Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Taiko

Hiroshi Taiko 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: 11286359
    Abstract: A prepreg includes; sizing agent-coated carbon fibers coated with a sizing agent; and a thermosetting resin composition impregnated into the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers. The sizing agent includes an aliphatic epoxy compound (A) and an aromatic compound (B) at least containing an aromatic epoxy compound (B1). The thermosetting resin composition includes a thermosetting resin (D) and a latent hardener (E), and optionally includes an additive (F) other than the thermosetting resin (D) and the latent hardener (E). The (a)/(b) ratio is within a predetermined range where (a) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to CHx, C—C, and C?C and (b) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to C—O in a C1s core spectrum of the surfaces of the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Arai, Tomoko Ichikawa, Hiroshi Taiko, Makoto Endo, Masanobu Kobayashi, Jun Misumi
  • Patent number: 11111345
    Abstract: A prepreg includes; sizing agent-coated carbon fibers coated with a sizing agent; and a thermosetting resin composition impregnated into the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers. The sizing agent includes an aliphatic epoxy compound (A) and an aromatic compound (B) at least containing an aromatic epoxy compound (B1). The thermosetting resin composition includes a thermosetting resin (D) and a latent hardener (E), and optionally includes an additive (F) other than the thermosetting resin (D) and the latent hardener (E). The (a)/(b) ratio is within a predetermined range where (a) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to CHx, C—C, and C?C and (b) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to C—O in a C1s core spectrum of the surfaces of the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Arai, Tomoko Ichikawa, Hiroshi Taiko, Makoto Endo, Masanobu Kobayashi, Jun Misumi
  • Patent number: 11108071
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a polymer electrolyte molded article, which comprises forming a polymer electrolyte precursor having a protective group and an ionic group, and deprotecting at least a portion of protective groups contained in the resulting molded article to obtain a polymer electrolyte molded article. According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a polymer electrolyte material and a polymer electrolyte molded article, which are excellent in proton conductivity and are also excellent in fuel barrier properties, mechanical strength, physical durability, resistance to hot water, resistance to hot methanol, processability and chemical stability. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a polymer electrolyte membrane, polymer electrolyte parts or a membrane electrode assembly can achieve high output, high energy density and long-term durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroshi Taiko, Yuriko Okada, Shinya Adachi, Masataka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10597503
    Abstract: A prepreg containing at least the following components [A]-[F], wherein the ratio Ne/Nd of the number of structures Ne of component [F] present in a range of outside 110% of the particle diameter of component [E] and the number of structures Nd of component [F] present in a range outside 110% of the particle diameter of component [D] is 0.25 or higher. [A]: Carbon fibers, [B] thermosetting resin, [C]: curing agent, [D]: particles composed mainly of thermoplastic resin having a primary particle number-average particle size of 5-50 ?m, [E]: conductive particles different from component [D] and having a primary particle number-average particle size in the range of a specific expression, [F]: filler comprising a carbon material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Atsuhito Arai, Koji Furukawa, Naofumi Yamashita, Shinji Kochi, Yumi Kunimitsu, Yui Fujioka, Hiroshi Taiko
  • Publication number: 20190359785
    Abstract: A prepreg includes; sizing agent-coated carbon fibers coated with a sizing agent; and a thermosetting resin composition impregnated into the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers. The sizing agent includes an aliphatic epoxy compound (A) and an aromatic compound (B) at least containing an aromatic epoxy compound (B1). The thermosetting resin composition includes a thermosetting resin (D) and a latent hardener (E), and optionally includes an additive (F) other than the thermosetting resin (D) and the latent hardener (E). The (a)/(b) ratio is within a predetermined range where (a) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to CHx, C—C, and C?C and (b) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to C—) in a C1s core spectrum of the surfaces of the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki ARAI, Tomoko ICHIKAWA, Hiroshi TAIKO, Makoto ENDO, Masanobu KOBAYASHI, Jun MISUMI
  • Patent number: 10400076
    Abstract: An epoxy resin composition including [A1] a hardener represented by Formula (1), and [B] an aromatic epoxy resin having tri- or higher functionality, wherein a carbon nuclear relaxation time T1C corresponding to a benzene ring carbon atom in the main backbone of Formula (1) assigned to 130 ppm in a solid-state 13C-NMR spectrum is 42 seconds or longer, and a prepreg and a carbon fiber-reinforced composite material obtained using the epoxy resin composition: wherein X represents any one selected from —CH2—, —O—, —CO—, —C(?O)O—, —S—, —SO2—, and —NHC(?O)—; n represents 1 to 5; and R1 to R6 each represent at least one selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 or less carbon atoms, and an a halogen atom, wherein when X is —C(?O)O— or —NHC(?O)—, X may be in either direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shizue Ueno, Nobuyuki Arai, Jun Misumi, Hiroshi Taiko
  • Publication number: 20190148756
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a polymer electrolyte molded article, which comprises forming a polymer electrolyte precursor having a protective group and an ionic group, and deprotecting at least a portion of protective groups contained in the resulting molded article to obtain a polymer electrolyte molded article. According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a polymer electrolyte material and a polymer electrolyte molded article, which are excellent in proton conductivity and are also excellent in fuel barrier properties, mechanical strength, physical durability, resistance to hot water, resistance to hot methanol, processability and chemical stability. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a polymer electrolyte membrane, polymer electrolyte parts or a membrane electrode assembly can achieve high output, high energy density and long-term durability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Daisuke IZUHARA, Hiroshi TAIKO, Yuriko OKADA, Shinya ADACHI, Masataka NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 10224562
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a polymer electrolyte molded article, which comprises forming a polymer electrolyte precursor having a protective group and an ionic group, and deprotecting at least a portion of protective groups contained in the resulting molded article to obtain a polymer electrolyte molded article. According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a polymer electrolyte material and a polymer electrolyte molded article, which are excellent in proton conductivity and are also excellent in fuel barrier properties, mechanical strength, physical durability, resistance to hot water, resistance to hot methanol, processability and chemical stability. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell using a polymer electrolyte membrane, polymer electrolyte parts or a membrane electrode assembly can achieve high output, high energy density and long-term durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Izuhara, Hiroshi Taiko, Yuriko Okada, Shinya Adachi, Masataka Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10138593
    Abstract: Sizing agent-coated carbon fibers includes: a sizing agent including an aliphatic epoxy compound (A) and at least containing an aromatic epoxy compound (B1) as an aromatic compound (B); and carbon fibers coated with the sizing agent, wherein the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers have an (a)/(b) ratio of 0.50 to 0.90 where (a) is a height (cps) of a component at a binding energy (284.6 eV) assigned to CHx, C—C, and C?C and (b) is a height (cps) of a component at a binding energy (286.1 eV) assigned to C—O in a C1s core spectrum of a surface of the sizing agent applied onto the carbon fibers analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy using AlK?1,2 as an X-ray source at a photoelectron takeoff angle of 15°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomoko Ichikawa, Makoto Endo, Hiroshi Taiko, Masanobu Kobayashi, Nobuyuki Arai, Jun Misumi
  • Patent number: 10072377
    Abstract: A fiber reinforced composite material having high interlaminar toughness and compressive strength under wet heat conditions, as well as an epoxy resin composition for production thereof and a prepreg producible from the epoxy resin composition is described. The prepreg includes at least constituents [A], [B], and [C] as specified below and reinforcement fiber, wherein 90% or more of constituent [C] exists in the depth range accounting for 20% of the prepreg thickness from the prepreg surface: [A] epoxy resin; [B] epoxy resin curing agent; and [C] polymer particles insoluble in epoxy resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Yuko Shimizu, Nobuyuki Tomioka, Shirou Honda, Maki Nagano, Yuji Echigo, Hiroshi Takezaki, Junko Kawasaki, Hiroshi Taiko
  • Patent number: 9834670
    Abstract: Provided are a fiber-reinforced composite material excellent in heat resistance and strength properties, an epoxy resin composition to obtain the fiber-reinforced composite material, and a prepreg obtained by using the epoxy resin composition. Further provided are a fiber-reinforced composite material having less volatile matters during the curing time, and having excellent heat resistance and strength properties, an epoxy resin composition to obtain the fiber-reinforced composite material, and a prepreg obtained by using the epoxy resin composition. Provided are: an epoxy resin composition for a fiber-reinforced composite material, comprising an amine type epoxy resin [A], an aromatic amine curing agent [B], and a block copolymer [C] having a reactive group capable of reacting with an epoxy resin; a prepreg obtained by impregnating a reinforced fiber with the epoxy resin composition; and a fiber-reinforced composite material obtained by curing the prepreg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Maki Mizuki, Yuko Goto, Nobuyuki Tomioka, Hiroaki Sakata, Hiroshi Taiko
  • Publication number: 20170327657
    Abstract: A prepreg includes; sizing agent-coated carbon fibers coated with a sizing agent; and a thermosetting resin composition impregnated into the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers. The sizing agent includes an aliphatic epoxy compound (A) and an aromatic compound (B) at least containing an aromatic epoxy compound (B1). The thermosetting resin composition includes a thermosetting resin (D) and a latent hardener (E), and optionally includes an additive (F) other than the thermosetting resin (D) and the latent hardener (E). The (a)/(b) ratio is within a predetermined range where (a) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to CHx, C—C, and C?C and (b) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to C—O in a C1s core spectrum of the surfaces of the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki ARAI, Tomoko ICHIKAWA, Hiroshi TAIKO, Makoto ENDO, Masanobu KOBAYASHI, Jun MISUMI
  • Patent number: 9765194
    Abstract: A prepreg includes; sizing agent-coated carbon fibers coated with a sizing agent; and a thermosetting resin composition impregnated into the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers. The sizing agent includes an aliphatic epoxy compound (A) and an aromatic compound (B) at least containing an aromatic epoxy compound (B1). The thermosetting resin composition includes a thermosetting resin (D) and a latent hardener (E), and optionally includes an additive (F) other than the thermosetting resin (D) and the latent hardener (E). The (a)/(b) ratio is within a predetermined range where (a) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to CHx, C—C, and C?C and (b) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to C—O in a C1s core spectrum of the surfaces of the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Arai, Tomoko Ichikawa, Hiroshi Taiko, Makoto Endo, Masanobu Kobayashi, Jun Misumi
  • Patent number: 9683326
    Abstract: A prepreg is formed by impregnating sizing agent-coated carbon fibers coated with a sizing agent with a thermosetting resin composition. The sizing agent contains an aliphatic epoxy compound (A) and an aromatic compound (B) at least containing an aromatic epoxy compound (B1). The sizing agent-coated carbon fibers has an (a)/(b) ratio of 0.50 to 0.90 where (a) is a height (cps) of a component at a binding energy (284.6 eV) assigned to CHx, C—C, and C?C and (b) is a height (cps) of a component at a binding energy (286.1 eV) assigned to C—O in a C1s core spectrum of a surface of the sizing agent applied onto the carbon fibers analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy using AlK?1,2 as an X-ray source at a photoelectron takeoff angle of 15°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Arai, Tomoko Ichikawa, Hiroshi Taiko, Makoto Endo, Masanobu Kobayashi, Jun Misumi
  • Patent number: 9683072
    Abstract: Provided are: an epoxy resin composition which enables the production of a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material having excellent tensile strength and compressive strength and suitable as a material for structures; a prepreg; and a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material. An epoxy resin composition characterized by comprising at least [A] an epoxy resin having a structure represented by formula (1), [B] an epoxy resin having at least one amine-type glycidyl group or at least one ether-type glycidyl group and having a liquid form at 40° C. and [C] a curing agent; and a prepreg and a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material, each produced using the epoxy resin composition. (In the formula, R1 to R4 independently represent at least one atom or group selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 or less carbon atoms, and a halogen atom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jun Misumi, Nobuyuki Arai, Hiroshi Taiko, Shizue Ueno
  • Patent number: 9593238
    Abstract: A prepreg includes; agent-coated carbon fibers coated with a sizing agent; and a thermosetting resin composition impregnated into the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers. The sizing agent includes an aliphatic epoxy compound (A) and an aromatic epoxy compound (B1). The sizing agent-coated carbon fibers are in a shape of woven fabric or braid. The thermosetting resin composition includes a thermosetting resin (D), a thermoplastic resin (F), and a latent hardener (G). The sizing agent-coated carbon fibers have an (a)/(b) ratio in a certain range where (a) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to CHx, C—C, and C?C and (b) is the height of a component at a binding energy assigned to C—O in a C1s core spectrum of the surfaces of the sizing agent-coated carbon fibers analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Arai, Tomoko Ichikawa, Hiroshi Taiko, Makoto Endo, Masanobu Kobayashi, Jun Misumi
  • Patent number: 9481145
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sheet-form prepreg which comprises a plurality of carbon fibers and a matrix resin with which the plurality of carbon fibers are impregnated. This matrix resin contains a thermosetting resin, a curing agent, conductive particles of 1 ?m or smaller in diameter, conductive particles of 5 ?m or larger in diameter and thermoplastic resin particles, and the conductive particles of 1 ?m or smaller in diameter, the conductive particles of 5 ?m or larger in diameter and the thermoplastic resin particles are each disproportionately distributed in a specific part of the prepreg. By the present invention, a prepreg from which a carbon fiber-reinforced composite material having both excellent impact resistance and good conductivity in the lamination direction can be produced is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hatanaka, Hiroaki Sakata, Hiroshi Taiko
  • Patent number: 9434811
    Abstract: Disclosed is a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material that is suitable for use as a construction material and exhibits high mechanical strength in harsh usage environments such as low-temperature environments and high-temperature moisture-absorbing environments. Also disclosed are an epoxy resin composition for producing the aforementioned carbon-fiber-rein-forced composite material and a prepreg obtained through the use of said epoxy resin composition. Said epoxy resin composition comprises at least the following constituents, by mass with respect to the total mass of the composition: (A) between 20% and 80% of an epoxy resin having the structure represented by formula (1); and (B) between 10% and 50% of an epoxy resin that has at least two ring structures with four or more members each and also has one amine glycidyl or ether glycidyl directly connected to a ring structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Atsuhito Arai, Hiroaki Sakata, Hiroshi Taiko, Michiya Ishikawa, Hidetoshi Kato, Jiro Nakatani
  • Publication number: 20160152785
    Abstract: An epoxy resin composition including [A1] a hardener represented by Formula (1), and [B] an aromatic epoxy resin having tri- or higher functionality, wherein a carbon nuclear relaxation time T1C corresponding to a benzene ring carbon atom in the main backbone of Formula (1) assigned to 130 ppm in a solid-state 13C-NMR spectrum is 42 seconds or longer, and a prepreg and a carbon fiber-reinforced composite material obtained using the epoxy resin composition: wherein X represents any one selected from —CH2—, —O—, —CO—, —C(?O)O—, —S—, —SO2—, and —NHC(?O)—; n represents 1 to 5; and R1 to R6 each represent at least one selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 or less carbon atoms, and an a halogen atom, wherein when X is —C(?O)O— or —NHC(?O)—, X may be in either direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Shizue UENO, Nobuyuki ARAI, Jun MISUMI, Hiroshi TAIKO
  • Publication number: 20150315331
    Abstract: Provided are: an epoxy resin composition which enables the production of a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material having excellent tensile strength and compressive strength and suitable as a material for structures; a prepreg; and a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material. An epoxy resin composition characterized by comprising at least [A] an epoxy resin having a structure represented by formula (1), [B] an epoxy resin having at least one amine-type glycidyl group or at least one ether-type glycidyl group and having a liquid form at 40° C. and [C] a curing agent; and a prepreg and a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material, each produced using the epoxy resin composition. (In the formula, R1 to R4 independently represent at least one atom or group selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 or less carbon atoms, and a halogen atom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jun MISUMI, Nobuyuki ARAI, Hiroshi TAIKO, Shizue UENO