Patents by Inventor Shouji Imamura

Shouji Imamura 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: 7223815
    Abstract: A modifier for a polylactic acid comprising a block polymer (C) having a polymer block (A) satisfying relationship (1): 7.80??/?<8.54 wherein ? represents a solubility parameter value of a polymer block; and ? represents a density value of a polymer block, and a polymer block (B) satisfying relationship (2): 8.54??/?<9.20 wherein ? and ? have the same meanings as described above, wherein each of the aforementioned polymer block (A) and the aforementioned polymer block (B) is independently a polymer block selected from the group consisting of a polyester block, a polyether block, and a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid block, and said block polymer (C) has a glass transition temperature of 0° C. or lower, can enhance impact resistance, flexibility, and tensile strain, while biodegradability of the polylactic acids and thermal resistance are maintained, and in addition, is free from bleed-out from the moldings formed from a polylactic acid composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Shouji Imamura, Toshiro Ariga, Hideyuki Furuta, Takashi Mihara
  • Patent number: 7169882
    Abstract: A molding resin formed from a block copolymer comprising polyhydroxycarboxylic acid structural units (I), and polyester structural units (II) derived from a dicarboxylic acid and a diol; wherein the weight ratio (I)/(II) between the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid structural units (I) and the polyester structural units (II) is within a range from 95/5 to 10/90; the resin has a microphase separated structure in which either the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid structural units (I) or the polyester structural units (II) forms domains within a matrix formed by the other structural units; the average domain size of the domains is within a range from 0.08 to 5.0 ?m; and the weight average molecular weight of the molding resin is within a range from 10,000 to 400,000.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Mihara, Shouji Imamura, Masao Kamikura
  • Publication number: 20060030690
    Abstract: A molding resin formed from a block copolymer comprising polyhydroxycarboxylic acid structural units (I), and polyester structural units (II) derived from a dicarboxylic acid and a diol; wherein the weight ratio (I)/(II) between the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid structural units (I) and the polyester structural units (II) is within a range from 95/5 to 10/90; the resin has a microphase separated structure in which either the polyhydroxycarboxylic acid structural units (I) or the polyester structural units (II) forms domains within a matrix formed by the other structural units; the average domain size of the domains is within a range from 0.08 to 5.0 ?m; and the weight average molecular weight of the molding resin is within a range from 10,000 to 400,000.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Inventors: Takashi Mihara, Shouji Imamura, Masao Kamikura
  • Publication number: 20050159583
    Abstract: A modifier for a polylactic acid comprising a block polymer (C) having a polymer block (A) satisfying relationship (i) 7.80??/?<8.54 wherein ? represents a solubility parameter value of a polymer block; and ? represents a density value of a polymer block, and a polymer block (B) satisfying relationship (2): 8.54??/?<9.20 wherein ? and ? have the same meanings as described above, wherein each of the aforementioned polymer block (A) and the aforementioned polymer block (B) is independently a polymer block selected from the group consisting of a polyester block, a polyether block, and a polyhydroxycarboxylic acid block, and said block polymer (C) has a glass transition temperature of 0° C. or lower, can enhance impact resistance, flexibility, and tensile strain, while biodegradability of the polylactic acids and thermal resistance are maintained, and in addition, is free from bleed-out from the moldings formed from a polylactic acid composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Shouji Imamura, Toshiro Ariga, Hideyuki Furuta, Takashi Mihara
  • Patent number: 6803443
    Abstract: A lactic acid polyester (III), having a lactic acid unit (I) and a polyester unit (II) at a weight ratio within the range of 10:90 to 90:10, a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 or more, and a glass transition temperature of 60° C. or below, imparts superior impact resistance to polyhydroxy carboxylic acids while maintaining superior flexibility and transparency and with minimal occurrence of bleedout.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Toshirou Ariga, Katsuji Takahashi, Masao Kamikura, Shouji Imamura, Takashi Mihara