Patents by Inventor Akihiro Shirai

Akihiro Shirai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10889331
    Abstract: A hood silencer includes a back skin layer, a thin film layer, a first shape-retaining layer, a sound-absorbing layer, a second shape-retaining layer, an aeration-suppressing layer, and a front skin layer. The aeration-suppressing layer suppresses oozing of a binder resin out of the surface of the front skin layer from the second shape-retaining layer during the heat forming of the second shape-retaining layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: HOWA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Asai, Akihiro Shirai
  • Patent number: 10663059
    Abstract: An automatic transmission controller includes a solenoid drive controller that performs a current feedback control to one or more of a plurality of solenoids that correspond to a plurality of gear positions for shifting to one of the plurality of gear positions in a transmission mechanism. From among all the solenoids, the solenoid drive controller distinguishes one or more target solenoids to operate to shift from a current gear position to a post-change gear position, and changes a current feedback cycle of the target solenoid(s) for performing the current feedback control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Shirai
  • Publication number: 20200047470
    Abstract: A hood silencer includes a back skin layer, a thin film layer, a first shape-retaining layer, a sound-absorbing layer, a second shape-retaining layer, an aeration-suppressing layer, and a front skin layer. The aeration-suppressing layer suppresses oozing of a binder resin out of the surface of the front skin layer from the second shape-retaining layer during the heat forming of the second shape-retaining layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: HOWA TEXTILE INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro ASAI, Akihiro SHIRAI
  • Publication number: 20190234513
    Abstract: An automatic transmission controller includes a solenoid drive controller that performs a current feedback control to one or more of a plurality of solenoids that correspond to a plurality of gear positions for shifting to one of the plurality of gear positions in a transmission mechanism. From among all the solenoids, the solenoid drive controller distinguishes one or more target solenoids to operate to shift from a current gear position to a post-change gear position, and changes a current feedback cycle of the target solenoid(s) for performing the current feedback control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventor: Akihiro SHIRAI
  • Patent number: 9701780
    Abstract: A polybutadiene having a hydroxyl group at a terminal end thereof is reacted with a lactone compound such as an ?-caprolactone to obtain a polymer polyol represented by formula (I): HO—X1—Y—X2—OH (wherein X1 and X2 each independently represents a polyester component and Y represents a polybutadiene component), the polymer polyol is reacted with an unsymmetric diisocyanate to obtain a urethane prepolymer, and then the urethane prepolymer is reacted with a chain extender to obtain a polyurethane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON SODA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Shirai, Yasunori Miyashita, Shinichi Kimizuka, Mitsuhiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9701779
    Abstract: A polybutadiene having a hydroxyl group at a terminal end thereof is reacted with a lactone compound such as an ?-caprolactone to obtain a polymer polyol represented by formula (I): HO—X1—Y—X2—OH (wherein X1 and X2 each independently represents a polyester component and Y represents a polybutadiene component), the polymer polyol is reacted with an unsymmetric diisocyanate to obtain a urethane prepolymer, and then the urethane prepolymer is reacted with a chain extender to obtain a polyurethane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON SODA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Shirai, Yasunori Miyashita, Shinichi Kimizuka, Mitsuhiro Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20160168310
    Abstract: A polybutadiene having a hydroxyl group at a terminal end thereof is reacted with a lactone compound such as an ?-caprolactone to obtain a polymer polyol represented by formula (I): HO—X1—Y—X2—OH (wherein X1 and X2 each independently represents a polyester component and Y represents a polybutadiene component), the polymer polyol is reacted with an unsymmetric diisocyanate to obtain a urethane prepolymer, and then the urethane prepolymer is reacted with a chain extender to obtain a polyurethane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Akihiro SHIRAI, Yasunori MIYASHITA, Shinichi KIMIZUKA, Mitsuhiro NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 9023950
    Abstract: The present invention provides a styrene-based star polymer with narrow dispersion and suitable as a resist material, etc. A star polymer of the present invention is represented by the formula A[C(Y)Xm]n (wherein A represents a polyvalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group with 4-15 carbons, C represents a carbon atom, X represents a styrene-based polymer chain, Y represents a hydroxy group or an oxo group, m represents an integer of 1 or 2, and n represents any integer from 2 to 5, with the proviso that if Y is a hydroxy group, m is 2, and if Y is an oxo group, m is 1). The star polymer can be produced by reacting a styrene-based polymer having an anionic end, and an aliphatic carboxylic acid ester represented by A(COOR)n (wherein R represents an alkyl group having 1-8 carbons, and A and n are as defined for the above formula).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Nippon Soda Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Shirai, Takeshi Niitani
  • Publication number: 20150119535
    Abstract: A polybutadiene having a hydroxyl group at a terminal end thereof is reacted with a lactone compound such as an ?-caprolactone to obtain a polymer polyol represented by formula (I): HO—X1—Y—X2—OH (wherein X1 and X2 each independently represents a polyester component and Y represents a polybutadiene component), the polymer polyol is reacted with an unsymmetric diisocyanate to obtain a urethane prepolymer, and then the urethane prepolymer is reacted with a chain extender to obtain a polyurethane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Akihiro Shirai, Yasunori Miyashita, Shinichi Kimizuka, Mitsuhiro Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8915351
    Abstract: A work piece conveying apparatus capable of conveying plural work pieces with differing transport pitches to each other. The work piece conveying apparatus includes a drive motor that includes an output shaft, plural drive pulleys that are fixed to the output shaft and have different diameters to each other, plural timing belts that are respectively entrained around the plural drive pulleys, and plural coupling plates that are respectively fixed to the timing belts and that move reciprocating with different transport pitches to each other accompanying forward and reverse rotation of the output shaft, and cause to convey work pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Asmo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Tomida, Akihiro Shirai
  • Patent number: 8710165
    Abstract: A multibranched polymer represented by the following formula (I), and a method for producing the multibranched polymer: where A represents an organic group having 3 or more branched chains, Xa represents a linking group containing any atom of Groups 14 to 16 in the Periodic Table, Y represents a functional group having a structure capable of having an active halogen atom, Q represents an arm moiety having a repeating unit derived from a polymerizable unsaturated bond, m1 represents any integer of 1 to the number of branched chains of A, m2 represents the number of branched chains of A, n1 represents an integer of 0 or 1 or more, and Ra represents an organic group that is not associated with the polymerization reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nippon Soda Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Niitani, Kiyoshi Kawamura, Akihiro Shirai
  • Publication number: 20140008181
    Abstract: A work piece conveying apparatus capable of conveying plural work pieces with differing transport pitches to each other. The work piece conveying apparatus includes a drive motor that includes an output shaft, plural drive pulleys that are fixed to the output shaft and have different diameters to each other, plural timing belts that are respectively entrained around the plural drive pulleys, and plural coupling plates that are respectively fixed to the timing belts and that move reciprocating with different transport pitches to each other accompanying forward and reverse rotation of the output shaft, and cause to convey work pieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Yoshimasa TOMIDA, Akihiro SHIRAI
  • Patent number: 8420744
    Abstract: A modified polysiloxane compound represented by formula (I): X(Y)n (I), where X represents a polymer block having a repeating unit represented by formula (II), Y represents a polymer block having a repeating unit represented by formula (III), and n represents 1 or 2, and having an X to Y weight ratio of 1/99?X/Y?90/10 and a number-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 100,000 is subjected to treat for elimination of a protecting group for a hydroxyl group by adding a non-aqueous solution containing hydrogen chloride in the presence of a non-aqueous solvent so that hydrogen chloride is 0.9 to 1.3 equivalents with respect to 1 equivalent of the repeating unit represented by formula (II).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Nippon Soda Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Shirai, Toshiaki Okado, Takeshi Shimotori
  • Publication number: 20130030127
    Abstract: The present invention provides a styrene-based star polymer with narrow dispersion and suitable as a resist material, etc. A star polymer of the present invention is represented by the formula A[C(Y)Xm]n (wherein A represents a polyvalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group with 4-15 carbons, C represents a carbon atom, X represents a styrene-based polymer chain, Y represents a hydroxy group or an oxo group, m represents an integer of 1 or 2, and n represents any integer from 2 to 5, with the proviso that if Y is a hydroxy group, m is 2, and if Y is an oxo group, m is 1). The star polymer can be produced by reacting a styrene-based polymer having an anionic end, and an aliphatic carboxylic acid ester represented by A(COOR)n (wherein R represents an alkyl group having 1-8 carbons, and A and n are as defined for the above formula).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: NIPPON SODA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Shirai, Takeshi Niitani
  • Publication number: 20120202910
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a polybutadiene by anionic polymerization at a low temperature, in which the microstructures thereof is controlled to polybutadienes having diverse physical properties. The present invention provides a method for producing a polybutadiene by anionic polymerization of 1,3-butadiene in the presence of a polymerization initiator and under the conditions of a reaction temperature not higher than the boiling point of butadiene, wherein the polymerization is performed in the presence of a potassium salt in an aprotic polar solvent or in a mixed solvent of an aprotic polar solvent and a nonpolar solvent. The potassium salt is preferably potassium t-butoxide, and the solvent is preferably a mixed solvent of tetrahydrofuran and hexane. The resultant polybutadiene can be used in an adhesive composition and in a plate-making material composition used for flexographic printing plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: NIPPON SODA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Shirai, Yasunori Miyashita, Takeshi Shimotori
  • Publication number: 20120136122
    Abstract: A modified polysiloxane compound represented by formula (I): X(Y)n (I), where X represents a polymer block having a repeating unit represented by formula (II), Y represents a polymer block having a repeating unit represented by formula (III), and n represents 1 or 2, and having an X to Y weight ratio of 1/99?X/Y?90/10 and a number-average molecular weight of 1,000 to 100,000 is subjected to treat for elimination of a protecting group for a hydroxyl group by adding a non-aqueous solution containing hydrogen chloride in the presence of a non-aqueous solvent so that hydrogen chloride is 0.9 to 1.3 equivalents with respect to 1 equivalent of the repeating unit represented by formula (II).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: NIPPON SODA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Shirai, Toshiaki Okado, Takeshi Shimotori
  • Publication number: 20110152388
    Abstract: A multibranched polymer represented by the following formula (I), and a method for producing the multibranched polymer: where A represents an organic group having 3 or more branched chains, Xa represents a linking group containing any atom of Groups 14 to 16 in the Periodic Table, Y represents a functional group having a structure capable of having an active halogen atom, Q represents an arm moiety having a repeating unit derived from a polymerizable unsaturated bond, m1 represents any integer of 1 to the number of branched chains of A, m2 represents the number of branched chains of A, n1 represents an integer of 0 or 1 or more, and Ra represents an organic group that is not associated with the polymerization reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: NIPPON SODA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Niitani, Kiyoshi Kawamura, Akihiro Shirai
  • Patent number: 7919570
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multibranched polymer represented by the following formula (I), and a method for producing the multibranched polymer: wherein A represents an organic group having 3 or more branched chains, Xa represents a linking group containing any atom of Groups 14 to 16 in the Periodic Table, Y represents a functional group having a structure capable of having an active halogen atom, Q represents an arm moiety having a repeating unit derived from a polymerizable unsaturated bond, m1 represents any integer of 1 to the number of branched chains of A, m2 represents the number of branched chains of A, n1 represents an integer of 0 or 1 or more, and Ra represents an organic group which is not associated with the polymerization reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Soda Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Niitani, Kiyoshi Kawamura, Akihiro Shirai
  • Publication number: 20100210805
    Abstract: Disclosed is a star polymer having a core part produced by anionic polymerizing one or more polyfunctional (meth)acrylic acid ester derivative represented by formula (IV) (wherein R represents a hydrogen atom, etc., n represents 2 or 3, and A represents an organic group linking at a carbon atom) in an organic solvent, in the presence of 0.1 to 0.99 mol of organic alkali metal compound with respect to 1 mol of the compound of the formula (IV), and in the presence of 0.1 to 20 mol of inorganic salts of alkali metal or alkali earth metal with respect to 1 mol of the organic alkali metal compound, and an arm part formed by anionic polymerizing from the anionic active site of the core part one or more monofunctional (meth)acrylic acid ester derivative represented by formula (I) (wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, etc., and R2 represents an organic group).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON SODA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Shirai, Takeshi Shimotori, Shinji Marumo, Takeshi Niitani
  • Publication number: 20080214685
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multibranched polymer represented by the following formula (I), and a method for producing the multibranched polymer: wherein A represents an organic group having 3 or more branched chains, Xa represents a linking group containing any atom of Groups 14 to 16 in the Periodic Table, Y represents a functional group having a structure capable of having an active halogen atom, Q represents an arm moiety having a repeating unit derived from a polymerizable unsaturated bond, m1 represents any integer of 1 to the number of branched chains of A, m2 represents the number of branched chains of A, n1 represents an integer of 0 or 1 or more, and Ra represents an organic group which is not associated with the polymerization reaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: NIPPON SODA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Niitani, Kiyoshi Kawamura, Akihiro Shirai