Patents by Inventor Hirofumi Sugikawa

Hirofumi Sugikawa 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: 6869728
    Abstract: Concave portions and convex portion are formed on a peripheral surface of a thin metal sheet by applying a pressing force thereto while the metal sheet is being embossed; pores are each formed on an apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions and burrs each projecting outward from a peripheral edge of each of the pores are generated by the pressing force, the metal sheets having the concave portions and convex portions formed thereon are layered on each other; the burr at the apex of each convex portion of a lower-layer metal sheet is interlocked with the burr at the apex of each concave portion of a upper-layer metal sheet adjacent to the lower-layer metal sheet to integrate the metal sheets with each other; and an active substance is charged into spaces between the upper-layer sheet and the lower-layer metal sheet through and aperture at the apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Publication number: 20040079130
    Abstract: Concave portions and convex portions are formed on a peripheral surface of a thin metal sheet by applying a pressing force thereto while the metal sheet is being embossed; pores are each formed on an apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions and burrs each projecting outward from a peripheral edge of each of the pores are generated by the pressing force; the metal sheets having the concave portions and convex portions formed thereon are layered on each other; the burr at the apex of each convex portion of a lower-layer metal sheet is interlocked with the burr at the apex of each concave portion of an upper-layer metal sheet adjacent to the lower-layer metal sheet to integrate the metal sheets with each other; and an active substance is charged into spaces between the upper-layer metal sheet and the lower-layer metal sheet through an aperture at the apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Applicant: KATAYAMA SPECIAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6682852
    Abstract: Concave portions and convex portions are formed on a peripheral surface of a thin metal sheet by applying a pressing force thereto while the metal sheet is being embossed; pores are each formed on an apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions and burrs each projecting outward from a peripheral edge of each of the pores are generated by the pressing force; the metal sheets having the concave portions and convex portions formed thereon are layered on each other; the burr at the apex of each convex portion of a lower-layer metal sheet is interlocked with the burr at the apex of each concave portion of an upper-layer metal sheet adjacent to the lower-layer metal sheet to integrate the metal sheets with each other; and an active substance is charged into spaces between the upper-layer metal sheet and the lower-layer metal sheet through an aperture at the apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6682851
    Abstract: Concave portions and convex portions are formed on a peripheral surface of a thin metal sheet by applying a pressing force thereto while the metal sheet is being embossed; pores are each formed on an apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions and burrs each projecting outward from a peripheral edge of each of the pores are generated by the pressing force; the metal sheets having the concave portions and convex portions formed thereon are layered on each other; the burr at the apex of each convex portion of a lower-layer metal sheet is interlocked with the burr at the apex of each concave portion of an upper-layer metal sheet adjacent to the lower-layer metal sheet to integrate the metal sheets with each other; and an active substance is charged into spaces between the upper-layer metal sheet and the lower-layer metal sheet through an aperture at the apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Publication number: 20030039884
    Abstract: A battery electrode substrate is fabricated by the steps of applying a pressing force to a thin metal sheet by embossing to form an undulated portion over the entire surface, during the process of forming the undulated portion, forming holes in the apices of the undulated portion by a pressing force; producing burrs protruding outwardly from the edges of the holes; stacking the metal sheets formed with the undulated portions to combine the burr on the apex side of the raised portion of the lower layer of the adjoining metal sheets with the burr on the apex side of the recessed portion of the upper layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Applicant: KATAYAMA SPECIAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Publication number: 20030038155
    Abstract: Concave portions and convex portions are formed on a peripheral surface of a thin metal sheet by applying a pressing force thereto while the metal sheet is being embossed; pores are each formed on an apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions and burrs each projecting outward from a peripheral edge of each of the pores are generated by the pressing force; the metal sheets having the concave portions and convex portions formed thereon are layered on each other; the burr at the apex of each convex portion of a lower-layer metal sheet is interlocked with the burr at the apex of each concave portion of an upper-layer metal sheet adjacent to the lower-layer metal sheet to integrate the metal sheets with each other; and an active substance is charged into spaces between the upper-layer metal sheet and the lower-layer metal sheet through an aperture at the apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Applicant: KATAYAMA SPECIAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6500582
    Abstract: An electrode for a battery produced by a method comprising the steps of continuously forming a metallic porous foil consisting of metal powders having fine voids; attaching powders of an active substance not containing a binder; fixing the powders into the fine voids and the surface of the foil under pressure by passing rollers; forming a binder coating layer on surfaces of the powders by introducing the foil into a binder-tank; drying the binder coating layer; and setting a thickness of the foil by passing pressure rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6485865
    Abstract: A porous metal sheet, for use in a battery electrode substrate, composed of a two-layer structure consisting of a first and second foamed metal layers or a structure having three or more layers consisting of the first and second foamed metal layer, a mesh metal layer and the like sandwiched between said first and second layer. The number of cells of the first foamed metal layer is smaller than that of the second foamed metal layer. The electrode plate is spirally wound with the second foamed metal layer located at a peripheral side and with the first foamed metal layer located at an inner peripheral side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6455201
    Abstract: Concave portions and convex portions are formed on a peripheral surface of a thin metal sheet by applying a pressing force thereto while the metal sheet is being embossed; pores are each formed on an apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions and burrs each projecting outward from a peripheral edge of each of the pores are generated by the pressing force; the metal sheets having the concave portions and convex portions formed thereon are layered on each other; the burr at the apex of each convex portion of a lower-layer metal sheet is interlocked with the burr at the apex of each concave portion of an upper-layer metal sheet adjacent to the lower-layer metal sheet to integrate the metal sheets with each other; and an active substance is charged into spaces between the upper-layer metal sheet and the lower-layer metal sheet through an aperture at the apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6436580
    Abstract: Metal powders are spread on a feeding belt or a supporting sheet which is continuously fed; the feeding belt or the supporting sheet on which the metal powders have been spread is passed through a sintering oven; and the metal powders are sintered, with adjacent uncompressed metal powders in contact with each other partly and gaps present therebetween. Consequently, contact portions of the metal powders are integrated with each other and the gaps are formed as fine pores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Publication number: 20020108422
    Abstract: Concave portions and convex portions are formed on a peripheral surface of a thin metal sheet by applying a pressing force thereto while the metal sheet is being embossed; pores are each formed on an apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions and burrs each projecting outward from a peripheral edge of each of the pores are generated by the pressing force; the metal sheets having the concave portions and convex portions formed thereon are layered on each other; the burr at the apex of each convex portion of a lower-layer metal sheet is interlocked with the burr at the apex of each concave portion of an upper-layer metal sheet adjacent to the lower-layer metal sheet to integrate the metal sheets with each other; and an active substance is charged into spaces between the upper-layer metal sheet and the lower-layer metal sheet through an aperture at the apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Applicant: KATAYAMA SPECIAL INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6165640
    Abstract: A battery can-forming plate consisting of a steel plate plated with an alloy, wherein a hardness of a plated layer formed on one surface of the steel plate is higher than that of a plated layer formed one the other surface thereof. The plated layer having a higher hardness is used as an inner surface of a battery can and the plated layer having a lower hardness is used as an outer surface thereof in forming the battery can. The steel plate is plated with a nickel alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6153027
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a battery can-forming material, comprising the steps of spreading metal powder on a hot-rolled steel plate (hot coil) or applying said metal powder in the form of paste to a surface thereof; annealing and then rolling the hot-rolled steel plate having the metal powder applied to the surface thereof to form a metal layer consisting of the metal powder on the surface thereof; cold-rolling the hot-rolled steel plate and the metal layer; annealing the hot-rolled steel plate and the metal layer; and rolling the hot-rolled steel plate and the metal layer by a skin pass roller. Instead of forming the metal layer of the metal powder, the metal powder may be plated on the surface of the hot-rolled steel plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6110417
    Abstract: Metallic powders are extruded from a spinning nozzle to form metallic fibers each having a diameter of 1.0 .mu.m-100 .mu.m. Then, the resultant metallic fibers are formed into a sheet having a porous structure such as a nonwoven sheet, or the like. Thereafter, the sheet is sintered. An active substance is applied to pores of a resultant porous metallic sheet to be used as an electrode substrate of a battery. The metallic fibers are three-dimensionally intertwined with each other by using fluid at a high pressure and a high speed and then, surfaces of the metallic fibers intertwined with each other is fused under pressure at a temperature lower than the melting point of the metal to directly connect intersections of the intertwined metallic fibers so as to form a porous metallic sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 6080357
    Abstract: Metal powders are spread on a feeding belt or a supporting sheet which is continuously fed; the feeding belt or the supporting sheet on which the metal powders have been spread is passed through a sintering oven; and the metal powders are sintered, with adjacent uncompressed metal powders in contact with each other partly and gaps present therebetween. Consequently, contact portions of the metal powders are integrated with each other and the gaps are formed as fine pores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 5850591
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a porous metal sheet having pores forming a pattern, comprising the steps of supplying metal powders to a peripheral surface, of at least one pattern roller of a pair of rollers, on which a pattern including a large number of concaves is formed; dropping metal powders to the concaves and accumulating metal powders on the peripheral surface of the pattern roller except the concaves; and rolling directly the metal powders accumulated on the peripheral surface of the pattern roller by rotating a pair of the rollers. It is preferable to laminate porous metal sheets or solid metal sheets manufactured by a method other than the above-described method on the metal sheet manufactured by the above-described method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 5655295
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lead-provided porous metal sheet comprises the steps of: forming a porous metal material having a metal layer on a surface of a framework of a porous base material comprising a foamed sheet and the like, by plating the porous base material and/or applying fine metal powders thereto; passing the porous metal material through a pair of rolls having a plurality of projections formed thereon to compress the porous metal material against the projections and reduce or eliminate pores so as to form one or more recesses extending; and forming solid metal portions by applying fine metal powders to the entire recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1997
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 5603782
    Abstract: A steel plate having a plated layer on the upper and lower surfaces thereof to be processed into a battery can which is cylindrical and open in one end thereof by drawing and ironing processing. The plated steel plate has more than 1.2 as a Lankford value (r) which is a width deformation degree in a lengthwise direction thereof/a thickness deformation degree in the lengthwise direction thereof, a width deformation degree in a widthwise direction thereof/a thickness deformation degree in the widthwise direction thereof, a width deformation degree in an oblique direction thereof/a thickness deformation degree in the oblique direction thereof. In-plane anisotropy .DELTA.r which is the difference among the Lankford values (r) is set to be less than .+-.0.15. In order to make the elongation coefficient of the plated steel plate constant in the three directions, a very low carbon steel plate is used. The steel plate is cold-rolled at 80-90%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1997
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Sugikawa, Sachio Michibata, Keiichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 5531955
    Abstract: Process of imparting conductivity to a three-dimensional net-shaped porous sheet can be performed efficiently before carrying out electroplating process. Fine metallic powders are applied to the porous sheet made of a foamed sheet, a nonwoven sheet, a mesh sheet or a plurality of sheets layered one on the other, so that a conductive metallic layer is formed on the porous sheet. Then, an electroplated layer is formed on the surface of the conductive metallic layer. The conductive metallic layer remains when the porous sheet burned out. Consequently, a metallic layer of the conductive metallic layer and the electroplated layer forms the metallic framework of the metallic porous sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa
  • Patent number: 5508114
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lead-provided porous metal sheet comprises the steps of: forming a porous metal material having a metal layer on a surface of a framework of a porous base material comprising a foamed sheet and the like, by plating the porous base material and/or applying fine metal powders thereto; passing the porous metal material through a pair of rolls having a plurality of projections formed thereon to compress the porous metal material against the projections and reduce or eliminate pores so as to form one or more recesses extending; and forming solid metal portions by applying fine metal powders to the entire recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Katayama Special Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Sugikawa