Patents by Inventor Chihiro Uchimura
Chihiro Uchimura 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: 20240044453Abstract: A tank includes a liner, a neck that has a communicating orifice, a metal cylindrical member that is inserted into a lower end portion of the communicating orifice, and a valve that is inserted into the communicating orifice, wherein a lower end portion of the valve is inserted into the metal cylindrical member. The liner includes a wrap-around portion that wraps around to inside of the communicating orifice, and to contact with an outer circumferential face of the metal cylindrical member. A first O-ring is disposed in a circumferential direction between an inner circumferential face of the wrap-around portion and the outer circumferential face of the metal cylindrical member. A second O-ring is disposed in the circumferential direction between an inner circumferential face of the metal cylindrical member and an outer circumferential face of the lower end portion of the valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2023Publication date: February 8, 2024Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayoshi TAKAMI, Chihiro UCHIMURA, Akira NOUMURA, Shinichi NOMURA
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Publication number: 20230070235Abstract: A high-pressure tank comprising: a resin liner for a high-pressure tank including at least one opening portion; an aluminum mouth portion attached to the opening portion; and a reinforcement layer formed on an outer surface of the liner, wherein an aluminum oxide coating is formed on a surface of the aluminum mouth portion, the aluminum oxide coating includes a porous surface layer in which columns with an average height of 10 to 100 nm are arranged in a dispersed state, an average value of a percentages of the protruding portion area of the columns in randomly sampled 400 nm square visual fields of the porous surface layer is 5.0 to 26.0%, and an average value of the numbers of the columns in randomly sampled 400 nm square visual fields of the porous surface layer is 500 to 2000.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazuhiko UMEMOTO, Kumi AMANO, Tomoyuki KINJO, Hiroaki YONEYAMA, Kazuki FUJII, Masayoshi TAKAMI, Chihiro UCHIMURA
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Patent number: 10957927Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a supply channel having first channels respectively connected with tanks, and a second channel merged with each of the first channels; first on-off valves of the first channels; a second on-off valve of the second channel; and a controller configured to control opening and closing of the first on-off valves and the second on-off valve. In a state where the second on-off valve is closed, the controller supplies first electric power used for opening the first on-off valve against a first differential pressure to at least one first on-off valve, and supplies second electric power, smaller than the first electric power and used for opening the first on-off valves against a second differential pressure smaller than the first differential pressure, to the first on-off valves other than the at least one first on-off valve.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2020Date of Patent: March 23, 2021Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Chihiro Uchimura, Yukihide Yokoyama, Takayoshi Hamano
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Publication number: 20200266467Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a supply channel having first channels respectively connected with tanks, and a second channel merged with each of the first channels; first on-off valves of the first channels; a second on-off valve of the second channel; and a controller configured to control opening and closing of the first on-off valves and the second on-off valve. In a state where the second on-off valve is closed, the controller supplies first electric power used for opening the first on-off valve against a first differential pressure to at least one first on-off valve, and supplies second electric power, smaller than the first electric power and used for opening the first on-off valves against a second differential pressure smaller than the first differential pressure, to the first on-off valves other than the at least one first on-off valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2020Publication date: August 20, 2020Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Chihiro UCHIMURA, Yukihide YOKOYAMA, Takayoshi HAMANO
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Patent number: 10680262Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a supply channel having first channels respectively connected with tanks, and a second channel merged with each of the first channels; first on-off valves of the first channels; a second on-off valve of the second channel; and a controller configured to control opening and closing of the first on-off valves and the second on-off valve. In a state where the second on-off valve is closed, the controller supplies first electric power used for opening the first on-off valve against a first differential pressure to at least one first on-off valve, and supplies second electric power, smaller than the first electric power and used for opening the first on-off valves against a second differential pressure smaller than the first differential pressure, to the first on-off valves other than the at least one first on-off valve.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2018Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Chihiro Uchimura, Yukihide Yokoyama, Takayoshi Hamano
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Publication number: 20190157694Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a supply channel having first channels respectively connected with tanks, and a second channel merged with each of the first channels; first on-off valves of the first channels; a second on-off valve of the second channel; and a controller configured to control opening and closing of the first on-off valves and the second on-off valve. In a state where the second on-off valve is closed, the controller supplies first electric power used for opening the first on-off valve against a first differential pressure to at least one first on-off valve, and supplies second electric power, smaller than the first electric power and used for opening the first on-off valves against a second differential pressure smaller than the first differential pressure, to the first on-off valves other than the at least one first on-off valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2018Publication date: May 23, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Chihiro UCHIMURA, Yukihide YOKOYAMA, Takayoshi HAMANO
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Publication number: 20170276248Abstract: A seal body that is used for gas seal includes a seal main body in which a recessed groove is formed by arranging a pair of lips so that the lips face each other; an elastic body that is inserted in the recessed groove and expands the lips; and a rigid body that is installed in the elastic body, and restricts deformation of the elastic body, due to narrowing of the recessed groove, within an elastic deformation range.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2017Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Chihiro UCHIMURA, Sogo GOTO, Akira YAMASHITA, Shusuke INAGI
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Patent number: 8931754Abstract: A safety valve includes a cylinder having an open end and a plug for closing the open end with a hermetic seal. The interior of the cylinder communicates with a high-pressure gas passage. The cylinder is deformed as a function of gas pressure in the high-pressure gas passage to widen the open end. This allows gas in the high-pressure gas passage to escape and thus prevents the gas pressure from increasing beyond an acceptable level.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2011Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignees: Jtekt Corporation, Toyooki Kogyo Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshinori Imoto, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kazushi Numazaki, Chihiro Uchimura, Akira Yamashita, Tsukuo Ishitoya, Noritaka Watanabe
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Publication number: 20140367924Abstract: A seal body that is used for gas seal includes a seal main body in which a recessed groove is formed by arranging a pair of lips so that the lips face each other; an elastic body that is inserted in the recessed groove and expands the lips; and a rigid body that is installed in the elastic body, and restricts deformation of the elastic body, due to narrowing of the recessed groove, within an elastic deformation range.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2014Publication date: December 18, 2014Inventors: Chihiro UCHIMURA, Sogo GOTO, Akira YAMASHITA, Shusuke INAGI
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Patent number: 8534327Abstract: A gas charging apparatus includes a gas supply source; a fuel gas charging line L connected to the gas supply source, to charge a fuel gas into gas tanks, respectively; a temperature information acquiring section which acquires temperature information in the gas tanks; a pressure information acquiring section which acquires pressure information in the gas tanks; a relation data acquiring section which acquires correspondence relation data indicating a correspondence relation between a temperature and a pressure in the corresponding gas tank; a temperature difference calculating section which calculates a temperature difference between the gas tank having the highest internal temperature and the gas tank having the lowest internal temperature among the plurality of gas tanks; and a control section which performs control so as to stop the charging of the fuel gas.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2010Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shusuke Inagi, Natsuru Miyazaki, Chihiro Uchimura, Akira Yamashita
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Patent number: 8464818Abstract: This invention provides a fuel system and a vehicle that can improve the ease of leak checking. The fuel system includes: a plurality of fuel storages; filling piping that connects the fuel storages to a filling port in parallel; and supply piping that connects the fuel storages to a fuel supply destination in parallel. An integral manifold is formed by integrating a filling manifold part disposed at a branching point of pipes of the filling piping and a supply manifold part disposed at a branching point of pipes of the supply piping with each other. The integral manifold has a leak checking port configured to allow introduction of a fluid for leak checking into the filling piping and the supply piping.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2009Date of Patent: June 18, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Chihiro Uchimura, Takehisa Tsubokawa
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Publication number: 20120216910Abstract: There is disclosed a gas charging apparatus including a gas supply source 10; a fuel gas charging line L connected to the gas supply source 10, to charge a fuel gas into gas tanks, respectively; a temperature information acquiring section 48 which acquires temperature information in the gas tanks; a pressure information acquiring section 49 which acquires pressure information in the gas tanks; a relation data acquiring section 47 which acquires correspondence relation data indicating a correspondence relation between a temperature and a pressure in the corresponding gas tank, in a case where a beforehand acquired state of charge of the gas tank becomes a target state of charge; a temperature difference calculating section 52 which calculates, in accordance with the temperature information, a temperature difference between the gas tank having the highest internal temperature and the gas tank having the lowest internal temperature among the plurality of gas tanks; and a control section 55 which performs controlType: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2010Publication date: August 30, 2012Inventors: Shusuke Inagi, Natsuru Miyazaki, Chihiro Uchimura, Akira Yamashita
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Publication number: 20120080625Abstract: A safety valve includes a cylinder having an open end and a plug for closing the open end with a hermetic seal. The interior of the cylinder communicates with a high-pressure gas passage. The cylinder is deformed as a function of gas pressure in the high-pressure gas passage to widen the open end. This allows gas in the high-pressure gas passage to escape and thus prevents the gas pressure from increasing beyond an acceptable level.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicants: TOYOOKI KOGYO CO., LTD., JTEKT CORPORATIONInventors: Yoshinori Imoto, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kazushi Numazaki, Chihiro Uchimura, Akira Yamashita, Tsukuo Ishitoya, Noritaka Watanabe
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Publication number: 20110233218Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a high-pressure tank configured so as to suppress accumulation of gas in a space between a valve and a mouthpiece while achieving low cost. To this end, the high-pressure tank according to the present invention includes the mouthpiece and the valve installed on the mouthpiece, and is formed with: a communicating hole that communicatively connects spaces which are formed between the mouthpiece and the valve, and in the valve, respectively, and in which gas having permeated from the tank side may potentially accumulate; and a gas venting hole that connects either of the spaces to the outside of the tank. The communicating hole is preferably provided closer to a center of the tank than to a screw portion of the valve. In addition, preferably a gas venting hole is formed so as to extend from the space formed between the mouthpiece and the valve in a direction that intersects a contact surface between the mouthpiece and the valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2008Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Chihiro Uchimura
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Publication number: 20110174562Abstract: This invention provides a fuel system and a vehicle that can improve the ease of leak checking. The fuel system includes: a plurality of fuel storages; filling piping that connects the fuel storages to a filling port in parallel; and supply piping that connects the fuel storages to a fuel supply destination in parallel. An integral manifold is formed by integrating a filling manifold part disposed at a branching point of pipes of the filling piping and a supply manifold part disposed at a branching point of pipes of the supply piping with each other. The integral manifold has a leak checking port configured to allow introduction of a fluid for leak checking into the filling piping and the supply piping.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2009Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Chihiro Uchimura, Takehisa Tsubokawa
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Patent number: 7971852Abstract: Disclosed is a seal structure of a high-pressure tank capable of properly securing seal efficiency. The seal structure of the high-pressure tank includes a plurality of seal members that have mutually different seal properties and that are installed between a ferrule of the high-pressure tank and a valve body attached to the ferrule. One of the plurality of seal members has low temperature resistance, and the other has high temperature resistance. A first seal member is an O-ring formed of butyl rubber or silicone. A second seal member is an O-ring formed of EPDM. Furthermore, the two O-rings are different in gas permeability from each other. This seal structure can be applied between the ferrule and the valve body, in addition, between the ferrule and a liner, between the ferrule and a shell, and between the valve body and the shell.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2006Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hirokazu Otsubo, Chihiro Uchimura, Nobuo Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Ogami, Akira Yamashita
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Publication number: 20100206402Abstract: A valve device of a high-pressure tank for a vehicle has a valve box that is attached to the high-pressure tank and that houses a gas inlet opening, a gas outlet opening, a flow path connecting the gas inlet opening, the gas outlet opening and the high-pressure tank, and a valve disposed on the flow path. The gas inlet opening, the gas outlet opening, at least a portion of the flow path, and the valve are provided on a plane that intersects perpendicularly with an axis direction of the high-pressure tank.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 16, 2010Publication date: August 19, 2010Inventors: Chihiro Uchimura, Takehisa Tsubokawa, Hiroaki Suzuki, Munetoshi Kuroyanagi, Toshikatsu Kubo
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Publication number: 20080111322Abstract: Disclosed is a seal structure of a high-pressure tank capable of properly securing seal efficiency. The seal structure of the high-pressure tank includes a plurality of seal members that have mutually different seal properties and that are installed between a ferrule of the high-pressure tank and a valve body attached to the ferrule. One of the plurality of seal members has low temperature resistance, and the other has high temperature resistance. A first seal member is an O-ring formed of butyl rubber or silicone. A second seal member is an O-ring formed of EPDM. Furthermore, the two O-rings are different in gas permeability from each other. This seal structure can be applied between the ferrule and the valve body, in addition, between the ferrule and a liner, between the ferrule and a shell, and between the valve body and the shell.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2006Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hirokazu Otsubo, Chihiro Uchimura, Nobuo Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Ogami, Akira Yamashita