Patents by Inventor Hirohisa Okami

Hirohisa Okami 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: 11346262
    Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure provides an exhaust unit including a housing, a wall member, a catalyst, and a muffler chamber. The housing includes a feed inlet and a discharge outlet. The housing is configured such that an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine is introduced from the feed inlet, and the exhaust gas is discharged from the discharge outlet. The wall member is disposed in the housing, and forms a cylindrical flow path that guides a flow of the exhaust gas introduced from the feed inlet to curve along an outer circumference of an interior of the housing. The catalyst is disposed in the flow path. The muffler chamber communicates with the flow path in a downstream side of the catalyst in the flow path. The wall member serves as a part of a wall that defines an inside and an outside of the muffler chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hirohisa Okami
  • Patent number: 11156275
    Abstract: The drive device drives a drive member and is provided with a power-side gear and a drive-side gear. The power-side gear is driven by a force output from a power source so as to drive the drive member in a range between a first stop position and a second stop position. In addition, the drive-side gear meshes with the power-side gear and transmits the force obtained from the power-side gear to the drive member. Also, the drive-side gear and the power-side gear are configured so as to disengage from each other when the drive member has reached the first stop position and/or the second stop position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamaguchi, Hirohisa Okami
  • Patent number: 10724416
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device comprises an exhaust pipe, a shell member, a heat exchange portion, a guide portion, and a valve. An exhaust gas downstream end that is a downstream end along the flow path for exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe is disposed in the downstream side of a downstream-side end portion of the heat exchanger along the flow path for exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe. The guide portion comprises a partition wall portion that is a portion from the exhaust gas downstream end in the exhaust pipe to the downstream-side end portion of the heat exchanger in the exhaust pipe, and a guide member disposed so as to at least partially cover a radially outside of the partition wall portion in a manner so as to have an interspace between the partition wall portion and the guide member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirohisa Okami, Hiromi Ishikawa, Naohiro Takemoto
  • Patent number: 10605207
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device includes a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between exhaust gas flowing in from a first exhaust gas conduit and a fluid as a heated object. Regarding the heat exchanger, a flow passage for the exhaust gas inside the shell is configured so that the exhaust gas flowing in from the exhaust gas inflow passage reaches a branch after contacting a plate in a division area and the exhaust gas not branched to an exhaust gas recirculation flow passage at the branch flows out to a second exhaust gas conduit after contacting a plate in a division area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunikazu Shirai, Naohiro Takemoto, Hirohisa Okami
  • Patent number: 10533479
    Abstract: A valve apparatus that opens/closes a flow path for fluids. The valve apparatus comprises a tubular valve seat, and a valve. The valve comprises a valve body and a peripheral part. The peripheral part extends around an outer circumference of the valve seat from a periphery of the valve body towards upstream of the flow path for fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiromi Ishikawa, Hirohisa Okami
  • Patent number: 10508574
    Abstract: An integrated exhaust heat recovery device positioned in an exhaust gas channel includes: a positioning section that comprises a tubular section extending in a downward-flow direction of exhaust gas, and has an exhaust gas purification device positioned therein; a heat exchange section positioned on a downstream side of the positioning section and having a heat exchanger; and an exhaust gas control unit for introducing exhaust gas, which flows from the positioning section, to the heat exchange section. The heat exchanger includes: a plurality of plates positioned so as to overlap in the downward-flow direction; an intake section for causing fluid to flow into heat exchange channels inside the plurality of plates from an intake port that opens laterally; and a discharge section for causing fluid to exit from the heat exchange channels through a discharge port that opens laterally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuji Asai, Hirohisa Okami
  • Patent number: 10480379
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device comprises an exhaust pipe, a shell member, a heat exchange portion, an inflow portion, a valve, a driving portion that generates a driving force for driving the valve, and a transmitting portion that transmits the driving force generated by the driving portion to the valve. The driving portion comprises an expansion portion that expands when an external electrical signal is inputted thereto, and a linearly moving portion that extends according to expansion of the expansion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuji Asai, Arata Kobayashi, Hirohisa Okami
  • Patent number: 10465800
    Abstract: A valve device opens/closes an opening that is located at an end portion of a flow path and whose shape is a point symmetrical or substantially point symmetrical planar figure. The valve device includes a lid portion closing the opening and an arm portion rotating the lid portion about an axis to open/close the opening. A straight line passing through the center of the opening and orthogonal to the opening is taken as a center line. The axis is a straight line intersecting the flow path without intersecting the center line. When closing the opening, the arm portion rotates the lid portion toward the center line, and when opening the opening, the arm portion rotates the lid portion to the opposite side of the center line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuji Asai, Hirohisa Okami
  • Publication number: 20190264785
    Abstract: The drive device drives a drive member and is provided with a power-side gear and a drive-side gear. The power-side gear is driven by a force output from a power source so as to drive the drive member in a range between a first stop position and a second stop position. In addition, the drive-side gear meshes with the power-side gear and transmits the force obtained from the power-side gear to the drive member. Also, the drive-side gear and the power-side gear are configured so as to disengage from each other when the drive member has reached the first stop position and/or the second stop position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamaguchi, Hirohisa Okami
  • Publication number: 20190234264
    Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure provides an exhaust unit including a housing, a wall member, a catalyst, and a muffler chamber. The housing includes a feed inlet and a discharge outlet. The housing is configured such that an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine is introduced from the feed inlet, and the exhaust gas is discharged from the discharge outlet. The wall member is disposed in the housing, and forms a cylindrical flow path that guides a flow of the exhaust gas introduced from the feed inlet to curve along an outer circumference of an interior of the housing. The catalyst is disposed in the flow path. The muffler chamber communicates with the flow path in a downstream side of the catalyst in the flow path. The wall member serves as a part of a wall that defines an inside and an outside of the muffler chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventor: Hirohisa Okami
  • Patent number: 10267566
    Abstract: A heat exchanger in one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of plate parts. The plurality of plate parts is arranged such that respective outer surfaces of mutually-adjacent plate parts of the plurality of plate parts are in a non-contact state having a gap between the respective outer surfaces, and apexes, each of which is an apex of the at least one convex protruding from each of respective mutually-facing outer surfaces of the mutually-adjacent plate parts, do not face each other in an arrangement direction of the plurality of plate parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiromi Ishikawa, Hirohisa Okami
  • Publication number: 20180299016
    Abstract: A valve device opens/closes an opening that is located at an end portion of a flow path and whose shape is a point symmetrical or substantially point symmetrical planar figure. The valve device includes a lid portion closing the opening and an arm portion rotating the lid portion about an axis to open/close the opening. A straight line passing through the center of the opening and orthogonal to the opening is taken as a center line. The axis is a straight line intersecting the flow path without intersecting the center line. When closing the opening, the arm portion rotates the lid portion toward the center line, and when opening the opening, the arm portion rotates the lid portion to the opposite side of the center line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuji Asai, Hirohisa Okami
  • Patent number: 10087813
    Abstract: A heat exchanger allows efficient heat exchange between a first fluid and a second fluid which flows inside the heat exchanger. A heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger main body housed inside a case where a first fluid flows and which houses a second fluid therein. The heat exchanger main body has a plurality of first passages such that the first fluid flows across the inside of the heat exchanger main body. In a side view from one direction, the heat exchanger main body has a shape that is left-right symmetric about the central axis of the case and of which the upstream side protrudes farther in the upstream direction toward the center. The first passages extend parallel to the central axis of the case, and are formed to be longer as they are disposed closer to the center of the heat exchanger main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Futaba Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirohisa Okami, Hisayuki Kato
  • Publication number: 20180266369
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a main flow path, a secondary flow path, one or a plurality of heat exchangers, and one or a plurality of covering members. Exhaust gas flows in the main flow path. The secondary flow path is a flow path branched from the main flow path and is disposed surrounding a circumference of the main flow path. At least a portion of the exhaust gas flows in the secondary flow path. One or a plurality of the heat exchangers is arranged in the secondary flow path. One or a plurality of the covering members covers at least a portion of a circumference of the heat exchanger, and an internal space constitutes a portion of the secondary flow path. The covering member is provided with an exhaust gas outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiromi Ishikawa, Hirohisa Okami
  • Publication number: 20180266367
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device includes a heat exchanger that performs heat exchange between exhaust gas flowing in from a first exhaust gas conduit and a fluid as a heated object. Regarding the heat exchanger, a flow passage for the exhaust gas inside the shell is configured so that the exhaust gas flowing in from the exhaust gas inflow passage reaches a branch after contacting a plate in a division area and the exhaust gas not branched to an exhaust gas recirculation flow passage at the branch flows out to a second exhaust gas conduit after contacting a plate in a division area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunikazu Shirai, Naohiro Takemoto, Hirohisa Okami
  • Publication number: 20180258808
    Abstract: An integrated exhaust heat recovery device positioned in an exhaust gas channel includes: a positioning section that comprises a tubular section extending in a downward-flow direction of exhaust gas, and has an exhaust gas purification device positioned therein; a heat exchange section positioned on a downstream side of the positioning section and having a heat exchanger; and an exhaust gas control unit for introducing exhaust gas, which flows from the positioning section, to the heat exchange section. The heat exchanger includes: a plurality of plates positioned so as to overlap in the downward-flow direction; an intake section for causing fluid to flow into heat exchange channels inside the plurality of plates from an intake port that opens laterally; and a discharge section for causing fluid to exit from the heat exchange channels through a discharge port that opens laterally.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuji Asai, Hirohisa Okami
  • Publication number: 20170343302
    Abstract: A heat exchanger in one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of plates and a fin. The fin comprises at least one first portion and at least one second portion. The at least one first portion is a wall surface that comprises at least one first opening. The at least one second portion, which is paired with the first portion, is a wall surface different from the first portion. The second portion comprises a second opening paired with a corresponding one of the at least one first opening. The fin comprises at least one opening pair, which is a pair of the first opening and the second opening. The at least one opening pair has a non-overlapping positional relationship in which the paired first opening and second opening are at least partially non-overlapping along a flow direction of a second fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2015
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Hiromi Ishikawa, Naohiro Takemoto, Hirohisa Okami
  • Publication number: 20170343291
    Abstract: A heat exchanger in one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of plate parts. The plurality of plate parts is arranged such that respective outer surfaces of mutually-adjacent plate parts of the plurality of plate parts are in a non-contact state having a gap between the respective outer surfaces, and apexes, each of which is an apex of the at least one convex protruding from each of respective mutually-facing outer surfaces of the mutually-adjacent plate parts, do not face each other in an arrangement direction of the plurality of plate parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Hiromi Ishikawa, Hirohisa Okami
  • Publication number: 20170328256
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device comprises an exhaust pipe, a shell member, a heat exchange portion, an inflow portion, a valve, a driving portion that generates a driving force for driving the valve, and a transmitting portion that transmits the driving force generated by the driving portion to the valve. The driving portion comprises an expansion portion that expands when an external electrical signal is inputted thereto, and a linearly moving portion that extends according to expansion of the expansion portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Ryuji Asai, Arata Kobayashi, Hirohisa Okami
  • Publication number: 20170328257
    Abstract: A valve apparatus that opens/closes a flow path for fluids. The valve apparatus comprises a tubular valve seat, and a valve. The valve comprises a valve body and a peripheral part. The peripheral part extends around an outer circumference of the valve seat from a periphery of the valve body towards upstream of the flow path for fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Hiromi Ishikawa, Hirohisa Okami