Patents by Inventor Kazuaki Fukushima

Kazuaki Fukushima 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: 11482731
    Abstract: A battery includes a positive electrode containing sulfur, a negative electrode containing a material for occluding and releasing a lithium ion, and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution contains at least one of a liquid complex and a liquid salt in which a polysulfide is insoluble or almost insoluble, and a solvent in which a polysulfide is soluble. The electrolytic solution has a Li2S8 saturation sulfur concentration of 10 mM or more and 400 mM or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Fukushima, Kazumasa Takeshi, Tadahiko Kubota
  • Patent number: 10730702
    Abstract: A floor conveyor has a conveyed object support base portion supported on a conveying traveling body via a columnar support member that penetrates, in a vertical direction, a slit formed in a floor surface along a traveling path of the conveying traveling body. An auxiliary floor surface mechanism which narrows the width of the slit has protruding members protruding from the side of the slit to the center of the slit, where each of the protruding members includes a plate-shaped portion along a perpendicularly vertical direction and is held and biased by an elastic force in a protruding posture in which the protruding member protrudes to the center of the slit. When the protruding member contacts the columnar support member, the protruding member moves in the movement direction of the columnar support member against elasticity so as to allow the passage of the columnar support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Daifuku Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Fukushima, Shotaro Kamiya, Yoshikazu Hirokari, Yoshitaka Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20180277881
    Abstract: A secondary battery includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte layer. The electrolyte layer includes an electrolytic solution, two or more copolymers each containing hexafluoropropylene as a component and each having a different copolymerization amount (wt %) of hexafluoropropylene, and a plurality of inorganic particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Aiko NAKAMURA, Tadahiko KUBOTA, Kazumasa TAKESHI, Shuhei SUGITA, Hiroki MITA, Kazuaki FUKUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20180118468
    Abstract: A floor conveyor has a conveyed object support base portion supported on a conveying traveling body via a columnar support member that penetrates, in a vertical direction, a slit formed in a floor surface along a traveling path of the conveying traveling body. An auxiliary floor surface mechanism which narrows the width of the slit has protruding members protruding from the side of the slit to the center of the slit, where each of the protruding members includes a plate-shaped portion along a perpendicularly vertical direction and is held and biased by an elastic force in a protruding posture in which the protruding member protrudes to the center of the slit. When the protruding member contacts the columnar support member, the protruding member moves in the movement direction of the columnar support member against elasticity so as to allow the passage of the columnar support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuaki Fukushima, Shotaro Kamiya, Yoshikazu Hirokari, Yoshitaka Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20170054180
    Abstract: A battery includes a positive electrode containing sulfur, a negative electrode containing a material for occluding and releasing a lithium ion, and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution contains at least one of a liquid complex and a liquid salt in which a polysulfide is insoluble or almost insoluble, and a solvent in which a polysulfide is soluble. The electrolytic solution has a Li2S8 saturation sulfur concentration of 10 mM or more and 400 mM or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: KAZUAKI FUKUSHIMA, KAZUMASA TAKESHI, TADAHIKO KUBOTA
  • Publication number: 20150188106
    Abstract: Provided is a battery which can improve the positive electrode utilization and rate characteristics of a charge-discharge reaction. The battery includes a positive electrode containing sulfur, a negative electrode containing lithium, an electrolyte, and a conductive interlayer provided between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The conductive interlayer includes a conductive fiber-containing layer, a conductive nanotube-containing layer, or a conductive mesh.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Kazumasa TAKESHI, Kazuaki FUKUSHIMA, Tadahiko KUBOTA
  • Patent number: 8962216
    Abstract: An ion-conducting composite electrolyte membrane with strength improved without impairing ionic conductivity, and a fuel cell using the same are provided. The proton conductive composite electrolyte membrane includes an electrolyte which includes an ion-dissociating functional group and is made of a fullerene derivative or sulfonated pitch within a range of 5 wt % to 85 wt % both inclusive, and a binder which has a weight-average molecular weight of 550000 or over and a logarithmic viscosity of 2 dL/g or over, and is made of a fluorine-based polymer such as polyvinylidene fluoride and a copolymer of polyvinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene within a range of 15 wt % to 95 wt % both inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takuro Hirakimoto, Kazuaki Fukushima, Kenji Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 8900772
    Abstract: A fuel cartridge with which liquid leakage through an air induction hole from a fuel tank is able to be prevented and safety is able to be improved is provided. Switching drive for opening and closing an air induction hole 12 is performed by a valve 13 capable of controlling the switching drive according to a control signal. Thereby, air introduction to a fuel tank 100 containing a fuel is able to be controlled. Thus, for example, at the time of high temperature or fuel disorder, by closing the air induction hole 12 by the valve 13, fuel leakage from the fuel tank through the air induction hole of an existing check valve is able to be prevented, and safety is able to be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Fukushima, Yoshiaki Inoue, Yuto Takagi, Atsushi Sato, Jusuke Shimura
  • Patent number: 8703359
    Abstract: A fuel cell capable of being thinned while maintaining a stable electric power supply is provided. A fuel cell includes a power generation section, a fuel tank, a fuel supply section (pump), and a fuel vaporization section. The power generation section has a structure in which a combined body is sandwiched between a cell plate and a cell plate. The combined body has a structure in which an anode electrode and a cathode electrode are oppositely arranged with an electrolyte film in between. In particular, the fuel supply section and the fuel vaporization section are integrally provided, and are connected by a nozzle section buried therein. A fuel contained in the fuel tank is pumped by the fuel supply section according to the state of the power generation section, and then is vaporized by the fuel vaporization section, and is supplied to the power generation section side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Fukushima, Shuji Goto, Jusuke Shimura
  • Patent number: 8679692
    Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that prevents destabilization of power generation due to heat generated in an electrochemical device portion. In a fuel cell having a membrane-electrode assembly which performs power generation by chemical reaction, a membrane-electrode assembly is disposed with a space from another membrane-electrode assembly or two membrane-electrode assemblies are provided adjacent to each other so that the pair is disposed with a space from another membrane-electrode assembly or another pair, and one of the main surfaces of a membrane-electrode assembly is in contact with outside air. Conductive plates are disposed in contact with the membrane-electrode assembly in order to exchange a current generated in the membrane-electrode assembly with the outside, and radiation fins are provided on the conductive plate on the main surface side in contact with outside air so that the conductive plate serves as a radiation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shuji Goto, Kazuaki Fukushima, Sayaka Nanjo, Tetsuro Kusamoto
  • Patent number: 8663870
    Abstract: An electrochemical device capable of improving arrangement efficiency of bonded bodies and securing favorable sealing characteristics is provided. An electrolyte membrane 11 has a reaction region 11A sandwiched between a fuel electrode 12 and an oxygen electrode 13 and a peripheral region 11B exposed from between the fuel electrode 12 and the oxygen electrode 13. A connection member 20 has a bent section 23 between two flat sections 21 and 22. Since an adhesive layer 14 is provided in the peripheral section 11B of the electrolyte membrane 11, and the bent section 23 of the connection member 20 is bonded to the adhesive layer 14, arrangement efficiency of a bonded body 10 is improved, and favorable sealing characteristics are secured. The adhesive layer 14 has a structure in which a first contact layer having high adhesion to the electrolyte membrane 11, a barrier layer, a strength retention layer, and a second contact layer having high adhesion to the connection member 20 are sequentially laminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Fukushima, Shuji Goto, Sayaka Nanjo, Tetsuro Kusamoto
  • Patent number: 8481230
    Abstract: A liquid tank and a tubular structure for liquid tank capable of suctioning an internal liquid to the last drop even when the tank is tilted to any angle are provided. The tubular structure 40 has a duct line 41 extending from a specific position 41A in the tank body 30 in a direction toward apexes, sides, or faces of the tank body 30. Ends of the duct line 41 are contacted with the apexes, the sides, or the faces of the tank body 30, and have a liquid inlet 41B. Since the inlet 41B is limited to the ends of the duct line 41, flow of the liquid in the tank body 30 has a certain directivity that the liquid enters through only the inlet 41B into the duct line 41, is transported to the specific position 41A, and is suctioned outside. In the tubular structure 40, an inner structure 45 having voids thorough which the liquid passes such as a porous body is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Jusuke Shimura, Kazuaki Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20130061923
    Abstract: To provide a photoelectric conversion device having high conversion efficiency and a method for manufacturing the same. The photoelectric conversion device includes a working electrode that has a transparent electrode (2) and a porous metal oxide semiconductor layer (3) that is formed on a surface of the transparent electrode (2) and supported with a dye; a counter electrode (5); and an electrolyte layer (4), the hydroxyl group concentration on the surface of the oxide semiconductor layer is 0.01 groups/(nm)2 or more and 4.0 groups/(nm)2 or less, and the adsorbed water concentration on the surface thereof is 0.03 pieces/(nm)2 or more and 4.0 pieces/(nm)2 or less. The method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device includes a first step of forming a porous metal oxide semiconductor layer (3) on a surface of a transparent electrode (2), a second step of controlling the hydroxyl group concentration on the surface of the oxide semiconductor layer to be 0.01 groups/(nm)2 or more and 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakazu Muroyama, Kazuaki Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20120129077
    Abstract: An ion-conducting composite electrolyte membrane with strength improved without impairing ionic conductivity, and a fuel cell using the same are provided. The proton conductive composite electrolyte membrane includes an electrolyte which includes an ion-dissociating functional group and is made of a fullerene derivative or sulfonated pitch within a range of 5 wt % to 85 wt % both inclusive, and a binder which has a weight-average molecular weight of 550000 or over and a logarithmic viscosity of 2 dL/g or over, and is made of a fluorine-based polymer such as polyvinylidene fluoride and a copolymer of polyvinylidene fluoride and hexafluoropropylene within a range of 15 wt % to 95 wt % both inclusive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuro Hirakimoto, Kazuaki Fukushima, Kenji Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20120115065
    Abstract: Provided are an ion-conductive composite electrolyte that improves ionic conductivity, a membrane-electrode assembly and an electrochemical device using the same, and a method for producing an ion-conductive composite electrolyte membrane. A proton-conductive composite electrolyte contains an electrolyte having a proton-dissociative group (—SO3H) and a compound having a Lewis acid group MXn-1, wherein the Lewis acid group and the proton-dissociative group interact with each other. The compound having the Lewis acid group is a Lewis acid compound MXn or a polymer having a Lewis acid group MXn-1. The electrolyte having a proton-dissociative group is, for example, a fullerene derivative. A proton-conductive composite electrolyte membrane is formed using a solvent having a donor number of 25 or less, and a membrane-electrode assembly using the same is suitable for use in a fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuro Hirakimoto, Kazuaki Fukushima, Kenji Kishimoto
  • Publication number: 20120100458
    Abstract: There are provided an ion-conducting microparticle including an ion-dissociative group and exhibiting an affinity for a fluorine-containing resin, and a method of manufacturing the same, an ion-conducting composite including the ion-conducting microparticle, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) including the ion-conducting composite as an electrolyte, and an electrochemical device such as a fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Kishimoto, Kazuaki Fukushima, Takuro Hirakimoto
  • Publication number: 20120094209
    Abstract: Provided are an ion-conductive composite containing ion-conductive fine particles and a vinylidene fluoride homopolymer or copolymer and having excellent ion conductivity, a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) including the ion-conductive composite as an electrolyte, and an electrochemical device, such as a fuel cell. An ion-conductive composite is formed of ion-conductive fine particles having an ion-dissociative group and a vinylidene fluoride homopolymer or copolymer. Here, a vinylidene fluoride homopolymer or copolymer having a ?-type crystal structure is used. Since polyvinylidene fluoride having the ?-type crystal structure has a large dipole moment in a direction that is orthogonal to the direction of the molecular chain, permittivity in the vicinity of ion-conductive fine particles can be kept high, thus facilitating ionic conduction. As a result, the decrease in ion conductivity can be minimized when the composite is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Kishimoto, Kazuaki Fukushima, Takuro Hirakimoto
  • Publication number: 20110277832
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for production of a titanium dioxide composite, the method including a step of preparing titanium dioxide nanowires, a step of dipping the titanium dioxide nanowires in a solution containing titanium oxysulfate and urea, thereby forming titanium dioxide fine particles on the surface of the titanium dioxide nanowires, and a step of recovering the titanium dioxide nanowires having the titanium dioxide fine particles formed on the surface thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Keisuke Shimizu, Osamu Enoki, Yuri Nakayama, Kazuaki Fukushima
  • Patent number: 8007942
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are an ion-dissociative functional compound, a method for production thereof, an ionic conductor, and an electrochemical device, the ion-dissociative functional compound being thermally and chemically stable under the condition required of fuel cells and being suitable for use as a material such as protonic conductor in fuel cells. The proton-dissociative functional compound shown in FIG. 1A is composed of a fullerene C60 molecule and about 10 sulfonic acid groups —SO3H as proton-dissociative groups each attached to the fullerene through a difluoromethane group —CF2—. The proton-dissociative functional compound shown in FIG. 1B is composed of fullerene molecules three-dimensionally connected to each other through a linking group —CF2SO2NHSO2CF2—. It contains, as the proton-dissociative group, sulfoneimide groups —SO2NHSO2— and sulfoneamide groups —SO2H2 in addition to sulfonic acid groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuaki Fukushima, Shuichi Takizawa, Koichiro Hinokuma, Atsushi Nishimoto, Kazuhiro Noda
  • Patent number: 8002137
    Abstract: A fuel cartridge is provided. The fuel cartridge capable of reliably suppressing fuel leakage and realizing improved safety. The fuel cartridge includes a cartridge body having a fuel supply port, and a seal member for directly closing the fuel supply port. The cartridge body has an atmosphere communication port, and the seal member directly closes the fuel supply port and the atmosphere communication port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Sato, Yoshiaki Inoue, Kazuaki Fukushima, Jusuke Shimura, Yuto Takagi