Patents by Inventor Chie Hirai
Chie Hirai 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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Patent number: 8211202Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas-absorbing substance that contains at least Li and a solid material having a hardness of 5 or more, and absorbs at least nitrogen or oxygen at 25° C. under normal pressure, and a gas-absorbing alloy that contains at least two kinds of metals that are not allowed to mutually form an intermetallic compound, with a mixing enthalpy of the two kinds of metals being greater than 0 and at least one portion of the two kinds of metals being atomically mixed, and also concerns a gas-absorbing material that contains the gas-absorbing substance and the gas-absorbing alloy.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2006Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, Kyoto UniversityInventors: Chie Hirai, Kazutaka Uekado, Akiko Yuasa, Akihiro Nozue, Hideyuki Okumura, Keiichi Ishihara, Eiji Yamasue
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Patent number: 7833327Abstract: An adsorbent capable of adsorbing gas low in activity such as nitrogen is used, and a thermal insulator high in production efficiency and excellent in adiabatic performance is presented. A thermal insulator has an adsorbent, a core material, and an enveloping member. The adsorbent includes Li and solid matter of hardness of 5 or more. The gas adsorbing activity becomes very high, and for embodiment by evacuating to a certain degree of vacuum by using a vacuum pump, the remaining gas is adsorbed by the adsorbent of the invention to obtain a desired degree of vacuum, so that a thermal insulator of high production efficiency is obtained. Since the heat conductivity is decreased by adsorbing gas of low activity in the enveloping member, the adiabatic performance is enhanced.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2006Date of Patent: November 16, 2010Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Chie Hirai, Kazutaka Uekado, Akiko Yuasa
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Patent number: 7571582Abstract: A vacuum heat insulator according to the present invention includes a core molded to be plate-shaped with the use of a binding agent. The vacuum heat insulator assumes any one of the following configurations. A) The core is formed by curing a fiber aggregate by means of a binding agent. The fibers have an average fiber diameter of at least 0.1 ?m but at most 10 ?m, and voids defined by fibers have a void diameter of at most 40 ?m. The core has a percentage of the voids of at least 80%. B) The binding agent is varied in concentration in a through-thickness direction of the core. C) A cured layer solidified by the binding agent is formed on at least one side surface of the core. D) The core contains fibers having a length of at most 100 ?m. The fibers are oriented perpendicular to a direction of heat transmission. Such vacuum heat insulator is excellent in adiabatic property.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2003Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Panasonic CorporationInventors: Yoshihide Hirai, Chie Hirai, Yasuaki Tanimoto, Keisuke Tsunetsugu, Hiroto Nakama, Yukako Akeyama
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Publication number: 20090169869Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas-absorbing substance that contains at least Li and a solid material having a hardness of 5 or more, and absorbs at least nitrogen or oxygen at 25° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2006Publication date: July 2, 2009Inventors: Chie Hirai, Kazutaka Uekado, Akiko Yuasa, Akihiro Nozue, Hideyuki Okumura, Keiichi Ishihara, Eiji Yamasue
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Publication number: 20090007789Abstract: An adsorbent capable of adsorbing gas low in activity such as nitrogen is used, and a thermal insulator high in production efficiency and excellent in adiabatic performance is presented. A thermal insulator has an adsorbent, a core material, and an enveloping member. The adsorbent includes Li and solid matter of hardness of 5 or more. The gas adsorbing activity becomes very high, and for embodiment by evacuating to a certain degree of vacuum by using a vacuum pump, the remaining gas is adsorbed by the adsorbent of the invention to obtain a desired degree of vacuum, so that a thermal insulator of high production efficiency is obtained. Since the heat conductivity is decreased by adsorbing gas of low activity in the enveloping member, the adiabatic performance is enhanced.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2006Publication date: January 8, 2009Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chie Hirai, Kazutaka Uekado, Akiko Yuasa
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Publication number: 20080160291Abstract: The present invention relates to a gas-absorbing substance that contains at least Li and a solid material having a hardness of 5 or more, and absorbs at least nitrogen or oxygen at 25° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2006Publication date: July 3, 2008Inventors: Chie Hirai, Kazutaka Uekado, Akiko Yuasa, Akihiro Nozue, Hideyuki Okumura, Keiichi Ishihara, Eiji Yamasue
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Patent number: 7278279Abstract: A heat insulating box of a refrigerator includes a non-flammable heat-insulator particularly a vacuum heat-insulator made of a board-shape molded inorganic fiber. Therewith non-flammability of the heat insulator is ensured and a refrigerator box prevented from catching an outside caused fire is achieved, thus a refrigerator which is safe even when a flammable refrigerant is used and which is high in energy-saving is provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2002Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration Co.Inventors: Chie Hirai, Kenji Takaichi, Yasuaki Tanimoto
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Patent number: 7210308Abstract: By using a core made of laminated sheets of inorganic fibers having a particular shape and composition as part of a vacuum heat insulator for a heat insulation box, a heat insulation box excellent in long-term heat insulating properties and productivity can be provided. The vacuum heat insulator can be shaped easily. Therefore, a vacuum heat insulator suitable for a required heat insulation portion can be produced easily and applied to a heat insulation box. This property can increase coverage of the vacuum heat insulator on the heat insulation box, thus improving heat insulating properties of the heat insulation box. This can improve heat insulating properties and productivity of a refrigerator, thermal storage box, cold storage box, or vending machine, and contribute to energy savings.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2000Date of Patent: May 1, 2007Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration CompanyInventors: Yasuaki Tanimoto, Chie Hirai
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Publication number: 20050235682Abstract: A heat insulating box of a refrigerator includes a inflammable heat-insulator particularly a vacuum heat-insulator made of a board-shape molded inorganic fiber. Therewith inflammability of the heat insulator is ensured and a refrigerator box prevented from catching an outside caused fire is achieved, thus a refrigerator which is safe even when a flammable refrigerant is used and which is high in energy-saving is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2002Publication date: October 27, 2005Inventors: Chie Hirai, Kenji Takaichi, Yasuaki Tanimoto
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Publication number: 20050175809Abstract: A vacuum heat insulator according to the present invention includes a core molded to be plate-shaped with the use of a binding agent. The vacuum heat insulator assumes any one of the following configurations. A) The core is formed by curing a fiber aggregate by means of a binding agent. The fibers have an average fiber diameter of at least 0.1 ?m but at most 10 ?m, and voids defined by fibers have a void diameter of at most 40 ?m. The core has a percentage of the voids of at least 80%. B) The binding agent is varied in concentration in a through-thickness direction of the core. C) A cured layer solidified by the binding agent is formed on at least one side surface of the core. D) The core contains fibers having a length of at most 100 ?m. The fibers are oriented perpendicular to a direction of heat transmission. Such vacuum heat insulator is excellent in adiabatic property.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2003Publication date: August 11, 2005Applicant: Matsushita Refrigeration Co.Inventors: Yoshihide Hirai, Chie Hirai, Yasuaki Tanimoto, Keisuke Tsunetsugu, Hiroto Nakama, Yukako Akeyama
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Patent number: 6859364Abstract: A portable information device such as a notebook type computer is provided with a highly efficient thermal insulator capable of blocking transfer of heat between an internal heating component and a device enclosure, so as to reduce temperature rise on a surface of the device. The portable information device is also provided with a highly efficient thermal insulator to block transfer of heat between the heating component and an expansion unit mounting case, thereby reducing temperature rise and preventing malfunction of an external expansion unit. The information device includes the thermal insulator to separate between the internal heating component and the device enclosure, another thermal insulator to separate between the heating component and the expansion unit mounting case, and a heat sink. The thermal insulator is a vacuum thermal insulator including inorganic fiber as a core member.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2001Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: Matsushita Refrigeration CompanyInventors: Akiko Yuasa, Yasuaki Tanimoto, Chie Hirai
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Publication number: 20030167789Abstract: By using a core made of laminated sheets of inorganic fibers having a particular shape and composition as part of a vacuum heat insulator for a heat insulation box, a heat insulation box excellent in long-term heat insulating properties and productivity can be provided. The vacuum heat insulator can be shaped easily. Therefore, a vacuum heat insulator suitable for a required heat insulation portion can be produced easily and applied to a heat insulation box. This property can increase coverage of the vacuum heat insulator on the heat insulation box, thus improving heat insulating properties of the heat insulation box. This can improve heat insulating properties and productivity of a refrigerator, thermal storage box, cold storage box, or vending machine, and contribute to energy savings.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2003Publication date: September 11, 2003Inventors: Yasuaki Tanimoto, Chie Hirai
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Publication number: 20030043541Abstract: A portable information device such as a notebook type computer is provided with a highly efficient thermal insulator capable of blocking transfer of heat between an internal heating component and a device enclosure, so as to reduce temperature rise on a surface of the device. The portable information device is also provided with a highly efficient thermal insulator to block transfer of heat between the heating component and an expansion unit mounting case, thereby reducing temperature rise and preventing malfunction of an external expansion unit. The information device includes the thermal insulator to separate between the internal heating component and the device enclosure, another thermal insulator to separate between the heating component and the expansion unit mounting case, and a heat sink. The thermal insulator is a vacuum thermal insulator including inorganic fiber as a core member.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2002Publication date: March 6, 2003Inventors: Akiko Yuasa, Yasuaki Tanimoto, Chie Hirai