Patents by Inventor Hidetaka Sato

Hidetaka Sato 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).

  • Publication number: 20240087825
    Abstract: A pressing operation body includes an inversion spring having a dome shape; and a rubber stem configured to bend in response to pressing and press the inversion spring. The inversion spring includes a dome portion, and a plurality of leg portions that are extended outward from an outer peripheral edge of the dome portion. The rubber stem includes a base portion configured to support a lower edge of the rubber stem. The base portion includes a plurality of retaining portions configured to retain the plurality of leg portions of the inversion spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Hidetaka SATO, Katsutoshi USUI, Daichi TOMITA, Hideyuki ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230386766
    Abstract: A rubber stem for use in a switch apparatus having a dome-shaped invertible spring includes an operating portion on which a pressing action is performed, a skirt surrounding the operating portion and configured to be deformed in response to the pressing action performed on the operating portion, a base extending annularly along a lower edge of the skirt and supporting the lower edge of the skirt, and a pressing portion provided on a back side of the operating portion at a position facing a top of the invertible spring and configured to press the top of the invertible spring in response to the pressing action performed on the operating portion, wherein the skirt is formed of a low-hardness elastic material, and at least a part of the rubber stem other than the skirt is formed of a high-hardness elastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventor: Hidetaka SATO
  • Publication number: 20220301790
    Abstract: A pressing mechanism of a push switch including an operation member configured to be pressed, and a leaf spring member that includes a dome portion bulging in a dome shape and an opening portion provided in a central portion of the dome portion, the leaf spring member generating a tactile sensation on the operation member by an inverting operation of the dome portion in response to being pressed by the operation member, wherein the operation member includes a first pressing portion configured to press a movable contact point member against a fixed contact point member through the opening portion and a second pressing portion configured to press the dome portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Hidetaka SATO, Shinya MAKINO, Naoki HANAWA
  • Patent number: 11331981
    Abstract: This on-board air conditioner control device comprises: a PTC heater which is contained in a high-voltage circuit and generates heat by means of power supplied from a high-voltage battery; a micro-controller which is contained in a low-voltage circuit and controls the power supplied to the PTC heater from the high-voltage battery; a current detection sensor which is contained in the high-voltage circuit and outputs a voltage signal indicating a value for the current flowing through the PTC heater; a V/f conversion unit which is contained in the high-voltage circuit and converts the voltage signal outputted by the current detection sensor to a frequency signal; and a digital isolator which transmits the frequency signal to the micro-controller while preserving electrical insulation between the V/f conversion unit and the micro-controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Sato, Tomoyasu Osaki, Keiji Nagasaka, Ryota Kojima
  • Patent number: 11285784
    Abstract: This on-board air conditioner control device comprises: a PTC heater which is contained in a high-voltage circuit and generates heat by means of power supplied from a high-voltage battery; a micro-controller which is contained in a low-voltage circuit and controls the power supplied to the PTC heater from the high-voltage battery; a current detection sensor which is contained in the high-voltage circuit and outputs a voltage signal indicating a value for the current flowing through the PTC heater; a V/f conversion unit which is contained in the high-voltage circuit and converts the voltage signal outputted by the current detection sensor to a frequency signal; and a digital isolator which transmits the frequency signal to the micro-controller while preserving electrical insulation between the V/f conversion unit and the micro-controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Sato, Tomoyasu Osaki, Keiji Nagasaka, Ryota Kojima
  • Patent number: 11282655
    Abstract: A switch device includes a housing including a recessed portion, a metal member, and a movable contact point member. The recessed portion is recessed in a thickness direction from an opening formed in a first surface. The metal member includes a terminal protruding from the housing, a fixed contact point exposed to an inner side of the recessed portion, and a connection portion connecting the terminal and the fixed contact point. The movable contact point member is provided in the recessed portion and is configured to move to connect to or disconnect from the fixed contact point. A sealing unit is provided in a gap between the connection portion and the housing. The sealing unit is made by solidifying a sealing agent supplied through a hole portion that is in communication with the connection portion from a second surface opposite to the first surface of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Sato, Takaya Sakamoto
  • Publication number: 20210249202
    Abstract: A switch device includes a housing including a recessed portion, a metal member, and a movable contact point member. The recessed portion is recessed in a thickness direction from an opening formed in a first surface. The metal member includes a terminal protruding from the housing, a fixed contact point exposed to an inner side of the recessed portion, and a connection portion connecting the terminal and the fixed contact point. The movable contact point member is provided in the recessed portion and is configured to move to connect to or disconnect from the fixed contact point. A sealing unit is provided in a gap between the connection portion and the housing. The sealing unit is made by solidifying a sealing agent supplied through a hole portion that is in communication with the connection portion from a second surface opposite to the first surface of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Inventors: Hidetaka SATO, Takaya SAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210237538
    Abstract: This vehicle-mounted air conditioner control device (1) comprises: a PTC heater (H) that is included in a high-voltage system circuit (HV) and generates heat by the power supplied from a high-voltage battery (B2); and a microcomputer (10) that is included in the high-voltage system circuit (HV) and controls the power supply from the high-voltage battery (B2) to the PTC heater (H). This vehicle-mounted air conditioner control device (1) further comprises: a water temperature sensor (151, 152) that is included in a low-voltage system circuit (LV) and outputs a voltage signal corresponding to the temperature of hot water; and a V/f conversion unit (161, 162) that is included in the low-voltage system circuit (LV) and converts the voltage signal output from the water temperature sensor (151, 152) into a frequency signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka SATO, Tomoyasu OSAKI, Keiji NAGASAKA, Ryota KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20210206234
    Abstract: This on-board air conditioner control device (1) comprises: a PTC heater (H) which is contained in a high-voltage circuit (HV) and generates heat by means of power supplied from a high-voltage battery (B2); a micro-controller (10) which is contained in a low-voltage circuit (LV) and controls the power supplied to the PTC heater (H) from the high-voltage battery (B2); a current detection sensor (14) which is contained in the high-voltage circuit (HV) and outputs a voltage signal indicating a value for the current flowing through the PTC heater (H); a V/f conversion unit (162) which is contained in the high-voltage circuit (HV) and converts the voltage signal outputted by the current detection sensor (14) to a frequency signal; and a digital isolator (172) which transmits the frequency signal to the micro-controller (10) while preserving electrical insulation between the V/f conversion unit (162) and the micro-controller (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka SATO, Tomoyasu OSAKI, Keiji NAGASAKA, Ryota KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20200128625
    Abstract: A heater is provided with a heating element that generates heat by electrical connection, anode and cathode plates each formed in a plate shape and are installed such that the heating element is sandwiched between the anode and cathode plates from both sides thereof, and a discharging unit installed in a heating element non-provided region and that discharges a surge current. The heating element non-provided region is included in a facing portion where the anode plate faces the cathode plate and differs from a heating element provided region where the heating element is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keiji NAGASAKA, Hideo NAKAMURA, Yutaka KUBOTA, Masanori MARUYAMA, Hidetaka SATO, Tomoyasu OSAKI
  • Patent number: 10286753
    Abstract: The on-state malfunction detection device detects an on-state malfunction, for instance, in an IGBT that is provided to correspond to a PTC element whose electrical resistance value varies according to temperature and that controls the electrification of the PTC element. In a state in which a turn-off instruction has been outputted from a control device to the IGBT, the on-state malfunction detection device determines through calculation an electric potential difference following voltage division of the voltage between the both ends of the PTC element, and detects an on-state malfunction of the IGBT when this electric potential difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. This allows for the detection of an on-state malfunction in a switching element that performs an electrical conduction control for an element whose electrical resistance value varies according to temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES THERMAL SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keiji Nagasaka, Hidetaka Sato, Tomoyasu Osaki
  • Publication number: 20180083177
    Abstract: A thermoelectric material contains as a major ingredient a magnesium silicon alloy, a magnesium silicon tin alloy, a silicon or a silicon germanium alloy, and includes a porous body with a large number of pores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: Hakusan, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeru Nishizawa, Shigeyuyki Tsurumi, Hidetaka Sato
  • Patent number: 9923364
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to improve responsiveness to short-circuit detection and rapidly cut off power supply to a load when a short circuit occurs. When a short circuit occurs, voltage exceeding the reference voltage of a comparison circuit is inputted as an input signal from a voltage output circuit, and a high signal is outputted from the comparison circuit. An FET is turned on by the output of the comparison circuit changing to the high signal. Consequently, an electric charge stored between the gate and emitter of an IGBT is discharged through a resistor, gate voltage decreases, and thereby the IGBT is turned off. The high signal of the comparison signal is held for a predetermined period by a holding circuit, and the IGBT is maintained in the off state over this period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE THERMAL SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiji Nagasaka, Hidetaka Sato
  • Publication number: 20170021696
    Abstract: The on-state malfunction detection device detects an on-state malfunction, for instance, in an IGBT that is provided to correspond to a PTC element whose electrical resistance value varies according to temperature and that controls the electrification of the PTC element. In a state in which a turn-off instruction has been outputted from a control device to the IGBT, the on-state malfunction detection device determines through calculation an electric potential difference following voltage division of the voltage between the both ends of the PTC element, and detects an on-state malfunction of the IGBT when this electric potential difference is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. This allows for the detection of an on-state malfunction in a switching element that performs an electrical conduction control for an element whose electrical resistance value varies according to temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE THERMAL SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiji NAGASAKA, Hidetaka SATO, Tomoyasu OSAKI
  • Publication number: 20160372914
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to improve responsiveness to short-circuit detection and rapidly cut off power supply to a load when a short circuit occurs. When a short circuit occurs, voltage exceeding the reference voltage of a comparison circuit is inputted as an input signal from a voltage output circuit, and a high signal is outputted from the comparison circuit. An FET is turned on by the output of the comparison circuit changing to the high signal. Consequently, an electric charge stored between the gate and emitter of an IGBT is discharged through a resistor, gate voltage decreases, and thereby the IGBT is turned off. The high signal of the comparison signal is held for a predetermined period by a holding circuit, and the IGBT is maintained in the off state over this period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2014
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE THERMAL SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiji NAGASAKA, Hidetaka SATO
  • Patent number: 9351343
    Abstract: A heater control device includes a current calculating unit (20) which calculates a third value of current based on a first value of current flowing through a first PTC element of a first PTC heater which is in an energized state and a second value of current estimated to flow through a second PTC element of a second PTC heater which is to be newly put into an energized state next, and a switching control unit (21) which maintains a non-energized state of the second PTC element of the second PTC heater until it is determined that the third value of current calculated by the current calculating unit (20) is less than a predetermined maximum allowable value of current and puts the second PTC element of the second PTC heater into an energized state when the third value of current is less than the predetermined maximum allowable value of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE THERMAL SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiji Nagasaka, Hidetaka Sato, Koji Nakano, Shiro Matsubara, Satoshi Kominami
  • Patent number: 9198231
    Abstract: A heater control device having at least two PTC heaters having PTC elements includes switching units which are provided so as to correspond to the PTC heaters and which switch an energized state and a non-energized state of the PTC elements by being turned ON and OFF, pattern information which defines state combination patterns of the energized state and the non-energized state of the PTC elements with respect to a required power value for the heater unit, and a ratio controlling unit which when the required power for the heater unit is at an intermediate value of the required power values defined in the pattern information, controls a ratio of the energized state to the non-energized state of the PTC elements based on a ratio of ON time to OFF time for which an average power within a certain period matches the required power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE THERMAL SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiji Nagasaka, Hidetaka Sato, Koji Nakano, Shiro Matsubara, Satoshi Kominami, Kiyotaka Sumito, Kenji Shimizu
  • Patent number: 9115707
    Abstract: An inverter module and an integrated-inverter electric compressor using the same, which can eliminate noise interference, noise leakage, and the like attributable to a smoothing capacitor accommodated therein and which can be reduced in size and weight is provided. An inverter module (11) includes a resin module case (17); a power system board (15) provided on a bottom side of the module case (17); and a control board (19) provided on an upper side of the module case (17). A smoothing capacitor (18) connected to a power supply line for the power system board (15) is incorporated into the module case (17), and the smoothing capacitor (18) is electromagnetically shielded with respect to the power system board (15) and the control board (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Hattori, Hidetaka Sato, Takashi Nakagami, Kazunori Teshima, Mitsuaki Arita, Masashi Fujita
  • Patent number: 9059620
    Abstract: In an inverter in which noise reducing coils and a smoothing capacitor are provided on a power line to an inverter module to achieve a no-busbar configuration, simplification of the manufacturing process, reduction of the influence on the size of the inverter, enhanced noise reducing function, reduction in cost and so on, the smoothing capacitor is electrically connected, on the inverter module, to the power line in parallel with a power system board, and the noise reducing coils are connected to the power line by directly connecting output lead wires thereof to P-N terminals of the inverter module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka Sato, Koji Nakano, Kazunori Teshima, Takashi Nakagami, Koji Toyama, Takeshi Hirano, Takayuki Watanabe, Naoto Kunieda
  • Publication number: 20150034626
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a heating medium heating apparatus by which it is possible to directly detect a temperature of a semiconductor switching element such as an IGBT, and to perform high-reliability overheating protection control, while suppressing the number of installations of the temperature sensor, and provides a vehicle air conditioner provided with the heating medium heating apparatus. In the heating medium heating apparatus, at least two PTC heaters are provided, the energization of the PTC heaters is respectively ON/OFF-controlled by a plurality of circuits, each containing a semiconductor switching element (34), and the amount of heating is adjusted. Overheating protection temperature sensors (58 and 59) are respectively installed between two pairs of adjacent semiconductor switching elements (34) of a plurality of the semiconductor switching elements (34).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES AUTOMOTIVE THERMAL SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kominami, Hidetaka Sato