Patents by Inventor Katsura Mitani
Katsura Mitani 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).
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Patent number: 9112371Abstract: Provided are a refresh charging method and a refresh charging apparatus for an assembled battery constituted from lead-acid storage batteries, by which a necessary charging rate may be performed while shortening a charging period. In a constant voltage charging mode, n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn which decrease stepwisely are set between a predetermined threshold value S0 and a lower-limit current value, and n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set where n is an integer equal to or larger than one. Counting of the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is respectively started when the charging current reaches the n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn. A maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set to satisfy a relationship of Tm>T1> . . . >Tn. Charging is stopped when the counting of one of the maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is completed before the lower-limit current value is detected.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2012Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: SHIN-KOBE ELECTRIC MACHINERY CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroyuki Wakatabe, Shinichi Sano, Katsura Mitani
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Patent number: 8895192Abstract: A grid plate for a lead acid storage battery including a frame section having a pair of quadrangular contour shape, and longitudinal and lateral grid strands forming a frame section grid. The longitudinal and lateral grid strands have thick strands of smaller thickness than the frame section, and thin strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick strands. Strands adjacent to the thick strands are thin strands, and space allows flow of active material to sides of the thick strands. Ends of the thick strands in the thickness direction are positioned further inward from end faces of the frame section in the thickness direction, and the end portions of one end side of the thin strands in the thickness direction are positioned offset to one end side of the thick strands in the thickness direction, and active material is packed into the reverse surface side of the grid plate.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2009Date of Patent: November 25, 2014Assignee: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Wakatabe, Katsura Mitani, Shinichi Sano, Yoshikazu Hirose, Ichiro Shimoura
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Publication number: 20140340050Abstract: Provided are a refresh charging method and a refresh charging apparatus for an assembled battery constituted from lead-acid storage batteries, by which a necessary charging rate may be performed while shortening a charging period. In a constant voltage charging mode, n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn which decrease stepwisely are set between a predetermined threshold value S0 and a lower-limit current value, and n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set where n is an integer equal to or larger than one. Counting of the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is respectively started when the charging current reaches the n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn. A maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set to satisfy a relationship of Tm>T1> . . . >Tn. Charging is stopped when the counting of one of the maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is completed before the lower-limit current value is detected.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2012Publication date: November 20, 2014Applicant: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Wakatabe, Shinichi Sano, Katsura Mitani
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Patent number: 8841028Abstract: A lead acid storage battery composed of plates, the lead acid storage battery being obtained by packing an active material into a grid plate provided with a frame section having a quadrangular profile shape, and lateral grid strands and longitudinal grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section. The lateral grid strands are composed of thick lateral strands having a thickness equal to the thickness of the frame section, and thin lateral strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick strands, the longitudinal grid strands being composed of thick longitudinal strands that have a thickness that is less than thickness of the frame section, one end in the thickness direction being arranged in the same plane as one end of the frame section in the thickness direction, and thin longitudinal strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick longitudinal strands.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2013Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshikazu Hirose, Shinichi Sano, Katsura Mitani, Hiroyuki Wakatabe
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Publication number: 20140106233Abstract: A lead acid storage battery composed of plates, the lead acid storage battery being obtained by packing an active material into a grid plate provided with a frame section having a quadrangular profile shape, and lateral grid strands and longitudinal grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section. The lateral grid strands are composed of thick lateral strands having a thickness equal to the thickness of the frame section, and thin lateral strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick strands, the longitudinal grid strands being composed of thick longitudinal strands that have a thickness that is less than thickness of the frame section, one end in the thickness direction being arranged in the same plane as one end of the frame section in the thickness direction, and thin longitudinal strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick longitudinal strands.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2013Publication date: April 17, 2014Applicant: SHIN-KOBE ELECTRIC MACHINERY CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshikazu HIROSE, Shinichi SANO, Katsura MITANI, Hiroyuki WAKATABE
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Patent number: 8586243Abstract: A lead acid storage battery composed of plates, the lead acid storage battery being obtained by packing an active material into a grid plate provided with a frame section having a quadrangular profile shape, and lateral grid strands and longitudinal grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2010Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshikazu Hirose, Shinichi Sano, Katsura Mitani, Hiroyuki Wakatabe
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Patent number: 8441236Abstract: There is provided a method for operating a lead acid storage battery in order to compensate for fluctuations in the amount of power generated by a solar power generation apparatus, a wind power generation apparatus, or another natural energy power generation device, the lead acid storage battery being charged by a power generation device and discharged to a load. The state of charge of the lead acid storage battery is maintained in a range of 30 to 90% where the fully charged state of the lead acid storage battery is 100%; and the lead acid storage battery is charged and discharged while the battery voltage is kept in a specified range of 1.80 to 2.42 V per cell to extend the service life of the battery. A reference temperature of 25° C. is established, and when the ambient temperature has risen above or fallen below the reference temperature, the upper and lower limit values of a specified range are corrected within a range of ?4 mV/° C. to ?6 mV/° C.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2009Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Shin-Kobe Electric Machinery Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinichi Sano, Katsura Mitani, Yoshikazu Hirose, Hiroyuki Wakatabe, Ichiro Shimoura
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Publication number: 20120094182Abstract: A lead acid storage battery composed of plates, the lead acid storage battery being obtained by packing an active material into a grid plate provided with a frame section having a quadrangular profile shape, and lateral grid strands and longitudinal grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2010Publication date: April 19, 2012Inventors: Yoshikazu Hirose, Shinichi Sano, Katsura Mitani, Hiroyuki Wakatabe
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Publication number: 20110305957Abstract: A grid plate for a lead acid storage battery comprising a frame section having a pair of quadrangular contour shape, and longitudinal grid strands and lateral grid strands that form a grid inside the frame section. The longitudinal grid strands and lateral grid strands are composed of thick strands of smaller thickness than the frame section, and thin strands of smaller width and thickness than the thick strands. The thick strands and thin strands are arranged so that the strands adjacent to the thick strands are thin strands, and space is reliably provided for facilitating the flow of active material to the sides of the thick strands.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2009Publication date: December 15, 2011Inventors: Hiroyuki Wakatabe, Katsura Mitani, Shinichi Sano, Yoshikazu Hirose, Ichiro Shimoura
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Publication number: 20110273135Abstract: There is provided a method for operating a lead acid storage battery in order to compensate for fluctuations in the amount of power generated by a solar power generation apparatus, a wind power generation apparatus, or another natural energy power generation device, the lead acid storage battery being charged by a power generation device and discharged to a load. The state of charge of the lead acid storage battery is maintained in a range of 30 to 90% where the fully charged state of the lead acid storage battery is 100%; and the lead acid storage battery is charged and discharged while the battery voltage is kept in a specified range of 1.80 to 2.42 V per cell to extend the service life of the battery. A reference temperature of 25° C. is established, and when the ambient temperature has risen above or fallen below the reference temperature, the upper and lower limit values of a specified range are corrected within a range of ?4 mV/° C. to ?6 mV/° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2009Publication date: November 10, 2011Inventors: Shinichi Sano, Katsura Mitani, Yoshikazu Hirose, Hiroyuki Wakatabe, Ichiro Shimoura