Patents by Inventor Yoshitami Inoue

Yoshitami Inoue 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: 6489585
    Abstract: A plasma treatment apparatus includes two or more pairs of electrodes for plasma generation, a treatment chamber for accommodating the electrodes, gas supply unit for supplying a plasma-generation gas such as rare gas into the chamber, and a power supply. A pulse-like or AC voltage is applied between the electrodes to generate dielectric barrier discharge plasma of the gas in the vicinity of atmospheric pressure, so that an object placed between the electrodes is treated by the plasma. At least one of the electrodes is provided with a tubular electrode substrate and a protection layer formed by heat-fusion coating a glass-based material on at least an outer surface exposed to plasma of the tubular electrode substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kosuke Nakamura, Yasushi Sawada, Hiroaki Kitamura, Yoshitami Inoue
  • Patent number: 6429400
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for performing plasma processing of an article, comprising: a central electrode; a tubular outer electrode which is provided so as to surround the central electrode; a tubular reaction pipe which is disposed between the central electrode and the outer electrode so as to electrically insulate the central electrode and the outer electrode from each other; a gas supply device for supplying a plasma producing gas to a discharge space defined between the central electrode and the outer electrode in the reaction pipe; an AC power source for applying an AC voltage between the central electrode and the outer electrode; wherein not only the plasma producing gas is supplied to the discharge space by the gas supply device but the AC voltage is applied between the central electrode and the outer electrode by the AC power source so as to generate a glow discharge in the discharge space under atmospheric pressure such that a plasma jet is blown to the article from a blow-off outlet of the reac
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sawada, Keiichi Yamazaki, Yoshitami Inoue, Sachiko Okazaki, Masuhiro Kogoma
  • Patent number: 6424091
    Abstract: A plasma treatment apparatus capable of efficiently performing a plasma treatment to a large area of an object while preventing the occurrence of streamer discharge is provided. The apparatus includes at least one pair of electrodes, gas supply unit for supplying a gas for plasma generation to a discharge space defined between the electrodes, and an electric power supply for applying an AC voltage between the electrodes to generate plasma of the gas for plasma generation in the discharge space. At least one of the pair of electrodes has a dielectric layer at an outer surface thereof. At least one of the pair of electrodes has a curved surface jutting into the discharge space. It is preferred that the electrodes are of a cylindrical structure. In this case, it is particularly preferred that the plasma treatment apparatus further includes a coolant supply unit for supplying a coolant to the interior of the electrodes to reduce an electrode temperature during the plasma treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Sawada, Kosuke Nakamura, Hiroaki Kitamura, Yoshitami Inoue