Patents by Inventor Akira Taomoto
Akira Taomoto 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).
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Publication number: 20120135320Abstract: A manufacturing method for a cathode electrode including: (1) mixing a polymerizable electrolyte precursor having an alkylsulfonic acid group and a group represented by (R1O)3Si—, with a first solvent to prepare a platinum elution-preventing material; (2) preparing a first liquid by mixing catalyst powders having catalyst particles, the platinum elution-preventing material and a second solvent; (3) polymerizing the platinum elution-preventing material in the first liquid by carrying out a drying treatment under reduced pressure or a heat drying treatment to form a platinum elution-preventing layer containing the polymer of the platinum elution-preventing material on the catalyst powder surfaces to obtain a preventing layer-covered catalyst; (4) mixing the preventing layer-covered catalyst, a third solvent, and an electrolyte to prepare a second liquid; and (5) applying the second liquid on a substrate, and removing the third solvent to obtain the cathode electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Junichi KONDO, Tetsuaki HIRAYAMA, Akira TAOMOTO, Hisaaki GYOTEN
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Publication number: 20110250526Abstract: In order to significantly improve power generation efficiencies for the fuel cells, the present invention provides a method for fabricating a polymer electrolyte membrane comprising a surface with an array of a plurality of fine convex portion with a depth of not less than 3 ?m and not more than 12 ?m and an aspect ratio of not less than 0.4 and not more than 2.0, said method comprising the steps of (A) to (E), (A) preparing a mold comprising a surface with an array of a plurality of fine concave portions, wherein, each of said fine concave portions comprises a bottom and a side wall, each of said bottoms and said side walls are hydrophilic, each of side walls is smooth, each of said concave portions has a depth of not less than 3 ?m and not more than 12 ?m and an aspect ratio of not less than 0.4 and not more than 2.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2011Publication date: October 13, 2011Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Masato AIZAWA, Hisaaki Gyoten, Akira Taomoto
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Publication number: 20100239951Abstract: An oxygen electrode used in the fuel cell and includes a plurality of carbon particles, a carbon thin-film, and surface nanostructure. The carbon particles are bonded to one another with the carbon thin-film, and the surface nanostructure is formed on the surface of the carbon thin-film. The surface nanostructure comprises catalyst nanoparticles made of platinum (Pt) and carbon nanoparticles. According to this combination of these elements, the catalyst nanoparticles are confined within three-dimensional structure to be formed by the carbon nanoparticles and are immobilized without losing space which allows any reactant to be accessed to the surface of the catalyst nanoparticles.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2010Publication date: September 23, 2010Applicant: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Daisuke INO, Mitsuru HASHIMOTO, Akira TAOMOTO, Nobuyasu SUZUKI, Yuka YAMADA
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Patent number: 7736542Abstract: In the present invention an electron-emitting material is provided wherein the field emission initiation voltage or work function is smaller than that of conventional materials. That is, the present invention relates to an electron-emitting sheet material which is a material comprising a substrate 102 and a graphite sheet 101 laminated on the top of the substrate 102, wherein (1) the graphite sheet 101 has a layered structure of layers of graphenes consisting of a plurality of carbon hexagonal networks, (2) the graphenes are layered relative to one another so that the c-axial direction of each graphene is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 102, (3) the graphite sheet 101 is laminated on top of the substrate 102 so that the c-axial direction of each graphene is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 102, and (4) the graphite sheet 101 comprises an element other than carbon as a second element.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2005Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Motoshi Shibata, Masahiro Deguchi, Akira Taomoto, Toyokazu Ozaki
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Publication number: 20100104915Abstract: The present invention is aimed to realize, in a fuel cell with an oxygen electrode (a catalytic electrode), both catalytic function and immobilization of the catalyst nanoparticles when the catalyst nanoparticles are very small nanoparticles in the size of 1-3 nm. Oxygen electrode used in the fuel cell according to the present invention is an oxygen electrode comprising a plurality of carbon particles, a carbon thin-film, and surface nanostructure, wherein the carbon particles are bonded to one another with the carbon thin-film 2, the surface nanostructure is formed on the surface of the carbon thin-film, the surface nanostructure comprises catalyst nanoparticles made of platinum (Pt) and carbon nanoparticles, diameter of each of the carbon particles is 30 nm or more and 100 nm or less, diameter of the catalyst nanoparticle is 1.7 nm or more and 3.1 nm or less, and diameter of the carbon nanoparticle is 1.0 nm or more and 11.2 nm or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2010Publication date: April 29, 2010Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke INO, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Akira Taomoto, Nobuyasu Suzuki, Yuka Yamada
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Patent number: 7462373Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a manganese oxide nanoparticle dispersed material having steps of dissolving manganese nitrate in a polyamide acid solution (Step 1); forming a coating on the surface of the substrate using the polyamide acid solution containing manganese nitrate dissolved therein (Step 2); and carbonizing the polyamide acid and depositing manganese oxide nanoparticles by subjecting the coating to a heat treatment at a temperature not less than 600° C. but not more than 1200° C. (Step 3).Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2007Date of Patent: December 9, 2008Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Akira Taomoto, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Yuka Yamada, Nobuyasu Suzuki, Yuji Zenitani
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Publication number: 20080283413Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an oxygen reduction electrode which provides four-electron reduction reaction with high selectivity in the reaction of reducing oxygen. The present invention involves a method of manufacturing an electrode for reducing oxygen used for four-electron reduction of oxygen, having (1) a first step wherein a charcoal-based material is obtained by carbonization of a starting material comprising a nitrogen-containing synthetic polymer, and (2) a second step wherein the electrode for reducing oxygen is manufactured using an electrode material comprising the charcoal-based material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2007Publication date: November 20, 2008Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Masa-aki Suzuki, Yuka Yamada, Nobuyasu Suzuki, Yasunori Morinaga, Hidehiro Sasaki, Tadashi Sotomura, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Masahiro Deguchi, Akira Taomoto, Toyokazu Ozaki
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Patent number: 7402340Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a high thermal conductive element that has improved thermal conductivity in the layer direction while retaining the high thermal conductivity characteristics in the planar direction possessed by graphite. The present invention is a high thermal conductive element in which carbon particles are dispersed in a graphite-based matrix, wherein (1) the c axis of the graphene layers constituting the graphite are substantially parallel, (2) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction perpendicular to the c axis is at least 400 W/m·k and no more than 1000 W/m·k, and (3) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction parallel to the c axis is at least 10 W/m·k and no more than 100 W/m·k.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2007Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toyokazu Ozaki, Akira Taomoto, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Masahiro Deguchi, Motoshi Shibata
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Publication number: 20080166474Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a conductive composite particle, a conductive composite particle is manufactured that is formed of an active material particle having a region capable of electrochemically inserting and desorbing lithium and a carbon layer joined to the particle surface. In the carbon layer, fine metal particles are dispersed. This method has the following three steps. In the first step, a polymer material containing the metal element composing the fine metal particles is prepared. In the second step, the active material particle surface is coated with the polymer material containing the metal element. In the third step, a carbon layer having a porous structure including a fibrous structure is formed as the surface layer section from the polymer material by a treatment where the active material particle coated with the polymer containing the metal element is heated in an inert atmosphere to carbonize the polymer material.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2008Publication date: July 10, 2008Inventors: Masahiro Deguchi, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Toyokazu Ozaki, Akira Taomoto
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Patent number: 7351443Abstract: The present invention provides an emissive material with excellent electron emission characteristics. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing an emissive material consisting of oriented graphite, having a step of obtaining an oriented graphite comprising a second component and having pores on the inside by heat treating a polymer film in the presence of a second, non-carbon component.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2005Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Taomoto, Toyokazu Ozaki, Masahiro Deguchi, Motoshi Shibata
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Publication number: 20080008827Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a manganese oxide nanoparticle dispersed material having steps of dissolving manganese nitrate in a polyamide acid solution (Step 1); forming a coating on the surface of the substrate using the polyamide acid solution containing manganese nitrate dissolved therein (Step 2); and carbonizing the polyamide acid and depositing manganese oxide nanoparticles by subjecting the coating to a heat treatment at a temperature not less than 600° C. but not more than 1200° C. (Step 3).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2007Publication date: January 10, 2008Inventors: Akira Taomoto, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Yuka Yamada, Nobuyasu Suzuki, Yuji Zenitani
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Publication number: 20070259186Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a high thermal conductive element that has improved thermal conductivity in the layer direction while retaining the high thermal conductivity characteristics in the planar direction possessed by graphite. The present invention is a high thermal conductive element in which carbon particles are dispersed in a graphite-based matrix, wherein (1) the c axis of the graphene layers constituting the graphite are substantially parallel, (2) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction perpendicular to the c axis is at least 400 W/m·k and no more than 1000 W/m·k, and (3) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction parallel to the c axis is at least 10 W/m·k and no more than 100 W/m·k.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2007Publication date: November 8, 2007Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Toyokazu Ozaki, Akira Taomoto, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Masahiro Deguchi, Motoshi Shibata
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Patent number: 7252795Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a high thermal conductive element that has improved thermal conductivity in the layer direction while retaining the high thermal conductivity characteristics in the planar direction possessed by graphite. The present invention is a high thermal conductive element in which carbon particles are dispersed in a graphite-based matrix, wherein (1) the c axis of the graphene layers constituting the graphite are substantially parallel, (2) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction perpendicular to the c axis is at least 400 W/m·k and no more than 1000 W/m·k, and (3) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction parallel to the c axis is at least 10 W/m·k and no more than 100 W/m·k.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2005Date of Patent: August 7, 2007Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toyokazu Ozaki, Akira Taomoto, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Masahiro Deguchi, Motoshi Shibata
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Publication number: 20070108887Abstract: A principal object of the present invention is to provide efficiently an electron-emitting element demonstrating performance equal or superior to that attained with the conventional technology.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2006Publication date: May 17, 2007Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Deguchi, Masa-aki Suzuki, Akira Taomoto, Toyokazu Ozaki, Motoshi Shibata
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Patent number: 7163429Abstract: A principal object of the present invention is to provide efficiently an electron-emitting element. The electron-emitting element includes: (a) a substrate, (b) a lower electrode layer provided on the substrate, (c) an electron-emitting layer provided on the lower electrode layer, and (d) a control electrode layer so disposed as not to be in contact with the electron-emitting layer, wherein the electron-emitting layer includes an electron-emitting material for emitting electrons in an electric field, (1) the electron-emitting material being a porous body having a 3D-network structure skeleton, (2) the 3D-network structure skeleton being composed on an inner portion and a surface portion, (3) the surface portion comprising an electron-emitting component, (4) the inner portion being occupied by (i) at least one of an insulating material and a semiinsulating material, (ii) an empty space, or (iii) at least one of an insulating material and a semiinsulating material and an empty space.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2005Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Deguchi, Masa-aki Suzuki, Akira Taomoto, Toyokazu Ozaki, Motoshi Shibata
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Publication number: 20060279192Abstract: The present invention provides an electron emission material that is excellent in electron emission characteristics, a method of manufacturing the same, as well as an electron emission element. The method is a method of manufacturing an electron emission material including a carbon material obtained by baking a polymer film. In the method, a polyamic acid solution is prepared in which at least one metallic compound selected from a metal oxide and a metal carbonate is dispersed; the polyamic acid solution thus prepared is formed into a film and then is imidized to form a polyimide film including the metallic compound; and then the polyimide film thus formed is baked to form the carbon material. The electron emission material is formed so that it includes a carbon material, a protrusion having a concavity in its surface is formed at the surface of the carbon material, and the protrusion includes a metallic element.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2006Publication date: December 14, 2006Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Akira Taomoto, Masahiro Deguchi, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Toyokazu Ozaki, Motoshi Shibata
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Patent number: 7147529Abstract: The present invention provides an electron emission material that is excellent in electron emission characteristics, a method of manufacturing the same, as well as an electron emission element. The method is a method of manufacturing an electron emission material including a carbon material obtained by baking a polymer film. In the method, a polyamic acid solution is prepared in which at least one metallic compound selected from a metal oxide and a metal carbonate is dispersed; the polyamic acid solution thus prepared is formed into a film and then is imidized to form a polyimide film including the metallic compound; and then the polyimide film thus formed is baked to form the carbon material. The electron emission material is formed so that it includes a carbon material, a protrusion having a concavity in its surface is formed at the surface of the carbon material, and the protrusion includes a metallic element.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2005Date of Patent: December 12, 2006Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Taomoto, Masahiro Deguchi, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Toyokazu Ozaki, Motoshi Shibata
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Patent number: 7003962Abstract: A thermoelectric transducer comprising an emitter (1) for emitting electrons according to the action of heat or an electric field, a collector (2) disposed so as to face the emitter (1) and collect electrons emitted from the emitter (1), and an electron transport layer (3) held between the emitter (1) and the collector (2) to serve as a region for transferring the electrons emitted from the emitter (1), the electron transport layer (3) being a porous body having a mixed structure of a vapor phase and a solid phase, the entire solid phase which composes the porous body being composed of an insulating material, and the electrons emitted from the emitter traveling in the vapor phase by applying an electric potential to the collector (2) that is higher than that applied to the emitter (1).Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2005Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Deguchi, Akira Taomoto, Toyokazu Ozaki, Motoshi Shibata
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Publication number: 20060035085Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a high thermal conductive element that has improved thermal conductivity in the layer direction while retaining the high thermal conductivity characteristics in the planar direction possessed by graphite. The present invention is a high thermal conductive element in which carbon particles are dispersed in a graphite-based matrix, wherein (1) the c axis of the graphene layers constituting the graphite are substantially parallel, (2) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction perpendicular to the c axis is at least 400 W/m·k and no more than 1000 W/m·k, and (3) the thermal conductivity ?? in a direction parallel to the c axis is at least 10 W/m·k and no more than 100 W/m·k.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2005Publication date: February 16, 2006Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Toyokazu Ozaki, Akira Taomoto, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Masahiro Deguchi, Motoshi Shibata
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Publication number: 20050281729Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an oxygen reduction electrode which provides four-electron reduction reaction with high selectivity in the reaction of reducing oxygen. The present invention involves a method of manufacturing an electrode for reducing oxygen used for four-electron reduction of oxygen, having (1) a first step wherein a charcoal-based material is obtained by carbonization of a starting material comprising a nitrogen-containing synthetic polymer, and (2) a second step wherein the electrode for reducing oxygen is manufactured using an electrode material comprising the charcoal-based material.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2005Publication date: December 22, 2005Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Masa-aki Suzuki, Yuka Yamada, Nobuyasu Suzuki, Yasunori Morinaga, Hidehiro Sasaki, Tadashi Sotomura, Mitsuru Hashimoto, Masahiro Deguchi, Akira Taomoto, Toyokazu Ozaki