Patents by Inventor Akira Kuroda

Akira Kuroda 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: 20050271940
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a positive electrode plate for a non-aqueous secondary battery including: preparing an active material A, a conductive material B, a binder C, a thickener D, and a liquid component E, the thickener D being in a powder state, the conductive material B including a carbon material, the thickener D including a water-soluble polymer, and the liquid component E including water; preparing a slurry including the component E and an electrode material mixture, the material mixture including the active material A, the conductive material B, the binder C, and the thickener D; and applying the slurry on a current collector. In preparing the slurry, the thickener D in a powder state, the active material A and the conductive material B are kneaded together with the liquid component E, and then the primary kneaded matter, the binder C, and an additional liquid component are kneaded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventors: Masao Fukunaga, Kohei Suzuki, Katsumi Kashiwagi, Akira Kuroda, Yasuhiro Inadomi, Masanori Sumihara
  • Patent number: 6869724
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises: a positive electrode sheet comprising a positive electrode mixture containing a lithium-containing transition metal oxide as an active material and a particulate binder; a negative electrode sheet comprising a negative electrode mixture containing a carbon material; a separator interposed between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet; and a non-aqueous electrolyte containing a lithium salt, wherein the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet are wound with the separator interposed therebetween to form an electrode assembly, and the positive electrode mixture has an active material density of 3.0 to 4.0 g/ml. The battery has a long life, high energy density and high output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Suzuki, Kazunori Kubota, Akira Kuroda, Motoi Kawamura, Masao Fukunaga, Tsumoru Ohata
  • Publication number: 20050031955
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided, which exhibits good high-rate discharge characteristics and low-temperature characteristics and ensures high safety when the negative electrode contains 0.6 to 1.7 parts by weight of a particulate modified styrene-butadiene rubber as a binder and 0.7 to 1.2 parts by weight of a thickening agent so that the total amount of the binder and thickening agent is 1.3 to 2.4 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of a carbon material as an active material, and the concentration of LiPF6 in the non-aqueous electrolyte is 0.6 to 1.05 mole/liter. The surface area of the active material effectively contributable to charging and discharging reaction is sufficient when the surface area of the carbon material per 1 g of the binder contained in the negative electrode is 300 to 600 m2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kohei Suzuki, Kazunori Kubota, Motoi Kawamura, Akira Kuroda, Masao Fukunaga, Tsumoru Ohata
  • Publication number: 20040253513
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided, which exhibits good high-rate discharge characteristics and low-temperature characteristics and ensures high safety when the negative electrode contains 0.6 to 1.7 parts by weight of a particulate modified styrene-butadiene rubber as a binder and 0.7 to 1.2 parts by weight of a thickening agent so that the total amount of the binder and thickening agent is 1.3 to 2.4 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of a carbon material as an active material, and the concentration of LiPF6 in the non-aqueous electrolyte is 0.6 to 1.05 mole/liter. The surface area of the active material effectively contributable to charging and discharging reaction is sufficient when the surface area of the carbon material per 1 g of the binder contained in the negative electrode is 300 to 600 m2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kohei Suzuki, Kazunori Kubota, Motoi Kawamura, Akira Kuroda, Masao Fukunaga, Tsumoru Ohata
  • Patent number: 6773838
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided, which exhibits good high-rate discharge characteristics and low-temperature characteristics and ensures high safety when the negative electrode contains 0.6 to 1.7 parts by weight of a particulate modified styrene-butadiene rubber as a binder and 0.7 to 1.2 parts by weight of a thickening agent so that the total amount of the binder and thickening agent is 1.3 to 2.4 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of a carbon material as an active material, and the concentration of LiPF6 in the non-aqueous electrolyte is 0.6 to 1.05 mole/liter. The surface area of the active material effectively contributable to charging and discharging reaction is sufficient when the surface area of the carbon material per 1 g of the binder contained in the negative electrode is 300 to 600 m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Suzuki, Kazunori Kubota, Motoi Kawamura, Akira Kuroda, Masao Fukunaga, Tsumoru Ohata
  • Publication number: 20020061440
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte battery is provided, which exhibits good high-rate discharge characteristics and low-temperature characteristics and ensures high safety when the negative electrode contains 0.6 to 1.7 parts by weight of a particulate modified styrene-butadiene rubber as a binder and 0.7 to 1.2 parts by weight of a thickening agent so that the total amount of the binder and thickening agent is 1.3 to 2.4 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of a carbon material as an active material, and the concentration of LiPF6 in the non-aqueous electrolyte is 0.6 to 1.05 mole/liter. The surface area of the active material effectively contributable to charging and discharging reaction is sufficient when the surface area of the carbon material per 1 g of the binder contained in the negative electrode is 300 to 600 m2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Suzuki, Kazunori Kubota, Motoi Kawamura, Akira Kuroda, Masao Fukunaga, Tsumoru Ohata
  • Publication number: 20020037450
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises: a positive electrode sheet comprising a positive electrode mixture containing a lithium-containing transition metal oxide as an active material and a particulate binder; a negative electrode sheet comprising a negative electrode mixture containing a carbon material; a separator interposed between the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet; and a non-aqueous electrolyte containing a lithium salt, wherein the positive electrode sheet and the negative electrode sheet are wound with the separator interposed therebetween to form an electrode assembly, and the positive electrode mixture has an active material density of 3.0 to 4.0 g/ml. The battery has a long life, high energy density and high output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohei Suzuki, Kazunori Kubota, Akira Kuroda, Motoi Kawamura, Masao Fukunaga, Tsumoru Ohata
  • Patent number: 6084622
    Abstract: A frame structure usable in an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material using a laser source, the apparatus includes a first wall; a second wall opposed to the first wall; first and second connecting members bridging between the first wall and the second wall; a scanner supporting member for supporting an optical device between the first connecting member and the second connecting member; a motor supporting member for supporting a motor between the scanner supporting member and the first wall; wherein the walls, connecting members, scanner supporting member and motor supporting member are integrally molded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Sugiura, Jun Azuma, Nobukazu Adachi, Takeshi Setoriyama, Chitose Tenpaku, Noriyoshi Ishikawa, Tatsuo Hamada, Yoshiro Tsuchiya, Takeshi Kubota, Yoshiya Nomura, Akira Kuroda, Ken Murooka, Takeshi Sugita, Takeshi Niimura, Akira Yuza
  • Patent number: 5907745
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes an image bearing member; and optical mechanism for projecting light corresponding to image information onto the image bearing member; a developer for developing a latent image formed on the image bearing member into a toner image; a transfer mechanism for transferring the toner image onto a recording material; a fixer for fixing the toner image transferred onto the recording material; a first support for supporting the recording material to be fed to the transfer mechanism; and a second support for supporting the recording material which has been subjected to a fixing operation of the fixer. Air ducts are provided along the back side supporting surfaces of the first support and the second support which overlap in a horizontal direction with the optical mechanism therebetween. A sheet feeding position, an image transfer position, and an image fixing position take lower positions in the order named.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Azuma, Yoshinori Sugiura, Seietsu Miura, Tatsuo Hamada, Hiroshi Goto, Akira Kuroda, Takeshi Niimura, Yoshihiro Matsuo
  • Patent number: 5828035
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater; a supporting member for supporting the heater; a film having a first side in slidable contact with the heater and a second side movable with a recording material carrying an image in contact therewith; wherein the image on the recording material is heated by heat from the heater through the film; wherein the heater is movably supported (i.e. with play) on a heater supporting portion of the supporting member without adhesive material therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Cannon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Kuroda
  • Patent number: 5752149
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater; an endless film loosely trained around the heater; a pressing roller cooperative with the heater to form a nip with the film interposed between the pressing roller and the heater; a driver for driving the pressing roller; a guiding member for guiding an inside surface of the film, and extended along the pressing roller; wherein the guiding member has, at an end portion, a film guiding surface which is inclined relative to an axis of the pressing roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Yuza, Nobukazu Adachi, Akira Kuroda, Takeshi Sugita
  • Patent number: 5742878
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater; an endless film extended around the heater; a guiding member for guiding an internal surface of the film; a driving rotatable member for driving an outer surface of the film; wherein the heater, the film and the guiding member constitute a unit which is detachably mountable to the image heating apparatus with the driving rotatable member maintained in the image heating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Kuroda
  • Patent number: 5634178
    Abstract: A gear unit usable with an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, the image forming apparatus including an image bearing member, an image fixing unit for fixing on a recording material a toner image formed on the image bearing member and transferred to the recording material from the image bearing member, and a feeder for feeding the recording material, the gear unit includes an image bearing member driving gear for transmitting a driving force to the image bearing member; fixing device driving gear for transmitting a driving force to the fixing unit; a feed drive gear for transmitting a driving force to the feeder: a supporting member for supporting the image bearing member driving gear, the image fixing device driving gear and the feed driving gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Sugiura, Jun Azuma, Nobukazu Adachi, Takeshi Setoriyama, Chitose Tenpaku, Noriyoshi Ishikawa, Tatsuo Hamada, Yoshiro Tsuchiya, Takeshi Kubota, Yoshiya Nomura, Akira Kuroda, Ken Murooka, Takeshi Sugita, Takeshi Niimura, Akira Yuza
  • Patent number: 5621451
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for performing a recording operation with respect to a recording medium, includes an image forming device for forming an image on a recording medium, a recording medium receiver for receiving the recording medium on which the image is formed, and a laser beam emitter, arranged below the recording medium receiver, for emitting a laser beam in accordance with image information so as to cause the image forming device to form an image. The laser beam emitter is arranged below the recording medium receiver to emit a laser beam obliquely upward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Sugiura, Noriyoshi Ishikawa, Takeshi Setoriyama, Chitose Tenpaku, Tatsuo Hamada, Yoshiro Tsuchiya, Takeshi Kubota, Ken Murooka, Takeshi Niimura, Nobukazu Adachi, Akira Kuroda, Takeshi Sugita, Akira Yuza, Jun Azuma
  • Patent number: 5561496
    Abstract: An assembling method of an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes preparing a frame, a feeding unit having a feeding roller, electrical component unit having electrical components and an outer cover; mounting the feeding unit and the electrical component unit to the frame from a position of the frame which takes a bottom position upon installation of the image forming apparatus; and then overturning of the frame; mounting the outer cover to the frame from a position which takes a top position upon installation of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Sugiura, Jun Azuma, Nobukazu Adachi, Takeshi Setoriyama, Chitose Tenpaku, Noriyoshi Ishikawa, Tatsuo Hamada, Yoshiro Tsuchiya, Takeshi Kubota, Yoshiya Nomura, Akira Kuroda, Ken Murooka, Takeshi Sugita, Takeshi Niimura, Akira Yuza
  • Patent number: 5559581
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material, to which a process cartridge is detachably mountable, the image forming apparatus including a mounting device for mounting a process cartridge having an image bearing member comprising a helical gear, and a process device actable on the image bearing member; a feeder for feeding the recording material; and projection device for projecting image information light onto the image bearing member in a direction from a projection reference disposed at one side of an axis of the image bearing member to the other side; a positioning reference for positioning the image bearing member in its axial direction; feed guide reference for guiding the recording material fed by the feeder; and wherein the positioning reference, the feed guide reference and the projection reference are disposed in a same side of a main assembly of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Sugiura, Jun Azuma, Nobukazu Adachi, Takeshi Setoriyama, Chitose Tenpaku, Noriyoshi Ishikawa, Tatsuo Hamada, Yoshiro Tsuchiya, Takeshi Kubota, Yoshiya Nomura, Akira Kuroda, Ken Murooka, Takeshi Sugita, Takeshi Niimura, Akira Yuza
  • Patent number: 5532806
    Abstract: An image fixing apparatus includes a heating member; a film in slidable contact with the heating member; a pressing roller cooperable with the heating member to form a nip with the film therebetween; wherein the pressing roller comprises a core metal of aluminum; and a metal member for transferring heat from the heating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Sugita, Nobukazu Adachi, Akira Kuroda, Manabu Takano
  • Patent number: 5525775
    Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater, an endless film contacting the heater and a back-up member cooperative with the heater to form a nip with the film sandwiched between it and the heater. A recording material having an image is passed between the back-up member and the film to heat the image by heat from the heater through the film. A guide is disposed for guiding the film and allowing the film to extend loosely around the guide. The film is under tension at least upstream of the nip and in the nip when the film is driven and is not guided by the guide between the upstream guide portion and the nip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Setoriyama, Akira Kuroda, Shinichi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 5500536
    Abstract: A fluorescence output port sandwiched between light-shielding members of a sample cell is provided at a position corresponding to an entrance slit of a fluorescence monochromator and an excitation light side port of the sample cell is provided at a position corresponding to an exit slit of an excitation side monochromator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Nogami, Shunichi Matsuura, Akira Kuroda
  • Patent number: 5493379
    Abstract: A heater with a base member has a resistor extended along a length of the base member and generating heat upon electric power supply thereto. Also provided is a temperature detecting element for detecting the temperature of the base member, and first and second electric power supply contacts for supplying electric power to the resistor, the first contacts being provided only adjacent a first longitudinal end of the base member and the second contacts being provided only adjacent a second longitudinal end of the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Kuroda, Nobukazu Adachi, Takeshi Sugita, Akira Yuza