Patents Assigned to Imagineering, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130208275
    Abstract: The analysis apparatus 10 includes a plasma generation device 11 and an optical analysis device 13. The plasma generation device 11 generates initial plasma by energizing a substance in space to be turned into a plasma state, and maintains the plasma state by irradiating the initial plasma with electromagnetic wave for a predetermined period of time. Then, the optical analysis device 13 analyzes the target substance 15 based on a time integral value of intensity of emission from the target substance 15 in an electromagnetic wave plasma region, which is maintained by the electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: IMAGINEERING, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130208274
    Abstract: An analysis apparatus includes a plasma generation unit and an optical analysis unit. The plasma generation unit generates initial plasma by momentarily energizing a target substance to be turned into a plasma state, and maintains the target substance in the plasma state by irradiating the initial plasma with an electromagnetic wave for a predetermined period of time. The optical analysis unit identifies the target substance based on information with respect to emission intensity during a period from when the emission intensity reaches a peak due to the initial plasma until when the emission intensity increases and reaches approximately a constant value due to electromagnetic wave plasma maintained by the electromagnetic wave, or information with respect to emission intensity after the electromagnetic wave irradiation is terminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: IMAGINEERING, INC.
  • Patent number: 8499746
    Abstract: There is provided an internal-combustion engine that allows plasma to be used safely, efficiently, and in a manner conducive to resource conservation. An internal-combustion engine having an intake valve for opening and closing a combustion chamber, the internal-combustion engine comprising a valve-driving mechanism for driving the intake valve; and a plasma-generating device positioned within a region containing gas used for combustion during a combustion stroke, the plasma-generating device being composed of an antenna and a microwave-generating device, wherein the plasma-generating device composed of the antenna and the microwave-generating device generates plasma at a timing intimately associated with a state of openness of the intake valve in response to the driving of the valve by the valve-driving mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Ikeda, Takashi Furui
  • Patent number: 8495989
    Abstract: A gasket of an internal combustion engine includes a discharge line installed in an intermediate layer and having an outer end exposed from the outer peripheral edge of the gasket to be a first connection part and an inner end exposed from a inner peripheral edge around the opening to be an electrode, configured such that discharge is generated between electrodes with voltage applied between first connection parts; an antenna installed at least partly in the intermediate layer at the inner peripheral edge around the opening to radiate electromagnetic waves into a combustion chamber; and an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in the intermediate layer, having an outer end exposed from an outer peripheral edge to be a second connection part and an inner end connected to the antenna, and guiding electromagnetic waves to the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8485162
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma apparatus using a valve, which comprises a discharge device with an electrode exposed to the combustion chamber installed in a cylinder head, an antenna installed on the valve face of a valve head, an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in a valve stem with one end connected to the antenna and the other end covered with an insulator or dielectric and extending to a power-receiving portion positioned at a location fitting into the guide hole in the valve stem, and an electromagnetic wave generator for feeding an electromagnetic waves to the power-receiving portion. At the compression stroke when the combustion chamber side opening of an intake port or an exhaust port is closed with the valve head, discharge is generated with the electrode of the discharge device and the electromagnetic waves fed from the electromagnetic wave generator through the electromagnetic wave transmission line are radiated from the antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8464695
    Abstract: A plasma equipment comprising a microwave oscillator for generating a predetermined microwave band, a microwave resonant cavity for allowing the predetermined microwave band to resonate, and microwave radiation means for radiating the microwave into the microwave resonant cavity, wherein the microwave radiation means is a microwave radiation antenna having the shape and the size so as to form a strong electric field of the microwave in a plasma generation field formed by the microwave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20130119865
    Abstract: The plasma generation device 30 is provided with a high frequency generation device 37 that generates a high frequency wave, and a high frequency radiator 15 that radiates the high frequency wave outputted from the high frequency generation device 37 to a target space 10, and generates plasma by supplying energy of the high frequency wave to the target space 10. In the plasma generation device 30, the high frequency generation device 37 is provided with an oscillator 41 that oscillates a high frequency wave, and an amplifier 42 that amplifies and outputs the high frequency wave oscillated by the oscillator 41 to the high frequency radiator 15. In the high frequency generating device 37 the amplifier 42 alone is integrated with the high frequency radiator 15, from among the oscillator 41 and the amplifier 42.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, Inc.
    Inventor: IMAGINEERING, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8442746
    Abstract: In order to provide an ignition control device 30 which can efficiently control timing of thermal ignition of gaseous mixture in a combustion region 10, the peak estimation part 32, the ignition timing determination part 33, the control timing determination part 34, and the plasma control part 35 control timing of thermal ignition of the gaseous mixture in the combustion region 10 by controlling the pulse generator 36, the electromagnetic wave oscillator 37, the mixer circuit 38, and the spark plug 15 so as to increase the amount of OH radicals in the combustion region 10 during a low-temperature oxidation preparation period that occurs prior to a peak of a heat release rate before the thermal ignition of the gaseous mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ando, Yuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20130096803
    Abstract: To provide a control device for an internal combustion engine that can optimally control a plasma ignition operation independent of fuel type. In a control device 30 of an internal combustion engine 20, which controls plasma ignition operation for causing volume ignition of air fuel mixture by plasma in a combustion chamber 10, a fuel type detection part 40 detects a type of fuel to be supplied to the combustion chamber 10. According to the detected fuel type, a state of plasma or a state of air fuel mixture in the combustion chamber 10 is controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Imagineering, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8420021
    Abstract: There is provided an ignition or plasma generation apparatus that eliminates the need for resonance means in a combustion chamber and simplifies the electrode structure within the combustion chamber in an instance where energy from each of a spark discharge and microwaves is used to ignite an air-fuel mixture gas in an internal combustion engine. The ignition or plasma generation apparatus includes a mixing circuit for mixing a high-voltage pulse from a high-voltage pulse generator and microwave energy from a microwave generator; and an ignition plug into which an output from the mixing circuit is supplied, the plug used for introducing the output into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The output supplied from the mixing circuit to the ignition plug is supplied in a manner in which the microwave energy and the high-voltage pulse are superimposed on each other on a same transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Minoru Makita, Yuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20130057145
    Abstract: A plasma generation device, including: an ionization unit that ionizes gas in a target space; an electromagnetic wave oscillator that oscillates an electromagnetic wave to be radiated to the target space; and an antenna that radiates the electromagnetic wave supplied from the electromagnetic wave oscillator to a gas ionization region in which gas ionized by the ionization unit is provided. The ionization unit ionizes gas and the antenna radiates the electromagnetic wave thereto to generate plasma. A plurality of strong electric field regions are formed around the antenna when the electromagnetic wave is supplied from the electromagnetic wave oscillator. The strong electric field region is a region stronger in electric field than the surrounding area. The ionization unit ionizes gas around the plurality of strong electric field regions, or gas around a plurality of regions in which immediately before strong electric fields come into existence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Imagineering, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8367005
    Abstract: A gas processing apparatus for processing a gas using plasma is highly versatile and capable of rapidly processing a large quantity of gas that includes particularly an aromatic compound or other component that is difficult to process. The gas processing apparatus comprises a plasma equipment series comprising a plurality of gas processing units arranged in series on a gas flow channel; and a control section for controlling the operation of each unit of plasma equipment of the plasma equipment series. Each of the units of plasma equipment comprises a cavity composed of an electrical conductor and communicated with the gas flow channel; a plasma generator for generating plasma within the cavity; and microwave radiator for radiating microwaves to the plasma generated by the plasma starting section. The control section selects the number of units of plasma equipment to operate according to a component of the introduced gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuji Ikeda, Shinobu Makita
  • Patent number: 8365707
    Abstract: Provided is a plasma apparatus using a cylinder head, which comprises a discharge device installed with an electrode exposed to the combustion chamber and installed in the cylinder head, an antenna installed to protrude from the cylinder head into the combustion chamber, a bulging portion bulging from the cylinder head to the combustion chamber so as to cover the antenna, made from insulator or dielectric, an electromagnetic wave transmission line installed in the cylinder head and with one end connected to the antenna and the other end, covered with insulator or dielectric, penetrating the cylinder head to extend to an outer wall of the cylinder head, and an electromagnetic wave generator for feeding electromagnetic waves to the electromagnetic wave transmission line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20130019841
    Abstract: In order to provide an ignition control device 30 which can efficiently control timing of thermal ignition of gaseous mixture in a combustion region 10, the peak estimation part 32, the ignition timing determination part 33, the control timing determination part 34, and the plasma control part 35 control timing of thermal ignition of the gaseous mixture in the combustion region 10 by controlling the pulse generator 36, the electromagnetic wave oscillator 37, the mixer circuit 38, and the spark plug 15 so as to increase the amount of OH radicals in the combustion region 10 during a low-temperature oxidation preparation period that occurs prior to a peak of a heat release rate before the thermal ignition of the gaseous mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: IMAGINEERING, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130004673
    Abstract: A coat forming apparatus 100 includes a droplet supply unit 110 and an active species supply unit 120. The droplet supply unit 110 is adapted to spray or drop a droplet for coat forming toward an object 116. The active species supply unit 120 is adapted to supply an active species to be brought into contact with the droplet moving from the droplet supply unit 110 toward the object 116. The coating is formed on a surface of the object 116 by the droplet that has been brought into contact with the active species.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8327816
    Abstract: Stable and highly efficient combustion/reaction is provided, even when fuel ratio of mixture is decreased and combustion/reaction of the lean mixture is performed in a heat engine such as a reciprocating engine, for controlling dielectric constant of mixture in a combustion/reaction chamber 8 by introducing water and/or exhaust gas into the combustion/reaction chamber, by introducing water and/or exhaust gas into the combustion/reaction chamber. A microwave radiation antenna for irradiation of the combustion/reaction chamber, and a discharge unit for igniting the mixture in the combustion/reaction chamber are provided. The dielectric constant of the mixture before the combustion/reaction of the mixture is controlled so that the resonance frequency of the mixture corresponds to the frequency of the microwave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Imagineering, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20120293071
    Abstract: A plasma equipment comprising a microwave oscillator for generating a predetermined microwave band, a microwave resonant cavity for allowing the predetermined microwave band to resonate, and microwave radiation means for radiating the microwave into the microwave resonant cavity, wherein the microwave radiation means is a microwave radiation antenna having the shape and the size so as to form a strong electric field of the microwave in a plasma generation field formed by the microwave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, Inc.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20120285146
    Abstract: A gas treatment device includes an electric discharger, an electromagnetic wave oscillator, an antenna, and a fan. The electric discharger ionizes gas in a target space. The electromagnetic wave oscillator oscillates an electromagnetic wave to be radiated to the target space. The electromagnetic wave is radiated by the antenna toward a gas ionization region in which gas ionized by the electric discharger is provided. The electric discharger ionizes gas and the antenna radiates the electromagnetic wave thereto to generate plasma. The fan moves at least a part of the electric discharger, thereby changing a location of the gas ionization region, thereby moving the location of the plasma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Yuji Ikeda, Shigeo Miyake
  • Publication number: 20120258016
    Abstract: There is provided an ignition or plasma generation apparatus that eliminates the need for resonance means in a combustion chamber and simplifies the electrode structure within the combustion chamber in an instance where energy from each of a spark discharge and microwaves is used to ignite an air-fuel mixture gas in an internal combustion engine. The ignition or plasma generation apparatus includes a mixing circuit for mixing a high-voltage pulse from a high-voltage pulse generator and microwave energy from a microwave generator; and an ignition plug into which an output from the mixing circuit is supplied, the plug used for introducing the output into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The output supplied from the mixing circuit to the ignition plug is supplied in a manner in which the microwave energy and the high-voltage pulse are superimposed on each other on a same transmission line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventors: Minoru Makita, Yuji Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20120250724
    Abstract: A temperature sensitive body 102 used as a target of an optical temperature measurement, includes an inclusion 202 having an optical property related to an irradiated light varies with a change in temperature, and a light-transmissive outer shell member 200 enclosing the inclusion 202. When a temperature is measured, the inclusion 202 emits light when a light is radiated upon the inclusion 202. Since an optical property related to the irradiated light varies in accordance with a change in temperature, the temperature of the inclusion 202 can be detected by analyzing the outgoing light. A temperature of a location in which the temperature sensitive body is provided can be detected using the temperature of the inclusion 202.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: IMAGINEERING, INC.
    Inventor: Yuji Ikeda