Patents Assigned to Aichi Steel Corporation
  • Patent number: 11687088
    Abstract: A vehicular system where a vehicle moves in a traveling area in which magnetic markers are arranged so that magnetic polarities form a predetermined pattern and a wireless tag is annexed correspondingly to some of the magnetic markers, the wireless tag outputting, by wireless communication, tag information allowing a position of the magnetic marker to be identified, includes a first position identifying part which identifies a vehicle position where the vehicle is located based on the position of the magnetic marker identified by using the tag information and a second position identifying part which identifies, on a route after the vehicle passes over the magnetic marker serving as a reference when the first position identifying part identifies the vehicle position, a magnetic marker newly detected by the vehicle based on detection history of magnetic markers and identifies the vehicle position based on the position of the identified magnetic marker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20230137078
    Abstract: A lactam compound and a salt thereof, represented by general formulae (1) and (2): In the formulae, R1 and R2 may be the same or different, and each represent a hydrogen atom, a protective group of a carboxyl group or a cation, and X? is a halogen ion, an organic acid ion, or an inorganic acid ion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicants: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION, TOKUSHIMA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Akane MERA, Motofumi SUZUKI, Kensuke HOSODA, Kosuke NAMBA
  • Publication number: 20230128480
    Abstract: The present invention provides a manufacturing method for obtaining a compression-bonded magnet with which it is possible to achieve, at a high level, both a residual magnetic flux density (Br) and the magnitude of a reverse magnetic field (Hk) that reduces Br by 10%. The manufacturing method of the present invention includes a molding step of compressing a bonded magnet raw material composed of a compound or the like of magnetic powder and a binder resin in a heated and oriented magnetic field. The bonded magnet raw material has a mass ratio of the magnet powder of 90 to 95.7 mass% to a total of the magnet powder and the binder resin. The magnet powder includes coarse powder having an average particle diameter of 40 to 200 µm and fine powder having an average particle diameter of 1 to 10 µm. The coarse powder has a mass ratio of 60 to 90 mass% to a total of the coarse powder and the fine powder. The coarse powder includes rare earth anisotropic magnet powder subjected to hydrogen treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki TSUGE, Tadashi FUJIMAKI
  • Patent number: 11631111
    Abstract: A driving support system including an information acquiring part which acquires, from a vehicle side detecting a magnetic marker laid in a road and capable of acquiring marker identification information for identifying the magnetic marker detected, upload information including the marker identification information, an information providing part which provides the vehicle side as a transmission source of the upload information with support information, a configuration which provides information acquisition right which is a right to receive the support information to the vehicle, and a transmission source management area for registering the identification information of the vehicle as a provision destination of the support information by recording the identification information of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11621584
    Abstract: A wireless power-feeding apparatus that enables efficient wireless feeding to a power-receiving coil embedded at the center of a spherical power-receiving device. The apparatus includes: a holding member for holding the power-receiving device; a power-transmitting coil; a driver circuit for supplying the power-transmitting coil with high-frequency current to generate a magnetic flux for wireless power-feeding to the power-receiving coil; and a wireless data receiver for receiving data transmitted regularly from a wireless data transmitter, the power-transmitting coil being positioned relative to the holding member in such a manner that the axes of the power-receiving coil and the power-transmitting coil are parallel to each other when the power-receiving device is held by the holding member in such a manner that a mark provided on the surface of the power-receiving device faces a predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignees: MAXELL, LTD., MIZUNO CORPORATION, AICHI STEEL CORPORATION, SUNWISE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiichi Tanii, Takeshi Naruo, Shohei Shibata, Masaki Mori, Michiharu Yamamoto, Yasushi Senda
  • Publication number: 20230076076
    Abstract: A raw blank for vacuum carburization is provided. The raw blank for vacuum carburization has a chemical composition containing, by mass, C: 0.13 to 0.28%, Si: 0.01 to 1.20%, Mn: 0.10 to 1.50%, P: 0.030% or less, S: 0.050% or less, Cr: 0.30 to 2.20%, Al: 0.027 to 0.090%, N: 0.0060 to less than 0.0140%, and, as an optional element, Mo: 0.60% or less, the remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities, and satisfying the following formula (1). AlN precipitates having an equivalent circle diameter of 100 nm or more exist at 1.5 pieces/100 ?m2 or less in a cross section of the raw blank. Al×N?0.00090??(1) It is noted that element symbols in the formula (1) denote a value of content (% by mass) of each element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuki KIMURA, Komei MAKINO, Yasuhiro FUKUDA, Hiroyuki MIZUNO
  • Patent number: 11579212
    Abstract: A magneto-sensitive wire (magneto-sensitive body) made of a Co-based alloy having a composite structure in which crystal grains are dispersed in an amorphous phase. The Co-based alloy is, for example, a Co—Fe—Si—B-based alloy, and the total amount of Si and B is preferably 20 to 25 at % with respect to the Co-based alloy as a whole. Preferably, the average diameter of the crystal grains is 70 nm or less and the area ratio of the crystal grains is 10% or less to the composite structure as a whole. The magneto-sensitive wire has a circular cross section and the wire diameter is about 1 to 100 ?m. Such a magneto-sensitive wire can be obtained, for example, through a heat treatment step of heating an amorphous wire composed of a Co-based alloy at a temperature equal to or higher than a crystallization start temperature and lower than a crystallization end temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norihiko Hamada, Akihiro Shimode
  • Publication number: 20230033183
    Abstract: A sheet-shaped magnetic marker (1) to be laid on a road surface so as to be able to be detected by a magnetic sensor attached to a vehicle to achieve assist for driving operation of the vehicle by a driver or control on a vehicle side to achieve automatic driving independently from operation of the driver is divided into a plurality of regions in a matrix shape by a cut line (1C) cutting a magnet sheet (11) and a nonskid layer (181), with an adhesive layer being left. Thus, if peeling partially occurs, a region including the peeled part can be isolated, and expansion of peeling can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Masaaki NAKADA
  • Publication number: 20230019018
    Abstract: A magneto-sensitive wire for a magnetic sensor with both measurement range expansion and environment resistance performance improvement, includes a Co-based alloy containing more Fe than a reference composition that is amorphous overall and exhibits zero magnetostriction. The Co-based alloy may have an Fe ratio (Fe/(Co+Fe+Ni)) of 6.1% to 9.5%. The Fe ratio is an atomic fraction of the Fe amount with respect to the total amount of a magnetic element group consisting of Co, Fe, and Ni. By heating an amorphous wire of a Co-based alloy at a temperate at least equal to a crystallization start temperature and lower than a crystallization end temperature, allows the magneto-sensitive wire to have a composite structure in which crystal grains are dispersed in the amorphous phase. The magneto-sensitive wire's anisotropy field is, for example, 5 to 70 Oe and the stress sensitivity, indicative of magnetostriction, is ?30 to 30 mOe/MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro SHIMODE, Shunichi TATEMATSU
  • Publication number: 20230003530
    Abstract: A position estimation system for a vehicle including a magnetic sensor which measures magnetism acting from a road surface side forming a surface of a traveling road to estimate an own vehicle position includes a map DB which stores a map (1) associated with a road-surface magnetic distribution (M2), which is a distribution of quantities of magnetism at respective points on the road surface, a magnetic distribution generation part which acquires magnetic measurement values from the magnetic sensor and generates a measured magnetic distribution, which is a distribution of magnetic measurement values, and a position estimation part which specifies an area corresponding to the measured magnetic distribution in the road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) associated with the map stored in the map DB and estimates the own vehicle position based on a position of the area corresponding to the measured magnetic distribution on the map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220412024
    Abstract: A sheet-shaped magnetic marker to be laid on a road surface so as to be able to be detected by a magnetic sensor attached to a vehicle to achieve assist for driving operation of the vehicle by a driver or control on a vehicle side to achieve automatic driving independently from operation of the driver has a magnet sheet (11) as a magnetism generation source and a wireless tag (2) which outputs information via wireless communication to the vehicle side. In the magnetic marker, the wireless tag (2) is interposed between a sheet (11A) and a sheet (11B) configuring the magnet sheet (11), and the entire wireless tag (2) is accommodated inside the magnet sheet (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Tomohiko NAGAO, Masaaki NAKADA, Ryota FUJIMURA
  • Publication number: 20220412769
    Abstract: A map (1) to be used by a vehicle which can measure magnetism acting from a road surface side forming a surface of a road to estimate an own vehicle position includes a structure map (M1) which represents a road structure and has position data indicating an absolute position linked to each point and a road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) which is magnetic data at each point on the road surface and has position data indicating an absolute position linked to each point. In the map (1), the structure map (M1) and the road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) are associated with each other via the position data indicating the absolute position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220396922
    Abstract: A magnetic marker (1) to be laid on a traveling road where a vehicle travels includes a circular sheet-shaped magnet sheet (10), which is a magnet as a magnetism generation source, having a diameter of 100 mm, and a reflective sheet (15) forming a reflecting part which retroreflects laser light from a lidar unit mounted on the vehicle and is laminated on a surface of magnet sheet (10). Since the magnetic marker is detectable not only magnetically by a magnetic sensor but also by a lidar unit using laser light, the magnetic marker is easily detected compared with a general magnetic marker that is detectable only magnetically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 15, 2022
    Applicant: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventor: Michiharu YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220340202
    Abstract: A control system (1) for letting a vehicle travel by automatic steering is a system which includes a vehicle control part (112) which controls the vehicle so that a subject point set for the vehicle passes through a predetermined route, a subject-point selection processing part (113) which selects a subject point, and a subject-point updating processing part (114) which updates the subject point as a control subject as appropriate by setting the subject point newly selected by the subject-point selection processing part (113) as the control subject, and a highly-versatile system capable of automatic steering irrespective of the type of the vehicle or the shape of the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Tomohiko NAGAO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
  • Patent number: 11454516
    Abstract: In a method of calibrating a gyro sensor mounted on a vehicle for measuring an angular velocity in a rotating direction generated about an axis of a vertical direction, a lateral shift amount detection process of detecting lateral shift amounts of the vehicle with respect to magnetic markers laid in a road, an azimuth estimation process of estimating, when the vehicle passes over a laying location where two magnetic markers are laid, an azimuth of the vehicle by a calculation process with the lateral shift amounts with respect to the two magnetic markers taken as input values, and a calibration process of calibrating the gyro sensor by using the azimuth of the vehicle estimated by the azimuth estimation process, are performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20220223341
    Abstract: A field magnet manufacturing method where a bonded magnet's inner surface press-fitted in a yoke has a certain accuracy irrespective of the accuracy of the yoke's outer circumferential surface. A cylindrical bonded magnet from binding magnet particles with a thermosetting resin is fixed in a tubular yoke of magnetic material. The method includes reheating and softening the bonded magnet after thermal curing; and press-fitting in the bonded magnet after the softening step from a tapered portion on one end side of the yoke to press the bonded magnet's outer circumferential surface against the yoke's inner surface. The press-fitting includes feeding the bonded magnet relatively into the yoke while allowing a relative posture variation between the bonded magnet and the yoke so the bonded magnet's inner surface to be remolded into a shape along the inner surface of the yoke exhibits almost the same accuracy as the yoke's inner surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru KAN, Hiroaki HIRANO, Hironari MITARAI, Takumi ASANO, Motonobu FURUYAMA
  • Patent number: 11362557
    Abstract: An electric motor for reducing eddy current loss including an armature; a field element or permanent magnet as a magnetic source; and a shaft rotating together with the armature or field element. The permanent includes magnet particles bound together by a binder resin, and has a degree of electric resistance anisotropy (?1/?2) of 2 or more. The first electric resistivity (?1) is measured in an axial direction and a second electric resistivity (?2) is measured in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. The bonded magnet is, for example, a compression-molded bonded magnet that contains 93% to 98.5% of the magnet particles, and the first electric resistivity is 300 ??m or more. When the compression-molded bonded magnet whose compression direction is arranged along the axial direction is used as a field source, the eddy current loss occurring in the compression-molded bonded magnet can be efficiently reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Narita, Aki Watarai
  • Patent number: 11356822
    Abstract: Provided is a driving assistance system capable of providing more pieces of information to a vehicle side by using magnetic markers. A driving assistance system (1A) is a system including magnetic markers (1) laid on a travelling road so as to be magnetically detectable and also be able to provide code information to a vehicle side, a vehicle (5) configured to be able to magnetically detect the magnetic markers (1) and also read the code information, and a base station (6) configured to make a reply with corresponding information when receiving the code information from the vehicle (5) reading the code information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11347236
    Abstract: In a marker detection method in which a sensor unit (11) that includes a plurality of magnetic sensors arranged in a vehicle width direction is used to detect magnetic markers (10) laid in a road, a feature value that represent symmetry of magnetic distribution, which is the distribution of magnetic measurement values obtained by each magnetic sensor included in the sensor unit (11) is generated, and threshold process regarding the feature value is executed to determine the possibility of the presence of magnetic generation source other than magnetic marker (10), that causes disturbance, and hence to suppress erroneous detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11339543
    Abstract: An installation system has a laser range finder set at a reference position to measure a distance to a target, an installation cart which performs operation for laying a magnetic marker in a road, and an arithmetic unit which identifies a position relation of a laying position where the magnetic marker is laid with respect to the reference position. When operation for laying the magnetic marker in a road is performed, by taking the installation cart during performing the operation of laying the magnetic marker in the road as a target, based on a distance to the installation cart measured by the laser range finder, the position relation of the laying position with respect to the reference position is identified by the arithmetic unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama, Masayoshi Fujiya, Shin Takeuchi, Hideto Takeishi, Taizo Nishiyama