Patents by Inventor Akira Hiwata

Akira Hiwata 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: 10670030
    Abstract: A turbo machine of the present disclosure includes a rotation shaft, a first bearing, a casing, an impeller, a first space, a second space, a storage tank, a first outlet passage, a supply passage, a pump, a main passage, and a sub-passage. The second space is in communication with a space formed between a bearing surface of the first bearing and an outer surface of the rotation shaft. The main passage is in communication with the second space and extends in the rotation shaft from an end of the rotation shaft in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The sub-passage is formed in the rotation shaft and allows communication between the space between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft and the main passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Hiwata, Kazuyuki Kouda, Mamoru Nishibu, Tadayoshi Shoyama, Takeshi Ogata, Hidetoshi Taguchi
  • Patent number: 10570775
    Abstract: A turbo machine of the present disclosure includes a cylindrical bearing housing, a rotation shaft, a bearing, a bearing holder, and an end elastic body. The rotation shaft is located in the bearing housing. The bearing rotatably supports the rotation shaft at least in a radial direction of the rotation shaft. The bearing holder faces one end of the bearing and is fixed to the bearing housing. The end elastic body is disposed between the one end of the bearing and the bearing holder in the axial direction of the bearing and is in contact with the bearing and the bearing holder. The end elastic body is formed of a material having a lower modulus of elasticity than a material forming the bearing holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Kouda, Hidetoshi Taguchi, Akira Hiwata, Takeshi Ogata, Tadayoshi Shoyama, Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10408232
    Abstract: A turbo machine according to present disclosure includes a rotating shaft, a first impeller, a first fluid bearing, a first holding member, a first lubricating liquid casing, a first supplying passage, and a first squeeze film damper. The first fluid bearing rotatably supports the first taper portion and the first cylindrical portion. The first fluid bearing is attached to the first holding member. The first lubricating liquid casing forms a first storing space. The first supplying passage is a passage through which a lubricating liquid is supplied to the first storing space. The first squeeze film damper is a space located between the first fluid bearing and the first holding member. The first squeeze film damper communicates with the first supplying passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ogata, Tadayoshi Shoyama, Akira Hiwata, Hidetoshi Taguchi, Kazuyuki Kouda, Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10066634
    Abstract: A turbo machine includes a rotation shaft that comprises a first taper portion and a first cylinder portion, the first taper portion decreasing in diameter toward one end of the rotation shaft, the first cylinder portion being constant in diameter in an axial direction of the rotation shaft; a first impeller that is fixed to the rotation shaft and that is used for compressing or expanding working fluid; a first bearing that rotatably supports the first taper portion and the first cylinder portion; and a second bearing that is positioned on an opposite side of the first impeller from the first bearing in the axial direction of the rotation shaft and that supports the rotation shaft both in the axial direction and a radial direction of the rotation shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ogata, Tadayoshi Shoyama, Akira Hiwata, Hidetoshi Taguchi, Kazuyuki Kouda, Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20170211584
    Abstract: An impeller according to the present disclosure includes a hub and wings. Each of the wings has a leading edge portion and a body portion. The leading edge portion is positioned on an upper surface side of the hub. The body portion is positioned on a lower surface side of the hub. A tip of the leading edge portion and a tip of the body portion extend from the upper surface side of the hub toward the lower surface side of the hub on a side opposite to a side where the wing is in contact with the hub. In a plan view of the wing seen from a radial direction perpendicular to an axis of the impeller, a profile of the tip of the leading edge portion has a linear shape and a profile of the tip of the body portion has a curved shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: HIDETOSHI TAGUCHI, AKIRA HIWATA, TAKESHI OGATA, TADAYOSHI SHOYAMA, KAZUYUKI KOUDA, KOTA KIMURA
  • Patent number: 9568004
    Abstract: A rotary compressor (100) includes a closed casing (1), a cylinder (15), a piston (28), a lower bearing member (7), a vane (33), a suction port (20), a discharge port (41), and a partition member (10). The partition member (10) is attached to the lower bearing member (7) so as to form a refrigerant discharge space (52) serving as a flow path of a refrigerant discharged from a discharge chamber (26b) through the discharge port (41). The lower bearing member (7) is provided with a first recess (7t) on the same side as the suction port (20) with respect to a reference plane, the reference plane being a plane including a central axis of the cylinder (15) and a center of the vane (33) when the vane (33) protrudes maximally toward the central axis of the cylinder (15). A portion of oil stored in an oil reservoir (22) flows into the first recess (7t), and thereby an oil retaining portion (53) is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ogata, Yu Shiotani, Takumi Hikichi, Kentaro Shii, Tadayoshi Shoyama, Masanobu Wada, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Hirofumi Yoshida, Hiroaki Nakai, Akira Hiwata, Daisuke Funakosi, Ryuichi Ohno, Tsuyoshi Karino
  • Publication number: 20170023021
    Abstract: A turbo machine according to present disclosure includes a rotating shaft, a first impeller, a first fluid bearing, a first holding member, a first lubricating liquid casing, a first supplying passage, and a first squeeze film damper. The first fluid bearing rotatably supports the first taper portion and the first cylindrical portion. The first fluid bearing is attached to the first holding member. The first lubricating liquid casing forms a first storing space. The first supplying passage is a passage through which a lubricating liquid is supplied to the first storing space. The first squeeze film damper is a space located between the first fluid bearing and the first holding member. The first squeeze film damper communicates with the first supplying passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: TAKESHI OGATA, TADAYOSHI SHOYAMA, AKIRA HIWATA, HIDETOSHI TAGUCHI, KAZUYUKI KOUDA, HIROSHI HASEGAWA
  • Patent number: 9546659
    Abstract: A rotary compressor (100) includes a compression mechanism (3), a motor (2), a suction path (14), a back-pressure chamber (18), a return path (16), an inverter (42), and a controller (44). A check valve (73) of a reed valve type for opening and closing a return port (3c) of the compression mechanism (3) is disposed in the back-pressure chamber (18). The return path (16) functions to return a working fluid to the suction path (14) from the back-pressure chamber (18). A volume-varying valve (17) is provided in the return path (16). The volume-varying valve (17) allows the working fluid to flow through the return path (16) when the suction volume of the compression mechanism (3) should be set relatively small, and precludes the working fluid from flowing through the return path (16) to increase the pressure in the back-pressure chamber (18) when the suction volume of the compression mechanism (3) should be set relatively large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ogata, Yu Shiotani, Akira Hiwata, Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20170009602
    Abstract: A turbo machine of the present disclosure includes a cylindrical bearing housing, a rotation shaft, a bearing, a bearing holder, and an end elastic body. The rotation shaft is located in the bearing housing. The bearing rotatably supports the rotation shaft at least in a radial direction of the rotation shaft. The bearing holder faces one end of the bearing and is fixed to the bearing housing. The end elastic body is disposed between the one end of the bearing and the bearing holder in the axial direction of the bearing and is in contact with the bearing and the bearing holder. The end elastic body is formed of a material having a lower modulus of elasticity than a material forming the bearing holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: KAZUYUKI KOUDA, HIDETOSHI TAGUCHI, AKIRA HIWATA, TAKESHI OGATA, TADAYOSHI SHOYAMA, HIROSHI HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20170002824
    Abstract: A turbo machine of the present disclosure includes a rotation shaft, a first bearing, a casing, an impeller, a first space, a second space, a storage tank, a first outlet passage, a supply passage, a pump, a main passage, and a sub-passage. The second space is in communication with a space formed between a bearing surface of the first bearing and an outer surface of the rotation shaft. The main passage is in communication with the second space and extends in the rotation shaft from an end of the rotation shaft in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The sub-passage is formed in the rotation shaft and allows communication between the space between the bearing surface of the first bearing and the outer surface of the rotation shaft and the main passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: AKIRA HIWATA, KAZUYUKI KOUDA, MAMORU NISHIBU, TADAYOSHI SHOYAMA, TAKESHI OGATA, HIDETOSHI TAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9512841
    Abstract: A rotary compressor (100) includes a closed casing (1), a cylinder (15), a piston (28), a lower bearing member (72), a vane (33), a suction port (20), a discharge port (41), and a partition member (64). The partition member (64) is attached to the lower bearing member (72) so as to form a space enclosed by the partition member (64) and the lower bearing member (72) at a position adjacent to the lower bearing member (72). A portion of an oil stored in the oil reservoir (22) flows into the enclosed space, and thereby an oil retaining portion (53) is formed. The oil retaining portion (53) is located on the same side as the suction port (20) with respect to a reference plane (H1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Ogata, Yu Shiotani, Takumi Hikichi, Kentaro Shii, Tadayoshi Shoyama, Masanobu Wada, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Hirofumi Yoshida, Hiroaki Nakai, Akira Hiwata, Daisuke Funakosi, Ryuichi Ohno, Tsuyoshi Karino
  • Patent number: 9383123
    Abstract: The present invention provides a capacity-control refrigeration cycle device capable of efficiently vary capacity, and in any of a full operation mode in which capacity of the refrigeration cycle device is not controlled and an operation mode in which the capacity is controlled, all of refrigerants are discharged into a hermetic container 1 and then, the refrigerants pass through a discharge path 11 and are guided to outside of the hermetic container 1. After a refrigerant and oil are sufficiently separated in the hermetic container 1, the refrigerant is discharged to outside of the hermetic container 1. Therefore, efficiencies of a condenser 300 and an evaporator 600 are not deteriorated. Since it is possible to reduce an amount of oil taken outside of the hermetic container, it is possible to stably secure oil in an oil reservoir 22, and to prevent bite of parts of a compressing mechanism and to prevent abnormal wearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Hiwata, Takeshi Ogata, Kentaro Shii
  • Publication number: 20160177961
    Abstract: A turbo machine includes a rotation shaft that comprises a first taper portion and a first cylinder portion, the first taper portion decreasing in diameter toward one end of the rotation shaft, the first cylinder portion being constant in diameter in an axial direction of the rotation shaft; a first impeller that is fixed to the rotation shaft and that is used for compressing or expanding working fluid; a first bearing that rotatably supports the first taper portion and the first cylinder portion; and a second bearing that is positioned on an opposite side of the first impeller from the first bearing in the axial direction of the rotation shaft and that supports the rotation shaft both in the axial direction and a radial direction of the rotation shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: TAKESHI OGATA, TADAYOSHI SHOYAMA, AKIRA HIWATA, HIDETOSHI TAGUCHI, KAZUYUKI KOUDA, HIROSHI HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20150300697
    Abstract: A turbomachine for a refrigeration cycle apparatus that uses a refrigerant whose saturated vapor pressure is a negative pressure at ordinary temperature includes a rotation shaft and a bearing for supporting the rotation shaft. The rotation shaft includes a lubricant supply passage for supplying the refrigerant as a lubricant that travels smoothly between the rotation shaft and the bearing. The lubricant supply passage includes a main passage and a sub-passage. The main passage extends from an inlet located at an end of the rotation shaft in an axial direction of the rotation shaft. The sub-passage diverges from the main passage and extends to an outlet located in a side surface of the rotation shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: MAMORU NISHIBU, HIDETOSHI TAGUCHI, AKIRA HIWATA, TADAYOSHI SHOYAMA, KAZUYUKI KOUDA
  • Publication number: 20140322057
    Abstract: A rotary compressor (100) includes a closed casing (1), a cylinder (15), a piston (28), a lower bearing member (7), a vane (33), a suction port (20), a discharge port (41), and a partition member (10). The partition member (10) is attached to the lower bearing member (7) so as to form a refrigerant discharge space (52) serving as a flow path of a refrigerant discharged from a discharge chamber (26b) through the discharge port (41). The lower bearing member (7) is provided with a first recess (7t) on the same side as the suction port (20) with respect to a reference plane, the reference plane being a plane including a central axis of the cylinder (15) and a center of the vane (33) when the vane (33) protrudes maximally toward the central axis of the cylinder (15). A portion of oil stored in an oil reservoir (22) flows into the first recess (7t), and thereby an oil retaining portion (53) is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Takeshi Ogata, Yu Shiotani, Takumi Hikichi, Kentaro Shii, Tadayoshi Shoyama, Masanobu Wada, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Hirofumi Yoshida, Hiroaki Nakai, Akira Hiwata, Daisuke Funakosi, Ryuichi Ohno, Tsuyoshi Karino
  • Publication number: 20140301881
    Abstract: A rotary compressor (100) includes a closed casing (1), a cylinder (15), a piston (28), a lower bearing member (72), a vane (33), a suction port (20), a discharge port (41), and a partition member (64). The partition member (64) is attached to the lower bearing member (72) so as to form a space enclosed by the partition member (64) and the lower bearing member (72) at a position adjacent to the lower bearing member (72). A portion of an oil stored in the oil reservoir (22) flows into the enclosed space, and thereby an oil retaining portion (53) is formed. The oil retaining portion (53) is located on the same side as the suction port (20) with respect to a reference plane (H1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Takeshi Ogata, Yu Shiotani, Takumi Hikichi, Kentaro Shii, Tadayoshi Shoyama, Masanobu Wada, Hiroshi Hasegawa, Hirofumi Yoshida, Hiroaki Nakai, Akira Hiwata, Daisuke Funakosi, Ryuichi Ohno, Tsuyoshi Karino
  • Publication number: 20140099218
    Abstract: A rotary compressor 100 of the present invention includes a compression mechanism 3, a motor 2, a suction path 14, a communication passage 16 and an on-off valve 32 as a control mechanism 30. The rotary compressor 100 further includes an interior space 28, a first check valve 35a and a second check valve 35b. If the on-off valve 32 opens, a volume of the operation chamber 25 is reduced and with this reduction in the volume, the first check valve 35a opens. Pressure in the operation chamber 25 does not rise. At this time, the rotary compressor 100 is operated with substantially zero suction volume. If the on-off valve 32 is closed, the rotary compressor 100 is operated with a normal suction volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Hiwata, Takeshi Ogata
  • Publication number: 20140090413
    Abstract: The present invention provides a capacity-control refrigeration cycle device capable of efficiently vary capacity, and in any of a full operation mode in which capacity of the refrigeration cycle device is not controlled and an operation mode in which the capacity is controlled, all of refrigerants are discharged into a hermetic container 1 and then, the refrigerants pass through a discharge path 11 and are guided to outside of the hermetic container 1. After a refrigerant and oil are sufficiently separated in the hermetic container 1, the refrigerant is discharged to outside of the hermetic container 1. Therefore, efficiencies of a condenser 300 and an evaporator 600 are not deteriorated. Since it is possible to reduce an amount of oil taken outside of the hermetic container, it is possible to stably secure oil in an oil reservoir 22, and to prevent bite of parts of a compressing mechanism and to prevent abnormal wearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Hiwata, Takeshi Ogata, Kentaro Shii
  • Publication number: 20130343942
    Abstract: A rotary compressor (100) includes a compression mechanism (3), a motor (2), a suction path (14), a back-pressure chamber (18), a return path (16), an inverter (42), and a controller (44). A check valve (73) of a reed valve type for opening and closing a return port (3c) of the compression mechanism (3) is disposed in the back-pressure chamber (18). The return path (16) functions to return a working fluid to the suction path (14) from the back-pressure chamber (18). A volume-varying valve (17) is provided in the return path (16). The volume-varying valve (17) allows the working fluid to flow through the return path (16) when the suction volume of the compression mechanism (3) should be set relatively small, and precludes the working fluid from flowing through the return path (16) to increase the pressure in the back-pressure chamber (18) when the suction volume of the compression mechanism (3) should be set relatively large.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Ogata, Yu Shiotani, Akira Hiwata, Hiroshi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8177533
    Abstract: A lap (201) of an orbiting scroll (21) and a lap (202) of a stationary scroll (22) are meshed with each other to form an inner wall side expansion chamber (203a) on the side of a lap inner wall (201a) of the orbiting scroll (21) and an outer wall side expansion chamber (203b) on the side of a lap outer wall (201a) of the orbiting scroll (21). The volumetric capacity of the inner wall side expansion chamber (203a) and that of the outer wall side expansion chamber (203b) are equal to each other when suction is completed, and different from each other when discharge starts, and their expansion ratios are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masanobu Wada, Takashi Morimoto, Akira Hiwata, Akira Ikeda