Patents by Inventor Katsuya Takaoka
Katsuya Takaoka 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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Publication number: 20160322789Abstract: A connection portion connecting a center electrode and a terminal metal fixture together in a through hole of the insulator includes a resistor and a magnetic substance structure including a magnetic substance and a conductor The connection portion further includes a first conductive sealing portion, a second conductive sealing portion and a third conductive sealing portion. The first conductive sealing portion is disposed on a leading end side of a first member and is in contact therewith. The second conductive sealing portion is disposed between the first member and a second member and is in contact with the first member and the second member. The third conductive sealing portion is disposed on a rear end side of the second member and is in contact therewith.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 25, 2014Publication date: November 3, 2016Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya TAKAOKA, Kazuhiro KUROSAWA, Kuniharu TANAKA, Toshitaka HONDA, Hirokazu KURONO, Haruki YOSHIDA, Hironori UEGAKI
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Patent number: 9466951Abstract: A spark plug having an insulator formed of an alumina-based sintered material which contains an Si component and a rare earth element component that satisfy the following conditions (1) and (2): (1) an oxide-reduced amount of the Si component (mass %) is greater than or equal to 0.05 and less than or equal to 0.45; and (2) a ratio of an oxide-reduced amount of the rare earth element component to an oxide-reduced amount of the Si component is greater than or equal to 2.5 and less than or equal to 4.5, and which has alumina grains and an alumina grain boundary phase including a complex oxide crystal phase satisfying the following condition (3): (3) the complex oxide crystal phase contains at least two components selected from among an Al component, an Si component, a Group 2 element component, and a rare earth element component.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2013Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya Takaoka, Hironori Uegaki, Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda
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Patent number: 9385511Abstract: A spark plug including an insulator containing an Al component, in terms of oxides, 89 mass % or more and a Ti component, in terms of oxides, more than 0 mass % and 0.2 mass % or less, characterized in that the insulator is formed of an alumina-based sintered material which contains, in a grain boundary phase present between alumina crystal grains, a first crystal phase containing at least one species selected from among an La component, an Nd component, a Pr component, a Y component, an Er component, a Yb component, and an Lu component, and a second crystal phase containing at least one species of Group 2 element components, an Al component and an Si component.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2013Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroki Takeuchi, Yutaka Yokoyama, Kuniharu Tanaka, Takeshi Mitsuoka, Toshitaka Honda, Hirokazu Kurono, Katsuya Takaoka, Hironori Uegaki
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Patent number: 9373940Abstract: A spark plug having an insulator with a through hole formed therein in a direction of an axis, a center electrode disposed in a front side of the through hole, a metal terminal disposed in a rear side of the through hole, an electrical connection part arranged in the through hole to establish electrical connection between the center electrode and the metal terminal and a metal shell holding therein the insulator. The electrical connection part has a conductor including a conductive material and at least one kind of Fe-containing oxide material. The Fe-containing oxide material contains at least FeO. The conductor satisfies a relationship of 0.06?S1/(S1+S2)?0.46 where, in a cross section taken along the axis, S1 is an area occupied by the conductive material and S2 is an area occupied by the Fe-containing oxide material.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2015Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya Takaoka, Kazuhiro Kurosawa, Kuniharu Tanaka, Haruki Yoshida, Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda
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Patent number: 9362722Abstract: A spark plug exhibiting excellent withstand voltage characteristics and mechanical strength at high temperature, which are comparable to those at ambient temperature. The spark plug having an insulator formed of an alumina-based sintered material containing: an Al component, an Si component, a Group 2 element component, and a rare earth element component. The amounts of such components satisfy a condition (1): 0.25?oxide-reduced amount (mass %) of the Si component ?1.25, and a condition (2): 1.35?[(oxide-reduced amount of the Si component)/((oxide-reduced amount of the Group 2 element component)/(oxide-reduced amount of the rare earth element component))]?7.5. The alumina-based sintered material includes alumina grains, and a glass phase including a crystal phase that satisfies a condition (3) that the crystal phase includes at least one of an aluminate crystal phase and a silicate crystal phase, each having a grain size of 20 to 350 nm.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2012Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya Takaoka, Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda, Syuuichiro Wakizoe, Mitsushiro Kondo
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Patent number: 9281662Abstract: A spark plug including an insulator having an axial hole, a center electrode held at one end side and a terminal electrode held at the other end side of the axial hole, an electrical connection portion electrically connecting the center electrode and the terminal electrode inside the axial hole, wherein the electrical connection portion includes a conductor including a ceramic phase and a metal wire having a spiral structure portion, wherein the metal wire has a wire diameter of 0.1 mm or greater and 0.5 mm or smaller, and wherein the spiral structure portion of the metal wire is configured such that an outer diameter thereof is 1.0 mm or greater and 3 mm or smaller, a pitch thereof is 0.3 mm or greater and 1 mm or smaller, and a height thereof is 8 mm or greater and 30 mm or smaller.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2015Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya Takaoka, Kazuhiro Kurosawa, Kuniharu Tanaka, Haruki Yoshida, Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda
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Publication number: 20150349498Abstract: A spark plug including an insulator having an axial hole, a center electrode held at one end side and a terminal electrode held at the other end side of the axial hole, an electrical connection portion electrically connecting the center electrode and the terminal electrode inside the axial hole, wherein the electrical connection portion includes a conductor including a ceramic phase and a metal wire having a spiral structure portion, wherein the metal wire has a wire diameter of 0.1 mm or greater and 0.5 mm or smaller, and wherein the spiral structure portion of the metal wire is configured such that an outer diameter thereof is 1.0 mm or greater and 3 mm or smaller, a pitch thereof is 0.3 mm or greater and 1 mm or smaller, and a height thereof is 8 mm or greater and 30 mm or smaller.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2015Publication date: December 3, 2015Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya TAKAOKA, Kazuhiro KUROSAWA, Kuniharu TANAKA, Haruki YOSHIDA, Hirokazu KURONO, Toshitaka HONDA
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Publication number: 20150325982Abstract: A spark plug having an insulator with a through hole formed therein in a direction of an axis, a center electrode disposed in a front side of the through hole, a metal terminal disposed in a rear side of the through hole, an electrical connection part arranged in the through hole to establish electrical connection between the center electrode and the metal terminal and a metal shell holding therein the insulator. The electrical connection part has a conductor including a conductive material and at least one kind of Fe-containing oxide material. The Fe-containing oxide material contains at least FeO. The conductor satisfies a relationship of 0.06?S1/(S1+S2)?0.46 where, in a cross section taken along the axis, S1 is an area occupied by the conductive material and S2 is an area occupied by the Fe-containing oxide material.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya TAKAOKA, Kazuhiro KUROSAWA, Kuniharu TANAKA, Haruki YOSHIDA, Hirokazu KURONO, Toshitaka HONDA
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Patent number: 9160145Abstract: An insulator for spark plug with a main constituent of alumina and containing silicon includes a grain boundary phase positioned between alumina particles. The grain boundary phase contains: a group 2A element; a rare earth element; and at least one kind of zirconium, titanium, chrome, niobium, manganese, and iron (a first element). Assuming that a total amount of the rare earth element is X (mass %), a total amount of the group 2A element is Y (mass %), and a total amount of the first element is Z (mass %), the following are met: 0.40?Y/X?2.00 0.10?Z/X?0.40.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2014Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya Takaoka, Yutaka Yokoyama, Kengo Fujimura, Hironori Uegaki, Hiroki Takeuchi, Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda, Kuniharu Tanaka, Takeshi Mitsuoka
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Publication number: 20150288150Abstract: A spark plug having an insulator formed of an alumina-based sintered material which contains an Si component and a rare earth element component that satisfy the following conditions (1) and (2): (1) an oxide-reduced amount of the Si component (mass %) is greater than or equal to 0.05 and less than or equal to 0.45; and (2) a ratio of an oxide-reduced amount of the rare earth element component to an oxide-reduced amount of the Si component is greater than or equal to 2.5 and less than or equal to 4.5, and which has alumina grains and an alumina grain boundary phase including a complex oxide crystal phase satisfying the following condition (3): (3) the complex oxide crystal phase contains at least two components selected from among an Al component, an Si component, a Group 2 element component, and a rare earth element component.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 13, 2013Publication date: October 8, 2015Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya Takaoka, Hironori Uegaki, Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda
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Publication number: 20150207300Abstract: A spark plug including an insulator containing an Al component, in terms of oxides, 89 mass % or more and a Ti component, in terms of oxides, more than 0 mass % and 0.2 mass % or less, characterized in that the insulator is formed of an alumina-based sintered material which contains, in a grain boundary phase present between alumina crystal grains, a first crystal phase containing at least one species selected from among an La component, an Nd component, a Pr component, a Y component, an Er component, a Yb component, and an Lu component, and a second crystal phase containing at least one species of Group 2 element components, an Al component and an Si component.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2013Publication date: July 23, 2015Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroki Takeuchi, Yutaka Yokoyama, Kuniharu Tanaka, Takeshi Mitsuoka, Toshitaka Honda, Hirokazu Kurono, Katsuya Takaoka, Hironori Uegaki
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Publication number: 20150047880Abstract: A spark plug exhibiting excellent withstand voltage characteristics and mechanical strength at high temperature, which are comparable to those at ambient temperature. The spark plug having an insulator formed of an alumina-based sintered material containing: an Al component, an Si component, a Group 2 element component, and a rare earth element component. The amounts of such components satisfy a condition (1): 0.25? oxide-reduced amount (mass %) of the Si component ?1.25, and a condition (2): 1.35?[(oxide-reduced amount of the Si component)/((oxide-reduced amount of the Group 2 element component)/(oxide-reduced amount of the rare earth element component))]?7.5. The alumina-based sintered material includes alumina grains, and a glass phase including a crystal phase that satisfies a condition (3) that the crystal phase includes at least one of an aluminate crystal phase and a silicate crystal phase, each having a grain size of 20 to 350 nm.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2012Publication date: February 19, 2015Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya Takaoka, Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda, Syuuichiro Wakizoe, Mitsushiro Kondo
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Publication number: 20140336035Abstract: An insulator for spark plug with a main constituent of alumina and containing silicon includes a grain boundary phase positioned between alumina particles. The grain boundary phase contains: a group 2A element; a rare earth element; and at least one kind of zirconium, titanium, chrome, niobium, manganese, and iron (a first element). Assuming that a total amount of the rare earth element is X (mass %), a total amount of the group 2A element is Y (mass %), and a total amount of the first element is Z (mass %), the following are met: 0.40?Y/X?2.00 0.10?Z/X?0.40.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Katsuya TAKAOKA, Yutaka YOKOYAMA, Kengo FUJIMURA, Hironori UEGAKI, Hiroki TAKEUCHI, Hirokazu KURONO, Toshitaka HONDA, Kuniharu TANAKA, Takeshi MITSUOKA
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Patent number: 8749125Abstract: A task of this invention is to provide a spark plug that is superior in withstand voltage characteristics at high temperatures. A spark plug of this invention is equipped with a center electrode, an insulator, and a metal shell, and is characterized by that the insulator is equipped with an alumina-based sintered body containing silicon component (Si component), magnesium component (Mg component), at least one component of calcium component, strontium component, and barium component, and a rare earth element component (RE component), that a grain boundary phase of the alumina-based sintered body has a hexaaluminate crystal containing the RE component, that, in the alumina-based sintered body, the weight ratio of the RE component to the Mg component is 5.4?RE oxide/MgO?17.5, and that the content of an alkali metal component in terms of oxide in a spot having a diameter of 0.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2010Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.Inventors: Katsuya Takaoka, Hironori Uegaki, Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda
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Patent number: 8564184Abstract: A spark plug that is equipped with an insulator that has a stem portion on a front end side, a center electrode, and a main metal member that retains the insulator at an engaging projection portion, wherein an inner diameter DIN of the engaging projection portion, the maximum outer diameter dOUT of the stem portion, which faces an inner circumferential surface of the engaging projection portion, its inner diameter dIN, and dielectric constant ? of the insulator satisfy the condition of “(DIN?dOUT)/2?0.40 (mm)”, “(dOUT?dIN)/2?1.65 (mm)”, and “??9.4”.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2010Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda, Katsuya Takaoka, Hiroki Takeuchi, Kuniharu Tanaka, Takeshi Mitsuoka
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Patent number: 8564183Abstract: A spark plug having a center electrode, an insulator and a metal shell and satisfying conditions (1) to (5) as defined herein. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a spark plug including the step of producing an insulator by preparing a raw material powder in such a manner that the particle size distribution ratio (90% volume diameter/10% volume diameter) between particles of 10% volume diameter and particles of 90% volume diameter in the raw material powder is 3.6 to 5.2, and then, press-forming and sintering the prepared raw material powder.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2010Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Suzuki, Katsuya Takaoka, Toshitaka Honda, Hirokazu Kurono
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Patent number: 8482187Abstract: A spark plug which exhibits high dielectric strength at high temperature and which is unlikely to be deteriorated in dielectric strength is provided. The spark plug includes a center electrode, an insulator, and a metallic shell. The insulator includes an alumina-based sintered body which contains a silicon component, a Group II element component, and a rare earth element component. The alumina-based sintered body is composed of a glass phase and an alumina crystal phase as observed through X-ray diffraction analysis. When the grain boundary phase of the alumina-based sintered body is observed under a transmission electron microscope, and the weight ratio between an alkali metal component and the rare earth element component as reduced to oxides thereof [alkali metal/rare earth element] is calculated at 30 circular spots, each having a diameter of 0.3 nm, selected arbitrarily in a field of observation, the average of the weight ratios of the 30 spots falls within a range of 0.01 to 1.0.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2010Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.Inventors: Katsuya Takaoka, Hironori Uegaki, Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda
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Patent number: 8390183Abstract: This invention has an object to provide a spark plug exhibiting high withstand voltage characteristics and high strength at high temperature, formed by an alumina-based sintered body prepared with excellent processability and high productivity, and a method for manufacturing the spark plug. This invention relates to a spark plug 1 including an insulator 3, wherein the insulator 3 includes a dense alumina-based sintered body having an average crystal particle diameter of 1.50 ?m or more, and the alumina-based sintered body contains Si, a Group 2 element component containing Ba and a Group 2 element other than those, and a rare earth element component, such that a ratio of a content S of the Si component to a total content of the content S and a content A of the Group 2 element component is 0.60 or more, and a method for manufacturing the spark plug 1 prepared through a grinding-shaping process in which the insulator 3 is ground before burning to shape the same.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2009Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirokazu Kurono, Toshitaka Honda, Hiroki Takeuchi, Takeshi Mitsuoka, Kuniharu Tanaka, Kazunari Miyata, Katsuya Takaoka
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Patent number: 8382918Abstract: The steel wire material for a spring of the invention contains; C: 0.37-0.54%, Si: 1.7-2.30%, Mn: 0.1-1.30%, Cr: 0.15-1.1%, Cu: 0.15-0.6%, Ti: 0.010-0.1%, Al: 0.003-0.05%, and the balance including iron with inevitable impurities, wherein ferrite decarburized layer depth is 0.01 mm or less, whole decarburized layer depth is 0.20 mm or less, and fracture reduction of area is 25% or more. It alternately may contain; C: 0.38-0.47%, Si: 1.9-2.5%, Mn: 0.6-1.3%, Ti: 0.05-0.15%, Al: 0.003-0.1%, and the balance including iron with inevitable impurities, wherein ferrite decarburized layer depth is 0.01 mm or less.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2011Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.Inventors: Nao Yoshihara, Fujio Koizumi, Hirokazu Inoue, Katsuya Takaoka, Shoji Miyazaki, Sayaka Nagamatsu
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Publication number: 20120319556Abstract: The present invention relates to a spark plug having good combustible-gas ignitability even when the spark plug is downsized and to a method for high-yield manufacturing of a spark plug with good combustible-gas ignitability. There is provided according to one aspect of the present invention a spark plug 1 having a center electrode 2, an insulator 3 and a metal shell 4 and satisfying the following conditions (1) to (5). There is provided according to another aspect of the present invention a manufacturing method of a spark plug including the step of producing an insulator by preparing a raw material powder in such a manner that the particle size distribution ratio (90% volume diameter/10% volume diameter) between particles of 10% volume diameter and particles of 90% volume diameter in the raw material powder is 3.6 to 5.2, and then, press-forming and sintering the prepared raw material powder. Condition (1): The insulator has a wall thickness T of 0.3 to 1.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2010Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.Inventors: Akira Suzuki, Katsuya Takaoka, Toshitaka Honda, Hirokazu Kurono