Patents Assigned to NGK Insulator, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11970961
    Abstract: A pillar shaped honeycomb structure, including: a porous partition wall that define a plurality of cells, the plurality of cells forming flow paths for a fluid, the plurality of cells extending from an inflow end face to an outflow end face; and an outer peripheral wall located at the outermost circumference. The plurality of cells include: a plurality of first cells; and a plurality of second cells having a lower cross-sectional area than that of the plurality of first cells. An interior of each of the second cells is filled with a material comprising a magnetic substance. Each of the second cells are arranged adjacent to at least one of the first cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio Miyairi, Masaaki Masuda, Kyohei Kato, Norihiro Wakida
  • Patent number: 11969721
    Abstract: A method for producing a honeycomb structure includes: a forming step of extruding a forming raw material containing a ceramic raw material mainly based on silicon carbide and metal silicon to obtain a honeycomb formed body, the honeycomb formed body comprising: an outer peripheral wall; and partition walls; a drying step of drying the honeycomb formed body to obtain a honeycomb dried body; and a firing step of firing the honeycomb dried body to obtain a honeycomb fired body. The drying step includes: a first drying step of subjecting the honeycomb formed body to dielectric drying at a frequency of from 2 to 200 MHz so that a moisture scattering rate of the honeycomb formed body after dielectric drying is from 30 to 85%; and a second drying step of subjecting the honeycomb formed body having the moisture scattering rate of from 30 to 85% to hot air drying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Tokuda, Takashi Noro
  • Publication number: 20240136219
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes: a ceramic plate including a wafer placement portion having a reference surface on which a number of small protrusions are provided; a cooling plate including a refrigerant flow path; a joining layer with which the ceramic plate and the cooling plate are joined; a recessed groove provided in the reference surface and having a bottom surface positioned lower than the reference surface; a plug arrangement hole passing through the ceramic plate and being open to the bottom surface of the recessed groove; a porous plug disposed in the plug arrangement hole, the porous plug having a top surface positioned at the same height as the bottom surface of the recessed groove and allowing gas to flow; and a gas supply path through which gas is supplied to the porous plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya KUNO, Seiya INOUE
  • Publication number: 20240133331
    Abstract: A catalyst support for induction heating includes: a honeycomb structure including a pillar shaped honeycomb structure portion having: an outer peripheral wall; and a partition wall disposed on an inner side of the outer peripheral wall, the partition wall defining a plurality of cells, each of the cells extending from an end face on an inlet side to an end face on an outlet side in a gas flow direction to form a flow path; a catalyst supported onto an interior of the partition wall; and at least one magnetic body provided within the honeycomb structure, wherein the catalyst support has a region A where the catalyst is not supported, at least on the end face side of the catalyst support on the inlet side in the gas flow direction, and wherein the magnetic body is arranged at least in the region A in the gas flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2024
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio MIYAIRI, Masaaki MASUDA, Shuichi ICHIKAWA, Takuya ISHIHARA, Kai MATSUMOTO, Norihisa FUJIE, Yoichi AOKI
  • Publication number: 20240133053
    Abstract: A method of operating an electrochemical device includes the steps of: applying a first adsorption voltage to a function electrode while supplying a predetermined gas to the function electrode; and switching the first adsorption voltage to a second adsorption voltage higher than the first adsorption voltage while maintaining the supply of the predetermined gas to the function electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hirofumi KAN, Atsushi TORII, Kosuke NAKAGAWA, Kazuki IIDA
  • Publication number: 20240133330
    Abstract: A catalyst support for induction heating includes: a honeycomb structure including a pillar shaped honeycomb structure portion having: an outer peripheral wall; and a partition wall disposed on an inner side of the outer peripheral wall, the partition wall defining a plurality of cells, each of the cells extending from an end face on an inlet side to an end face on an outlet side in a gas flow direction to form a flow path; a catalyst supported onto an interior of the partition wall; and at least one magnetic body provided within the honeycomb structure, wherein the catalyst support has a region A where the catalyst is not supported, at least on the end face side of the catalyst support on the inlet side in the gas flow direction, and wherein the magnetic body is arranged at least in the region A in the gas flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2024
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yukio MIYAIRI, Masaaki MASUDA, Shuichi ICHIKAWA, Takuya ISHIHARA, Kai MATSUMOTO, Norihisa FUJIE, Yoichi AOKI
  • Patent number: 11964254
    Abstract: A catalyst device includes a central axis and a catalyst support. The catalyst support includes a slit that is arranged to be orthogonal to the central axis. The slit is arranged to be symmetrical with respect to an arbitrary plane that includes the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Sadamitsu, Yoshiyuki Kasai, Yuko Kozaki
  • Publication number: 20240128063
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes a ceramic plate that has at least a wafer placement part at an upper surface thereof, a cooling plate that is joined to a lower surface of the ceramic plate and that has a refrigerant flow path, gas common paths that are provided above the refrigerant flow path, gas introduction paths that extend from a lower surface of the cooling plate to a corresponding one of the gas common paths, and a plurality of gas distribution paths, that are provided for the gas common paths. The gas distribution path that is disposed at an outermost periphery of the ceramic plate is provided at a position that does not overlap the refrigerant flow path in plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki ISHIKAWA, Tatsuya KUNO, Tomoya INA
  • Publication number: 20240128593
    Abstract: Provided is an air electrode/separator assembly including a hydroxide ion conductive separator including a hydroxide ion conductive solid electrolyte; and an air electrode layer having a thickness of 1,000 nm or smaller that is provided on one side of the hydroxide ion conductive separator and that includes a hydroxide ion conductive material, an electron conductive material, and an air electrode catalyst, provided that the hydroxide ion conductive material may be the same material as the hydroxide ion conductive solid electrolyte or the air electrode catalyst, and provided that the electron conductive material may be the same material as the air electrode catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Naomi SAITO, Naomi HASHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11963269
    Abstract: A ceramic heater includes a ceramic plate having a surface that serves as a wafer placement surface, resistance heating elements that are embedded in the ceramic plate, a tubular shaft that supports the ceramic plate from a rear surface of the ceramic plate, a recess that is formed in a within-shaft region of the rear surface of the ceramic plate, the within-shaft region being surrounded by the tubular shaft, and terminals that are disposed to be exposed at a side surface of the recess and that supply electric power to the resistance heating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Noboru Kajihara, Shuichiro Motoyama
  • Patent number: 11959877
    Abstract: In a gas sensor, oxygen pumping control is performed to pump oxygen from the surroundings of an outer side pump electrode into the surroundings of a reference electrode. In addition, during execution of the oxygen pumping control, a pump current Ip2 is measured when oxygen originating from NOx is pumped out from the surroundings of a measurement electrode so that a voltage V2 reaches a target voltage V2*. Then, the NOx concentration of a measurement-object gas is calculated based on Ip2. In the gas sensor, the NOx concentration is corrected based on DVref which is the difference between Vref1 and Vref2, wherein Vref1 is the voltage across the reference electrode and the outer side pump electrode when the oxygen pumping control is not performed, and Vref2 is the voltage across the reference electrode and the outer side pump electrode when the oxygen pumping control is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Watanabe, Takayuki Sekiya
  • Publication number: 20240116028
    Abstract: A method of regenerating an acid gas adsorption device includes the steps of: causing an acid gas to be adsorbed to an acid gas adsorption material by supplying a gas including the acid gas to an acid gas adsorption device so that the gas is brought into contact with an acid gas adsorption layer; causing the acid gas to be desorbed from the acid gas adsorption material; removing the acid gas adsorption layer of the acid gas adsorption device, which has been subjected to the step of causing the acid gas to be adsorbed and the step of causing the acid gas to be desorbed, from a surface of a base material; and forming an acid gas adsorption layer including a porous carrier and an acid gas adsorption material on the surface of the base material from which the acid gas adsorption layer has been removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke OKUMA, Yukinari SHIBAGAKI, Hirofumi KAN, Kazuki IIDA, Atsushi TORII, Kosuke NAKAGAWA
  • Publication number: 20240120216
    Abstract: A method of adjusting heat uniformity on a wafer mounting surface of a wafer mount having a ceramic base including the wafer mounting surface which can heat a wafer through energization and a cooling plate includes: a) preparing the wafer mount including the cooling plate including: a base including a flow path of a coolant; and a lid detachable from the base; b) measuring a temperature distribution with the lid being attached on the base while heating through the energization and cooling; c) detaching the lid and locally adjusting a shape of the flow path when the temperature distribution does not satisfy a predetermined criterion; and d) remeasuring the temperature distribution after adjusting the shape of the flow path, with the lid being attached on the base while heating through the energization and cooling, wherein the steps c) and d) are repeated until the remeasured temperature distribution satisfies the criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroya SUGIMOTO, Ikuhisa MORIOKA, Keita MINE, Ryuji TAMURA, Natsuki HIRATA, Yohei KAJIURA
  • Publication number: 20240116008
    Abstract: A porous composite includes a porous base material and a porous collection layer provided on a collection surface of the base material. The collection layer includes particles deposited in pores of the collection surface. In a plan view of the collection surface, the proportion of the area of a covered region that is covered with the collection layer out of the collection surface is less than or equal to 70%, and the proportion of the area of a pore region out of a non-covered region that is not covered with the collection layer is less than or equal to 15%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya NAKASHIMA, Akihiro MIURA
  • Patent number: 11951438
    Abstract: A liquid fuel synthesis system includes a liquid fuel synthesis portion and a sweep gas supply unit. The liquid fuel synthesis portion is partitioned into a non-permeation side space and a permeation side space by the separation membrane. A temperature of the sweep gas flowing into the permeation side space is higher than at least one of a temperature of the raw material gas flowing into the non-permeation side space and a temperature of a first outflow gas flowing out of the non-permeation side space. A temperature of a second outflow gas flowing out of the permeation side space is higher than at least one of the temperature of the raw material gas flowing into the non-permeation side space and the temperature of the first outflow gas flowing out of the non-permeation side space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Kan, Atsushi Torii, Kazuki Iida
  • Patent number: 11951583
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic base, a ceramic dielectric layer, an electrostatic electrode, and a ceramic insulating layer. The ceramic dielectric layer is positioned on the ceramic base and is thinner than the ceramic base. The electrostatic electrode is embedded between the ceramic dielectric layer and the ceramic base. The ceramic insulating layer is positioned on the ceramic dielectric layer and is thinner than the ceramic dielectric layer. The ceramic insulating layer has a higher volume resistivity and withstand voltage than the ceramic dielectric layer, and the ceramic dielectric layer has a higher dielectric constant than the ceramic insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takebayashi, Kenichiro Aikawa, Tatsuya Kuno
  • Patent number: 11956863
    Abstract: A multi-zone heater includes an outer circumferential zone heater and first and second elemental wire portions. The outer circumferential zone heater is a coil that is provided in an outer circumferential zone of a ceramic substrate in the same plane as a plane in which a central zone heater is provided and that is routed throughout the outer circumferential zone in a unicursal manner from one end portion to the other end portion in the outer circumferential portion. The first elemental wire portion extends from a first terminal, passes through a central portion, is connected to the one end portion of the outer circumferential zone heater, and has a meandering shape in plan view. The second elemental wire portion extends from a second terminal, passes through the central portion, is connected to the other end portion of the outer circumferential zone heater, and has a meandering shape in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Unno, Nobuyuki Kondou
  • Publication number: 20240111931
    Abstract: Trial manufacturing condition proposing system includes a characteristic evaluation data preprocessing unit, a feature value selection processing unit, a regression model creation processing unit, and a trial manufacturing condition proposing processing unit. The characteristic evaluation data preprocessing unit applies preprocessing to the characteristic evaluation data indicating an evaluation result of characteristics of the material. The feature value selection processing unit executes feature value selection processing on the characteristic evaluation data to which the preprocessing has been applied. The regression model creation processing unit executes regression model creation processing on the characteristic evaluation data, to which the preprocessing has been applied, based on the result of the feature value selection processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuki OKA HASHIMOTO, Fukunaga HIGUCHI, Shingo SOKAWA
  • Patent number: 11948825
    Abstract: A wafer placement table includes: an electrostatic chuck that is a ceramic sintered body in which an electrode for electrostatic adsorption is embedded; a cooling member which is bonded to a surface on an opposite side of a wafer placement surface of the electrostatic chuck, and cools the electrostatic chuck; a hole for power supply terminal, the hole penetrating the cooling member in a thickness direction; and a power supply terminal which is bonded to the electrode for electrostatic adsorption from the surface on the opposite side of the wafer placement surface of the electrostatic chuck, and is inserted in the hole for power supply terminal. The outer peripheral surface of a portion of the power supply terminal is covered with an insulating thin film that is formed by coating of an insulating material, the portion being inserted in the hole for power supply terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Aikawa, Hiroshi Takebayashi, Tatsuya Kuno
  • Publication number: 20240100474
    Abstract: A mixed gas separation method includes a step of supplying a mixed gas to the separation membrane and causing a gas with high permeability in the mixed gas to permeate through the separation membrane. In the step, when ?P is a difference between a gas pressure on the primary side of the separation membrane, i.e., a feed pressure, and a gas pressure on the secondary side of the separation membrane, i.e., a permeate pressure, and A is a Joule-Thomson coefficient, a difference ?T between a gas temperature on the primary side of the separation membrane, i.e., a feed temperature, and a gas temperature on the secondary side of the separation membrane, i.e., a permeate temperature, is made less than 90% of A·?P by setting the Nu number in the mixed gas to be greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Ko KOBAYASHI, Katsuya SHIMIZU, Aya MIURA, Kenichi NODA