Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Ishimoto

Hitoshi Ishimoto 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: 11923550
    Abstract: The preset disclosure provides a catalyst layer that has a small contact resistance with a gas diffusion layer and excellent gas diffusion properties. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell has a uniform thickness and includes fibrous conductive members and catalyst particles. The fibrous conductive members are inclined relative to a surface direction of the catalyst layer, and a lengthwise direction of the fibrous conductive members, on average, matches a first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Minamiura, Hitoshi Ishimoto, Shinichiro Imura, Kazuya Yamasaki, Yukihiro Shimasaki
  • Publication number: 20230402233
    Abstract: An electrolytic capacitor includes a capacitor element including a porous anode body, an anode wire partially embedded in the anode body, a dielectric layer formed on a surface of the anode body, and a solid electrolyte layer covering at least a portion of the dielectric layer, wherein the anode body is formed of a first metal, the anode wire is formed of a second metal having a different composition from the first metal, and the second metal has a conductivity S2 that is larger than a conductivity S1 of the first metal. This allows for providing an electrolytic capacitor which suppresses an increase in production costs and has a low ESR.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2021
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Masayuki HOGIRI, Yuki UEDA, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230343522
    Abstract: Disclosed is a capacitor electrode including a conductive substrate and a flaky carbon that is electrically connected to the conductive substrate, the flaky carbon having an oxygen content of less than 5 mass % and a three-dimensional structure, wherein it is desired that the oxygen content of the flaky carbon is less than 2.6 mass %, and a log differential pore volume distribution of the capacitor electrode measured based on mercury porosimetry may have a maximum peak in a range of 0.3 ?m or more and 6 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Chiho NOBUMORI, Kenichi EZAKI, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11799092
    Abstract: A cathode catalyst layer of fuel cells, the cathode catalyst layer including a first fibrous electrically-conductive member, a first particulate electrically-conductive member, first catalyst particles, and a first proton conductive resin. A ratio I1/C1 of a mass of the first proton conductive resin to a mass of the first electrically particulate conductive member is in a range of 1.0 to 1.6. A ratio of the first fibrous electrically-conductive member to 100 parts by mass of the first particulate conductive member is 30 to 50 parts by mass. The first proton conductive resin has an EW value of 600 to 850.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Imura, Takeshi Minamiura, Hitoshi Ishimoto
  • Publication number: 20230258511
    Abstract: A load sensor includes: a first base member and a second base member disposed so as to face each other; an electrically-conductive elastic body disposed on an opposing face of the first base member; a wire member that is electrically conductive and disposed between the second base member and the electrically-conductive elastic body; and a dielectric body disposed between the electrically-conductive elastic body and the wire member. A permittivity of the dielectric body is changed in a contact surface direction in which contact of the dielectric body advances in association with increase in a load, such that a form of change in capacitance between the electrically-conductive elastic body and the wire member associated with change in the load becomes close to that of a straight line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Yuta MORIURA, Susumu URAGAMI, Takashi MATSUMOTO, Yodai MATSUMURA, Hiroyuki FURUYA, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230258512
    Abstract: A load sensor includes: a first base member and a second base member disposed so as to face each other; an electrically-conductive elastic body disposed on an opposing face of the first base member; a wire member that is electrically conductive and disposed between the second base member and the electrically-conductive elastic body; and a dielectric body disposed between the electrically-conductive elastic body and the wire member. The dielectric body has a stress relaxation part for releasing stress applied to the dielectric body during load application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Yuta MORIURA, Susumu URAGAMI, Takashi MATSUMOTO, Yodai MATSUMURA, Hiroyuki FURUYA, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11682770
    Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst layer for a fuel cell that has good gas diffusion properties in the entire catalyst layer and in which coarsening of catalyst particles can be suppressed. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell includes fibrous conductive members and catalyst particles. The fibrous conductive members are inclined relative to the surface direction of the catalyst layer, and the length L of the fibrous conductive members and the thickness T of the catalyst layer satisfy the relational expression: L/T?3. Each of the catalyst particles includes a core portion and a shell portion that covers the core portion, and contains a component different from that of the core portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Ishimoto, Kazuya Yamasaki, Shinichiro Imura, Takeshi Minamiura, Yukihiro Shimasaki, Kenichi Ezaki
  • Publication number: 20230145058
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrode for an electrolytic capacitor, the method including: a chemical conversion step of allowing a current to flow through a metal material containing a valve metal in a chemical conversion solution containing an electrolyte, to form an oxide film on a surface of the metal material, wherein the chemical conversion solution contains a nitrate-based compound as the electrolyte at a concentration of 0.03 mass % or more, and a phosphorus compound concentration in the chemical conversion solution is less than 0 01 mass %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Takahiro YOSHINO, Hiroaki SUZUKI, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Toshiyuki KATO, Masahiro UEDA
  • Publication number: 20230070969
    Abstract: A disclosed capacitor element includes: a first electrode; a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the first electrode; and a second electrode covering at least a portion of the dielectric layer. The second electrode includes a solid electrolyte layer, a conductive carbon layer covering at least a portion of the solid electrolyte layer, and a metal paste layer covering at least a portion of the carbon layer. The carbon layer includes flake carbon particles and spherical carbon particles. A particle diameter of the spherical carbon particles is less than an average major diameter of the flake carbon particles, or greater than or equal to the average major diameter of the flake carbon particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Kazuya YAMASAKI, Shinji KONDOU, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Yukihiro SHIMASAKI, Yuji MIYACHI, Kohei YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 11569519
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane, and a pair of electrode layers which sandwich the electrolyte membrane. The pair of electrode layers include a pair of catalyst layers which sandwich the electrolyte membrane, and a pair of gas diffusion layers disposed on the pair of catalyst layers on opposite sides to the electrolyte membrane. At least one catalyst layer contains a fibrous electric conductor, catalyst particles, a particulate electric conductor, and a proton-conductive resin. The at least one catalyst layer has a first region at a distance of 200 nm or less from the fibrous electric conductor, and a second region at a distance of more than 200 nm from the fibrous electric conductor. Pores are present in the first and second regions. A mode diameter M1 of the pores in the first region and a mode diameter M2 of the pores in the second region satisfy M1<M2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Ishimoto, Kazuya Yamasaki, Motohiro Sakata
  • Publication number: 20220165512
    Abstract: A capacitor electrode including a first carbon, and at least one of a second carbon and a metal porous body. The first carbon includes a graphene, and the second carbon includes short carbon fibers having an average length of 10 ?m or less and/or carbon particles having an average diameter of 0.1 ?m or less. The graphene is layered via the second carbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Kenichi EZAKI, Chiho NOBUMORI, Takahiro YOSHINO, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220149388
    Abstract: A cathode catalyst layer has two layers: a first catalyst layer on a gas diffusion layer side, and a second catalyst layer on an electrolyte membrane side. The first catalyst layer includes a first particulate conductive member, first catalyst particles, and a first fibrous conductive member, at least part of the first catalyst particles being supported on the first particulate conductive member. The second catalyst layer includes a second particulate conductive member and second catalyst particles, at least part of the second catalyst particles being supported on the second particulate conductive member. A catalyst support density D2 of the second catalyst particles on the second particulate conductive member is greater than a catalyst support density Di of the first catalyst particles on the first particulate conductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroaki SUZUKI, Kazuya YAMASAKI, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220149409
    Abstract: A membrane-electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane, a pair of catalyst layers stacked on surfaces of the electrolyte membrane, and a pair of gas diffusion layers stacked on a side opposite to the electrolyte membrane of one of the pair of catalyst layers and on a side opposite to the electrolyte membrane of the other one of the catalyst layers. One of the pair of catalyst layers contains catalyst particles and a first conductive material. One of the pair of gas diffusion layers in contact with the one of the catalyst layers contains a second conductive material. The first conductive material includes a first particulate conductive member and a first fibrous conductive member, and the second conductive material includes a second fibrous conductive member. The content K2 by mass of the second fibrous conductive member is larger than the content K1 by mass of the first fibrous conductive member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Takeshi MINAMIURA, Shinichiro IMURA, Yoshifumi TAGUCHI, Tsutomu KAWASHIMA
  • Patent number: 11145873
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane, and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane. The pair of electrodes each include a catalyst layer, and a gas diffusion layer disposed on the catalyst layer on an opposite side to the electrolyte membrane. At least one of the catalyst layers contains first catalyst particles, and second catalyst particles. The first catalyst particles are either platinum particles or platinum alloy particles, or both. The second catalyst particles are core-shell particles having a core part and a shell part, the core part formed of at least one selected from transition metals other than platinum, the shell part covering the core part and formed of at least one of platinum and a platinum alloy. In the catalyst layer, the second catalyst particles are present in a smaller percentage in an electrolyte membrane side than they are in a gas diffusion layer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Yamasaki, Hitoshi Ishimoto, Motohiro Sakata
  • Publication number: 20210167400
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane, and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the electrolyte membrane. The pair of electrodes each include a catalyst layer, and a gas diffusion layer disposed on the catalyst layer on an opposite side to the electrolyte membrane. At least one of the catalyst layers contains first catalyst particles, and second catalyst particles. The first catalyst particles are either platinum particles or platinum alloy particles, or both. The second catalyst particles are core-shell particles having a core part and a shell part, the core part formed of at least one selected from transition metals other than platinum, the shell part covering the core part and formed of at least one of platinum and a platinum alloy. In the catalyst layer, the second catalyst particles are present in a smaller percentage in an electrolyte membrane side than they are in a gas diffusion layer side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2018
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Kazuya YAMASAKI, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Motohiro SAKATA
  • Patent number: 11011769
    Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell catalyst layer including: a fibrous carbon material; catalyst particles; a particulate carbon material; and a proton-conductive resin, wherein a region A including at least the fibrous carbon material in a state of an agglomerated body and a region B including at least the catalyst particles, the particulate carbon material, and the proton-conductive resin are formed, the region A being disposed in an island form in the region B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motohiro Sakata, Takeshi Minamiura, Shinichiro Imura, Hitoshi Ishimoto, Kazuya Yamasaki, Chiho Nobumori, Yukihiro Shimasaki, Tsutomu Fujii
  • Publication number: 20210143460
    Abstract: A membrane electrode assembly includes an electrolyte membrane, and a pair of electrode layers which sandwich the electrolyte membrane. The pair of electrode layers include a pair of catalyst layers which sandwich the electrolyte membrane, and a pair of gas diffusion layers disposed on the pair of catalyst layers on opposite sides to the electrolyte membrane. At least one catalyst layer contains a fibrous electric conductor, catalyst particles, a particulate electric conductor, and a proton-conductive resin. The at least one catalyst layer has a first region at a distance of 200 nm or less from the fibrous electric conductor, and a second region at a distance of more than 200 nm from the fibrous electric conductor. Pores are present in the first and second regions. A mode diameter M1 of the pores in the first region and a mode diameter M2 of the pores in the second region satisfy M1<M2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2018
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Kazuya YAMASAKI, Motohiro SAKATA
  • Publication number: 20210098797
    Abstract: A cathode catalyst layer of fuel cells, the cathode catalyst layer including a first fibrous electrically-conductive member, a first particulate electrically-conductive member, first catalyst particles, and a first proton conductive resin, A ratio I1/C1 of a mass of the first proton conductive resin to a mass of the first electrically particulate conductive member is in a range of 1.0 to 1.6. A ratio of the first fibrous electrically-conductive member to 100 parts by mass of the first particulate conductive member is 30 to 50 parts by mass. The first proton conductive resin has an EW value of 600 to 850.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Shinichiro IMURA, Takeshi MINAMIURA, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20210075024
    Abstract: The preset disclosure provides a catalyst layer that has a small contact resistance with a gas diffusion layer and excellent gas diffusion properties. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell has a uniform thickness and includes fibrous conductive members and catalyst particles. The fibrous conductive members are inclined relative to a surface direction of the catalyst layer, and a lengthwise direction of the fibrous conductive members, on average, matches a first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Takeshi MINAMIURA, Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Shinichiro IMURA, Kazuya YAMASAKI, Yukihiro SHIMASAKI
  • Publication number: 20200335797
    Abstract: Disclosed is a catalyst layer for a fuel cell that has good gas diffusion properties in the entire catalyst layer and in which coarsening of catalyst particles can be suppressed. The catalyst layer for a fuel cell includes fibrous conductive members and catalyst particles. The fibrous conductive members are inclined relative to the surface direction of the catalyst layer, and the length L of the fibrous conductive members and the thickness T of the catalyst layer satisfy the relational expression: L/T?3. Each of the catalyst particles includes a core portion and a shell portion that covers the core portion, and contains a component different from that of the core portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Hitoshi ISHIMOTO, Kazuya YAMASAKI, Shinichiro IMURA, Takeshi MINAMIURA, Yukihiro SHIMASAKI, Kenichi EZAKI