sensor provided near the fluid passage between the control valve and orifice, a pressure sensor provided for the fluid passage between the control valve and orifice, an outlet communicatively connected to the orifice, and a control unit including a pressure type flow rate arithmetic and control unit receiving a pressure signal from the pressure sensor and a temperature signal from the temperature sensor, and a flow sensor control unit to which a flow rate signal from the thermal flow sensor is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Fujikin Incorporated
    Inventors: Kaoru Hirata, Ryousuke Dohi, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda, Katsuyuki Sugita