Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm Donald R. Studebaker
  • Patent number: 6730948
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes at least a ferroelectric or high-dielectric-constant film and a surface coating that have been stacked in this order over a substrate. The surface coating is made of an acrylic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuo Umeda, Keiichi Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 6725829
    Abstract: In a combustion control apparatus of a direct-injection diesel engine, in which a fuel is injected at an early timing with an EGR ratio more than a first predetermined value at pre-mixed combustion area (H) where an engine load is relatively low so as to provide a pre-mixed combustion mode, while a diesel combustion mode is provided with the EGR ratio less than a second predetermined value at diffusion combustion area (D), when the operation of the engine 1 transfers from one of the pre-mixed combustion area (H) and the diffusion combustion area (D) to the other thereof, an opening of the an EGR valve 35 is changed and thereby a fuel injection mode is changed after an actual EGR ratio: EGR becomes a predetermined value: EGR1. When the EGR ratio: EGR is within a certain range (SB5→SB13→SB15), a follow-up injection (latter-injection) is executed (SB15, SB7) so that combustion thereby may begin at the timing when the main-combustion beginning at around TDC completes mostly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Motoshi Kataoka, Akihiro Kobayashi, Tomoaki Saito
  • Patent number: 6725974
    Abstract: A balancer shaft apparatus efficiently prevent oil from being stirred in the oil pan and from being splashed into the cylinder block during the balancer-shaft rotation. Oil in a housing of the balancer shaft is discharged from a drainage hole formed at such a location above an oil level as to contact a base serving as a bearing beam of a crankshaft supporting member. The discharged oil hits inner surfaces of a recess formed on the lower portion of the crankshaft supporting member to form oil drops, returning to an oil pan. The housing is provided with guide passages connecting the drainage holes to a space in which the balancer shaft is disposed for draining the oil. These guide passages are formed with tapered guide surfaces for orienting the oil towards the lower portions of the crankshaft supporting member while splashed oil caused by the balancer-shaft rotation is drained through the drainage holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Sakumi Haseto, Ichirou Hirose
  • Patent number: 6728007
    Abstract: Discharged stencils stored in a discharged stencil box of a stencil printer are compressed by a compression member driven by a DC compression motor. The cycle rate of pulses generated from a rotary encoder representing the speed of the compression motor is detected and the compression motor is stopped when the cycle rate of the pulses generated from the rotary encoder becomes equal to a value corresponding to a predetermined desired output torque of the compression motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Riso Kagaku Corporation
    Inventor: Kiichiro Umezawa
  • Patent number: 6725650
    Abstract: An exhaust purifying system includes switching between a stratified combustion state at a stratified combustion region (I) of low revolutions speeds and low loads and a homogeneous combustion state of substantially the theoretical air/fuel ratio at a warm &lgr;=1 region (II) adjacent thereto with higher revolution speeds or loads, wherein a first oxygen concentration sensor is arranged upstream from the three-way catalyst, and when an engine shifts from the stratified combustion region (I) to the warm &lgr;=1 region (II), the feedback control of the air/fuel ratio based on an output signal of that sensor begins, and the target air/fuel ratio A/F is set to a range of 14.0≦A/F<14.7, so that the target air/fuel ratio A/E is slightly richer than the theoretical air/fuel ratio, thus preventing a temporary deterioration of the exhaust gas state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Hirofumi Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6725649
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a direct-injection, spark-ignition engine including a temperature-condition detector for detecting a temperature condition of the engine catalyst, and a controller for controlling a fuel-injection operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Yamashita, Masashi Marubara, Hiroyuki Yoshida, Noriyuki Ohta
  • Patent number: 6722156
    Abstract: A refrigeration system includes a chiller unit and a freezer unit. The freezer unit is provided with a freezing compressor for compressing a refrigerant in a total of two stages together with a compressor in an outdoor unit. The freezing compressor is formed by an inverter compressor. An oil separator is disposed on the discharge pipe of the freezing compressor. On the inlet pipe of the freezing compressor, a heat exchanger is provided for cooling an inverter with an refrigeration oil separated by the oil separator and a suction refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Tanimoto, Takeo Ueno, Masaaki Takegami, Kazuyoshi Nomura
  • Patent number: 6723637
    Abstract: An impurity diffusion layer serving as the source or the drain of a transistor is formed in a semiconductor substrate, and a protection insulating film is formed so as to cover the transistor. A capacitor lower electrode, a capacitor dielectric film of an oxide dielectric film and a capacitor upper electrode are successively formed on the protection insulating film. A plug for electrically connecting the impurity diffusion layer of the transistor to the capacitor lower electrode is buried in the protection insulating film. An oxygen barrier layer is formed between the plug and the capacitor lower electrode. The oxygen barrier layer is made from a composite nitride that is a mixture or an alloy of a first nitride having a conducting property and a second nitride having an insulating property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshie Kutsunai, Shinichiro Hayashi, Takumi Mikawa, Yuji Judai
  • Patent number: 6723175
    Abstract: A method for producing a formed member made of a steel sheet according to the present invention is characterized by preparing a steel sheet material having tensile strength of 500 MPa or less and containing a nitriding element; forming a formed member having a predetermined shape by performing a plastic forming on the steel sheet material; and performing a nitriding treatment on the formed member so that an average hardness in the sheet thickness direction of the resultant steel sheet member is Hv 300 or more by Vickers hardness, and further characterized in that the difference in hardness between the surface part and the inside center part in the thickness direction of the steel sheet member of the formed member is Hv 200 or less by Vickers hardness, thereby it is possible to reliably obtain a formed member having a sufficiently high strength after a nitriding treatment while ensuring a plastic formability of a steel sheet in obtaining a formed member made of a steel sheet member of high strength by performi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Katsunori Hanakawa, Kyoso Ishida, Mitsugi Fukahori
  • Patent number: 6720207
    Abstract: A leadframe includes: a frame rail; a die pad, disposed inside the frame rail, for mounting a semiconductor chip thereon; and a plurality of internal inner leads, which are disposed to surround the die pad and each of which has a convex portion on the bottom thereof. The frame rail and the internal inner leads are retained by a lead retaining member on their upper and/or lower surface(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Minamio, Fumihiko Kawai, Masahiko Ohiro, Masanori Koichi, Yoshinori Satoh, Akira Oga, Toshiyuki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 6719344
    Abstract: A center console of a vehicle installed on its floor as if extending along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle has a bottle holder for holding drinking vessels, an accessory storage for holding small articles, a first lid for covering and uncovering the top of the bottle holder, and a second lid for covering and uncovering the top of the accessory storage. The first lid can be slid from a position where the top of the bottle holder is covered by the first lid to a position where the top of the bottle holder is uncovered and, with the first and second lids joined into a single structure, the first and second lids can be swung up together about fixed parts of hinges from a position where the top of the accessory storage is covered to a position where the top of the accessory storage is uncovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation, Nishikawa Kasei Co., Ltd., Nifco Inc.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Ono, Hiroshi Ohno, Junji Takahara, Nobuhisa Fujii, Takehiko Nemoto
  • Patent number: 6720632
    Abstract: Between a source/drain heavily-doped diffusion layer and a region below a side face of a gate electrode in an epitaxial semiconductor substrate, an extension heavily-doped diffusion layer where N-type As ions are diffused is formed to have shallower junction than the source/drain heavily-doped diffusion layer. A pocket heavily-doped diffusion layer where P-type indium ions, that is, heavy ions having a relatively large mass number, are diffused is formed under the extension heavily-doped diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Taiji Noda
  • Patent number: 6715792
    Abstract: A seat belt system for a vehicle for restraining an occupant in a first seat mounted in a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the vehicle including an opening formed on at least one side of a vehicular body. The seat belt system includes a belt webbing having a first and second end. A retractor is disposed at a door of the vehicle for retracting the first end of the belt webbing. A lap-anchor device is disposed at the door of the vehicle for fixedly supporting the belt webbing below and outward of the first seat. The lap-anchor device includes an anchor bracket and a moving device. The anchor bracket is connected with the second end of the belt webbing. The anchor bracket includes an engaging portion which communicates with an engageable portion provided at the vehicular body below the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Ippei Yamachi, Hiroaki Nakao, Masanobu Fukushima, Hiroaki Takeshita, Masashi Ohtsuka, Hiroshi Okugawa
  • Patent number: 6712593
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to split bodies for assembling a synthetic resin blower fan by a hollow article molding process. The split bodies have a first split body which includes a circular base portion and vanes extending radially and a second split body assembled on top of said first split body and is in a doughnut-shaped cap with an air inlet at the center thereof. Air channels are formed between adjacent pair of the vanes. The second split body includes a plurality of grooves which are formed on an inner surface opposite from the first split body in an assembled state. Each of the grooves extends radially along an edge of a corresponding vane and is adapted to be closed by the edge so as to define a flow path for allowing a molten synthetic resin to pass therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Kioritz Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Takahashi, Giichi Iida
  • Patent number: 6713826
    Abstract: A gate electrode is made up of a lower electrode of polysilicon and an upper electrode including a low-resistance film. A nitride sidewall is formed to cover at least the side faces of an insulator cap and the upper electrode. A pad oxide film is formed to cover at least part of the side faces of the lower electrode and part of the upper surface of a semiconductor substrate. Since a second nitride sidewall is formed to cover the first nitride sidewall and the pad oxide film, a self-aligned contact hole can be formed by etching. As a result, a semiconductor device with a highly reliable self-aligned contact can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., LTD
    Inventors: Takashi Uehara, Masato Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 6710382
    Abstract: A silicon germanium layer is deposited over a semiconductor substrate with a gate insulating film interposed between the substrate and the silicon germanium layer. Then, an upper silicon layer in an amorphous state is deposited on the silicon germanium layer. Thereafter, a gate electrode is formed by patterning the silicon germanium layer and the upper silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroko Kubo, Kenji Yoneda
  • Patent number: 6710430
    Abstract: A resin-encapsulated semiconductor device includes a die pad, a semiconductor chip mounted on the die pad, and a group of leads. The group of leads include at least three kinds of leads, including first, second and third leads. While the first lead and the third lead are connected to each other upon production of the lead frame, the first lead and the third lead are separated from each other in a subsequent step. Moreover, a thin metal wire for connecting an electrode of the semiconductor chip to the bonding pad of each lead, and an encapsulation resin for encapsulating the semiconductor chip, the leads, the thin metal wire, etc., are provided. The pad of each lead is exposed on a surface of the encapsulation resin so that the pad can function as an external terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Minamio, Toru Nomura, Fumihiko Kawai
  • Patent number: 6710380
    Abstract: The diode of the present invention includes: a cathode electrode and an anode electrode that are disposed on a semiconductor substrate and are spaced apart from each other; and a shielding metal member placed between the cathode and anode electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junko Iwanaga, Yorito Ota, Mitsuru Tanabe
  • Patent number: 6711620
    Abstract: To provide a device capable of determining a delivery destination of an event automatically without requiring choosing operation of an operator. An event entered through an event input means 4 is given to a delivery destination determining means 6 which in turn determines to which of applications AP1, AP2, . . . , APn the given event is to be delivered according to the contents of the event and according to delivery destination determining information stored in a delivery destination determining information storing section, and delivers accordingly. Therefore, the event is delivered to an appropriate application even if the operator does not choose an addressed application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.
    Inventors: Taketo Yoshii, Takuya Sekiguchi, Satoshi Tsujimura, Keisei Yamamuro
  • Patent number: D488761
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kuninari, Kouichi Hayashi