Patents by Inventor Akira Kimura

Akira Kimura 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: 20240132724
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a pigment composition and an ink (in particular, a waterborne ink) that can reduce a viscosity increase over time when an azo lake pigment is used as a pigment and also have excellent color strength and gloss in printed products. The pigment composition according to the present invention includes a divalent metal lake azo pigment, and 0.1% by weight to 20% by weight of a divalent metal salt of a mono- or di-carboxylic acid compound. The divalent metal of the divalent metal salt is preferably an alkaline earth metal ion. The mono- or di-carboxylic acid compound is preferably a mono- or di-carboxylic acid compound having a carbon number of 4 to 20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: DIC Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Yoshida, Arata Kudo, Yukiko Higuchi, Akira Kimura
  • Publication number: 20240123293
    Abstract: In a golf ball for professional golfers and skilled amateurs which has a single-layer core, a cover and at least one intermediate layer therebetween, the intermediate layer has a specific gravity of at least 1.05, the sphere the sphere obtained by encasing the core with the intermediate layer (intermediate layer-encased sphere) and the ball have a surface hardness relationship which satisfies the condition: (surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere)>(surface hardness of ball). The core has a diameter of from 35.5 to 39.5 mm and a distinctive hardness profile that satisfies specific conditions. The ball is endowed with both an excellent flight performance and excellent durability to repeated impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo WATANABE, Akira Kimura
  • Patent number: 11940057
    Abstract: A valve device includes a flow path formation member provided with at least one flow path hole through which a fluid passes, and a drive part that outputs a rotational force. The valve device includes a shaft, and a rotor having a sliding surface that slides while facing an opening surface of the flow path formation member where the flow path hole is opened, and the rotor is configured to increase or decrease an opening degree of the flow path hole with rotation of the shaft. The valve device includes an energization member that energizes the rotor toward the flow path formation member. The valve device includes a coupling structure configured to tiltably couple the shaft to the rotor such that a contact state between the sliding surface and the opening surface is held regardless of a posture or a position of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Syota Kimura, Hiroki Shimada, Akira Higuchi, Takehito Mizunuma, Takuya Hamada, Ryou Sano
  • Publication number: 20240084146
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a carbon black, an ink, and the like having excellent dispersion stability. A carbon black of the present invention includes iron element in an amount of 0.01 to 2.00 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the carbon black. Preferably, a ratio of Fe/C is 0.001 to 0.010, where Fe is a concentration in atomic % of the iron element on a surface of particles of the carbon black, and C is a concentration in atomic % of elemental carbon on the surface of the particles of the carbon black, as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: DIC Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Yamada, Akira Kimura
  • Publication number: 20240084155
    Abstract: An object that is to be achieved by the present invention is to provide an azo pigment having excellent transparency, suitable dispersibility, and a low viscosity, an ink, and the like. An azo pigment according to the present invention has a zeta potential of ?80 to ?30 mV in isopropanol (IPA). The content of a metal element in the azo pigment is preferably 0.05 to 2.00 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the azo pigment. The metal element is preferably an iron element. The ratio (Fe/C) of the concentration Fe (atomic %) of an iron element in the surfaces of particles of the azo pigment to the concentration C (atomic %) of a carbon element in the surfaces of the particles of the azo pigment which are determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is preferably 0.20 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: DIC Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Yamada, Takuya Yoshida, Akira Kimura
  • Publication number: 20240067285
    Abstract: A battery frame is fixed to a chassis and a battery pack is assembled to the battery frame. The battery frame includes a pair of crossbars and a pair of side bars. The crossbars extend in the vehicle width direction while being spaced apart in the vehicle front-rear direction, and have both ends in the vehicle width direction fixed to the side members. The side bars extend in the vehicle front-rear direction while being spaced apart in the vehicle width direction, and have front ends and rear ends detachably fixed to the crossbars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira ICHIKAWA, Yusuke KAMIJO, Atsuo TAKEUCHI, Makito MURAMATSU, Kayo KIMURA, Hiroshi OGIHARA, Nana TAIE
  • Patent number: 11896877
    Abstract: In a golf ball for professional golfers and skilled amateurs which has a single-layer core, a cover and at least one intermediate layer therebetween, the sphere obtained by encasing the core with the intermediate layer (intermediate layer-encased sphere) and the ball have a surface hardness relationship which satisfies the condition: (surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere)>(surface hardness of ball). The core has a diameter of from 35.5 to 39.5 mm and a distinctive hardness profile that satisfies specific conditions. The ball is endowed with both an excellent flight performance and excellent durability to repeated impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE SPORTS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Watanabe, Akira Kimura
  • Publication number: 20240047913
    Abstract: A connector includes an inner contact inserted in a recessed portion of a plug contact and composed of a bent wire spring, the inner contact having an elastically displaceable contact portion contacting the plug contact and an elastically displaceable pressing portion, part of a connection object having a flexible conductor exposed on at least one surface thereof being sandwiched between the pressing portion and an inner surface of the recessed portion, the inner surface of the recessed portion and the pressing portion contacting a front surface and a rear surface of the connection object, respectively, the plug contact being electrically connected to the flexible conductor directly when the flexible conductor is exposed on the front surface of the connection object, the plug contact being electrically connected to the flexible conductor via the inner contact when the flexible conductor is exposed on the rear surface of the connection object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventor: Akira KIMURA
  • Patent number: 11883720
    Abstract: A golf ball composed of a core and a cover has a spin rate and a launch angle on approach shots at a head speed (HS) of 20 m/s or 10 m/s that satisfy formulas (1) and (2) below: Spin W/Spin D?0.70??(1) Ang W/Ang D<1.20??(2). Here, Spin D is the spin rate (rpm) under dry conditions, Spin W is the spin rate (rpm) under wet conditions, Ang W is the launch angle (°) under wet conditions and Ang D is the launch angle (°) under dry conditions. The golf ball suppresses a decrease in the spin rate on approach shots in rainy weather and thus has an improved controllability, making it especially useful to professional golfers and skilled amateurs who desire a high spin performance around the green.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kimura, Hirotaka Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20230420902
    Abstract: A sheet type conductive member includes a tongue portion projecting in a tongue shape in a predetermined plane, a contact arrangement region in which a contact of a connector is arranged being laid out on a front surface of the sheet type conductive member, a first flexible conductor being exposed on the contact arrangement region, a second flexible conductor being exposed on a rear surface of the tongue portion, at least part of the tongue portion being folded back to a front surface side of the sheet type conductive member so that a contact connecting portion composed of part of the first flexible conductor and part of the second flexible conductor is formed in the contact arrangement region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Akira KIMURA, Seiya MATSUO, Keisuke NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20230381597
    Abstract: In a golf ball for professional golfers and skilled amateurs which has a single-layer core, a cover and at least one intermediate layer therebetween, the sphere obtained by encasing the core with the intermediate layer (intermediate layer-encased sphere) and the ball have a surface hardness relationship therebetween which satisfies the condition: (surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere)>(surface hardness of ball). Moreover, the core has a diameter of from 35.5 to 39.5 mm and a unique hardness profile that satisfies certain specific conditions. This ball is endowed with both an excellent flight performance and a good durability to repeated impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Applicant: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo WATANABE, Akira KIMURA
  • Patent number: 11804669
    Abstract: An electronic equipment comprises a case and a connector which is attached to the case. The connector comprises a housing and a waterproofing member. The waterproofing member is sandwiched by a mating connector and a side portion of the housing in a second direction when the connector is mated with the mating connector. The waterproofing member has at least one first contact portion, at least one second contact portion, at least one third contact portion and at least one fourth contact portion. The third contact portion is pressed against the side portion in the second direction by elasticity of the waterproofing member upon the mating of the connector with the mating connector. The fourth contact portion is pressed against and in contact with the mating connector in the second direction by the elasticity of the waterproofing member upon the mating of the connector with the mating connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tetsuya Komoto, Akira Kimura, Keisuke Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20230283013
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a first connector having a first insulator and a first contact, a second connector having a second insulator and a second contact and fitted to the first connector along a fitting direction, a lever member rotatably held by one of the first insulator and the second insulator, a push member used to press the first contact and the second contact against each other, a first cam mechanism moving the first insulator and the second insulator relatively along the fitting direction in conjunction with rotation of the lever member, and a second cam mechanism moving the push member in conjunction with rotation of the lever member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventor: Akira KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20230283012
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a first connector having a first insulator and a first contact, a second connector having a second insulator and a second contact and being fitted to the first connector along a fitting direction; a lever member held by one of the first insulator and the second insulator in a rotatable manner about a rotational axis, a rotational shaft member extending along the rotational axis and rotating in accordance with rotation of the lever member, the rotational shaft member having a cam surface for pressing the first contact and the second contact against each other, and a cam mechanism moving the first insulator and the second insulator relatively along the fitting direction in conjunction with rotation of the lever member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventor: Akira KIMURA
  • Patent number: 11710922
    Abstract: In a connector, a contact includes: a first connection portion and a second connection portion that are retained between a first insulator and a second insulator and face each other; and a pressing force receiving portion that makes contact with the second insulator and receives a pressing force from the second insulator to thereby press the first connection portion against the second connection portion. A connection object is sandwiched between the first connection portion and the second connection portion, and at least one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion makes contact with a flexible conductor of the connection object, whereby the contact is electrically connected to the flexible conductor of the connection object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Keisuke Nakamura, Akira Kimura
  • Publication number: 20230149482
    Abstract: An object of one present invention is to provide a food composition including, as an active ingredient thereof, Lactobacillus mucosae that has a function of improving a gut microbiota. An object of another present invention is to provide an increasing drug for the rate of bifidobacteria in the human intestine and a bifidobacteria proliferation promoting drug, including Lactobacillus mucosae as an active ingredient thereof. The one present invention provides a composition for improving the gut microbiota, including the bacterial cell or a culture of Lactobacillus mucosae as an active ingredient thereof. The other present invention provides an increasing drug for the rate of bifidobacteria in the human intestine and a bifidobacteria proliferation promoting drug, including Lactobacillus mucosae as an active ingredient thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Applicant: MEGMILK SNOW BRAND CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeki KADA, Takuya TSUKAHARA, Akira KIMURA, Nana OGAWA
  • Publication number: 20230138800
    Abstract: In a golf ball for professional golfers and skilled amateurs which has a single-layer core, a cover and at least one intermediate layer therebetween, the core is molded from a rubber composition that includes a base rubber, an unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or metal salt thereof, an organic peroxide and, in a specific weight ratio, water and sulfur, and has a hardness profile which satisfies certain specific conditions. The ball achieves an excellent distance on full shots with a driver (W #1) and a middle iron, and is designed for high controllability in the short game.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akira Kimura
  • Patent number: 11637176
    Abstract: Provided is a first vertical field effect transistor in which first source regions and first connection portions via which a first body region is connected to a first source electrode are disposed alternately and cyclically in a first direction in which first trenches extend. In a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, Lxm?Lxr?0.20 ?m holds true where Lxm denotes a distance between adjacent first trenches and Lxr denotes the inner width of a first trench. The lengths of the first connection portions are in a convergence region in which the on-resistance of the vertical field effect transistor at the time when a voltage having a specification value is applied to first gate conductors to supply current having a specification value does not decrease noticeably even when the lengths of the first connection portions are made much shorter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: NUVOTON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION JAPAN
    Inventors: Hironao Nakamura, Ryosuke Okawa, Tsubasa Inoue, Akira Kimura, Eiji Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20230101684
    Abstract: Provided is a first vertical field effect transistor in which first source regions and first connection portions via which a first body region is connected to a first source electrode are disposed alternately and cyclically in a first direction in which first trenches extend. In a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, Lxm?Lxr?0.20 ?m holds true where Lxm denotes a distance between adjacent first trenches and Lxr denotes the inner width of a first trench. The lengths of the first connection portions are in a convergence region in which the on-resistance of the vertical field effect transistor at the time when a voltage having a specification value is applied to first gate conductors to supply current having a specification value does not decrease noticeably even when the lengths of the first connection portions are made much shorter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Hironao NAKAMURA, Ryosuke Okawa, Tsubasa Inoue, Akira Kimura, Eiji Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20230088981
    Abstract: The invention provides a production method that is capable of obtaining a polyalkylene oxide having high whiteness by a simple method, and a polyalkylene oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SEIKA CHEMICALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira KIMURA, Yuika IMAMURA