Patents by Inventor Akira Uchikawa

Akira Uchikawa 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: 6305465
    Abstract: A double heat exchanger includes a condenser having a condenser core and a condenser header tank, and a radiator having a radiator core and a radiator header tank. The condenser header tank is composed of a core plate having clamping portions and a tank portion having protruding portions. The protruding portions of the tank portion are clamped by the clamping portions of the core plate so that the tank portion is connected to the core plate in the condenser header tank. The protruding portions of the condenser header tank contacts the radiator header tank, thereby preventing the condenser and radiator header tanks from being inclined toward each other. Therefore, the condenser and radiator header tanks contact and are brazed to each other in a relatively small area. As a result, heat conduction from the radiator to the condenser is prevented, and heat exchange performance of the condenser can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Uchikawa, Takaaki Sakane, Satomi Muto, Tatsuo Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 6276447
    Abstract: A tube is formed by brazing first and second plates, and is connected to a pipe through a connection block being brazed to a contacting surface of the first plate. A brazing material is clad on an inner surface of the first plate opposite to the contacting surface, and a hole penetrating through the first plate is formed in the first plate at a position corresponding to the connection block. Thus, during brazing, the brazing material clad on the inner surface of the first plate is supplied to the contacting surface through the hole by capillary phenomenon, so that the connection block is brazed to the first plate. As a result, an apparatus formed by brazing plural metal members, such as the tube of an oil cooler, is produced in low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Iguchi, Homare Kotate, Akira Uchikawa, Kouji Hirakami
  • Publication number: 20010013407
    Abstract: There is disclosed a heat exchanger made of an aluminum alloy having a radiator part (10) and an oil cooler part (11) in combination and manufactured integrally by the brazing method, wherein a refrigerant tank (13) for covering and sealing the oil cooler part is made of an aluminum alloy, an aluminum alloy containing Si in an amount from more than 7.0 wt % to 12.0 wt %, Fe in an amount from more than 0.05 wt % to 0.5 wt %, Cu in an amount from more than 0.4 wt % to 8.0 wt %, Zn in an amount from more than 0.5 wt % to 10.0 wt %, and the balance of aluminum and inevitable impurities is used as a filler material of brazing sheets that are used for the oil cooler part and are brazed in the tank, and the refrigerant tank is assembled integrally with the radiator part and the oil cooler part by brazing with the brazing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Publication date: August 16, 2001
    Applicant: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Doko, Koji Okada, Takeshi Iguchi, Takaaki Sakane, Yoshihiro Kinoshita, Taketoshi Toyama, Akira Uchikawa, Satoshi Nohira, Homare Koutate
  • Patent number: 6269541
    Abstract: Fins and tubes are brazed by brazing material spread on the inside of bent portions. As the interval between the fins and the tubes does not increase upon melting the brazing material, the tubes and the fins can be easily piled and assembled with each other, and the operability in assembling a heat exchanger can be improved. Further, as the brazing material remains mainly around the bent portions, most parts of the fins and the tubes are not covered with the brazing material, and there is no diffusion of the brazing material at the heating of the brazing step. Accordingly, heat exchanging performance of the heat exchanger can be improved, and even if the thickness of the fins and that of the tubes are reduced, the occurrence of the erosion can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Iguchi, Homare Kotate, Akira Uchikawa, Koji Hirakami
  • Patent number: 6228165
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a crystal of silicon in accordance with a Czochralski method, includes the steps of applying an electric potential across a quartz crucible containing a silicon melt, and pulling a crystal of silicon from the silicon melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Seh America, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiko Baba, Scott Matthew Kirkland, Richard William Rudberg, Susumu Sonokawa, Darren Mark Taie, Akira Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 6206089
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a first tube is constructed by connecting a plate material into a tubular shape. In the manufacturing process, after an inner fin is disposed around an outer wall of a second tube, the first tube is disposed around the second tube, and the first tube and the second tube are fixed by connecting the plate material in such a manner that the inner fin is in contact with the both tubes. In this way, the inner fin and both tubes are certainly contacted closely to each other without enlarging the second tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Uchikawa, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Takaaki Sakane, Satomi Muto, Homare Koutate
  • Patent number: 6186222
    Abstract: There is disclosed an aluminum alloy tube whose outer surface is covered with a filler alloy by metal-spraying, wherein the base material of the tube has an uneven rough surface with the depth of 10 &mgr;m or more, and the difference between the highest projection of the base material surface and the highest projection of the filler alloy layer covering it is 3 to 25 &mgr;m; a heat exchanger, which is assembled by using the tubes; and a method of metal-spraying, which comprises metal-spraying an aluminum alloy filler powder in a melted state, by the high-velocity flame metal-spraying process, in which the filler contains 15 to 50% Si by weight, and the powder is mainly made up of particles whose diameter is 10 &mgr;m to 70 &mgr;m. The aluminum alloy tube is excellent in brazability and corrosion resistance, and by using the tube, it is possible to assemble a heat exchanger without allowing locally filler-unbonded parts to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignees: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Doko, Hirokazu Yamaguchi, Osamu Kato, Taketoshi Toyama, Kouji Hirakami, Akira Uchikawa, Takaaki Sakane, Homare Koutate
  • Patent number: 6173765
    Abstract: A heat exchanger has plural tubes and a header tank formed by a first tank portion and a second tank portion. When the first tank portion and the second tank portion are assembled, a protruding portion protruding from a wall of the first tank portion is inserted into a hole formed in the second tank portion. Then, the first tank portion is slidably moved against the second tank portion in a parallel direction with respect to a longitudinal direction of the header tank until the protruding portion engages the hole. As a result, the second tank portion is partially clamped between the wall of the first tank portion and the protruding portion, and the first and second tank portions sufficiently contact each other. Therefore, undesirable clearance is restricted from being formed between the first and second tank portions, and brazing performance therebetween is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Uchikawa, Takao Ikeda, Yoshihiro Iwata
  • Patent number: 6167946
    Abstract: A radiator includes a core portion, a header tank, a side plate attached to the core portion and a bracket through which the radiator is mounted to a vehicle. The bracket is separately formed from the header tank, and is connected to the side plate through a bolt. As a result, the radiator is readily mounted to a vehicle of a different model by only changing an attachment position of the bracket to the radiator, without modifying the header tank. Further, the bracket includes a coolant receiving portion disposed to face a drain outlet of the header tank with a predetermined gap therebetween. Therefore, coolant discharged from the header tank collides with the coolant receiving portion to reduce its dynamic pressure. As a result, coolant drained from the radiator is restricted from being scattered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Uchikawa, Satomi Muto, Takaaki Sakane
  • Patent number: 6161376
    Abstract: The present invention aims at executing an air-fuel ratio feedback control making use of a wide range air-fuel ratio sensor, such that the purifying performance of an exhaust gas purification catalytic converter is exhibited to the utmost. To this end, fuel is injected from a fuel injection valve by establishing a fuel injection quantity, in consideration of a perturbation control constant for oscillating the air-fuel ratio at a predetermined period with a predetermined amplitude. Thus, even when the air-fuel ratio feedback control is executed making use of the detected result of the wide range air-fuel ratio sensor, it becomes possible to conduct a so-called perturbation control in which the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas at the inlet portion of the exhaust gas purification catalytic converter is oscillated at a predetermined period with a predetermined amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 6023964
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for diagnosing misfire of an internal combustion engine. With this invention, crank angle intervals for detecting angular velocity for each cylinder are variably set for each operation region. An average value of a predetermined number of misfire judgment values M1 set based on a plurality of angular velocities is compared with a reference value, to thereby carry out misfire diagnosis distinguishably of a misfire in a single cylinder or misfires in multiple cylinders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Kanbara, Akira Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 5992514
    Abstract: A first cooling fin and a second cooing fin are separated to have a predetermine clearance, and a plurality of connecting portions for partly connecting the first and second cooling fins are formed. When the first and second cooling fins are unfolded, the length E of each the connecting portion in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the first and second cooling fins is equal to 5% or less of the length F between the adjacent connecting portions. Further, the first cooling fin is projected from the condenser tube toward the radiator tube side with a projection length Lc being in a range of 1.7 to 7.0 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Sugimoto, Shinobu Suzuki, Takaaki Sakane, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Akira Uchikawa, Hiroo Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 5970967
    Abstract: An object is to carry out abnormality diagnosis of a wide range air-fuel ratio sensor to a high accuracy, with a relatively simple construction. Judgment is made as to whether abnormality diagnosis permit conditions have materialized, and if materialized, a detection value of an air-fuel ratio sensor is monitored. It is then judged if the responsiveness of a change in the detection value of the air-fuel ratio sensor subsequent to changing a target air-fuel ratio is within a predetermined range. If so, an OK judgment is given. If not, an NG judgment is given and a warning lamp is illuminated to advise the driver of the abnormality in the air-fuel ratio sensor so as to take action. With this arrangement, abnormality diagnosis of a wide range air-fuel ratio sensor can be carried out to a high accuracy with a relatively simple construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 5969230
    Abstract: A system for estimating the temperature of an oxygen sensor installed in an exhaust system of an engine comprises a section for sensing a load of the engine; a section for sensing a rotation speed of the engine; and a section which, based on both the engine load and the engine rotation speed, calculates a basic estimated temperature of the oxygen sensor which would appear under a normal condition. A section is employed which senses a speed of the vehicle. A section is employed which, based on the vehicle speed, determines a first correction factor for correcting the basic estimated temperature. A section is employed which senses the temperature of outside air. A section is employed which, based on the outside air temperature, determines a second correction factor for correcting the basic estimated temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventors: Shoichi Sakai, Akira Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 5870688
    Abstract: A misfire diagnostic system for an Internal combustion engine comprises a crank-shaft angle sensor for monitoring a crankshaft angular velocity reflecting a combusting condition of each of engine cylinders, and a control unit for calculating an angular-velocity correction factor of each of the engine cylinders on the basis of the angular velocity in every engine operating region only under a stable engine operating condition. The control unit corrects the angular velocity by the angular-velocity correction factor of each of the engine cylinders for every engine operating region. The presence of a misfire is accurately decided on the basis of the angular velocity corrected for every engine cylinder and for every engine operating region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventors: Yutaka Kanbara, Akira Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 5787977
    Abstract: First and second communicating holes are formed in a first formed plate 11, and first and second communicating holes are also formed in a second formed plate 12. The first and second formed plates 11 and 12 are joined to each other to form a joined body 8. When a plurality of joined bodies 8 are stacked, a heat exchanging section 7 is formed that is provided with a plurality of flow pipes 34 in which the first communicating holes are connected with each other in the stacking direction and the second communicating holes are also connected with each other. In the plurality of flow pipes 34 of the heat exchanging section 7, oil passage 35 in which engine oil flows in the stacking direction is formed, and further around the plurality of flow pipes 34, a plurality of cooling water passages 36 in which engine cooling water flows are formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Munenori Yuasa, Shinichi Hamada, Akira Uchikawa, Yasutoshi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 5778866
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine equipped with electronically controlled fuel injection valves, there is provided an air-fuel ratio detecting system. The system comprises a wide range type air-fuel ratio sensor disposed in an exhaust pipe of the engine. The sensor issues an output voltage that varies continuously in accordance with an exhaust gas air-fuel ratio possessed by an exhaust gas in the exhaust pipe. The output voltage of the sensor is translated to an air-fuel ratio of air-fuel mixture with reference to a reference table. A variation characteristic of the output voltage of the sensor is decided relative to variation of the air-fuel ratio of air-fuel mixture. A correction data of the translated air-fuel ratio is formed with reference to the variation characteristic. The translated air-fuel ration is corrected with reference to the correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 5749967
    Abstract: A crystal puller cell (18) provides a low particulate environment for an individual crystal puller (28). The airflow within each cell is adjustable so that a particulate level appropriate to the activity within the cell is maintained, thereby avoiding the cost of maintaining an entire growing hall (10) at a constant high level of cleanliness. Each cell includes a multi-level floor (46) that includes an operator floor (48) and a maintenance floor (52). A door (62) at the maintenance floor level opens onto a maintenance aisle used to service the machines. A door (64), at the operator floor level, opens onto a clean aisle for transporting raw material and finished product. The cell walls can include magnetic shielding if a magnetic growing process is used to reduce exposure of operators and other machines to intense magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: SEH America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakauchi, Yoshihiro Hirano, Akira Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 5728932
    Abstract: Technology for diagnosing an intake air amount detection device of an internal combustion engine, wherein an operation region in which the engine is stably operating is determined, the opening degree of a throttle valve interposed in an intake system of the engine is detected, a change in the opening degree of the throttle valve is calculated when the opening degree of the throttle valve is changed in the determined stable operation region, and an intake air change amount detected by the intake air amount detection device is calculated when the opening degree of the throttle valve is changed in order to diagnose performance of the intake air amount detection device based on a relationship between the change in the opening degree of the throttle valve and the intake air change amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Uchikawa
  • Patent number: 5702522
    Abstract: A crystal puller cell (18) provides a low particulate environment for an individual crystal puller (28). The airflow within each cell is adjustable so that a particulate level appropriate to the activity within the cell is maintained, thereby avoiding the cost of maintaining an entire growing hall (10) at a constant high level of cleanliness. Each cell includes a multi-level floor (46) that includes an operator floor (48) and a maintenance floor (52). A door (62) at the maintenance floor level opens onto a maintenance aisle used to service the machines. A door (64), at the operator floor level, opens onto a clean aisle for transporting raw material and finished product. The cell walls can include magnetic shielding if a magnetic growing process is used to reduce exposure of operators and other machines to intense magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: SEH America, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakauchi, Yoshihiro Hirano, Akira Uchikawa