Patents by Inventor Gen Tsuchiya

Gen Tsuchiya 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: 11428331
    Abstract: A first flow path area at a position where one of multiple openings of a sleeve and one of multiple grooves of a spool overlap with each other is different in size from a second flow path area at a position where another one of the openings of the sleeve and another one of the grooves of the spool overlap with each other. The one opening and the one groove form a flow path for connecting one of one pressure chamber and the other pressure chamber to a fluid supply source, due to displacement of the spool. The other opening and the other groove form a flow path for connecting another one of the other pressure chamber and the one pressure chamber to a fluid discharge port, due to the displacement of the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisashi Yajima, Masayuki Ishikawa, Satoru Ito, Gen Tsuchiya, Takehiko Kanazawa
  • Publication number: 20220266351
    Abstract: A control method of controlling a chuck device in a drive system for driving the chuck device, comprising opening or closing fingers by opening a switching valve at a first degree of valve opening to supply the fluid to a first cylinder chamber of the chuck device and to discharge the fluid from a second cylinder chamber of the chuck device so that a piston moves in one direction, and stopping the fingers in an intermediate position between a fully open position and a fully closed position by opening the switching valve at a second degree of valve opening to stop supplying the fluid to the first cylinder chamber and to stop discharging the fluid from the second cylinder chamber when the axial position of the piston reaches a target position set in advance while the fingers are being opened or closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisashi YAJIMA, Gen TSUCHIYA, Masayuki ISHIKAWA, Takehiko KANAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20220219247
    Abstract: A drive system for driving a chuck device including a piston and a pair of fingers to be opened and closed according to the displacement of the piston, includes a controller, a detection sensor to detect an axial position of the piston, and three-port servo valves to switch a state of supply of the fluid to the chuck device. A degree of valve opening is controllable based on a control signal input from the controller, and an amount of displacement of the piston and an amount of opening and closing of the fingers are controlled by changing the degree of valve opening. One of the 3-port servo valves is connected to a first cylinder chamber of the chuck device, and another of the 3-port servo valves is connected to a second cylinder chamber of the chuck device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisashi YAJIMA, Gen TSUCHIYA, Masayuki ISHIKAWA, Takehiko KANAZAWA
  • Patent number: 11370035
    Abstract: A drive system for driving a chuck device includes a controller and a switching valve, which is a 5-port servo valve, switching the state of supply of compressed air to the chuck device based on a valve command signal from the controller. During switching of first and second fingers from a closed position to an open position, when the axial position of a piston reaches a switch point, which is a predetermined distance short of a target position corresponding to a freely selected intermediate position of the first and second fingers, the switching valve is opened at a third opening for a predetermined period and then switched to be opened at a fourth opening so that supply and discharge of compressed air are stopped. As a result, the first and second fingers stop in the intermediate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisashi Yajima, Gen Tsuchiya, Masayuki Ishikawa, Takehiko Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 11300143
    Abstract: A drive device for driving a fluid pressure cylinder has an air supply source which supplies air, a switching valve which switches between the supply and discharge of the air to and from the fluid pressure cylinder, bypass piping which connects the head-side cylinder chamber and rod-side cylinder chamber of the fluid pressure cylinder, and a bypass switching valve which switches between the states of flow of air through the bypass piping. Air in the head-side cylinder chamber is supplied to the rod-side cylinder chamber through the bypass piping by setting the bypass switching valve to an open state in a return stroke of the fluid pressure cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru Ito, Gen Tsuchiya, Masayuki Ishikawa, Hisashi Yajima, Takehiko Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 11075505
    Abstract: An ionizer includes a discharge needle, a discharge needle holder holding the discharge needle, and a carrying air jet mechanism jetting out ion-carrying air toward a charge cancellation target. The carrying air jet mechanism is disposed at a position adjacent to the discharge needle holder, and it includes a drive nozzle having a drive air jet port, and a diffuser disposed in front of the drive nozzle with an ambient air suction gap interposed therebetween. A carrying air flow hole is formed inside the diffuser to be coaxial with the drive air jet port, and a carrying air jet port from which the carrying air is jetted out is formed at a fore end of the carrying air flow hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Yasuoka, Suguru Konno, Gen Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20210199140
    Abstract: A drive device for driving a fluid pressure cylinder has an air supply source which supplies air, a switching valve which switches between the supply and discharge of the air to and from the fluid pressure cylinder, bypass piping which connects the head-side cylinder chamber and rod-side cylinder chamber of the fluid pressure cylinder, and a bypass switching valve which switches between the states of flow of air through the bypass piping. Air in the head-side cylinder chamber is supplied to the rod-side cylinder chamber through the bypass piping by setting the bypass switching valve to an open state in a return stroke of the fluid pressure cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoru ITO, Gen TSUCHIYA, Masayuki ISHIKAWA, Hisashi YAJIMA, Takehiko KANAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20210071766
    Abstract: A first flow path area at a position where one of multiple openings of a sleeve and one of multiple grooves of a spool overlap with each other is different in size from a second flow path area at a position where another one of the openings of the sleeve and another one of the grooves of the spool overlap with each other. The one opening and the one groove form a flow path for connecting one of one pressure chamber and the other pressure chamber to a fluid supply source, due to displacement of the spool. The other opening and the other groove form a flow path for connecting another one of the other pressure chamber and the one pressure chamber to a fluid discharge port, due to the displacement of the spool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisashi YAJIMA, Masayuki ISHIKAWA, Satoru ITO, Gen TSUCHIYA, Takehiko KANAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20200376568
    Abstract: A drive system for driving a chuck device includes a controller and a switching valve, which is a 5-port servo valve, switching the state of supply of compressed air to the chuck device based on a valve command signal from the controller. During switching of first and second fingers from a closed position to an open position, when the axial position of a piston reaches a switch point, which is a predetermined distance short of a target position corresponding to a freely selected intermediate position of the first and second fingers, the switching valve is opened at a third opening for a predetermined period and then switched to be opened at a fourth opening so that supply and discharge of compressed air are stopped. As a result, the first and second fingers stop in the intermediate position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisashi YAJIMA, Gen TSUCHIYA, Masayuki ISHIKAWA, Takehiko KANAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20190123519
    Abstract: An ionizer includes a discharge needle, a discharge needle holder holding the discharge needle, and a carrying air jet mechanism jetting out ion-carrying air toward a charge cancellation target. The carrying air jet mechanism is disposed at a position adjacent to the discharge needle holder, and it includes a drive nozzle having a drive air jet port, and a diffuser disposed in front of the drive nozzle with an ambient air suction gap interposed therebetween. A carrying air flow hole is formed inside the diffuser to be coaxial with the drive air jet port, and a carrying air jet port from which the carrying air is jetted out is formed at a fore end of the carrying air flow hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi YASUOKA, Suguru KONNO, Gen TSUCHIYA
  • Patent number: 8885316
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ionizer, a static charge eliminating system, an ion balance adjusting method, and a workpiece static charge eliminating method. In an ionizer, when positive and negative voltages are applied to an electrode, an amplitude Vm of the negative voltage is set to be smaller than an amplitude Vp of the positive voltage, and further, the time Tm for which the negative voltage is applied to the electrode is set to be longer than the time Tp for which the positive voltage is applied thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Sato, Satoshi Suzuki, Takashi Yasuoka, Gen Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7898791
    Abstract: In an ionizer, in which an electrode cartridge having a pair of electrodes is mounted in an electrode-attaching opening of a housing so as to be freely attached and detached by means of rotating the same around a center axial line, a drop-off prevention cover is attached to the housing. In the drop-off prevention cover, a fitting hole, to which the electrode cartridge is fitted, is formed, and by means of limiting a rotation of the electrode cartridge by the fitting hole, the electrode cartridge is prevented from dropping off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Sato, Satoshi Suzuki, Gen Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7695552
    Abstract: In an ionizer composed of an electrode needle cartridge and a main body block, the electrode needle cartridge is provided with an electrode needle for generating an ion, a high voltage generating device for applying high voltage to the electrode needle, and a receiving connector for connecting a feeding connector, and the main body block is provided with an air-blowing outlet serving as an electrode needle housing portion, an air passing-through hole for supplying air to the air-blowing outlet, and a connecting port for connecting an air piping. The electrode needle cartridge is configured such that when the electrode needle cartridge and the main body block are connected or separated, the electrode needle is inserted into or removed from the air-blowing outlet from a rear end portion side of the air-blowing outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Sato, Gen Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20090219663
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ionizer, a static charge eliminating system, an ion balance adjusting method, and a workpiece static charge eliminating method. In an ionizer, when positive and negative voltages are applied to an electrode, an amplitude Vm of the negative voltage is set to be smaller than an amplitude Vp of the positive voltage, and further, the time Tm for which the negative voltage is applied to the electrode is set to be longer than the time Tp for which the positive voltage is applied thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio SATO, Satoshi Suzuki, Takashi Yasuoka, Gen Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7465340
    Abstract: Parts-attaching grooves are formed at both side surfaces of an ionizer main body, and an auxiliary member for extending parts is detachably latched to the parts-attaching grooves. Parts, such as sensors, filters, and so forth are extended by means of the auxiliary member. The aforementioned parts attaching grooves are constructed such that a lower side groove wall is slanting in a gradually outside-down manner toward a groove opening side, and further the auxiliary member includes a projection edge for latching, at a tip end of left and right side walls, and the auxiliary member is attached to the aforementioned ionizer main body by means of elastically latching the projection edge to the aforementioned parts-attaching groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Sato, Satoshi Suzuki, Gen Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080190294
    Abstract: In an ionizer composed of an electrode needle cartridge and a main body block, the electrode needle cartridge is provided with an electrode needle for generating an ion, a high voltage generating device for applying high voltage to the electrode needle, and a receiving connector for connecting a feeding connector, and the main body block is provided with an air-blowing outlet serving as an electrode needle housing portion, an air passing-through hole for supplying air to the air-blowing outlet, and a connecting port for connecting an air piping. The electrode needle cartridge is configured such that when the electrode needle cartridge and the main body block are connected or separated, the electrode needle is inserted into or removed from the air-blowing outlet from a rear end portion side of the air-blowing outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio SATO, Gen Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 7353748
    Abstract: A bent section, which is bent substantially perpendicularly toward a main cylinder body, is formed at one end of a slide table. Further, a pair of ball-rolling grooves, in which a plurality of ball bearings roll, are formed on side surfaces of the slide table opposed to a guide section. A relief groove, which has a width wider than a spacing distance between the ball-rolling grooves and which makes it possible to change the direction of a processing jig when the ball-rolling grooves are processed, is formed at ends of the ball-rolling grooves disposed on a side of the bent section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Sato, Akira Tadano, Gen Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20080014765
    Abstract: Parts-attaching grooves are formed at both side surfaces of an ionizer main body, and an auxiliary member for extending parts is detachably latched to the parts-attaching grooves. Parts, such as sensors, filters, and so forth are extended by means of the auxiliary member. The aforementioned parts attaching grooves are constructed such that a lower side groove wall is slanting in a gradually outside-down manner toward a groove opening side, and further the auxiliary member includes a projection edge for latching, at a tip end of a left and right side walls, and the auxiliary member is attached to the aforementioned ionizer main body by means of elastically latching the projection edge to the aforementioned parts-attaching groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Sato, Satoshi Suzuki, Gen Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: D572354
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Gen Tsuchiya, Toshio Sato
  • Patent number: D1043916
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gen Tsuchiya, Hisashi Yajima