Patents by Inventor Akira Kikuchi

Akira Kikuchi 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: 20150109836
    Abstract: A power conversion system is capable of distinguishing easily and clearly between being interconnected to the power system and being in an isolated operation. The power conversion system converts DC power to AC power to interconnect with a power system and injects reactive power into a grid node for determining an isolated operation, including: a voltage detector that detects an output voltage at the grid node; a current detector that detects an output current at the grid node; a frequency measurement unit that measures a frequency of the output voltage at the grid node; a reactive-power measurement unit that measures reactive power at the grid node; and an isolated-operation determination unit that determines whether or not the power conversion system is in an isolated operation as disconnected from the power system. The isolated-operation determination unit includes a reactive-power-fluctuation determination unit that performs a first isolated-operation determination from the reactive power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoyuki HATAKEYAMA, Akira KIKUCHI, Fumikazu TAKAHASHI, Kimiaki TANIGUCHI, Hirofumi OYAMADA
  • Patent number: 8951044
    Abstract: A keeper for an implant comprising (a) a keeper body made of a soft-magnetic material, which comprises a recess for receiving a head of an abutment having a female thread, and a female thread extending along a center axis to have communication with the recess and having a larger nominal diameter than that of the female thread of the abutment; and (b) a stepped screw member comprising a small-diameter screw portion threadably engageable with the female thread of the abutment, and a large-diameter screw portion threadably engageable with the female thread of the keeper body; the keeper body being strongly fixed to the abutment by the stepped screw member, when the keeper body is rotated in a threadably engaging direction, after the female thread of the abutment threadably engages the small-diameter screw portion, and after the female thread of the keeper body threadably engages the large-diameter screw portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8880261
    Abstract: An electrically driven vehicle equipped with electric motors (1, 4) for driving or braking drive wheels (3, 6), and an electric motor controller (33) for controlling the electric motors includes: wheel speed detectors (9 to 12) for detecting the wheel speed of the drive wheels and that of idler wheels (7, 8); computing means (22 to 28, 35 to 38) for computing the slip ratio of the drive wheels based on the wheel speed of the drive wheels and that of the idler wheels; and a determiner (29) for determining that the drive wheels are slipping if the slip ratio exceeds a slip ratio determination value. If the wheel speed of the idler wheels is lower than set speeds Va2, Vb2, then the determiner (29) changes the slip ratio determination value to a value having as the same sign as, and a larger absolute value than, the values ?a2, ?b2 used when the wheel speed of the idler wheels is higher than the set speeds Va2, Vb2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Akira Kikuchi, Tomohiko Yasuda, Takayuki Satou, Kichio Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20140319985
    Abstract: A movement mechanism includes: a guide member; an installation base that is movably provided on the guide member; and a removable cover base that is removably disposed, next to the installation base, on the guide member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Akira KIKUCHI, Eichiro OKUMURA, Akihiro HAMAGUCHI, Akira MINEGISHI
  • Publication number: 20140289758
    Abstract: A module coping with conditional access broadcasting in the disclosure includes an interface detachable from a receiver, which can receive digital broadcasting including conditional access broadcasting, for acquiring a transport stream produced based on the digital broadcasting, a descrambler that descrambles data included in the transport stream, a loudspeaker that outputs sound, and a controller that detects emergency warning information included in the transport stream and controls the loudspeaker to output sound related to the emergency warning information in response to the detection of the emergency warning information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Akira KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20140141387
    Abstract: A keeper for an implant comprising (a) a keeper body made of a soft-magnetic material, which comprises a recess for receiving a head of an abutment having a female thread, and a female thread extending along a center axis to have communication with the recess and having a larger nominal diameter than that of the female thread of the abutment; and (b) a stepped screw member comprising a small-diameter screw portion threadably engageable with the female thread of the abutment, and a large-diameter screw portion threadably engageable with the female thread of the keeper body; the keeper body being strongly fixed to the abutment by the stepped screw member, when the keeper body is rotated in a threadably engaging direction, after the female thread of the abutment threadably engages the small-diameter screw portion, and after the female thread of the keeper body threadably engages the large-diameter screw portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventor: Akira Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8722212
    Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes a non-magnetic granular layer, and a recording layer provided on the non-magnetic granular layer, wherein the recording layer includes a first granular magnetic layer provided on the non-magnetic granular layer, and a second granular magnetic layer provided on the first granular magnetic layer, and a non-magnetic material magnetically separating metal grains of the non-magnetic granular layer is different from a non-magnetic material magnetically separating magnetic grains of the first granular magnetic layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventors: Ryo Kurita, Satoshi Igarashi, Isatake Kaitsu, Akira Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8523296
    Abstract: An electric drive vehicle having an induction motor for braking or driving wheels, a motor controller for controlling the induction motor, and mechanical brakes for braking the wheels, wherein while the vehicle is in halt in a state that the mechanical breaks are not operating, the motor controller applies DC voltage or AC voltage in a frequency range of ?1 Hz to +1 Hz to the stator of the induction motor to make the induction motor generate torque for stopping the vehicle and maintain the vehicle in a halt state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kikuchi, Takashi Ikimi, Keizo Shimada, Naoshi Sugawara
  • Publication number: 20130226388
    Abstract: Provided is an electrically driven vehicle that is capable of suppressing drive wheel slippage without increasing the pitching vibration of the vehicle. The electrically driven vehicle having electric motors (1, 4), drive wheels (3, 6) driven by the electric motors respectively, and, when at least one of the drive wheels slips, an electric motor control device (40) for reducing the torque of at least one of the electric motors that drives the at least one wheel slipped, and for restoring the torque of the at least one electric motor when the slippage is stopped includes a pitching detection device (26) for detecting the amplitude of pitching vibration to which the vehicle is subjected. The amount of torque of the at least one electric motor to be restored by the electric motor control device over a predetermined period of time after the slippage is stopped varies depending on whether or not the amplitude A detected by the pitching detection device is greater than an assessment value A1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Akira Kikuchi, Tomohiko Yasuda, Takayuki Sato, Kichio Nakajima, Hiroyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8520404
    Abstract: A fixing member for fixing a blindfold plate to a support post where a fixing hole is formed, the fixing member includes: a deformation portion that is attached to the blindfold plate, and is inserted in to the fixing hole while being deformed and stays in the fixing hole in a deformed condition when the blindfold plate is fixed to the support post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Akihiro Hamaguchi, Eichiro Okumura, Akira Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8466573
    Abstract: A wind turbine generator system can regulate the rotational velocity of the wind turbine within an operation range even when the wind velocity suddenly changes and can perform continuous operation of the wind turbine. The wind turbine generator system includes a generator connected to the shaft of the wind turbine and a converter connected to the generator. When the rotational velocity of the wind turbine is within a predetermined range, power outputted from the generator is controlled so as to follow the instruction concerning the generator output given from the wind turbine to the converter. When the rotational velocity of the wind turbine is out of the predetermined range, the power outputted from the generator is controlled without following the instruction concerning generator output given from the wind turbine to the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kikuchi, Masaya Ichinose, Motoo Futami, Mitsugu Matsutake, Kouichi Miyazaki
  • Publication number: 20130144480
    Abstract: An electrically driven vehicle equipped with electric motors (1, 4) for driving or braking drive wheels (3, 6), and an electric motor controller (33) for controlling the electric motors includes: wheel speed detectors (9 to 12) for detecting the wheel speed of the drive wheels and that of idler wheels (7, 8); computing means (22 to 28, 35 to 38) for computing the slip ratio of the drive wheels based on the wheel speed of the drive wheels and that of the idler wheels; and a determiner (29) for determining that the drive wheels are slipping if the slip ratio exceeds a slip ratio determination value. If the wheel speed of the idler wheels is lower than set speeds Va2, Vb2, then the determiner (29) changes the slip ratio determination value to a value having as the same sign as, and a larger absolute value than, the values ?a2, ?b2 used when the wheel speed of the idler wheels is higher than the set speeds Va2, Vb2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Akira Kikuchi, Tomohiko Yasuda, Takayuki Satou, Kichio Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8454495
    Abstract: A capsule medical apparatus includes a capsule exterior member and a sensor that can detect the change of an atmospheric physical quantity caused outside the exterior member in the non-contact state, and performs, based on the temporary change in atmospheric physical quantity detected by the sensor, at least one of first control for switching operation from the ON-state of energy supply to the electric circuit from the battery to the OFF-state of the energy supply and of second control for switching operation from the OFF-state of the power supply to the ON-state of the power supply, and holds the state of energy supply switched by the control until another change of atmospheric physical quantity is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Hironao Kawano, Hironobu Takizawa, Akio Uchiyama, Hidetake Segawa, Manabu Fujita, Akira Kikuchi, Takeshi Yokoi
  • Patent number: 8374070
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate, a magnetic recording layer formed on the substrate to record magnetic information, and a piezoelectric material disposed adjacent to the magnetic recording layer and capable of contracting and expanding. Preferably, piezoelectric members made of the piezoelectric material are formed in such a manner as to be spaced a predetermined distance apart from each other on the substrate in a direction crossing a track on the magnetic recording layer, and the magnetic recording layer is formed between the piezoelectric members. When subjected to laser light or ultraviolet radiation, the piezoelectric material contracts or expands at least in the direction crossing the track. The piezoelectric material is selected from the group consisting of lead lanthanum zirconate titanate, barium titanate, and potassium niobate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventors: Hisato Shibata, Hideaki Takahoshi, Yuki Yoshida, Akira Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 8319621
    Abstract: A vehicle which evaluates tire wear properly even in a road condition that tires easily slip or lock up. The vehicle, which has a driven wheel and a driving wheel with tires attached thereto, includes: a revolution speed detector for detecting revolution speeds of the driven and driving wheels; a wheel speed detector for detecting wheel speeds of the driven and driving wheels based on the detected revolution speed data of the driven and driving wheels; a wheel speed ratio detector for detecting a wheel speed ratio between the driven and driving wheels based on the detected wheel speed data of the driven and driving wheels; and a tire condition evaluator for outputting an evaluation result indicating that the tire(s) attached to the driven wheel and/or driving wheel is(are) worn when the wheel speed ratio is higher than a preset threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kikuchi, Motoo Futami, Toshikazu Minoshima, Tomohiko Yasuda, Takayuki Sato, Kichio Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20120286511
    Abstract: A wind turbine generator system can regulate the rotational velocity of the wind turbine within an operation range even when the wind velocity suddenly changes and can perform continuous operation of the wind turbine. The wind turbine generator system includes a generator connected to the shaft of the wind turbine and a converter connected to the generator. When the rotational velocity of the wind turbine is within a predetermined range, power outputted from the generator is controlled so as to follow the instruction concerning the generator output given from the wind turbine to the converter. When the rotational velocity of the wind turbine is out of the predetermined range, the power outputted from the generator is controlled without following the instruction concerning generator output given from the wind turbine to the converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventors: Akira KIKUCHI, Masaya ICHINOSE, Motoo FUTAMI, Mitsugu MATSUTAKE, Kouichi MIYAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20120279793
    Abstract: Provided is an electrically driven vehicle capable of suppressing drive wheel slipping, even in low-speed regions where wheel speeds are undetectable. The vehicle has driven wheels 7, 8 and drive wheels 3, 6, and the drive wheels 3, 6 are driven by electric motors 1, 4. The vehicle further includes a motor controller 22 which, if wheel speeds of the driven wheels 7, 8 that are detected by speed detectors 11, 12, or a body speed of the vehicle that is detected by a vehicle body speed detector 41 is less than a first setting value, regulates a torque that is output from the motors 1, 4, in order that wheel speeds of the drive wheels 3, 6 are less than a second setting value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Akira Kikuchi, Tomohiko Yasuda, Takayuki Sato, Kichio Nakajima
  • Patent number: 8300972
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes: an extraction section extracting a subject area having a predetermined feature in an image; a first calculation section calculating a first blur degree indicating a blur degree of the extracted subject area; a second calculation section calculating, when the number of subject areas from which the first blur degree is calculated is one, a second blur degree indicating a blur degree of the entire image based on the first blur degree, and calculating, when the number of subject areas from which the first blur degree is calculated is plural, the second blur degree based on a value obtained by performing weighted averaging on the plural first blur degrees in accordance with dimensions of the plural subject areas; and a sorting section sorting an image having the calculated second blur degree equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value, as a blur image, from plural images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Hosaka, Kosuke Kimura, Kuniichiro Naruse, Kazuma Igari, Sadamichi Bamba, Yukiko Akiyama, Mitsuo Okumura, Akira Kikuchi, Hidefumi Kashima
  • Patent number: 8242620
    Abstract: A wind turbine generator system can regulate the rotational velocity of the wind turbine within an operation range even when the wind velocity suddenly changes and can perform continuous operation of the wind turbine. The wind turbine generator system includes a generator connected to the shaft of the wind turbine and a converter connected to the generator. When the rotational velocity of the wind turbine is within a predetermined range, power outputted from the generator is controlled so as to follow the instruction concerning the generator output given from the wind turbine to the converter. When the rotational velocity of the wind turbine is out of the predetermined range, the power outputted from the generator is controlled without following the instruction concerning generator output given from the wind turbine to the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kikuchi, Masaya Ichinose, Motoo Futami, Mitsugu Matsutake, Kouichi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 8151915
    Abstract: An electric drive vehicle having a power generator coupled to an engine, a first power converter connected with the power generator for converting the AC power generated by the power generator to DC power, a second power converter connected with the first power converter, for converting the DC power to AC power, a power consuming device for consuming the DC power, connected to a DC circuit between the first and second power converters, an electric motor connected with the second power converter, and at least one wheel driven by the electric motor, wherein the vehicle has a first control mode for controlling the output of the electric motor and a second control mode for controlling the power consumed by the power consuming device, and the second control mode performs such control that the operations of the second power converter and the electric motor in the first control mode are simulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kikuchi, Keizo Shimada, Kichio Nakajima, Toshikazu Minoshima, Tomohiko Yasuda, Takashi Ikimi