Patents by Inventor Toshihiro Matsumoto

Toshihiro Matsumoto 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: 20130148066
    Abstract: A liquid crystal panel (2) comprises a liquid crystal layer (30) sandwiched between two substrates (10 and 20) and alignment films (15 and 22) in contact with a liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal panel (2) is of a vertical alignment type which drives the liquid crystal layer (30) by a transverse electric field which is generated between an upper electrode (14) and an lower layer electrode (12). A polar anchoring strength of each of the alignment films (15 and 22) falls within a range from more than 5×10?6 J/m2 to not more than 1×10?4 J/m2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yosuke Iwata, Mitsuhiro Murata, Yasuhiro Nasu, Toshihiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8435692
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell including a reaction gas supply path which makes it difficult to cause water condensation in a region near an end plate. A fuel cell of the present invention comprises a cell stack 2 having a reaction gas passage 13a inside thereof and having on one end surface thereof a reaction gas supply inlet 17 from which a reaction gas is supplied to the reaction gas passage 13a, a joint 5 connecting the reaction gas supply inlet 17 to an external pipe P for supplying the reaction gas, plate-shaped end members 3, 4 which are disposed on one end surface of the cell stack 2 and have through-holes 21, 23 into which the joint 5 is inserted so as not to contact inner wall surfaces thereof, and a closing member 9 for substantially closing a space formed between the joint 5 and the inner wall surfaces of the through-holes 21, 23.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Soichi Shibata, Susumu Hatano, Hiroki Kusakabe, Eiichi Yasumoto, Toshihiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8421975
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which can suppress generation of an afterimage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Morishita, Toshihiro Matsumoto, Tsuyoshi Okazaki
  • Publication number: 20130011769
    Abstract: A fuel cell separator having a turn portion of a serpentine-shaped reaction gas passage region. In the turn portion, a recessed portion is defined by an outer end of the turn portion and oblique boundaries between the recessed portion and a pair of passage groove group. In the turn portion, a plurality of protrusions, which vertically extend from a bottom face of the recessed portion and are arranged in an island form, are disposed such that one or more protrusions form a plurality of columns lined up and spaced apart from each other with a gap in a direction in which the outer end extends and one or more protrusions form a plurality of rows lined up and spaced apart from each other with a gap in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the outer end extends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Kusakabe, Toshihiro Matsumoto, Norihiko Kawabata, Yoshiki Nagao, Shinsuke Takeguchi, Yasuo Takebe, Masaki Nobuoka
  • Patent number: 8351825
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided and includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on an image carrier with a transparent material and a coloring material; a controller that controls an order of an image forming with the transparent material and an image forming with the coloring material to be different between in an image portion and in a non-image portion in an image forming region on the image carrier; and a transferring unit that transfers the image formed on the image carrier onto a recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kimura, Tomoshi Hara, Masahiko Kubo, Toshihiro Matsumoto, Nobukazu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8343688
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell is provided with a fuel cell stack assembled by sandwiching a plurality of stacked single cell modules with a plurality of fastening members through a pair of end plates. The fuel cell includes a first elastic member arranged between the fastening member and the end plate and a plurality of second elastic members arranged between the end plate and the end of the fuel cell stack. Each of the second elastic members is arranged on the surface of the end plate corresponding to the electrode portion of a membrane electrode assembly in each of the single cell module, and each of the first elastic members is arranged on the surface of the end plate corresponding to a seal member arrangement region in which the seal member is arranged between the periphery of the membrane electrode assembly and a pair of separator plates in each single cell module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsumoto, Hiroki Kusakabe, Mitsuo Yoshimura, Yoko Yamaguchi, Yoshiki Nagao
  • Patent number: 8329322
    Abstract: In a solid polyelectrolyte fuel cell, with a frame including a frame body main part placed along a peripheral edge portion of a membrane, a plurality of first retaining portions which are arrayed so as to protrude from an inner edge of the frame body main part and which retain the front surface side of the membrane, and a plurality of second retaining portions which are arrayed so as to protrude from the inner edge of the frame body main part and which retain the back surface side of the membrane, the first retaining portions and the second retaining portions are so arrayed that retaining positions of the membrane by the first retaining portions and retaining positions of the membrane by the second retaining portions are alternately placed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Morimoto, Hiroki Kusakabe, Toshihiro Matsumoto, Norihiko Kawabata, Mitsuo Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20120293756
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device capable of enhancing the transmittance and the display quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro Murata, Yuichi Kawahira
  • Patent number: 8285187
    Abstract: An image gloss control apparatus that includes a first control component and a second control component is provided. The first control component controls an image forming/fixing component, which forms an image on a recording medium using a colored image formation material and fixes the image, so that a first image is formed in a high gloss area having a high gloss level on the recording medium or an area including the high gloss area on the recording medium and is fixed. The second control component that controls the image forming/fixing component, so that a second image having a density lower than a density of the first image is formed in a low gloss area having a gloss level lower than the gloss level of the high gloss area on the recording medium where the first image is formed or the low gloss area on the first image and is fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kimura, Masahiko Kubo, Tomoshi Hara, Shinsuke Sugi, Toshihiro Matsumoto, Kenji Mori, Nobukazu Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20120251918
    Abstract: A fuel cell separator pair has first and second separators having front and back surfaces, a corrugated plate portion shaped in a wave form at the central portion, and a flat plate portion formed in the peripheral portion and surrounding the corrugated plate portion, wherein the corrugated plate portion of the front surface constitutes a reaction gas channel and the corrugated plate portion of the back surface constitutes a coolant channel. The back surfaces of the first and second separators are facing each other. The flat plate portions of the first and second separators are arranged on top of each other so as to be in contact with each other. The flat plate portion of the second separator protrudes toward the outside beyond the flat plate portion of the first separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Morimoto, Toshihiro Matsumoto, Atusi Murata, Mitsuo Yoshimura, Yoko Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8278008
    Abstract: A fuel cell separator and a fuel cell are provided that can improve uniformity in reaction gas flow rate and can prevent flooding due to excessive condensed water in passage grooves appropriately. A reaction gas passage region (101) of a separator (2) has a flow splitting region (21) having a passage groove group where the reaction gas is split, and one or more flow merge regions (22) having a recessed portion in which the reaction gas is mixed and connecting a plurality of flow splitting regions so that the passage groove group of the adjacent flow splitting regions (21) are connected to the recessed portion, and protrusions (27) vertically extend from a bottom face of the recessed portion and arranged in an island form. A pair of passage groove groups connected to the recessed portion of the flow merge region (22) is formed so as to have a greater number of grooves in the upstream passage groove group than the number of grooves of grooves in the downstream passage groove group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Kusakabe, Toshihiro Matsumoto, Norihiko Kawabata, Yoshiki Nagao, Shinsuke Takeguchi, Yasuo Takebe, Masaki Nobuoka
  • Patent number: 8273203
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a method for manufacturing a prepreg sheet includes steps of (A) forming a resin layer 61 on a surface of a supporter 3, (B) winding a reinforcing yarn 10 around the resin layer 61, and (C) embedding at least a part of the reinforcing yarn 10 in the resin layer 61. Preferably, in step (C), the surface of the supporter 3 is relatively moved towards the reinforcing yarn 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Harazono, Toshihiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8268512
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method for an electrode-membrane-frame assembly in a fuel cell, a first frame member and an electrolyte membrane member are arranged in a first mold for injection molding such that the edge of the electrolyte membrane member is arranged on the first frame member, a second mold is arranged to form a resin flow passage for forming a second frame member which is in contact with the first frame member by interposing the electrolyte membrane member, and a part of the edge of the electrolyte membrane member is pressed and fixed to the first frame member by a presser member mounted on the second mold and a molding resin material is injected into the resin flow passage to form a second frame member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Morimoto, Hiroki Kusakabe, Toshihiro Matsumoto, Norihiko Kawabata, Mitsuo Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20120176575
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display element that sufficiently improves the reliability and the optical characteristics, and can be driven by a low voltage. The liquid crystal display element of the present invention includes a pair of substrates; and a liquid crystal layer sealed between the substrates. The liquid crystal layer includes liquid crystal molecules having positive dielectric constant anisotropy, at least one of the substrates includes a pair of comb-shaped electrodes, at least one of the substrates includes a vertical alignment film in a display region on a face in contact with the liquid crystal layer, and the vertical alignment film is an inorganic alignment film made of an inorganic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro Murata, Takako Koide
  • Publication number: 20120141694
    Abstract: A TBA-liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal medium with positive dielectric anisotropy, wherein the liquid crystal medium includes, in 100% by weight of the liquid crystal compounds identified by the compounds recited in formulas I through IX below: wherein, R1, R3, R3*, R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 independently denote C2-5 linear alkyl, preferably propyl or pentyl, R2 denote C4-6 linear alkyl, preferably butyl or pentyl; and R4 denotes C1-3 linear alkyl, preferably methyl.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro Murata, Yuichi Kawahira, Masayuki Kanehiro, Takanori Takeda, Norihiko Tanaka, Hideo Ichinose
  • Patent number: 8178173
    Abstract: A TBA-liquid crystal display panel including a liquid crystal medium with positive dielectric anisotropy, wherein the liquid crystal medium includes, in 100% by weight of the liquid crystal compounds identified by the compounds recited in formulas I through IX below: wherein, R1, R3, R3*, R5, R6, R7, R8, and R9 independently denote C2-5 linear alkyl, preferably propyl or pentyl, R2 denote C4-6 linear alkyl, preferably butyl or pentyl; and R4 denotes C1-3 linear alkyl, preferably methyl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignees: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Merck Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro Murata, Yuichi Kawahira, Masayuki Kanehiro, Takanori Takeda, Norihiro Tanaka, Hideo Ichinose
  • Publication number: 20120099060
    Abstract: A vertical alignment type liquid crystal display element (10) which carries out display operation by controlling orientations of liquid crystal molecules (52) by use of transverse electric fields, wherein interleaved electrodes (30) are provided on an array substrate (22), and a thickness (dl) of a liquid crystal layer (50) at portions where the interleaved electrodes (30) are provided is larger than a thickness (ds) of the liquid crystal layer (50) in an inter-electrode area (RS).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Inventors: Toshihiro Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro Murata, Yuichi Kawahira
  • Patent number: 8137863
    Abstract: Even if reaction gas flows into a substantially rectangular anode-side and cathode-side gaps formed between an annular main body portion and a membrane electrode assembly in an anode side and a cathode side of a fuel cell, the reaction gas is prevented from flowing out from an outlet without passing through an electrode to cause degradation of power generation efficiency. At least one of anode-side gasket and cathode-side gasket in the fuel cell is provided with an extra sealing portion connected to an annular main body portion in such a manner that, among two pairs of gap portions opposing to each other in the anode-side gap and the cathode-side gap, the extra sealing portion intersects with one pair of gap portions having a larger pressure gradient of fuel gas and oxidant gas in a direction from an upstream side to a downstream side of a fuel gas flow channel and an oxidant gas flow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shinsuke Takeguchi, Kazuhito Hatoh, Hiroki Kusakabe, Toshihiro Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20110318665
    Abstract: A polymer electrolyte fuel cell-use gasket, included in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a fuel cell stack. In fuel cell stack, a plurality of unit cell modules is stacked, and each of the unit cell modules includes sealing members disposed at circumference portions of both surfaces of a membrane electrode assembly, and paired separators sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly and the sealing members. The fuel cell stack is assembled by being clamped by a fastening member via paired end plates respectively disposed at both ends of a stacked product. The present invention relates to the polymer electrolyte fuel cell-use gasket in which the sealing members are integrally molded with the circumference portions of both surfaces of the membrane electrode assembly. A conventional gasket has an issue that the gasket cannot achieve, at the same time, the conflicting demands, i.e., a reduction in the fastening force and a sure securing of the sealing performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Yoko Yamamoto, Toshihiro Matsumoto, Takashi Morimoto, Mitsuo Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20110317118
    Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which is capable of reducing occurrence of white-floating and/or color tone change. The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device, comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate disposed opposite to each other; and a liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. The first substrate has a first comb-shaped electrode and a second comb-shaped electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are planarly disposed opposite to each other in a pixel. The second substrate has a third electrode which is partially disposed in the pixel and is configured to be supplied with a predetermined electric potential. The liquid crystal layer includes a p-nematic liquid crystal which is configured to be aligned perpendicularly to substrate surfaces of the first substrate and the second substrate when no voltage is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Okazaki, Katsuhiko Morishita, Toshihiro Matsumoto