Patents by Inventor Hiromichi Nakata

Hiromichi Nakata 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: 7422815
    Abstract: A separator is provided with a substrate portion having a predetermined concave-convex shape, an underlying coating layer formed on the substrate portion, a first coating layer coating the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer, and a second coating layer formed thereon. The second coating layer, which is formed from carbon materials, is sufficiently electrically conductive and protects the underlying layers. The first coating layer is formed from a low-melting-point metal subjected to a melting process. The melting process is a process of first conducting heating at such a temperature that melts the low-melting-point metal but does not melt the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer and then conducting cooling. Thus, in the first coating layer, the crystal grain size of the metal is increased and thus the grain boundary density is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromichi Nakata, Masayoshi Yokoi, Joji Yoshimura, Kenichi Suzuki, Fumio Nonoyama
  • Publication number: 20080160390
    Abstract: A low-cost fuel cell separator having a metallic substrate which is able to stably maintain low electric resistance (high electrical conductivity) and high corrosion resistance for a long period is provided. The separator has a metallic substrate having an oxide film forming a surface thereof and made from an oxidization of a metal of the substrate, and an electrically conductive thin film formed on a surface of the oxide film of the substrate. Due to this construction, low electric resistance (high electrical conductivity) is achieved by the electrically conductive thin film. Furthermore, even if the electrically conductive thin film has pinholes, the oxide film substantially prevents or reduces elution from the separator substrate, thereby achieving high corrosion resistance. Still further, since the oxide film is formed by oxidation of the substrate, the oxide film can be formed at a lower cost than an oxide film formed from a different metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventor: Hiromichi Nakata
  • Patent number: 7364814
    Abstract: A separator of a fuel cell includes a base material and a surface treatment layer formed on the base material. The surface treatment layer includes a base material-side portion made from metal and a base material opposite-side portion made from carbon formed at an atom level or composite materials of carbon and metal or semi-metal. The surface treatment layer may further include carbon particle composite layer formed on the base material opposite-side portion formed at an atom level. In a manufacturing method of the above separator of a fuel cell, the base material opposite-side portion is formed by dry coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromichi Nakata, Masayoshi Yokoi, Kenji Shimoda, Noboru Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 7358298
    Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive composition containing a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer has a polymer block (A) which is principally composed of a ?-methyl styrene unit, and a polymer block (B) which is principally composed of a conjugated diene unit and of which at least part of carbon-carbon unsaturated double bonds may be hydrogenated, and having a good holding power at high temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Morishita, Hiromichi Nakata, Kenichi Hamada, Kazushige Ishiura
  • Patent number: 7354654
    Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer composition having good flexibility and excellent barrier properties with respect to gases and organic liquids, which can be adhesively bonded to a polyolefin resin, this composition comprising an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A), a polymer mixture (B) composed of a block copolymer (I) mainly comprising a vinyl aromatic polymer block and a conjugated diene polymer block which may be hydrogenated, and a rubber softener (II), and a polyolefin resin (C), wherein at least part of the block copolymer (I) is modified at a modification ratio of 0.05 wt. % or higher so as to have a functional group capable of reacting with the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A), wherein the ISO type A hardness of the thermoplastic polymer composition is not less than 30 and not higher than 90, and the oxygen permeation coefficient is 20,000 mL·20 ?m/m2·day·atm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Haruhisa Masuda, Hiromichi Nakata, Eiji Nakamura, Toshiyuki Zento, Isamu Okamoto, Motohiro Fukuda
  • Patent number: 7052794
    Abstract: A separator is provided with a substrate portion having a predetermined concave-convex shape, an underlying coating layer formed on the substrate portion, a first coating layer coating the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer, and a second coating layer formed thereon. The second coating layer, which is formed from carbon materials, is sufficiently electrically conductive and protects the underlying layers. The first coating layer is formed from a low-melting-point metal subjected to a melting process. The melting process is a process of first conducting heating at such a temperature that melts the low-melting-point metal but does not melt the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer and then conducting cooling. Thus, in the first coating layer, the crystal grain size of the metal is increased and thus the grain boundary density is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromichi Nakata, Masayoshi Yokoi, Joji Yoshimura, Kenichi Suzuki, Fumio Nonoyama
  • Publication number: 20050038198
    Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive composition containing a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer has a polymer block (A) which is principally composed of a ?-methyl styrene unit, and a polymer block (B) which is principally composed of a conjugated diene unit and of which at least part of carbon-carbon unsaturated double bonds may be hydrogenated, and having a good holding power at high temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Applicant: KURARAY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Morishita, Hiromichi Nakata, Kenichi Hamada, Kazushige Ishiura
  • Patent number: 6806317
    Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive composition containing a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer has a polymer block (A) which is principally composed of a &agr;-methyl styrene unit, and a polymer block (B) which is principally composed of a conjugated diene unit and of which at least part of carbon-carbon unsaturated double bonds may be hydrogenated, and having a good holding power at high temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Morishita, Hiromichi Nakata, Kenichi Hamada, Kazushige Ishiura
  • Publication number: 20040204530
    Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer composition having good flexibility and excellent barrier properties with respect to gases and organic liquids, which can be adhesively bonded to a polyolefin resin, this composition comprising an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A), a polymer mixture (B) composed of a block copolymer (I) mainly comprising a vinyl aromatic polymer block and a conjugated diene polymer block which may be hydrogenated, and a rubber softener (II), and a polyolefin resin (C).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Applicant: KURARAY CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Haruhisa Masuda, Hiromichi Nakata, Eiji Nakamura, Toshiyuki Zento, Isamu Okamoto, Motohiro Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20040197467
    Abstract: A separator is provided with a substrate portion having a predetermined concave-convex shape, an underlying coating layer formed on the substrate portion, a first coating layer coating the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer, and a second coating layer formed thereon. The second coating layer, which is formed from carbon materials, is sufficiently electrically conductive and protects the underlying layers. The first coating layer is formed from a low-melting-point metal subjected to a melting process. The melting process is a process of first conducting heating at such a temperature that melts the low-melting-point metal but does not melt the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer and then conducting cooling. Thus, in the first coating layer, the crystal grain size of the metal is increased and thus the grain boundary density is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromichi Nakata, Masayoshi Yokoi, Joji Yoshimura, Kenichi Suzuki, Fumio Nonoyama
  • Publication number: 20040170881
    Abstract: A low-cost fuel cell separator having a metallic substrate which is able to stably maintain low electric resistance (high electrical conductivity) and high corrosion resistance for a long period is provided. The separator has a metallic substrate having an oxide film forming a surface thereof and made from an oxidization of a metal of the substrate, and an electrically conductive thin film formed on a surface of the oxide film of the substrate. Due to this construction, low electric resistance (high electrical conductivity) is achieved by the electrically conductive thin film. Furthermore, even if the electrically conductive thin film has pinholes, the oxide film substantially prevents or reduces elution from the separator substrate, thereby achieving high corrosion resistance. Still further, since the oxide film is formed by oxidation of the substrate, the oxide film can be formed at a lower cost than an oxide film formed from a different metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventor: Hiromichi Nakata
  • Patent number: 6749959
    Abstract: The gas separator is provided with a substrate portion having a predetermined concave-convex shape, an underlying coating layer formed on the substrate portion, a first coating layer for coating the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer, and a second coating layer formed thereon. The second coating layer is formed from a carbon material, and is sufficiently conductive. Moreover, the second coating layer protects the underlying layer. The first coating layer is formed from a noble metal. Therefore, the first coating layer coated with the second coating layer exhibits extremely high corrosion resistance. The underlying coating layer and the substrate portion are coated with the first and second coating layers, so that the progress in corrosion can be sufficiently prevented. Thus, excellent overall corrosion resistance of the separator can be realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromichi Nakata, Masayoshi Yokoi, Masazumi Onishi, Hideo Aihara, Masashi Murate, Yoshifumi Kaji
  • Publication number: 20030228510
    Abstract: A separator of a fuel cell includes a base material and a surface treatment layer formed on the base material. The surface treatment layer includes a base material-side portion made from metal and a base material opposite-side portion made from carbon formed at an atom level or composite materials of carbon and metal or semi-metal. The surface treatment layer may further include carbon particle composite layer formed on the base material opposite-side portion formed at an atom level. In a manufacturing method of the above separator of a fuel cell, the base material opposite-side portion is formed by dry coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Hiromichi Nakata, Masayoshi Yokoi, Kenji Shimoda, Noboru Takayanagi
  • Publication number: 20030050395
    Abstract: The present invention provides an adhesive composition containing a block copolymer, wherein the block copolymer has a polymer block (A) which is principally composed of a &agr;-methyl styrene unit, and a polymer block (B) which is principally composed of a conjugated diene unit and of which at least part of carbon-carbon unsaturated double bonds may be hydrogenated, and having a good holding power at high temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Morishita, Hiromichi Nakata, Kenichi Hamada, Ishiura Kazushige
  • Publication number: 20010033957
    Abstract: A separator is provided with a substrate portion having a predetermined concave-convex shape, an underlying coating layer formed on the substrate portion, a first coating layer coating the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer, and a second coating layer formed thereon. The second coating layer, which is formed from carbon materials, is sufficiently electrically conductive and protects the underlying layers. The first coating layer is formed from a low-melting-point metal subjected to a melting process. The melting process is a process of first conducting heating at such a temperature that melts the low-melting-point metal but does not melt the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer and then conducting cooling. Thus, in the first coating layer, the crystal grain size of the metal is increased and thus the grain boundary density is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Inventors: Hiromichi Nakata, Masayoshi Yokoi, Joji Yoshimura, Kenichi Suzuki, Fumio Nonoyama
  • Publication number: 20010028974
    Abstract: The gas separator is provided with a substrate portion having a predetermined concave-convex shape, an underlying coating layer formed on the substrate portion, a first coating layer for coating the substrate portion and the underlying coating layer, and a second coating layer formed thereon. The second coating layer is formed from a carbon material, and is sufficiently conductive. Moreover, the second coating layer protects the underlying layer. The first coating layer is formed from a noble metal. Therefore, the first coating layer coated with the second coating layer exhibits extremely high corrosion resistance. The underlying coating layer and the substrate portion are coated with the first and second coating layers, so that the progress in corrosion can be sufficiently prevented. Thus, excellent overall corrosion resistance of the separator can be realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventors: Hiromichi Nakata, Masayoshi Yokoi, Masazumi Onishi, Hideo Aihara, Masashi Murate, Yoshifumi Kaji
  • Patent number: 5900465
    Abstract: An adhesive composition suitable for a hot melt adhesive or hot melt pressure-sensitive adhesive, which comprises a block copolymer (a) and a tackifier (b), wherein said block copolymer (a) has at least one polymer block A being a hydrogenated butadiene polymer block having a 1,2-bond content of 20 mol % or less and at least one polymer block B substantially having an olefin polymer structure different from the polymer block A and having a glass transition temperature of -20.degree. C. or less and a heat of crystalline fusion of 8 cal/g or lower, and containing the polymer block A before hydrogenation in an amount of 3 to 80 wt. %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nishikawa, Hideo Takamatsu, Mizuho Maeda, Hiromichi Nakata, Yoshio Hirayama
  • Patent number: 5859131
    Abstract: A resin composition containing (A) a thermoplastic polyurethane; (B) a polymer having a hydroxyl group at the end of the molecular main chain, the main chain principally comprising a conjugated diene compound unit (I) which may or may not be hydrogenated and an aromatic vinyl compound unit (II); and (C) a polyacetal resin, at ratios of (A), (B) and (C) being 2.5 to 90% by weight, 2.5 to 90% by weight and 5 to 95% by weight, respectively, on the basis of the total weight of the (A), (B) and (C), is excellent in terms of tensile strength and tensile elongation, and impact resistance at ambient temperature and lower temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Kuraray Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushige Ishiura, Katsunori Takamoto, Takashi Yamashita, Syuichi Kanao, Syunji Kaneda, Hiromichi Nakata
  • Patent number: 5693711
    Abstract: There is disclosed a resin composition which comprises:(a) an .alpha.-olefin/unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer type ionomeric resin; and(b) a block copolymer having at least one polymer block A comprising an aromatic vinyl compound and at least one polymer block B comprising a conjugated diene compound, and having a hydroxyl group at the terminal of the block copolymer, or a hydrogenated product thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Isamu Akiba, Hiromichi Nakata, Shiroh Kishii, Atsushi Ohishi, Masao Ishii
  • Patent number: 5571865
    Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer composition which comprises100 parts by weight of polypropylene (1);5 to 100 parts by weight of a hydrogenated block copolymer (2) which has at least one block A, at least one block B and at least one block C and which has a number average molecular weight of not higher than 700,000 wherein the block A consists essentially of a butadiene polymer having a number average molecular weight of 2500 to 200,000 and a vinyl bond content of not higher than 20%, the block B consists essentially of a polymer of isoprene and butadiene at a ratio by weight of 30:70 to 100:0 and has a number average molecular weight of 30,000 to 300,000 and a vinyl bond content of not higher than 20%, and the block C consists essentially of a polymer of isoprene and butadiene at a ratio by weight of 0:100 to 100:0 and has a number average molecular weight of not higher than 200,000 and a vinyl bond content of not less than 40%; and0 to 100 parts by weight of an ethylene/propylene rubber wherein the ratio of the melt
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 5, 1996
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nishikawa, Mizuho Maeda, Hiromichi Nakata, Hideo Takamatsu, Yoshio Hirayama