Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Kawai

Hiroshi Kawai 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: 6743891
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin composition, said method comprising: a) introducing into an extruder an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin having a water content of at least 0.5 weight % and an additional component; b) kneading the resin and the additional component whereby to form an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin composition; and c) discharging said resin composition from the extruder; wherein said method further comprises feeding water in a liquid state to the extruder and/or removing water in a liquid state from the extruder. Thereby, strand-breakage or cutting errors are suppressed and thus, molded products such as pellets can be provided with a stable shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawai, Masao Hikasa, Takaharu Kawahara, Toshio Tuboi
  • Publication number: 20040082690
    Abstract: A process for producing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, including feeding EVOH into an extruder, keeping the temperature of the melting resin in the extruder at 70 to 170° C., adjusting the amount of water in the extruder so that the water content right after being discharged from the extruder is 5 to 40 weight %, and extruding out the EVOH resin. The extruded EVOH resin is cut into EVOH pellets. Thereby, it is possible to obtain resin pellets in which no spherocrystals are observed in the center of the cross section of the resin when the cross section is observed by the use of a polarization microscope, or no lubricant is contained in the resin pellets, and the angle of repose is 23° or less when the resin pellets are laminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Applicant: KURARAY CO. LTD
    Inventors: Takaharu Kawahara, Hiroshi Kawai, Toshio Tuboi, Yukihiro Ohara, Masao Hikasa
  • Patent number: 6713695
    Abstract: An RF-MEMS device includes a substrate, a coplanar line arranged on the substrate, a movable element disposed above the coplanar line, and a movable electrode arranged on the movable element so as to face the coplanar line. The movable element includes a high-resistivity semiconductor functioning as an insulator for an RF signal and functioning as an electrode for a low-frequency signal and a DC signal. Electrostatic attraction caused by a DC voltage applied between the movable element functioning as the electrode and a fixed electrode displaces the movable element towards the fixed electrode, thereby varying the capacitance between the movable electrode and the coplanar line. The movable element made of a high-resistivity semiconductor has dielectric loss characteristics in which the dielectric loss decreases as the frequency of a signal increases, thus readily reducing the dielectric loss of an RF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawai, Shinji Kobayashi, Yoshihiro Konaka
  • Patent number: 6686405
    Abstract: A process for producing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, including feeding EVOH into an extruder, keeping the temperature of the melting resin in the extruder at 70 to 170° C., adjusting the amount of water in the extruder so that the water content right after being discharged from the extruder is 5 to 40 weight %, and extruding out the EVOH resin. The extruded EVOH resin is cut into EVOH pellets. Thereby, it is possible to obtain resin pellets in which no spherocrystals are observed in the center of the cross section of the resin when the cross section is observed by the use of a polarization microscope, or no lubricant is contained in the resin pellets, and the angle of repose is 23° or less when the resin pellets are laminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaharu Kawahara, Hiroshi Kawai, Toshio Tuboi, Yukihiro Ohara, Masao Hikasa
  • Patent number: 6667083
    Abstract: A multilayer injection blow molded container of this invention, containing a layer of a specific ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) and a layer of a resin composition (B) comprising a thermoplastic resin (b1) having a specific functional group and polypropylene (b2), is disclosed, having characteristics that it has excellent gas-barrier properties, has good interlayer adhesion, has excellent thermal stability and can be produced with a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nahoto Hayashi, William Scott Lambert, Hiroshi Kawai, Kaoru Ikeda, Shinji Tai
  • Publication number: 20030223176
    Abstract: A variable capacitance element includes a coplanar line or signal conduction and a movable body, which are vertically displaced through a supporting bar and which are provided on a substrate. A movable electrode is provided between a first driving electrode and second and third driving electrodes which are movable electrodes. Voltage is applied between the movable electrodes, such that one of the movable electrodes is pressed against the coplanar line through a dielectric film. Thus, high frequency signals conducting through the coplanar line are shut off. When voltage is applied between the other electrodes, the movable electrode and the dielectric film are moved apart from the coplanar line. Thus, high frequency signals are conducted through the coplanar line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Yasutaka Fujii, Shinji Kobayashi, Hiroshi Kawai, Koji Takemura, Yoshihiro Konaka, Masato Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20030207061
    Abstract: Multilayer blow molded containers, which comprise a layer of an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) having an ethylene content of 5 to 60% by mol and a degree of saponification of 85% or more and a layer of a resin composition (B), characterized in that the resin composition (B) comprises 1 to 40% by weight of a thermoplastic resin (b1) having at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of boron-containing groups that are convertible to a boronic acid group in the presence of water and a boronic acid group (hereinafter, referred to as a boron-containing functional group), and 60 to 99% by weight of polypropylene (b2), exhibit excellent gas-barrier properties, have good interlayer adhesion, have excellent thermal stability, and are low in production cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Applicant: KURARAY CO. LTD,
    Inventors: Nahoto Hayashi, William Scott Lambert, Hiroshi Kawai, Kaoru Ikeda, Shinji Tai
  • Publication number: 20030169146
    Abstract: An RF-MEMS device includes a substrate, a coplanar line arranged on the substrate, a movable element disposed above the coplanar line, and a movable electrode arranged on the movable element so as to face the coplanar line. The movable element includes a high-resistivity semiconductor functioning as an insulator for an RF signal and functioning as an electrode for a low-frequency signal and a DC signal. Electrostatic attraction caused by a DC voltage applied between the movable element functioning as the electrode and a fixed electrode displaces the movable element towards the fixed electrode, thereby varying the capacitance between the movable electrode and the coplanar line. The movable element made of a high-resistivity semiconductor has dielectric loss characteristics in which the dielectric loss decreases as the frequency of a signal increases, thus readily reducing the dielectric loss of an RF signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawai, Shinji Kobayashi, Yoshihiro Konaka
  • Publication number: 20030155221
    Abstract: An electrostatic actuator includes a movable member that is connected to a movable member securing section through a movable connection beam so that the movable member can be displaced in the x-axis direction. Drive electrode supporting sections are connected to drive electrode securing sections through driving connection beams so that they can move towards and away from each other. Gap sizes a, b, and c between first movable electrodes to third movable electrodes and respective first drive electrodes to third drive electrodes are successively larger. When the actuator operates, the movable member is displaced in a plurality of stages by electrostatic forces successively produced between the first movable electrode and the first drive electrode, the second movable electrode and the second drive electrode, and the third movable electrode and the third drive electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 6589912
    Abstract: A composition for being sprayed on the foliage of a plant, which is suspended in water so as to apply to the foliage of the plant by using a paint sprayer or the like, which provides the effects that the photodecomposition of water on the surface of the foliage is advanced, and thereby carbon dioxide assimilation in the plant can be expedited, and an oxygen free radical as produced in a process of a photodecomposition reaction of water can be used for a lipid peroxidation reaction in a plant cell membrane, and a bactericide, an insecticide, a growth regulator and/or a herbicide which are excessively left on the surface of the foliage can be decomposed; and a method of using the same can be provided. A composition for being sprayed on the foliage of a plant, comprising at least one semiconductor photocatalyst(s) as an active ingredient, wherein, if necessary, further comprises at least one carbonate(s) and/or hydrogencarbonate(s) is used. The composition is sprayed on the above-ground part of the plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 6527628
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a frosted glass product, where a sand blast processing using a powder class abrasive and a brush polishing treatment are performed and thereby appearance and touch feeling equal to those of a product worked by the chemical frost processing can be attained. In particular, the present invention provides a method for producing a frosted glass product, which is safe in the work and at the same time, mild to the environment. The invention is a method for producing a frosted glass product, which is a method for obtaining a glass product having a delustered surface such that the surface roughness Ra of the glass is from 0.4 to 1.2 &mgr;m, the method comprising a step of sand-blasting a glass surface using an abrasive having a grain size of less than #220, and a step of brush-polishing the sand-blasted surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Ishizuka Glass Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuuzi Ito, Hiroshi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20030031817
    Abstract: A multilayer injection blow molded container of this invention, containing a layer of a specific ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (A) and a layer of a resin composition (B) comprising a thermoplastic resin (b1) having a specific functional group and polypropylene (b2), is disclosed, having characteristics that it has excellent gas-barrier properties, has good interlayer adhesion, has excellent thermal stability and can be produced with a low cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nahoto Hayashi, William Scott Lambert, Hiroshi Kawai, Kaoru Ikeda, Shinji Tai
  • Publication number: 20030017947
    Abstract: The plant protective composition of this invention is a composition of at least one selected from the group comprising of trehalose, which is widely found in plants, microorganisms, insects, and fungi, and is thought to have a major role in drought-resistance, cold-resistance in organisms; its derivative, trehalose-6-phosphate, and non-reducing trisaccharide selaginose which has ecological behavior, physical properties close to trehalose; and water-soluble calcium, which is a preventive substance against plant tissue softening, necrosis; which significantly improves plant drought-resistance and cold-resistance by application to plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kawai
  • Patent number: 6492303
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for protecting a plant from a disease that is safe, at low cost, environment friendly, and improves the natural resistance of plant itself by inducing production of a phytoalexin, an antibacterial substance inherent to plant, and a using method thereof. For the above purpose the present invention employs said composition for protecting a plant from a disease comprised of at least one sulfur-containing amino acid selected from the group comprising methionine, cysteine, and cystine, and D-glucose in a mixed form. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is sprayed on the aboveground part of a plant either undiluted or after dilution with water by 100,000 times, directly mixed with soil, or irrigated on a plant after dilution with water by 1-1,000,000 times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawai, Rieko Kase
  • Publication number: 20020164933
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a frosted glass product, where a sand blast processing using a powder class abrasive and a brush polishing treatment are performed and thereby appearance and touch feeling equal to those of a product worked by the chemical frost processing can be attained. In particular, the present invention provides a method for producing a frosted glass product, which is safe in the work and at the same time, mild to the environment. The invention is a method for producing a frosted glass product, which is a method for obtaining a glass product having a delustered surface such that the surface roughness Ra of the glass is from 0.4 to 1.2 &mgr;m, the method comprising a step of sand-blasting a glass surface using an abrasive having a grain size of less than #220, and a step of brush-polishing the sand-blasted surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Applicant: ISHIZUKA GLASS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuuzi Ito, Hiroshi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20020143098
    Abstract: A method for producing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin composition, said method comprising: (a) introducing into an extruder an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer having a water content of at least 0.5 wt %; (b) further introducing into said extruder a liquid component comprising an aqueous solution of a resin, an aqueous dispersion of a resin, an aqueous dispersion of inorganic fine particles, or a mixture thereof; (c) subjecting said copolymer and said component to melt-kneading in said extruder; and (d) discharging the resulting ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin composition from the extruder. This method improves the dispersibility of a resin and/or inorganic fine particles in the EVOH while suppressing thermal deterioration of the EVOH.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: KURARAY CO. LTD
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawai, Masao Hikasa, Takaharu Kawahara, Toshio Tuboi
  • Publication number: 20020137632
    Abstract: A composition for being sprayed on the foliage of a plant, which is suspended in water so as to apply to the foliage of the plant by using a paint sprayer or the like, which provides the effects that the photodecomposition of water on the surface of the foliage is advanced, and thereby carbon dioxide assimilation in the plant can be expedited, and an oxygen free radical as produced in a process of a photodecomposition reaction of water can be used for a lipid peroxidation reaction in a plant cell membrane, and a bactericide, an insecticide, a growth regulator and/or a herbicide which are excessively left on the surface of the foliage can be decomposed; and a method of using the same can be provided. A composition for being sprayed on the foliage of a plant, comprising at least one semiconductor photocatalyst(s) as an active ingredient, wherein, if necessary, further comprises at least one carbonate(s) and/or hydrogencarbonate(s) is used. The composition is sprayed on the above-ground part of the plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2000
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kawai
  • Publication number: 20020135098
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin composition, said method comprising: a) introducing into an extruder an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin having a water content of at least 0.5 weight % and an additional component; b) kneading the resin and the additional component whereby to form an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin composition; and c) discharging said resin composition from the extruder; wherein said method further comprises feeding water in a liquid state to the extruder and/or removing water in a liquid state from the extruder. Thereby, strand-breakage or cutting errors are suppressed and thus, molded products such as pellets can be provided with a stable shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Applicant: KURARAY CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawai, Masao Hikasa, Takaharu Kawahara, Toshio Tuboi
  • Patent number: 6430998
    Abstract: A resonant element includes: a fixed substrate having a main surface in orthogonal X- and Z-directions; a planar vibrating body fixed via support beams so as to be vibratable in an X-direction, the planar vibrating body having a weight portion which is isolated from the fixed substrate; an exciter for vibrating the planar vibrating body in the X-direction, and means for adjusting the resonance frequency of said planar vibrating body by providing electrostatic forces to said planar vibrating body, and for correcting the tilt of said planar vibrating body with respect to the substrate plane direction of said fixed substrate, the tilt correcting means being provided at least opposing edge areas of said planar vibrating body with a gap therebetween in the X-direction, on the plane side and spaced from said planar vibrating body in a Y-direction orthogonal to the X- and Z-directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kawai, Kuniki Ohwada
  • Publication number: 20020100997
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer resin that ensures efficient removal of alcohol without worsening the working environment. The method comprises introducing an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer solution containing at least 50 parts by weight of an alcohol having a boiling point of not higher than 100° C., relative to 100 parts by weight of the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer therein, into an apparatus, and contacting it with water in the apparatus, thereby letting the alcohol along with water out of the apparatus and taking the resulting aqueous ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition that contains from 0 to 10 parts by weight of the alcohol and from 10 to 1000 parts by weight of water, relative to 100 parts by weight of the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer therein, (step 1), and a step of feeding the aqueous ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer composition into an extruder, kneading it in melt therein, and then extruding the copolymer out of the extruder (step 2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2002
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: Kuraray Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaharu Kawahara, Toshio Tuboi, Yukihiro Ohara, Masao Hikasa, Hiroshi Kawai