Patents by Inventor Osamu Futagawa

Osamu Futagawa 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: 6336369
    Abstract: A double-tube type Coriolis flow meter is provided for measuring mass flow. The flow meter includes a straight flow tube (4) through which the fluid being measured flows, a hollow outer tube (5) secured at both ends thereof to act as a counterbalance, a drive unit (7), and a pair of sensors. The flow tube (4) is caused to vibrate by the drive unit (7) so that the mass flow of the fluid is measured by detecting a phase difference proportional to Coriolis force acting on the flow tube (4) by the sensors. Sheet members (coupling plates 6) secure the flow tube (4) to both ends of the outer tube (5) and integrally form the coupling plate (6) with tube-assembly supporting leaf springs (14) in the double-tube type Coriolis flow meter. By connecting the flow tube to the outer tube via the sheet members in this manner, stresses produced between the tubes are absorbed and a uniform temperature distribution is maintained in the outer tube and manufacturing costs are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Oval Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Gomi, Kimihiro Ichinose, Osamu Futagawa, Kazuhide Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 5796012
    Abstract: A resonantly drivable straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter which is capable of correcting instrumental errors caused by a change in density and temperature of measurable fluid. A coaxial double tube body that is composed of an inner tube wherein fluid to be measured flows and an outer tube with a balance weight attached thereto for equalizing natural frequencies of the inner and outer tubes is driven at a resonant frequency having a constant amplitude. A change of fluid density causes a change of amplitude ratio of the inner tube and the outer tube, resulting in shifting of an instrumental error. At this time, a resonant frequency detecting circuit detects a resonant frequency without detecting the amplitude ratio. An instrumental error detecting circuit stores a relation between resonant frequencies and fluid densities and a relation between fluid densities and instrument errors and conducts correction of an instrumental error according to the detected resonant frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Oval Corporation
    Inventors: Shingo Gomi, Hirokazu Kitami, Takashi Endo, Kenichi Matsuoka, Kimihiro Ichinose, Osamu Futagawa, Seiji Kobayashi, Kazuhide Kobayashi