Patents by Inventor Akio Hirano

Akio Hirano 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).

  • Publication number: 20240136498
    Abstract: An all-solid-state battery has a positive electrode layer, a separator layer and a negative electrode layer. The all-solid-state battery satisfies relationships of “Formula (1): 0.99?Sa0/Sc0?1.01,” “Formula (2): 1.00?Sa1/Sa0?1.13,” and “Formula (3): 0.93?Sc1/Sc0?1.02.” Sc0 indicates an area of the positive electrode layer when the SOC is 0%. Sc1 indicates an area of the positive electrode layer when the SOC is 100%. Sa0 indicates an area of the negative electrode layer when the SOC is 0%. Sa1 indicates an area of the negative electrode layer when the SOC is 100%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akio MITSUI, Kazuhiro MORIOKA, Koichi HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20240113307
    Abstract: A current collector including a first metal layer that contains a first metal, a conductor layer that contains a conductive carbon material, a second metal layer that contains a second metal, and a third metal layer that contains a third metal different from the first metal and the second metal, in which the first metal layer, the conductor layer, the second metal layer, and the third metal layer are laminated in this order, and the third metal is nickel or copper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: AKIO KANEYAMA, KOICHI HIRANO
  • Patent number: 11833540
    Abstract: An applicator head for a curtain applicator for coating a continuous material web with liquid or pasty application medium. The applicator head has an outlet edge extending substantially over the width of the applicator head. The application medium passes out of the applicator head in a free-falling curtain. A rinsing device allows the outlet edge to be supplied with a flowing gaseous rinsing medium. There is also described a method for coating a continuous material web by way of such a curtain applicator. The application medium passes out of the applicator head in the form of a free-falling curtain and subsequently comes into contact with the material web. The region of at least one of the outlet edges can be supplied with a flowing gaseous rinsing medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Tadashi Sasa, Toshihiro Katano, Akio Hirano, Hiroyuki Kohno, Christoph Henninger, Uwe Froehlich
  • Patent number: 11434607
    Abstract: A curtain application unit for applying a liquid or pasty application medium to at least one surface of a moving material web, in particular a fibrous web, includes an application head having at least one separation edge extending substantially over the width of the application head. The application medium exits the application head in the form of a free-falling curtain at the separation edge. At least one rinsing device is used to apply a flowing gaseous rinsing medium to the at least one separation edge, and at least one blocking device is suitable for keeping air movements of the ambient air away from the curtain. A method for coating a moving material web is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Benjamin Mendez-Gallon, Christoph Henninger, Tadashi Sasa, Toshihiro Katano, Akio Hirano
  • Patent number: 11407001
    Abstract: A curtain applicator for applying a liquid or pasty application medium to at least one surface of a running material web, in particular a fibrous web. The curtain applicator has an applicator nozzle, in particular a slotted nozzle, which under the effect of gravity, and optionally with further forces, is suitable for dispensing a single-tier or multi-tier curtain onto the surface of the material web. The curtain applicator further has a wiping device which is suitable for keeping entrained air carried by the material web away from the curtain. Moreover, there is provided at least one further blocking device which is suitable for keeping air movements of the ambient air away from the curtain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Tadashi Sasa, Akio Hirano, Hiroyuki Kohno, Christoph Henninger, Uwe Froehlich, Toshihiro Katano
  • Publication number: 20200316636
    Abstract: An applicator head for a curtain applicator for coating a continuous material web with liquid or pasty application medium. The applicator head has an outlet edge extending substantially over the width of the applicator head. The application medium passes out of the applicator head in a free-falling curtain. A rinsing device allows the outlet edge to be supplied with a flowing gaseous rinsing medium. There is also described a method for coating a continuous material web by way of such a curtain applicator. The application medium passes out of the applicator head in the form of a free-falling curtain and subsequently comes into contact with the material web. The region of at least one of the outlet edges can be supplied with a flowing gaseous rinsing medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Inventors: TADASHI SASA, TOSHIHIRO KATANO, AKIO HIRANO, HIROYUKI KOHNO, CHRISTOPH HENNINGER, UWE FROEHLICH
  • Publication number: 20200256017
    Abstract: A curtain application unit for applying a liquid or pasty application medium to at least one surface of a moving material web, in particular a fibrous web, includes an application head having at least one separation edge extending substantially over the width of the application head. The application medium exits the application head in the form of a free-falling curtain at the separation edge. At least one rinsing device is used to apply a flowing gaseous rinsing medium to the at least one separation edge, and at least one blocking device is suitable for keeping air movements of the ambient air away from the curtain. A method for coating a moving material web is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: BENJAMIN MENDEZ-GALLON, CHRISTOPH HENNINGER, TADASHI SASA, TOSHIHIRO KATANO, AKIO HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20200038901
    Abstract: A curtain applicator for applying a liquid or pasty application medium to at least one surface of a running material web, in particular a fibrous web. The curtain applicator has an applicator nozzle, in particular a slotted nozzle, which under the effect of gravity, and optionally with further forces, is suitable for dispensing a single-tier or multi-tier curtain onto the surface of the material web. The curtain applicator further has a wiping device which is suitable for keeping entrained air carried by the material web away from the curtain. Moreover, there is provided at least one further blocking device which is suitable for keeping air movements of the ambient air away from the curtain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: TADASHI SASA, AKIO HIRANO, HIROYUKI KOHNO, CHRISTOPH HENNINGER, UWE FROEHLICH, TOSHIHIRO KATANO
  • Patent number: 8873124
    Abstract: A plastic optical element for focusing light to a target includes a first lens and a second lens. The first lens includes an incident surface, a projection surface opposite the incident surface, and a non-optical surface through which light does not pass and that includes a non-transfer portion. At least one light beam passes from the incident surface to the projection surface. The second lens includes an incident surface, a projection surface opposite the incident surface, and a non-optical surface through which light does not pass and that includes a non-transfer portion disposed opposite the non-optical surface of the first lens. At least one light beam passes from the incident surface to the projection surface. The non-transfer portions of the first lens and the second lens are portions on which no surface is transferred from a surface of a mold used to form the plastic optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Takahashi, Eiichi Hayashi, Akio Hirano, Takamichi Ohta, Kan Aoki
  • Patent number: 8824035
    Abstract: A molded plastic part prepared by injecting a resin in a cavity of a die so that a pressure is generated in the resin in the cavity and at least one transfer wall surface of the cavity is transferred to the resin. The plastic part has at least one transferred surface; at least one imperfectly transferred concave portion on a first surface thereof other than the transferred surface; and at least one imperfectly transferred convex portion on the first surface or a second surface thereof other than the transferred surface. The ratio (a)/(b) of the thickness (a) of the plastic part in a direction perpendicular to the transferred surface to the thickness (b) of the plastic part in a direction parallel to the transferred surface is less than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takamichi Ohhashi, Yasuo Yamanaka, Akio Hirano, Eiichi Hayashi, Go Takahashi, Kan Aoki
  • Publication number: 20120063811
    Abstract: A resin casting mold includes a mold member forming a cavity that includes first and second surfaces facing each other in a first direction. The mold member further includes an insert member which forms a part of a third surface and which is slidable in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. At least one cross-sectional shape of the cavity satisfies h<A<H, where “A” is the length of the insert member in the first direction, “h” is a spacing in the first direction between a portion of the first surface closest to the insert member and a portion of the second surface closet to the insert member, and “H” is the length in the first direction on the third surface. The insert member is disposed to include a region having the spacing “h”.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventors: Takamichi Ohhashi, Eiichi Hayashi, Akio Hirano, Go Takahashi, Chieko Hatashita
  • Publication number: 20110304896
    Abstract: A plastic optical element for focusing light to a target includes a first lens and a second lens. The first lens includes an incident surface, a projection surface opposite the incident surface, and a non-optical surface through which light does not pass and that includes a non-transfer portion. At least one light beam passes from the incident surface to the projection surface. The second lens includes an incident surface, a projection surface opposite the incident surface, and a non-optical surface through which light does not pass and that includes a non-transfer portion disposed opposite the non-optical surface of the first lens. At least one light beam passes from the incident surface to the projection surface. The non-transfer portions of the first lens and the second lens are portions on which no surface is transferred from a surface of a mold used to form the plastic optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Go Takahashi, Eiichi Hayashi, Akio Hirano, Takamichi Ohhashi, Kan Aoki
  • Publication number: 20110164295
    Abstract: A molded plastic part prepared by injecting a resin in a cavity of a die so that a pressure is generated in the resin in the cavity and at least one transfer wall surface of the cavity is transferred to the resin. The plastic part has at least one transferred surface; at least one imperfectly transferred concave portion on a first surface thereof other than the transferred surface; and at least one imperfectly transferred convex portion on the first surface or a second surface thereof other than the transferred surface. The ratio (a)/(b) of the thickness (a) of the plastic part in a direction perpendicular to the transferred surface to the thickness (b) of the plastic part in a direction parallel to the transferred surface is less than 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventors: Takamichi OHHASHI, Yasuo Yamanaka, Akio Hirano, Eiichi Hayashi, Go Takahashi, Kan Aoki
  • Patent number: 7820247
    Abstract: Curtain-type coater and process for coating a web with curtain-type coater. Curtain-type coater includes a curtain head having a slit structured and arranged to supply a coating liquid curtain onto a surface of a web and outside of the edges of the web. At least a portion of the slit forming the coating liquid curtain outside the edges of the web has a width greater than a portion of the slit forming the coating liquid curtain supplied onto the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Hirofumi Morita, Akio Hirano, Hiroyuki Kohno
  • Patent number: 7628687
    Abstract: A cover assembly for an aperture in a wall may include: a first support and a second support provided on the wall, each support including a monolithic receptacle; a first pin-portion and a second pin-portion rotatably mounted in the receptacles, respectively, to define respective pivot-hinge arrangements; and a cover coupled to the first and second pin-portions. For example, the wall may be a part of fluid (e.g., air) duct disposed in a vehicle, and the cover may be oriented with respect to the wall so that the aperture represents one of an inlet and an outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Nitta, Akio Hirano, Naohisa Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7556693
    Abstract: This invention relates to a curtain applicator on which a two-layer curtain is formed by dispensing two types of coating medium, for example color, from a medium feeder positioned to the upper side of a moving web in order to apply two layers of coating medium onto the web surface. The medium feeder has a middle lip, which is arranged in the flow channels for the two types of medium and has a pointed part projecting toward the web side from the pointed parts of the two side lips which are arranged on the outer side of the flow channels for the two types of medium on the outer side in the width direction of the web. The curtain applicator also includes a convexly formed medium separation device, which adjoins the pointed part of the middle lip and individually separates the two types of surplus medium, for example, color, which are dispensed from the medium feeder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Hirofumi Morita, Akio Hirano, Hiroyuki Kohno
  • Publication number: 20080178799
    Abstract: The present invention provides a 2-layer curtain coater that supplies a 2-layered paint curtain formed from a first paint curtain and a second paint curtain to the surface of a transported web to overcoat a first paint and a second paint in two layers on the surface of the web, the 2-layer curtain coater being able to prevent paint loss during coating preparation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kohno, Akio Hirano, Hirofumi Morita
  • Publication number: 20080006203
    Abstract: This invention relates to a curtain applicator on which a two-layer curtain is formed by dispensing two types of coating medium, for example color, from a medium feeder positioned to the upper side of a moving web in order to apply two layers of coating medium onto the web surface. The medium feeder has a middle lip, which is arranged in the flow channels for the two types of medium and has a pointed part projecting toward the web side from the pointed parts of the two side lips which are arranged on the outer side of the flow channels for the two types of medium on the outer side in the width direction of the web. The curtain applicator also includes a convexly formed medium separation device, which adjoins the pointed part of the middle lip and individually separates the two types of surplus medium, for example, color, which are dispensed from the medium feeder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Hirofumi Morita, Akio Hirano, Hiroyuki Kohno
  • Publication number: 20050271825
    Abstract: Curtain-type coater and process for coating a web with curtain-type coater. Curtain-type coater includes a curtain head having a slit structured and arranged to supply a coating liquid curtain onto a surface of a web and outside of the edges of the web. At least a portion of the slit forming the coating liquid curtain outside the edges of the web has a width greater than a portion of the slit forming the coating liquid curtain supplied onto the web.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Applicant: Voith Paper Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Hirofumi Morita, Akio Hirano, Hiroyuki Kohno
  • Publication number: 20050092123
    Abstract: A cover assembly for an aperture in a wall may include: a first support and a second support provided on the wall, each support including a monolithic receptacle; a first pin-portion and a second pin-portion rotatably mounted in the receptacles, respectively, to define respective pivot-hinge arrangements; and a cover coupled to the first and second pin-portions. For example, the wall may be a part of fluid (e.g., air) duct disposed in a vehicle, and the cover may be oriented with respect to the wall so that the aperture represents one of an inlet and an outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Publication date: May 5, 2005
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Nitta, Akio Hirano, Naohisa Nishimura