Patents Assigned to Ihi Aerospace Co., Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20240116824
    Abstract: Provided is a method for charging, with ceramic, open pores formed in a matrix of a ceramic matrix composite that includes the matrix and reinforcing fibers provided in the matrix. The ceramic comes to constitute the matrix. The method includes repeating the following steps (A) and (B) in a state where the ceramic matrix composite is arranged in a liquid material serving as a matrix material. At the step (A), the ceramic matrix composite is heated such that the liquid material is brought into a film-boiling state, and the ceramic derived from the liquid material is thereby generated in the open pores. At the step (B), the ceramic matrix composite is cooled until a temperature of the ceramic matrix composite becomes lower than a boiling point of the liquid material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicants: IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd., Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Yuki KUBOTA, Michimasa UDA, Haruhiko SOEDA, Takuya AOKI
  • Publication number: 20240022189
    Abstract: A power controller of a linear actuator 10 in a docking device 1 including a six-axis parallel link mechanism 5, wherein a motor driver 11 configured to control rotation speed of a motor M of the linear actuator 10 on the basis of a load produced on the link 4 includes a speed controlling unit 31 that outputs a current command, a current controlling unit 32 that converts the current command to a voltage command, and a current command limiter 33 that limits the current command of the speed controlling unit 31 so that power consumption per one linear actuator 10 is one sixth or less of the power supply capacity for the motor power, thus allowing for mounting the docking device 1 even for a spacecraft with a small power supply capacity, without requiring modification of the power supply capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicants: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD., JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY
    Inventors: Koshiro USUKU, Michio ISAYAMA, Akira MOCHIGI, Kenta NAGAHAMA, Tadashi MASUOKA, Kaname KAWATSU
  • Publication number: 20240002296
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite including a matrix and reinforcing fibers provided in the matrix. The method includes infiltrating a fiber body with powder of a ceramic material that becomes a part of the matrix. The fiber body is constituted by the reinforcing fibers. The method includes arranging, in a liquid material for the matrix, the fiber body infiltrated with the powder. The method includes heating the fiber body in this state, thereby bringing the liquid material into a film-boiling state such that ceramic derived from the liquid material is generated as a part of the matrix in the fiber body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicants: IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd., Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Yuki KUBOTA, Michimasa UDA, Haruhiko SOEDA, Takuya AOKI
  • Patent number: 11845575
    Abstract: A docking device including: a base ring disposed in a first space vehicle; a first-side capturing ring for coming into contact with the second space vehicle; six links that constitute a parallel link mechanism for coupling the base ring to the first-side capturing ring; and linear actuators, each of which extends and contracts the link by using a motor as a driving source, wherein resistance generation mechanisms, each of which generates a regenerative current in the motor of the linear actuator to produce resistance force when the second space vehicle comes into contact with the first-side capturing ring and the link receives a compressive load, are provided. Correction of misalignment with the second space vehicle, and attenuation of inertia force that the second space vehicle has can be performed without requiring complicated electrical control, and simplification and cost reduction of an electrical system can be implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Michio Isayama
  • Patent number: 11826976
    Abstract: A fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) molding system in which FRP material, having stacked prepregs, is molded to manufacture an arc-shaped FRP component. The FRP molding system comprises inner and outer jig plates, a partial pressing device, and transfer devices. The jig plates are arc-shaped members having outer and inner surfaces that respectively fit with inner and outer surface shapes of the FRP component. The FRP material is sandwiched between the jig plates to form an integrated jig plate. The partial pressing device intermittently compresses a portion of the integrated jig plate in a radial direction orthogonal to an arc of the FRP component so that the FRP component is partially molded. The transfer devices intermittently move the compressed portion of the integrated jig plate by the partial pressing device. By repeating the partial pressing and the transport, the entire integrated jig plate is compressed to form the FRP component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Harada, Yu Shigenari, Toyoharu Akimoto
  • Patent number: 11807401
    Abstract: An emergency deorbit device provided in a satellite flying on an orbit around the earth includes a propulsion module generating thrust for separating the satellite from the orbit, a reception unit receiving a repeat signal repeatedly sent at an interval from an sending unit of a satellite bus in the satellite, a detection unit outputting a detection signal when the reception unit does not receive the repeat signal in a set time period or when the reception unit receives a deorbit command from the sending unit or from an outside of the satellite, an activation device performing, in response to the detection signal, processing for activating the propulsion module, and a power supply device provided separately from a power supply device of the satellite bus and supplying electric power to the reception unit, the detection unit, and the activation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignees: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD., PATCHEDCONICS, LLC
    Inventors: Kengo Yamamoto, Junichiro Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20230123571
    Abstract: An FRP material has a circular arc part, and a member fixed to the circular arc part. The FRP forming system has a portion-pressing device, a member positioning mechanism, and a transport device configured to form the FRP material as a single body of a circular arc-shaped FRP part. The FRP material may comprise a single layer prepreg or a plurality of prepregs that have been layered. The portion-pressing device has upper and lower molds sandwiching a portion of the FRP material in a radial direction orthogonal to the circular arc part, and compresses intermittently a portion of the FRP part. The member positioning mechanism locates the position of the member relatively to the upper or lower mold. The transport device moves the portion of the FRP material that is compressed by the portion-pressing device. The portion-pressing and the transport are repeated to form the FRP part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Applicant: IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi HARADA, Yu SHIGENARI, Toyoharu AKIMOTO, Ikuo OKUMURA, Shinichi TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20230003177
    Abstract: The present invention relates to resin compositions, fiber reinforced polymeric structures and electromagnetic induction processes for making same. Such magnetic induction processes are pulsed processes that can be optionally coupled with cooling steps between pulses. The aforementioned fiber reinforced polymeric structures can take forms that include, but are not limited to, pipes; pressure vessels, including rocket motor cases and fire extinguishers; golf club shafts; tennis and badminton racquets; skis; snowboards; hockey sticks; fishing rods; bicycle frames; boat masts; oars; paddles; baseball bats; and softball bats. In addition, such fiber reinforced polymeric structures can be supplemented with other materials, such as a rocket propellant, to form articles, for example, a rocket motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicants: Government of the United States, represented by the Secretary of the Air Force, Government of Japan, as represented by the Commissioner of the Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Gregory R. YANDEK, Takayuki EDANAGA, Seiki HASHINO, Hiroshi SATO, Masaaki SATAKE, Masanori SAKAINO
  • Patent number: 11383326
    Abstract: A heat transfer body 3 is prepared. The heat transfer body 3 forms an inner space 7 for existence of one of a higher-temperature fluid or a lower-temperature fluid. The heat transfer body 3 constitutes a heat exchanger, and is formed of a copper material as a wall surrounding the inner space 7. In the wall, a flow path through which the other of the higher-temperature fluid and the lower-temperature fluid flows is formed. By LMD treatment, an LMD layer is formed directly on an outer circumferential surface 3a of the heat transfer body 3. In the LMD treatment, a metal material is supplied to a supply position on the outer circumferential surface 3a, and the supply position is irradiated with laser light to form an LMD layer 5. An energy density of the laser light is set to melt both the metal material and the outer circumferential surface 3a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignees: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD., Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Ideo Masuda, Toshiki Kato, Takuma Inoue, Masahiro Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20220169359
    Abstract: A joint structure includes a connection member provided between a reinforced member and a reinforcing member and connecting both of them to each other. The connection member includes a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion that are coupled to one and another of the reinforced member and the reinforcing member, respectively. The first coupling portion is coupled to a joint portion of one of the reinforced member and the reinforcing member by an adhesive or welding. The first coupling portion and the joint portion are shaped so as to be caught by each other in a joining direction in which the reinforced member and the reinforcing member are joined to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi HARADA, Yu SHIGENARI, Ikuo OKUMURA, Toyoharu AKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220134688
    Abstract: Produce prepreg with a matrix resin adhering to the cloth. Arranging a release sheet on each surface of the cloth; passing the cloth and a pair of the release sheets through a gap portion positioned in a clearance of a pair of heating rollers to be overlaid on each other and supplying the matrix resin to be accumulated above the gap portion of the heating rollers and between the pair of release sheets; and adjusting an interval of the pair of heating rollers to thereby control an adhesion amount of the matrix resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki SATO, Yu SHIGENARI, Tatsuya KADO, Kazuyuki ORIHARA
  • Publication number: 20220010753
    Abstract: A laser ignition device includes an excitation light source that generates excitation light, and a pulsed laser oscillator connected to the excitation light source, wherein the pulsed laser oscillator generates a plurality of pulsed light beams at a time of one ignition to produce an initial flame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicants: IHI CORPORATION, IHI AEROSPACE Co., Ltd., INTER-UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CORPORATION NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF NATURAL SCIENCES
    Inventors: Takahisa NAGAO, Mitsunori ITOU, Jun IZAWA, Yoshiki MATSUURA, Masahiro SASAKI, Takunori TAIRA
  • Publication number: 20220009178
    Abstract: A fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) molding system in which FRP material, having stacked prepregs, is molded to manufacture an arc-shaped FRP component. The FRP molding system comprises inner and outer jig plates, a partial pressing device, and transfer devices. The jig plates are arc-shaped members having outer and inner surfaces that respectively fit with inner and outer surface shapes of the FRP component. The FRP material is sandwiched between the jig plates to form an integrated jig plate. The partial pressing device intermittently compresses a portion of the integrated jig plate in a radial direction orthogonal to an arc of the FRP component so that the FRP component is partially molded. The transfer devices intermittently move the compressed portion of the integrated jig plate by the partial pressing device. By repeating the partial pressing and the transport, the entire integrated jig plate is compressed to form the FRP component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi HARADA, Yu SHIGENARI, Toyoharu AKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220001630
    Abstract: An FRP continuous molding apparatus continuously molds an FRP from a layered sheet that includes prepreg sheets layered over each other. The prepreg sheets each include thermoplastic resin and reinforcement fibers, and differ from each other in fiber orientation. The FRP continuous molding apparatus includes: sheet feeding devices continuously feeding the layered sheets in a feeding direction; a layering device layering, over each other, the layered sheets fed from the sheet feeding devices, and thereby forming a sheet layered body; and a shaping mechanism molding the sheet layered body into an FRP while the sheet layered body is being transferred in the feeding direction. The FRP has a cross section that is a target shape. The sheet layered body includes the reinforcement fibers whose fiber orientation is the feeding direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu SHIGENARI, Takashi HARADA, Toyoharu AKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11148978
    Abstract: A method for producing a silicon-carbide-based composite. In the production of a silicon-carbide-based composite comprising a carbon-fiber-reinforced/silicon carbide composite (a C/SiC composite) or a silicon-carbide-fiber-reinforced/silicon carbide composite (a SiC/SiC composite), a film boiling method is carried out, using an organosilicon polymer having a chlorine-free polysilane skeleton and/or a chlorine-free polycarbosilane skeleton. The organosilicon polymer is in a liquid form at room temperature. The molar ratio of Si and C in the matrix of the C/SiC composite or the SiC/SiC composite is Si:C=1:1.08 to 1:1.43.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michimasa Uda, Hiroshi Yamauchi, Haruhiko Soeda
  • Publication number: 20210253278
    Abstract: An emergency deorbit device provided in a satellite flying on an orbit around the earth includes a propulsion module generating thrust for separating the satellite from the orbit, a reception unit receiving a repeat signal repeatedly sent at an interval from an sending unit of a satellite bus in the satellite, a detection unit outputting a detection signal when the reception unit does not receive the repeat signal in a set time period or when the reception unit receives a deorbit command from the sending unit or from an outside of the satellite, an activation device performing, in response to the detection signal, processing for activating the propulsion module, and a power supply device provided separately from a power supply device of the satellite bus and supplying electric power to the reception unit, the detection unit, and the activation device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicants: IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd., Patchedconics, LLC
    Inventors: Kengo YAMAMOTO, Junichiro KAWAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10829249
    Abstract: 1. A satellite constellation forming method comprises a satellite deployment step S2, a spacecraft acceleration step S4, a spacecraft orbiting step S5 and spacecraft deceleration step, and the aforementioned steps are repeated in order. In the satellite deployment step S2, deploying one of the satellites into the circular orbit 2 from the spacecraft 10 on the circular orbit 2. In the spacecraft acceleration step S4, accelerating the spacecraft 10 and switching the orbit from the circular orbit 2 to a spacecraft transfer orbit 3 in the same orbit plane. In the spacecraft orbiting step S5, making the spacecraft 10 orbit along the spacecraft transfer orbit 3 a plurality of times. In the spacecraft deceleration step, decelerating the spacecraft 10 and switching the orbit from the spacecraft transfer orbit 3 to the circular orbit 2 in the same orbit plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junichi Amimoto, Masanobu Fujimura
  • Patent number: 10651563
    Abstract: A corner reflector includes annular balloons, which, when gas is supplied to the inside, annularly expand, and radio wave reflective films each developed to a plane by the expansion of the annular balloons. The three annular balloons are provided so as to be orthogonal to each other in the expansion. A constraint fabric wound around each annular balloon is provided. The constraint fabric includes an inner peripheral side fabric portion located on the side of a virtual central axis of the annular balloon and extending in the annular direction around the virtual central axis, and an outer peripheral side fabric portion located on the side opposite to the virtual central axis and extending in the annular direction. The elongation degree of the outer peripheral side fabric portion in the annular direction is higher than the elongation degree of the inner peripheral side fabric portion in the annular direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignees: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD, SEIREN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mamoru Mori, Hisanao Kataoka, Sachiyo Sakagawa, Susumu Takagi
  • Publication number: 20200031722
    Abstract: A method for producing a silicon-carbide-based composite. In the production of a silicon-carbide-based composite comprising a carbon-fiber-reinforced/silicon carbide composite (a C/SiC composite) or a silicon-carbide-fiber-reinforced/silicon carbide composite (a SiC/SiC composite), a film boiling method is carried out, using an organosilicon polymer having a chlorine-free polysilane skeleton and/or a chlorine-free polycarbosilane skeleton. The organosilicon polymer is in a liquid form at room temperature. The molar ratio of Si and C in the matrix of the C/SiC composite or the SiC/SiC composite is Si:C=1:1.08 to 1:1.43.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michimasa UDA, Hiroshi YAMAUCHI, Haruhiko SOEDA
  • Publication number: 20190260056
    Abstract: A regenerative fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell that causes hydrogen from a hydrogen storage unit and oxygen from an oxygen storage unit to react with each other to generate electricity; a water electrolysis device that electrolyze water discharged from the fuel cell to produce hydrogen and oxygen; a first gas reaction device that causes the hydrogen produced by the water electrolysis device and oxygen accompanying the hydrogen produced by the water electrolysis device to react with each other and return the hydrogen remaining after the reaction to the hydrogen storage unit; and a second gas reaction device that causes the oxygen produced by the water electrolysis device and hydrogen accompanying the oxygen produced by the water electrolysis device to react with each other and return the oxygen remaining after the reaction to the oxygen storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicants: IHI CORPORATION, IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusaku Yachi, Noboru Shinozaki