Patents by Inventor Katsufumi Oto

Katsufumi Oto 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: 9387445
    Abstract: To provide a separation membrane element that is able to increase the amount of permeate fluid per unit time and also able to improve stability performance, provided is a separation membrane element, comprising a separation membrane and a permeate spacer, wherein a separation functional layer is arranged on the surface of said separation membrane and a nonwoven fabric served as a substrate is arranged on the back surface of said separation membrane, wherein said permeate spacer is arranged on the back surface side of said substrate, wherein said permeate spacer is made of a different material from said separation membrane, and a projection area ratio of said permeate spacer to said separation membrane is 0.03 to 0.80.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kimura, Katsufumi Oto, Kentarou Takagi, Hiroho Hirozawa, Masakazu Koiwa, Yutaro Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20150321148
    Abstract: A separation membrane including: a separation membrane main body having a feed-side face and a permeate-side face; and a plurality of channel members adhered to the permeate-side face of the separation membrane main body, in which a weight W (g) of the plurality of channel members and a volume V (cm3) of the plurality of channel members, exclusive of portions impregnated into the permeate-side face, satisfy the following relational expression: 1.0?W/V?2.5, and the channel members have a melting temperature of 200° C. or lower as measured with a differential scanning calorimeter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroho Hirozawa, Masakazu Koiwa, Hiroyuki Yamada, Kentaro Takagi, Yoshiki Okamoto, Tsuyoshi Hamada, Katsufumi Oto, Masahiro Kimura
  • Publication number: 20150041388
    Abstract: A separation membrane includes a separation membrane main body that includes a supply-side surface and a filtrate-side surface; and a supply-side channel member disposed on the supply-side surface of the separation membrane main body, wherein when a thickness of the supply-side channel member in a direction perpendicular to a flowing direction of a supplied water that flows on the supply-side surface is a width d of the supply-side channel member, a ratio of height/width (h/d) of the supply-side channel member is 0.7 or greater and 3.0 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroho Hirozawa, Masakazu Koiwa, Hiroyuki Yamada, Kentaro Takagi, Yoshiki Okamoto, Tsuyoshi Hamada, Katsufumi Oto, Masahiro Kimura
  • Publication number: 20140251896
    Abstract: A separation membrane, including: a separation membrane main body having at least a base material and a separating functional layer; and a flow path material independently fixed in the thickness direction of the base material, and having a compression elasticity of 0.1-5.0 GPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroho Hirozawa, Masakazu Koiwa, Kentaro Takagi, Yoshiki Okamoto, Hiroyuki Yamada, Tsuyoshi Hamada, Katsufumi Oto, Masahiro Kimura
  • Publication number: 20140231332
    Abstract: A separation membrane includes a separation membrane sheet at least including a substrate and a separation functional layer, and a flow path member having a composition different from the separation membrane sheet and directly secured to the substrate by an adhesive force of at least 1 N/m on side opposite in thickness direction to the separation functional layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroho Hirozawa, Masakazu Koiwa, Kentaro Takagi, Yoshiki Okamoto, Hiroyuki Yamada, Tsuyoshi Hamada, Katsufumi Oto, Masahiro Kimura
  • Publication number: 20140224726
    Abstract: To provide a separation membrane element that is able to increase the amount of permeate fluid per unit time and also able to improve stability performance, provided is a separation membrane element, comprising a separation membrane and a permeate spacer, wherein a separation functional layer is arranged on the surface of said separation membrane and a nonwoven fabric served as a substrate is arranged on the back surface of said separation membrane, wherein said permeate spacer is arranged on the back surface side of said substrate, wherein said permeate spacer is made of a different material from said separation membrane, and a projection area ratio of said permeate spacer to said separation membrane is 0.03 to 0.80.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kimura, Katsufumi Oto, Kentarou Takagi, Hiroho Hirozawa, Masakazu Koiwa, Yutaro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8631946
    Abstract: A composite semipermeable membrane comprising a porous support membrane on which a separating functional polyamide layer resulting from the polycondensation reaction of polyfunctional aromatic amines with polyfunctional acid halides is formed, wherein the separating functional polyamide layer has carboxy groups, amino groups, phenolic hydroxyl groups, and azo groups, wherein XA, the ratio of the amino groups (molar equivalent of the amino groups/(molar equivalent of the azo groups+molar equivalent of the phenolic hydroxyl groups+molar equivalent of the amino groups)) on a feed water contact surface of the separating functional polyamide layer (an A surface), is in the range 0.5 or less, and XB, the ratio of the amino groups (molar equivalent of the amino groups/(molar equivalent of the azo groups+molar equivalent of the phenolic hydroxyl groups+molar equivalent of the amino groups)) on a permeate-side surface of the separating functional polyamide layer (a B surface), i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Takao Sasaki, Tomoko Mitsuhata, Kentaro Takagi, Katsufumi Oto
  • Publication number: 20130213880
    Abstract: A separation membrane is provided containing hydrophilic molecules and having, as formed on at least one surface of a feed side and a permeate side thereof, a height difference of from 80 ?m to 2000 ?m, in which a weight of the hydrophilic molecules in a bone-dry separation membrane is from 0.1% to 40% based on a weight of the bone-dry separation membrane from which the weight of the hydrophilic molecules has been subtracted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroho Hirozawa, Masakazu Koiwa, Kentaro Takagi, Yutaro Suzuki, Katsufumi Oto, Masahiro Fimura
  • Publication number: 20120248027
    Abstract: A composite semipermeable membrane comprising a porous support membrane on which a separating functional polyamide layer resulting from the polycondensation reaction of polyfunctional aromatic amines with polyfunctional acid halides is formed, wherein the separating functional polyamide layer has carboxy groups, amino groups, phenolic hydroxyl groups, and azo groups, wherein XA, the ratio of the amino groups (molar equivalent of the amino groups/(molar equivalent of the azo groups+molar equivalent of the phenolic hydroxyl groups+molar equivalent of the amino groups)) on a feed water contact surface of the separating functional polyamide layer (an A surface), is in the range 0.5 or less, and XB, the ratio of the amino groups (molar equivalent of the amino groups/(molar equivalent of the azo groups+molar equivalent of the phenolic hydroxyl groups+molar equivalent of the amino groups)) on a permeate-side surface of the separating functional polyamide layer (a B surface), i.e.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Takao Sasaki, Tomoko Mitsuhata, Kentaro Takagi, Katsufumi Oto
  • Patent number: 7279097
    Abstract: A composite semipermeable membrane which satisfies the following relationship when seawater at 25° C. having a pH of 6.5, a boron concentration of 5 ppm and a TDS concentration of 3.5% by weight is permeated under an operation pressure of 5.5 MPa: Boron removal ratio (%)?95?4×membrane permeation flow rate (m3/m2·day).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Tomioka, Kazuya Sugita, Katsufumi Oto
  • Patent number: 7090780
    Abstract: A water-treating microbicide, containing an inorganic acid and a corrosion inhibitor, and further containing a carboxylic acid having 8 or less carbon atoms or any of alkali metal salts thereof. The present invention can provide a water-treating microbicide, water treatment method and water treatment apparatus exhibiting a high sterilization effect in a membrane separation device for seawater desalination, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Akihiko Ito, Katsufumi Oto, Kazuya Sugita, Yoshinari Fusaoka
  • Publication number: 20060016754
    Abstract: A water-treating microbicide, containing an inorganic acid and a corrosion inhibitor, and further containing a carboxylic acid having 8 or less carbon atoms or any of alkali metal salts thereof. The present invention can provide a water-treating microbicide, water treatment method and water treatment apparatus exhibiting a high sterilization effect in a membrane separation device for seawater desalination, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Publication date: January 26, 2006
    Applicant: Toray industries, Inc. a corporation of Japan
    Inventors: Akihiko Ito, Katsufumi Oto, Kazuya Sugita, Yoshinari Fusaoka
  • Publication number: 20040256309
    Abstract: A composite semipermeable membrane which satisfies the following relationship when seawater at 25° C. having a pH of 6.5, a boron concentration of 5 ppm and a TDS concentration of 3.5% by weight is permeated under an operation pressure of 5.5 MPa: Boron removal ratio (%)≧95−4×membrane permeation flow rate (m3/m2·day).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Hiroki Tomioka, Kazuya Sugita, Katsufumi Oto
  • Publication number: 20040050800
    Abstract: A water-treating microbicide, containing an inorganic acid and a corrosion inhibitor, and further containing a carboxylic acid having 8 or less carbon atoms or any of alkali metal salts thereof. The present invention can provide a water-treating microbicide, water treatment method and water treatment apparatus exhibiting a high sterilization effect in a membrane separation device for seawater desalination, etc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Akihiko Ito, Katsufumi Oto, Kazuya Sugita, Yoshinari Fusaoka
  • Patent number: 4634531
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the membrane treatment method for semipermeable membranes, that is, a method wherein it is characterized that not only remarkable improving effect of selective separation performance of semipermeable membranes is obtained but also durability of said improving effect for selective separation performance is improved by means of extremely simple and easy procedures such as said semipermeable membranes are successively brought into contact with very dilute of aqueous solutions including effective substances which are individually water-soluble in due order and for a short time, where said effective water-soluble substances form water-insoluble or very little water-soluble materials thereof fixed on the surface of said semipermeable membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1987
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Nakagawa, Katsufumi Oto, Masaru Kurihara