Patents by Inventor Tsuyoki Hirai

Tsuyoki Hirai 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: 11933537
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cooling/heating chamber capable of cooling and heating foods. The cooling/heating chamber is divided into a heating zone that is a space where foods to be heated are placed, and a non-heating zone that is a space continuous with the heating zone where foods not to be heated are placed. The refrigerator further includes an oscillation electrode and a counter electrode that are arranged so as to face each other with the heating zone in between, and an oscillating unit that applies an AC voltage to between the oscillation electrode and the counter electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Mori, Kei Nambu, Tsuyoki Hirai
  • Patent number: 11573044
    Abstract: A refrigerator according to the present disclosure includes at least one storage chamber and uses an electromagnetic wave to heat a stored object inside the storage chamber. A first electromagnetic wave shield is provided on a door of the storage chamber, and a second electromagnetic wave shield is provided on a housing part of the refrigerator that is in contact with the door while the door is closed. This makes it possible to provide a structure capable of exhibiting a function as an electromagnetic wave shield even for a refrigerator door in which wiring to a grounding part is difficult.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Mori, Kei Nambu, Tsuyoki Hirai
  • Publication number: 20220252335
    Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator that includes the following: a storage chamber having a space to store a preserved product; an oscillator that forms high frequency power; and oscillation electrode (24) and counter electrode (25) disposed facing each other and connected to the oscillator, oscillation electrode (24) and counter electrode (25) receiving the high frequency power from the oscillator to generate an electric field in the storage chamber. Oscillation electrode (24) and counter electrode (25) are provided at interval H that is shorter than a long side dimension of oscillation electrode (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Kiyoshi MORI, Kei NAMBU, Tsuyoki HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20220252339
    Abstract: Provided is a refrigerator that includes a storage chamber capable of storing a preserved product, power supply unit (48), oscillation circuit (22), oscillation electrode (24) and counter electrode (25), matching unit (52) that matches impedance, controller (50), and a shield. Power supply unit (48) includes a first power supply part that rectifies an alternating current from a commercial alternating-current power supply and converts the alternating current into a direct current, a first ground part that serves as a reference potential of the first power supply part, a second power supply part and a third power supply part that each step down an output voltage of the first power supply part and output the stepped-down output voltage, a second ground part that serves as a reference potential of the second power supply part, and a third ground part that serves as a reference potential of the third power supply part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: Kiyoshi MORI, Kei NAMBU, Tsuyoki HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20210389049
    Abstract: A refrigerator includes a cooling/heating chamber capable of cooling and heating foods. The cooling/heating chamber is divided into a heating zone that is a space where foods to be heated are placed, and a non-heating zone that is a space continuous with the heating zone where foods not to be heated are placed. The refrigerator further includes an oscillation electrode and a counter electrode that are arranged so as to face each other with the heating zone in between, and an oscillating unit that applies an AC voltage to between the oscillation electrode and the counter electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Kiyoshi MORI, Kei NAMBU, Tsuyoki HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20210381755
    Abstract: The present invention provides a highly reliable and safe heating device that can uniformly heat an object to be heated and provides a refrigerator having a storage space in which frozen products as storage products can be easily thawed to a high-quality state. A heating device of the present invention includes an oscillation electrode disposed on one hand of the heating space and having an electrode surface on which an electric field concentration region is formed, a counter electrode disposed on the other hand of the heating space and having an electrode surface that faces the electrode surface of the oscillation electrode, and a high-frequency electric field forming unit for forming a high-frequency electric field applied to between the oscillation electrode and the counter electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Kiyoshi MORI, Kei NAMBU, Tsuyoki HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20210018246
    Abstract: A refrigerator according to the present disclosure includes at least one storage chamber and uses an electromagnetic wave to heat a stored object inside the storage chamber. A first electromagnetic wave shield is provided on a door of the storage chamber, and a second electromagnetic wave shield is provided on a housing part of the refrigerator that is in contact with the door while the door is closed. This makes it possible to provide a structure capable of exhibiting a function as an electromagnetic wave shield even for a refrigerator door in which wiring to a grounding part is difficult.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Kiyoshi MORI, Kei NAMBU, Tsuyoki HIRAI
  • Patent number: 10781963
    Abstract: A heat-insulating housing (21) includes: a wall body; and an open-cell resin body (4) of thermosetting resin with which a heat-insulating space formed by the wall body is filled by integral foaming, the open-cell resin body including: a plurality of cells (47); a cell film portion (42); a cell skeleton portion (43); a first through-hole (44) formed so as to extend through the cell film portion; and a second through-hole (45) formed so as to extend through the cell skeleton portion, wherein the plurality of cells communicate with one another through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Uekado, Tsuyoki Hirai
  • Patent number: 10539265
    Abstract: A vacuum heat insulator includes inner box (403), external plate (401), and gas barrier container (402). Gas barrier container (402) includes core material (423), first member (421) that has a box shape including a first opening portion, and second member (422) that tightly closes the first opening portion. Core material (423) is disposed inside first member (421). Inner box (403) includes a second opening portion. Gas barrier container (402) is disposed inside inner box (403). The second opening portion is closed by external plate (401). First member (421) has such a shape that an outer face of first member (421) fits with an inner face of inner box (403).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Kitano, Hideji Kawarazaki, Toshiaki Hirano, Tsuyoki Hirai
  • Publication number: 20200009770
    Abstract: A heat-insulating housing (21) includes: a wall body; and an open-cell resin body (4) of thermosetting resin with which a heat-insulating space formed by the wall body is filled by integral foaming, the open-cell resin body including: a plurality of cells (47); a cell film portion (42); a cell skeleton portion (43); a first through-hole (44) formed so as to extend through the cell film portion; and a second through-hole (45) formed so as to extend through the cell skeleton portion, wherein the plurality of cells communicate with one another through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Kazutaka UEKADO, Tsuyoki HIRAI
  • Patent number: 10456962
    Abstract: A heat-insulating housing (21) includes: a wall body; and an open-cell resin body (4) of thermosetting resin with which a heat-insulating space formed by the wall body is filled by integral foaming, the open-cell resin body including: a plurality of cells (47); a cell film portion (42); a cell skeleton portion (43); a first through-hole (44) formed so as to extend through the cell film portion; and a second through-hole (45) formed so as to extend through the cell skeleton portion, wherein the plurality of cells communicate with one another through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Uekado, Tsuyoki Hirai
  • Patent number: 10253919
    Abstract: A vacuum insulation body includes an outer box (2), an inner box (3), open-cell urethane foam (4) in the insulation space (1b) between the outer box (2) and the inner box (3); and a vacuum outlet (6) in one of the outer box (2) and the inner box (3). The urethane foam (4) includes a through passage (8a) leading to the vacuum outlet (6). The vacuum outlet (6) is sealed after the insulation space (1b) filled with the urethane foam (4) is vacuum-evacuated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideji Kawarazaki, Tsuyoki Hirai, Toshiaki Hirano, Tomoaki Kitano
  • Publication number: 20180313492
    Abstract: A vacuum heat insulator includes inner box (403), external plate (401), and gas barrier container (402). Gas barrier container (402) includes core material (423), first member (421) that has a box shape including a first opening portion, and second member (422) that tightly closes the first opening portion. Core material (423) is disposed inside first member (421). Inner box (403) includes a second opening portion. Gas barrier container (402) is disposed inside inner box (403). The second opening portion is closed by external plate (401). First member (421) has such a shape that an outer face of first member (421) fits with an inner face of inner box (403).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Tomoaki KITANO, Hideji KAWARAZAKI, Toshiaki HIRANO, Tsuyoki HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20180306375
    Abstract: A heat-insulating housing (21) includes: a wall body; and an open-cell resin body (4) of thermosetting resin with which a heat-insulating space formed by the wall body is filled by integral foaming, the open-cell resin body including: a plurality of cells (47); a cell film portion (42); a cell skeleton portion (43); a first through-hole (44) formed so as to extend through the cell film portion; and a second through-hole (45) formed so as to extend through the cell skeleton portion, wherein the plurality of cells communicate with one another through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Kazutaka UEKADO, Tsuyoki HIRAI
  • Patent number: 10030805
    Abstract: A heat-insulating housing (21) includes: a wall body; and an open-cell resin body (4) of thermosetting resin with which a heat-insulating space formed by the wall body is filled by integral foaming, the open-cell resin body including: a plurality of cells (47); a cell film portion (42); a cell skeleton portion (43); a first through-hole (44) formed so as to extend through the cell film portion; and a second through-hole (45) formed so as to extend through the cell skeleton portion, wherein the plurality of cells communicate with one another through the first through-hole and the second through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Uekado, Tsuyoki Hirai
  • Publication number: 20170276287
    Abstract: A vacuum insulation body includes an outer box (2), an inner box (3), open-cell urethane foam (4) in the insulation space (1b) between the outer box (2) and the inner box (3); and a vacuum outlet (6) in one of the outer box (2) and the inner box (3). The urethane foam (4) includes a through passage (8a) leading to the vacuum outlet (6). The vacuum outlet (6) is sealed after the insulation space (1b) filled with the urethane foam (4) is vacuum-evacuated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Hideji KAWARAZAKI, Tsuyoki HIRAI, Toshiaki HIRANO, Tomoaki KITANO
  • Publication number: 20170268715
    Abstract: A heat-insulating wall of the present invention includes: wall bodies (2 and 3) whose hollow portion is a heat-insulating space (10); gas circulation ports (5 and 6) which are disposed on the wall body and through which the heat-insulating space communicates with the outside; an open-cell urethane foam (4) of a thermosetting urethane resin with which the heat-insulating space is filled by integral foaming; and sealing materials (50, 51, 55, 60, 61 and 62) for sealing the gas circulation port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Tsuyoki HIRAI, Kazutaka UEKADO
  • Publication number: 20170198863
    Abstract: A heat insulator (10) is provided in a heat-insulating vessel for holding a substance having a temperature that is lower than ordinary temperature by at least 100° C. The heat insulator (10) includes a core material (14) and an outer wrapping material (13) for wrapping the core material (14). The core material (14) has a heat-insulating core material made of an open-cell resin. The outer wrapping material (13) is made of a metal thin plate. A peripheral edge of the metal thin plate is fixedly bonded. An inside of the outer wrapping material is vacuum-sealed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventor: TSUYOKI HIRAI
  • Patent number: 9695903
    Abstract: To provide a novel damper for a compressor that includes a vibration isolation system that suits the low rotation speed of a compressor of a cooling apparatus. A plurality of support projections that support annular mounting portions of a compressor at multiple points are provided at an upper end portion of a cylindrical support. The plurality of support projections elastically support the compressor so that the compressor has a high center of gravity and allow the compressor to be laterally displaced by vibration. Moreover, a bellows portion that is elastically deformed while being in contact with the annular mounting portion that becomes laterally displaced is provided. The elastic deformation of the bellows portion buffers the lateral displacement of the compressor and stirs a viscous fluid that fills inside thereof to buffer the vibration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Polymatech Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoki Hirai, Akira Naito
  • Publication number: 20170096284
    Abstract: A vacuum heat insulating body includes core material and outer packing material that vacuum-seals core material. Core material includes first heat insulating core material and second heat insulating core material having ventilation characteristics. Moreover, first heat insulating core material has ventilation resistance greater than the ventilation resistance of second heat insulating core material. First heat insulating core material is configured with an open-cell resin, and second heat insulating core material is configured with a fiber material or a powder material having ventilation resistance smaller than the ventilation resistance of the open-cell resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Applicant: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiaki HIRANO, Hideji KAWARAZAKI, Tomoaki KITANO, Tsuyoki HIRAI