Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Numa

Hiroshi Numa 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: 9216909
    Abstract: An aerogel with excellent thermal insulation performance, average particle size of 1 to 20 ?m and globular shape; and a method of manufacturing it efficiently, is provided. The aerogel has specific surface area by BET method of 400 to 1000 m2/g; pore volume and peak pore radius by BJH method of 3 to 8 mL/g and 10 to 30 nm, respectively; average particle size and average circularity by image analysis method of 1 to 20 ?m and no less than 0.8, respectively. The method includes the steps of: preparing an aqueous silica sol; dispersing the sol into a hydrophobic solvent, thereby forming a W/O emulsion; causing gelation of the sol, thereby converting the emulsion into a dispersion of a gel; replacing water in the gel with a solvent having a small surface tension; treating the gel with a hydrophobing agent; and removing the solvent used in the solvent replacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: TOKUYAMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiro Fukuju, Hiroshi Numa, Kazuaki Tabata
  • Patent number: 9199853
    Abstract: The present invention provides a globular-shaped metal oxide powder with excellent thermal insulation performance and reduced bulk density, and a method of manufacture thereof, wherein the metal oxide powder has globular independent particles as the main component, and has BET specific surface area of 400 to 1000 m2/g, BJH pore volume of 2 to 8 mL/g, and oil absorption of no less than 250 mL/100g. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the hollow and globular shaped metal oxide powder including the step of forming an O/W/O emulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: TOKUYAMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wakana Tomimatsu, Tadahiro Fukuju, Hiroshi Numa
  • Publication number: 20140057111
    Abstract: The present invention provides a globular-shaped metal oxide powder with excellent thermal insulation performance and reduced bulk density, and a method of manufacture thereof, wherein the metal oxide powder has globular independent particles as the main component, and has BET specific surface area of 400 to 1000 m2/g, BJH pore volume of 2 to 8 mL/g, and oil absorption of no less than 250 mL/100g. The present invention also provides a method for manufacturing the hollow and globular shaped metal oxide powder including the step of forming an O/W/O emulsion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: TOKUYAMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wakana Tomimatsu Fujimoto, Tadahiro Fukuju, Hiroshi Numa
  • Publication number: 20130189521
    Abstract: An aerogel with excellent thermal insulation performance, average particle size of 1 to 20 ?m and globular shape; and a method of manufacturing it efficiently, is provided. The aerogel has specific surface area by BET method of 400 to 1000 m2/g; pore volume and peak pore radius by BJH method of 3 to 8 mL/g and 10 to 30 nm, respectively; average particle size and average circularity by image analysis method of 1 to 20 ?m and no less than 0.8, respectively. The method includes the steps of: preparing an aqueous silica sol; dispersing the sol into a hydrophobic solvent, thereby forming a W/O emulsion; causing gelation of the sol, thereby converting the emulsion into a dispersion of a gel; replacing water in the gel with a solvent having a small surface tension; treating the gel with a hydrophobing agent; and removing the solvent used in the solvent replacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: TOKUYAMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadahiro Fukuju, Hiroshi Numa, Kazuaki Tabata