Patents by Inventor Eiji Wada

Eiji Wada 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: 11942347
    Abstract: A storage system includes an overhead stocker including an overhead crane track, shelving in which tiers of storages to accommodate articles therein are arranged vertically, and a crane to travel along the overhead crane track and transfer an article between the tiers of storages, an overhead transport vehicle system to perform receiving or delivering of an article from or to a predetermined transfer destination, and a transporter to vertically transport an article between the overhead stocker and the overhead transport vehicle system, the overhead transport vehicle system being provided below a lower end of the overhead stocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Yoshiki Yuasa, Kosuke Irino
  • Patent number: 11891245
    Abstract: The efficiency of transporting articles is improved by smoothly delivering and receiving the articles between overhead transport vehicles traveling on different tracks. A transport system includes a first overhead transport vehicle that travels on a first overhead track; a second overhead transport vehicle that travels on a second overhead track and a third overhead track; and a first placement portion and a second placement portion that allow articles to be delivered and received between the first overhead transport vehicle and the second overhead transport vehicle. At least one of the first overhead transport vehicle, the second overhead transport vehicle, the first placement portion, and the second placement portion is provided with a rotator that rotates an article around a vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji Wada
  • Patent number: 11845608
    Abstract: A suspended transport vehicle travels along a track supported by a ceiling and transfers an article to a shelf of a rack installed on a floor, the suspended transport vehicle has a driving part, a first traveling part and a second traveling part, a ceiling-side member that is suspended downwards from the first traveling part and the second traveling part and has a transferring part that transfers the article to the shelf of the rack, a floor-side member that is provided so as to be capable of relative movement with respect to the ceiling-side member and has travel rollers being contacting parts in contact with a first guide part installed on the floor, and a distance sensor that detects a relative distance between the ceiling-side member and the floor-side member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Kazuya Iwata
  • Patent number: 11673741
    Abstract: A storage system prevents a large load from being applied to a part of the ceiling. The storage system in which a rack is provided by being suspended from a first position of a ceiling by a first suspending member attached to a grid ceiling, a second overhead track is provided by being suspended from a second position of the grid ceiling by a second suspending member attached to the grid ceiling, and the first position and the second position are set to be apart by at least a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Kosuke Irino, Yoshiki Yuasa
  • Patent number: 11615975
    Abstract: A storage system includes an overhead stocker having a first overhead track, a rack including a plurality of storages arranged vertically, and a crane that travels along the first overhead track and delivers and receives an article to and from the storages; and an overhead transport vehicle system having a second overhead track provided below a lower end of the overhead stocker, and an overhead transport vehicle that travels along the second overhead track and delivers and receives an article to and from a predetermined transfer destination, wherein the first overhead track has an elevating track capable of supporting and lowering the crane that is stopped traveling at a portion deviated from the second overhead track in planar view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Kosuke Irino
  • Publication number: 20220380125
    Abstract: A suspended transport vehicle travels along a track supported by a ceiling and transfers an article to a shelf of a rack installed on a floor, the suspended transport vehicle has a driving part, a first traveling part and a second traveling part, a ceiling-side member that is suspended downwards from the first traveling part and the second traveling part and has a transferring part that transfers the article to the shelf of the rack, a floor-side member that is provided so as to be capable of relative movement with respect to the ceiling-side member and has travel rollers being contacting parts in contact with a first guide part installed on the floor, and a distance sensor that detects a relative distance between the ceiling-side member and the floor-side member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Eiji WADA, Kazuya IWATA
  • Patent number: 11431238
    Abstract: A power conversion device may include a first inverter to which one end of each phase winding of a motor is coupled, a second inverter to which the other end of each phase winding is coupled, and a switch circuit having at least one of a first switch element that switches between connection and disconnection of the first inverter to and from a ground, a first protection circuit being coupled in parallel to the first switch element, and a second switch element that switches between connection and disconnection of the second inverter to and from the ground, a second protection circuit being coupled in parallel to the second switch element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Kitamura, Eiji Wada
  • Publication number: 20220189807
    Abstract: A storage system includes an overhead stocker having a first overhead track, a rack including a plurality of storages arranged vertically, and a crane that travels along the first overhead track and delivers and receives an article to and from the storages; and an overhead transport vehicle system having a second overhead track provided below a lower end of the overhead stocker, and an overhead transport vehicle that travels along the second overhead track and delivers and receives an article to and from a predetermined transfer destination, wherein the first overhead track has an elevating track capable of supporting and lowering the crane that is stopped traveling at a portion deviated from the second overhead track in planar view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Kosuke Irino
  • Publication number: 20220097965
    Abstract: A storage system prevents a large load from being applied to a part of the ceiling. The storage system in which a rack is provided by being suspended from a first position of a ceiling by a first suspending member attached to a grid ceiling, a second overhead track is provided by being suspended from a second position of the grid ceiling by a second suspending member attached to the grid ceiling, and the first position and the second position are set to be apart by at least a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Kosuke Irino, Yoshiki Yuasa
  • Publication number: 20220081207
    Abstract: The efficiency of transporting articles is improved by smoothly delivering and receiving the articles between overhead transport vehicles traveling on different tracks. A transport system includes a first overhead transport vehicle that travels on a first overhead track; a second overhead transport vehicle that travels on a second overhead track and a third overhead track; and a first placement portion and a second placement portion that allow articles to be delivered and received between the first overhead transport vehicle and the second overhead transport vehicle. At least one of the first overhead transport vehicle, the second overhead transport vehicle, the first placement portion, and the second placement portion is provided with a rotator that rotates an article around a vertical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventor: Eiji Wada
  • Publication number: 20220073275
    Abstract: A storage system includes an overhead stocker including an overhead crane track shelving in which tiers of storages to accommodate articles therein are arranged vertically, and a crane to travel along the overhead crane track and transfer an article between the tiers of storages, an overhead transport vehicle system to perform receiving or delivering of an article from or to a predetermined transfer destination, and a transporter to vertically transport an article between the overhead stocker and the overhead transport vehicle system, the overhead transport vehicle system being provided below a lower end of the overhead stocker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Eiji WADA, Yoshiki YUASA, Kosuke IRINO
  • Publication number: 20220059380
    Abstract: A conveyance vehicle includes a traveling driver, a main body, an up-and-down stage including a gripper to hold an article and capable of moving up and down with respect to the main body, an up-and-down driver to cause the up-and-down stage to move up and down by drawing out and winding up of belts, a lateral mover to cause the up-and-down driver while being cantilevered to protrude laterally of the main body, and an adjuster. In accordance with a laterally moved amount of the up-and-down driver by the lateral mover and a lowered amount of the up-and-down stage by the up-and-down driver, the adjuster performs one or both of adjustment of the laterally moved amount and adjustment of an orientation of a sensor included in the up-and-down driver to deliver the article to the transfer destination and to receive the article from the transfer destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventor: Eiji WADA
  • Patent number: 11069549
    Abstract: An overhead transport vehicle includes: a traveler; a main body; a transferer including a holder, a mover, and a rotator, and which receives or delivers an article from or to a transfer destination; and a controller. The main body has an inner wall at a position at which the article held by the holder comes in contact therewith when the holder set at a storing position is rotated by a predetermined angle by the rotator. The controller causes the traveler to travel while the holder is at the storing position, and when the article is received or delivered, causes the rotator to rotate the holder by a predetermined angle or more about a rotation axis in a state where the holder is set at an exiting position by the mover to align the article with a prescribed orientation of the transfer destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji Wada
  • Patent number: 11027949
    Abstract: A transport vehicle includes a body; a lift platform that includes a holder to hold an article, the lift platform being ascendable and descendable with respect to the body; a lift driver that raises or lowers the lift platform by feeding out or taking up a flexible suspension support; a sensor provided in the lift driver and emits a detection wave having directivity toward a certain lower position; a lateral extender that causes the lift driver to project laterally from the body while providing cantilever support for the lift driver; and a corrector that corrects a shift in an emission direction of the detection wave that arises from bending of the lateral extender in a state in which the lift driver is caused to project laterally from the body by the lateral extender.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Murata Machinery, Ltd.
    Inventor: Eiji Wada
  • Patent number: 11014602
    Abstract: A power conversion device may include a first inverter to which a first end of each phase winding of the electric motor is coupled; a second inverter to which a second end of each phase winding is coupled; a first phase isolation relay circuit structured to switch between connection and disconnection of the one end of each phase winding to and from the first inverter; and a first neutral point relay circuit to which the one end of each phase winding is coupled and which is structured to switch between connection and disconnection of the one end of each phase winding to and from the one end of each other phase winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Kaori Nabeshi
  • Patent number: 10998842
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a first inverter connected to first ends of windings of each phase of a motor, a second inverter connected to second ends of the windings of each phase, a phase separation relay circuit to switch between connection and disconnection between the first ends of the windings of each phase and the first inverter, a neutral point relay circuit connected to the first ends of the windings of each phase and to switch between connection and disconnection between the first ends of the windings of each phase, a first switching element to switch between connection and disconnection between the second inverter and a power supply, and a second switching element to switch between connection and disconnection between the second inverter and a ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Hiromitsu Ohashi
  • Patent number: 10926790
    Abstract: A vehicle-mounted electronic controller includes a motor case that accommodates an electric motor, a lid body of the motor case, power circuitry including switching circuits that supply driving signals to the electric motor, and control circuitry including a control circuit that controls the switching circuits. The case further accommodates the power circuitry and the control circuitry. The lower surface of the lid body contacts the power circuitry. Each of the case and the lid body has a heat radiation property. The upper surface of the lid body is exposed. A vehicle-mounted mechanically/electrically integrated electric motor includes the vehicle-mounted electronic controller and the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC ELESYS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eiji Wada, Kazuki Harada, Hitoshi Kuroyanagi
  • Patent number: 10778084
    Abstract: A power conversion device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first inverter to which one end of each of n phase windings (n is an integer of three or more) included in an electric motor is coupled, a second inverter to which the other end of each phase winding is coupled, and a switch circuit having at least one of: a first switch element that switches between connection and disconnection of the first inverter and ground, and a second switch element that switches between connection and disconnection of the second inverter and ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Eiji Wada
  • Publication number: 20200270102
    Abstract: A transport vehicle includes a body; a lift platform that includes a holder to hold an article, the lift platform being ascendable and descendable with respect to the body; a lift driver that raises or lowers the lift platform by feeding out or taking up a flexible suspension support; a sensor provided in the lift driver and emits a detection wave having directivity toward a certain lower position; a lateral extender that causes the lift driver to project laterally from the body while providing cantilever support for the lift driver; and a corrector that corrects a shift in an emission direction of the detection wave that arises from bending of the lateral extender in a state in which the lift driver is caused to project laterally from the body by the lateral extender.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventor: Eiji Wada
  • Publication number: 20200251366
    Abstract: An overhead transport vehicle includes: a traveler; a main body; a transferer including a holder, a mover, and a rotator, and which receives or delivers an article from or to a transfer destination; and a controller. The main body has an inner wall at a position at which the article held by the holder comes in contact therewith when the holder set at a storing position is rotated by a predetermined angle by the rotator. The controller causes the traveler to travel while the holder is at the storing position, and when the article is received or delivered, causes the rotator to rotate the holder by a predetermined angle or more about a rotation axis in a state where the holder is set at an exiting position by the mover to align the article with a prescribed orientation of the transfer destination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Inventor: Eiji Wada