Patents by Inventor Tomoo Tanaka

Tomoo Tanaka 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).

  • Publication number: 20170106579
    Abstract: The extruder includes: a cylinder having a first end portion and a second end portion respectively formed at two ends of the cylinder in an axial direction, and an ejection port formed in the first end portion; a screw including a shaft that is configured to rotate within the cylinder, and a screw blade that is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft; a supplier that is attached to the second end portion side of the cylinder and is configured to supply a kneading target to an inside of the cylinder; and a plurality of protruding members that protrude from an inner wall surface of the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: SUMITOMO RUBBER INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki SAKAMOTO, Tomoo TANAKA, Takuma KONISHI
  • Patent number: 9343876
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode; an insulator; a metallic shell; and a ground electrode, wherein at least one of the center electrode and the ground electrode has thereon an intermediate member which connects the center electrode or the ground electrode to a noble metal tip. The intermediate member has a tip-bonding portion to which the noble metal tip is bonded, and an electrode-bonding portion which has a diameter greater than that of the tip-bonding portion, and which is bonded to the center electrode or the ground electrode. The intermediate member contains nickel (Ni) as a main component, and also contains chromium (Cr) in an amount of 15 to 25 wt. %. The intermediate member contains, in a surface portion thereof, silicon (Si) in an amount per unit volume of 0.04 mg/mm3 to 0.12 mg/mm3, and aluminum (Al) in an amount per unit volume of 0.03 mg/mm3 to 0.10 mg/mm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Yoshimoto, Takehito Kuno, Tomoo Tanaka, Tomonori Kanemaru
  • Patent number: 8979582
    Abstract: The present invention provides a connector, which may comprise a terminal fitting, a connector housing having a terminal receiving chamber in which the terminal fitting is at least partly disposed, and a waterproof body formed of thermoplastic elastomer composition. The thermoplastic elastomer composition may comprise (A) styrene-based elastomer component and (B) syndiotactic polystyrene-based polymer component. (A) Styrene-based elastomer component may comprise (A1) acid-modified styrene-based elastomer and (A2) unmodified styrene-based elastomer. The mass ratio of (A1) acid-modified styrene-based elastomer to the sum of (A1) acid-modified styrene-based elastomer, and (A2) unmodified styrene-based elastomer (A1/(A1+A2)) may be from 0.9 to 0.1. The mass ratio of the (A) styrene-based elastomer component to (B) syndiotactic polystyrene-based polymer component may be from 60:40 to 90:10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoo Tanaka, Hirosi Kawamura, Masami Mihara, Kazuhiro Nakata
  • Patent number: 8952601
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a spark plug having a ground electrode joined securely by electric resistance welding. The spark plug includes a cylindrical metal shell and a ground electrode joined by electric resistance welding to an end portion of the metal shell. The metal shell has a high hardness region formed with a Vickers hardness of 3×102 to 5×102 Hv in the end portion thereof in such a manner that the high hardness region, when viewed in cross section along a plane including an axis of the spark plug and an axis of the ground electrode, has a length d of 0.3 to 0.8 mm from a ground electrode side welding boundary to a metal shell side welding boundary in a direction of load applied during the electric resistance welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehito Kuno, Osamu Yoshimoto, Tomoo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8878424
    Abstract: A spark plug having an insulator that can be restrained from cracking in an environment of heating and cooling cycles. The spark plug includes an insulator having an axial bore extending in the direction of the axis, and a center electrode held in one end portion of the axial bore. The center electrode has an outer layer, and a core provided within the outer layer and formed from a material higher in thermal conductivity than the outer layer. After a heat treatment, the outer layer has a high-hardness region having a hardness of 190 Hv or higher and a thickness of 30 ?m to 200 ?m, and an element supply region having a thickness of 50 ?m or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Sumoyama, Tomoo Tanaka, Tsutomu Shibata
  • Patent number: 8664842
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode and a ground electrode having a gap between the center electrode and the ground electrode, the ground electrode has an outer layer which is formed from an Ni-based alloy and a core portion which is covered by the outer layer and formed from a material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the outer layer. Further, the melting point of the Ni-based alloy forming the outer layer is 1150° C. or more and 1350° C. or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoo Tanaka, Tsutomu Shibata, Osamu Yoshimoto, Takaaki Kikai, Takehito Kuno, Kenji Nunome
  • Patent number: 8618725
    Abstract: A spark plug includes a ceramic insulator, a center electrode, a metallic shell, and a ground electrode. The center electrode has a shoulder portion at a forward end portion, which tapers forward with respect to the axial direction. A noble metal tip is joined to the forward end portion of the center electrode through a fusion zone. A spark discharge gap is formed between the noble metal tip and the ground electrode. The shortest distance between the fusion zone and a forward end surface of the noble metal tip is 0.8-1.2 mm. The outside diameter of the fusion zone as measured at a forward end of the fusion zone is smaller than that as measured at a rear end of the fusion zone. An acute angle ?1 formed by a straight line L1 and a straight line L2 satisfies the relational expression ?1?72°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Sumoyama, Tsutomu Shibata, Tomoo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130313962
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode; an insulator; a metallic shell; and a ground electrode, wherein at least one of the center electrode and the ground electrode has thereon an intermediate member which connects the center electrode or the ground electrode to a noble metal tip. The intermediate member has a tip-bonding portion to which the noble metal tip is bonded, and an electrode-bonding portion which has a diameter greater than that of the tip-bonding portion, and which is bonded to the center electrode or the ground electrode. The intermediate member contains nickel (Ni) as a main component, and also contains chromium (Cr) in an amount of 15 to 25 wt. %. The intermediate member contains, in a surface portion thereof, silicon (Si) in an amount per unit volume of 0.04 mg/mm3 to 0.12 mg/mm3, and aluminum (Al) in an amount per unit volume of 0.03 mg/mm3 to 0.10 mg/mm3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Osamu Yoshimoto, Takehito Kuno, Tomoo Tanaka, Tomonori Kanemaru
  • Publication number: 20130309905
    Abstract: The present invention provides a connector, which may comprise a terminal fitting, a connector housing having a terminal receiving chamber in which the terminal fitting is at least partly disposed, and a waterproof body formed of thermoplastic elastomer composition. The thermoplastic elastomer composition may comprise (A) styrene-based elastomer component and (B) syndiotactic polystyrene-based polymer component. (A) Styrene-based elastomer component may comprise (A1) acid-modified styrene-based elastomer and (A2) unmodified styrene-based elastomer. The mass ratio of (A1) acid-modified styrene-based elastomer to the sum of (A1) acid-modified styrene-based elastomer, and (A2) unmodified styrene-based elastomer (A1/(A1+A2)) may be from 0.9 to 0.1. The mass ratio of the (A) styrene-based elastomer component to (B) syndiotactic polystyrene-based polymer component may be from 60:40 to 90:10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoo Tanaka, Hirosi Kawamura, Masami Mihara, Kazuhiro Nakata
  • Publication number: 20130293088
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a spark plug having a ground electrode joined securely by electric resistance welding. The spark plug includes a cylindrical metal shell and a ground electrode joined by electric resistance welding to an end portion of the metal shell. The metal shell has a high hardness region formed with a Vickers hardness of 3×102 to 5×102 Hv in the end portion thereof in such a manner that the high hardness region, when viewed in cross section along a plane including an axis of the spark plug and an axis of the ground electrode, has a length d of 0.3 to 0.8 mm from a ground electrode side welding boundary to a metal shell side welding boundary in a direction of load applied during the electric resistance welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventors: Takehito Kuno, Osamu Yoshimoto, Tomoo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20130200774
    Abstract: A spark plug includes a ceramic insulator having an axial hole formed in an axis direction of the spark plug, a center electrode inserted in a front side of the axial hole, a metal shell disposed around the ceramic insulator and a ground electrode joined to a front end portion of the metal shell, wherein the ground electrode has a cross-sectional area of 2.0 mm2 or smaller in any arbitrary cross section thereof taken in a direction perpendicular to a center line of the ground electrode; the ground electrode is made of a metal material containing 93 mass % or more of nickel; and the ground electrode has a Vickers hardness of 130 to 260 Hv.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Takaaki Kikai, Tomoo Tanaka, Tsutomu Shibata, Kaori Suzuki, Takehito Kuno
  • Patent number: 8415867
    Abstract: A spark plug 100 has a center electrode tip 90, 95 at an end portion of an electrode. The electrode tip 90, 95 contains Pd as a main component in an amount greater than 40% by weight and contains at least one element of Ir, Ni, Co, and Fe such that Ir, if contained, is contained in an amount of 0.5% by weight to 20% by weight inclusive and at least one element of Ni, Co, and Fe, if contained, is contained in an amount of 0.5% by weight to 40% by weight inclusive on an element basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoo Tanaka, Daisuke Sumoyama
  • Patent number: 8410673
    Abstract: A spark plug having a center electrode and a ground electrode including a ground electrode main body part having an end thereof facing the center electrode and a noble metal tip joined to the ground electrode main body part at a position facing a leading end of the center electrode, a spark discharge gap being formed between the leading end of the center electrode and the noble metal tip, wherein at least a portion of the ground electrode main body part, to which the noble metal tip is joined, is made of an Ni alloy containing 12 to 45 mass % of Cr, 7 mass % or less of Fe, 0.5 to 5 mass % of Al, 0.3 to 5 mass % of Si and 50 mass % or more of the balance, and wherein the joined portion and the noble metal tip are joined by laser welding or electron beam welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Torii, Tomoo Tanaka, Akira Suzuki, Mamoru Musasa, Naomichi Miyashita, Osamu Yoshimoto
  • Publication number: 20130069516
    Abstract: A spark plug includes a ceramic insulator, a center electrode, a metallic shell, and a ground electrode. The center electrode has a shoulder portion at a forward end portion, which tapers forward with respect to the axial direction. A noble metal tip is joined to the forward end portion of the center electrode through a fusion zone. A spark discharge gap is formed between the noble metal tip and the ground electrode. The shortest distance between the fusion zone and a forward end surface of the noble metal tip is 0.8-1.2 mm. The outside diameter of the fusion zone as measured at a forward end of the fusion zone is smaller than that as measured at a rear end of the fusion zone. An acute angle ?1 formed by a straight line L1 and a straight line L2 satisfies the relational expression ?1?72°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Daisuke Sumoyama, Tsutomu Shibata, Tomoo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8344604
    Abstract: A precious metal tip on the side of a ground electrode is indirectly joined to the front end portion of the ground electrode via a mounting part interposed therebetween. The mounting part includes a base part and a protruding part. First, in the state where the precious metal tip is in contact with the protruding part, laser welding or the like is performed thereon to form a fused part and obtain a complex, and the base part is joined to a flat surface of the ground electrode by resistance welding. The grain size of grains of the mounting part in the vicinity of the of the fused part is greater than the grain size of the grain size of the grains thereof in the vicinity of the ground electrode, and the grain size of the grains of the flange part of the mounting part is smaller than the grain size of the grains of the protruding part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Torii, Naomichi Miyashita, Mamoru Musasa, Akira Suzuki, Tomoo Tanaka, Osamu Yoshimoto
  • Publication number: 20120293061
    Abstract: A spark plug including a center electrode and a ground electrode having a gap between the center electrode and the ground electrode, the ground electrode has an outer layer which is formed from an Ni-based alloy and a core portion which is covered by the outer layer and formed from a material having a thermal conductivity higher than that of the outer layer. Further, the melting point of the Ni-based alloy forming the outer layer is 1150° C. or more and 1350° C. or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoo Tanaka, Tsutomu Shibata, Osamu Yoshimoto, Takaaki Kikai, Takehito Kuno, Kenji Nunome
  • Patent number: 8283846
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a spark plug including a central electrode and/or a ground electrode with a gap, which can suppress generation of corrosion-like generated foreign substances while maintaining high thermal conductivity and high strength. The gap between the central electrode and the ground electrode with at least one of the central electrode and the ground electrode formed from an electrode material including 96% by mass or more of Ni, in which the electrode material includes a total content of from 0.05% by mass to 0.45% by mass of at least one selected from a group consisting of Y and rare earth elements, 0.05% by mass or more of Mn, and a total content of 0.01% by mass or more of at least one selected from a group consisting of Ti, V, and Nb, and the ratio (a/b) of the total content (a) of Ti, V, and Nb to the content (b) of Mn is from 0.02 to 0.40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shibata, Takehito Kuno, Tomoo Tanaka, Kenji Nunome, Shoichiro Nagatomo
  • Publication number: 20120217864
    Abstract: A spark plug having an insulator that can be restrained from cracking in an environment of heating and cooling cycles. The spark plug includes an insulator having an axial bore extending in the direction of the axis, and a center electrode held in one end portion of the axial bore. The center electrode has an outer layer, and a core provided within the outer layer and formed from a material higher in thermal conductivity than the outer layer. After a heat treatment, the outer layer has a high-hardness region having a hardness of 190 Hv or higher and a thickness of 30 ?m to 200 ?m, and an element supply region having a thickness of 50 ?m or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Daisuke Sumoyama, Tomoo Tanaka, Tsutomu Shibata
  • Patent number: 8106572
    Abstract: A spark plug in which an ignition portion of a ground electrode formed through joining of a noble metal chip to the ground electrode has high durability, and a method of manufacturing the spark plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoo Tanaka, Naomichi Miyashita
  • Publication number: 20120013241
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a spark plug including a central electrode and/or a ground electrode, which can suppress generation of corrosion-like generated foreign substances while maintaining high thermal conductivity and high strength. The spark plug according to the invention is a spark plug including a central electrode and a ground electrode provided to have a gap between the central electrode and the ground electrode with at least one of the central electrode and the ground electrode formed from an electrode material including 96% by mass or more of Ni, in which the electrode material includes a total content of from 0.05% by mass to 0.45% by mass of at least one selected from a group consisting of Y and rare earth elements, 0.05% by mass or more of Mn, and a total content of 0.01% by mass or more of at least one selected from a group consisting of Ti, V, and Nb, and the ratio (a/b) of the total content (a) of Ti, V, and Nb to the content (b) of Mn is from 0.02 to 0.40.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Shibata, Takehito Kuno, Tomoo Tanaka, Kenji Nunome, Shoichiro Nagatomo