Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Itafuji

Hiroshi Itafuji 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: 20220314177
    Abstract: A micromixer includes: a first channel plate where a first channel and a plurality of first branch channels are each formed by a non-through groove in a front surface, and a first confluence channel is formed by a non-through groove in a rear surface, and includes a first communication channel that communicates the first branch channels with the first confluence channel; a first lid plate that covers the front surface; a second channel plate where a second confluence channel is formed by a non-through groove in the front surface, and a second channel and a plurality of second branch each formed by a non-through groove in the rear surface, and includes a second communication channel that communicates the second branch channels with the second confluence channel; and a second lid plate that covers the rear surface of the second channel plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicants: CKD Corporation, Shimadzu Corporation, Shinwa Chemical Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Nitta, Hiroshi Itafuji, Mitsuyoshi Ohsaki, Masahide Gunji, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Katsuya Okumura
  • Publication number: 20210371964
    Abstract: A powder feeder according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a powder feeding device that feeds powder from a feeder to a nozzle. The powder feeding device includes a cartridge configured to store the powder in an airtight condition, and includes the feeder. The cartridge includes a port from which the powder is stored and withdrawn, and an open/close valve for opening and closing the port. The feeder includes a connection portion to which the cartridge is removably connected, a supply port configured to supply the powder in the cartridge connected to the connection portion into the feeder, and an opening/closing valve for opening and closing the supply port. The feeder is configured to insert the powder supplied from the supply port to the feeder into the nozzle, and the cartridge and the feeder are configured to form an enclosed space between the port and the supply port in response to the cartridge being connected to the connection portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki KOBAYASHI, Hiroshi ITAFUJI
  • Patent number: 9338869
    Abstract: A target supply apparatus includes a tank for storing a liquid target material, a nozzle for outputting the liquid target material in the tank, and a gas supply source for supplying gas into the tank, and controls a gas pressure inside the tank with a pressure of the gas supplied from the gas supply source which is provided with a pressure regulator. The target supply apparatus also includes a pressure-decrease gas passage of which one end is connected to the tank and the other end forms an exhaust port, a pressure-decrease valve provided on the pressure-decrease gas passage, and a controller for controlling open/close of the pressure-decrease valve. The controller, when the target material is caused not to output from the nozzle, opens the pressure-decrease valve and decreases the pressure inside the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignees: GIGAPHOTON INC., CKD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanobu Ishihara, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Patent number: 9266130
    Abstract: A liquid control apparatus 30 controls a spread mode of a liquid. The liquid control apparatus 30 includes a main body 31 having an upper surface 31c to which the liquid is supplied, and a mesh 47 woven in a net-like shape and provided to be in contact with the upper surface 31c. An inhibiting groove 41 is provided in the upper surface 31c in a portion that is in contact with the mesh 47. An introducing port 33b for introducing a gas from the inside of the main body 31 into the inhibiting groove 41 is provided in the main body 31. The introducing port 33b is formed such that the gas is introduced into the inhibiting groove 41 substantially parallel to the upper surface 31c.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: CKD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Publication number: 20160029470
    Abstract: A target supply apparatus includes a tank for storing a liquid target material, a nozzle for outputting the liquid target material in the tank, and a gas supply source for supplying gas into the tank, and controls a gas pressure inside the tank with a pressure of the gas supplied from the gas supply source which is provided with a pressure regulator. The target supply apparatus also includes a pressure-decrease gas passage of which one end is connected to the tank and the other end forms an exhaust port, a pressure-decrease valve provided on the pressure-decrease gas passage, and a controller for controlling open/close of the pressure-decrease valve. The controller, when the target material is caused not to output from the nozzle, opens the pressure-decrease valve and decreases the pressure inside the tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Applicants: CKD CORPORATION, GIGAPHOTON, INC.
    Inventors: Takanobu ISHIHARA, Hiroshi ITAFUJI
  • Patent number: 9243720
    Abstract: A chemical liquid circuit apparatus includes a main circuit member, a sub-circuit member, and a frame member. The main circuit member has a chemical liquid channel for flowing a chemical fluid, and a main opening formed on an end of the chemical liquid channel. The sub-circuit member is mounted on and in contact with the main circuit member and applies a first load to the main circuit member. The sub-circuit member has a sealing surface for sealing the main opening from outside of the apparatus. The frame member has a storing portion for storing the main circuit member, and a connecting opening disposed in a position in communication with the main opening of the main circuit member stored in the storing portion. The shape of the frame member allows a reaction force of the first load to be transferred from the storing portion to the main circuit member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: CKD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Itafuji, Masayuki Kouketsu
  • Patent number: 9234586
    Abstract: A linear actuator is used with a vacuum chamber in which plasma is generated. The linear actuator comprises a moving member extending between the exterior and the interior of the vacuum chamber through an opening provided in the vacuum chamber so as to be rectilinearly reciprocated, a drive section configured to reciprocate the moving member, a cover that covers the moving member, and a slide seal section that provides a seal between the interior and the exterior of the vacuum chamber while allowing the cover to slide thereon. The cover covers a range of the moving member which is moved into both of the interior and the exterior of the vacuum chamber while the moving member is reciprocated by the drive section, and an outer surface of the cover is smaller in the amount of gas adsorption per unit area than an outer surface of the moving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: CKD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Patent number: 9234595
    Abstract: A vacuum control valve connected between a vacuum chamber and a vacuum pump includes a control valve main body having a valve seat formed in a vacuum flow passage, a valve body that manipulates the valve opening by performing a linear motion to adjust a lift, a rod that transmits driving force from a linear driving unit that generates the driving force, a sliding/sealing member that seals the vacuum flow passage while allowing the rod to slide, and a cylindrical member that covers a sliding range of the rod. The sliding range includes a range movable from a valve body flow passage side to an exterior side. The cylindrical member has an outer peripheral surface, a working fluid absorption amount per unit area of the outer peripheral surface being smaller than that of an outer surface of the rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: CKD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Patent number: 9192038
    Abstract: A target supply apparatus includes a tank for storing a liquid target material, a nozzle for outputting the liquid target material in the tank, and a gas supply source for supplying gas into the tank, and controls a gas pressure inside the tank with a pressure of the gas supplied from the gas supply source which is provided with a pressure regulator. The target supply apparatus also includes a pressure-decrease gas passage of which one end is connected to the tank and the other end forms an exhaust port, a pressure-decrease valve provided on the pressure-decrease gas passage, and a controller for controlling open/close of the pressure-decrease valve. The controller, when the target material is caused not to output from the nozzle, opens the pressure-decrease valve and decreases the pressure inside the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Gigaphoton Inc.
    Inventors: Takanobu Ishihara, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Patent number: 9127359
    Abstract: A liquid vaporizer is configured to vaporize a liquid reagent and mix the vaporized liquid reagent with a gaseous medium. The liquid vaporizer is equipped with a main vaporizer body having a mixed gas generating space, and a vaporizing unit disposed inside the mixed gas generating space. The vaporizing unit has a vaporizing unit main body having a vaporization surface and a net-shaped body formed in a planar shape by knitting wires regularly in a net-like shape. The net-shaped body forms a plurality of mesh spaces surrounded by the wires and arranged regularly in the in-plane direction. The vaporizing unit forms a plurality of liquid reagent supply spaces surrounded by the wires and the vaporization surface as a result of the net-shaped body and the vaporization surface being abutted against each other. The liquid reagent supply spaces are arranged regularly in the in-plane direction of the net-shaped body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: CKD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Patent number: 9031391
    Abstract: A liquid control apparatus that controls a spread of a liquid has a main body that has a supply subject surface onto which the liquid is supplied. The apparatus also has a mesh form body that is woven into a mesh form and provided to contact the supply subject surface and a guiding member that is provided to contact an opposite side of the mesh form body to the main body side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Patent number: 9022366
    Abstract: A liquid vaporizer includes a first housing having a liquid-supplied surface to which a chemical solution is supplied, a heater, a mesh, a first holder and a second holder attached to the outer edge portions of the mesh, the outer edge portions opposing each other in a direction of spreading of the mesh, first cover bolts, stems supported by the first housing so as to be movable along a specific direction inclined with respect to the liquid-supplied surface, second cover bolts, coil springs biasing the stems along the specific direction and bring the mesh into intimate contact with the liquid-supplied surface, and a lid member covering the mesh from a side of the liquid-supplied surface to seal a space around the liquid-supplied surface with the first housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji, Masayo Okada
  • Patent number: 9010736
    Abstract: A liquid control apparatus that controls a spread of a liquid has a main body that has a supply subject surface onto which the liquid is supplied. The apparatus also has a mesh form body that is woven into a mesh form and provided to contact the supply subject surface. A heater that heats the supply subject surface is provided in an interior of the main body. A supply port is provided in the main body to supply the liquid from the interior of the main body to a part of the supply subject surface contacted by the mesh form body. A groove is provided in the supply subject surface to suppress spreading of the liquid from the supply port to a side opposite to the heater in an expanse direction of the supply subject surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: CDK Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Publication number: 20150033941
    Abstract: A linear actuator is used with a vacuum chamber in which plasma is generated. The linear actuator comprises a moving member extending between the exterior and the interior of the vacuum chamber through an opening provided in the vacuum chamber so as to be rectilinearly reciprocated, a drive section configured to reciprocate the moving member, a cover that covers the moving member, and a slide seal section that provides a seal between the interior and the exterior of the vacuum chamber while allowing the cover to slide thereon. The cover covers a range of the moving member which is moved into both of the interior and the exterior of the vacuum chamber while the moving member is reciprocated by the drive section, and an outer surface of the cover is smaller in the amount of gas adsorption per unit area than an outer surface of the moving member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Masayuki KOUKETSU, Hiroshi ITAFUJI
  • Patent number: 8840049
    Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus having a storage portion (20) for storing a treatment liquid, a slit-shaped opening portion (41) for ejecting the treatment liquid, and a connecting passage (42) that has a slit-shaped cross-section and connects the storage portion (20) to the slit-shaped opening portion (41) includes: a valve body portion (50) that is provided in the storage portion (20) to cover the connecting passage (42), and forms a gap (22) together with a lower wall (43) of the storage portion (20) so that the treatment liquid is caused to flow into the connecting passage (42) through the gap (22); a first curved surface portion (44a) that smoothly connects a surface of the lower wall (43) of the storage portion (20) to an inner wall surface (42a) of the connecting passage (42); and a second curved surface portion (51a) that is provided on the valve body portion (50) so as to project to an identical side to the first curved surface portion (44a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Patent number: 8807014
    Abstract: This invention provides a multi-layer diaphragm which is for use in fluid devices and has excellent maintainability in addition to both operability and pressure resistance. This multi-layer diaphragm is provided with a first and second plate and with an elastic adhesive layer which binds together the first and second metal plates. The elastic adhesive layer has an elastic layer that is elastic in a direction which offsets the first and second metal plates from one another in the in-plane direction. The multi-layer diaphragm is provided with a metal mounting plate which, provided in a position allowing protrusion beyond the first and second metal plates in the outer edge direction, has a mounting unit for mounting to the fluid device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Nitta, Hiroshi Itafuji
  • Publication number: 20140034684
    Abstract: A target supply apparatus includes a tank for storing a liquid target material, a nozzle for outputting the liquid target material in the tank, and a gas supply source for supplying gas into the tank, and controls a gas pressure inside the tank with a pressure of the gas supplied from the gas supply source which is provided with a pressure regulator. The target supply apparatus also includes a pressure-decrease gas passage of which one end is connected to the tank and the other end forms an exhaust port, a pressure-decrease valve provided on the pressure-decrease gas passage, and a controller for controlling open/close of the pressure-decrease valve. The controller, when the target material is caused not to output from the nozzle, opens the pressure-decrease valve and decreases the pressure inside the tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicants: CKD CORPORATION, GIGAPHOTON, INC.
    Inventors: Takanobu ISHIHARA, Hiroshi ITAFUJI
  • Patent number: D736901
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji, Masayo Okada
  • Patent number: D742493
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji, Masayo Okada
  • Patent number: D742494
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: CKD Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Kouketsu, Hiroshi Itafuji, Masayo Okada