Patents by Inventor Kazuhiro Sumioka

Kazuhiro Sumioka 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).

  • Publication number: 20130302714
    Abstract: Provided is a porous electrode substrate having excellent thickness precision, gas permeability and conductivity, handling efficiency, low production costs and a high carbonization rate during carbonization. Also provided are a method for manufacturing such a substrate, a precursor sheet and fibrillar fiber used for forming such a substrate, along with a membrane electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that contain such a substrate. The method for manufacturing a porous electrode substrate includes step (1) for manufacturing a precursor sheet in which short carbon fibers (A) and carbon fiber precursor (b) are dispersed, and step (2) for carbonizing the precursor sheet, and the volume contraction rate of carbon fiber precursor (b) in step (2) is 83% or lower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sumioka, Shigeru Tanoue, Yoshihiro Sako
  • Patent number: 8574758
    Abstract: The present invention provides a porous electrode substrate that has low production cost, high mechanical strength, thickness precision, and surface smoothness, and sufficient gas permeability and electrical conductivity, and a method for producing the same. In the present invention, for example, a porous electrode substrate that includes short carbon fibers (A) joined together via three-dimensional mesh-like carbon fibers (B) is produced by a method including a step (1) of dispersing short carbon fibers (A), and short carbon fiber precursors (b) to be fibrillated by beating, to produce a precursor sheet; and a step (2) of subjecting the precursor sheet to carbonization treatment at a temperature of 1000° C. or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sumioka, Yoshihiro Sako
  • Publication number: 20130273454
    Abstract: Provided is a porous electrode substrate having high mechanical strength, good handling properties, high thickness precision, little undulation, and adequate gas permeability and conductivity. Also provided is a method for producing a porous electrode substrate at low costs. A porous electrode substrate is produced by joining short carbon fibers (A) via mesh-like of carbon fibers (B) having an average diameter of 4 ?m or smaller. Further provided are a membrane-electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that use this porous electrode membrane. A porous electrode substrate is obtained by subjecting a precursor sheet, in which short carbon fibers (A) and short carbon fiber precursors (b) having an average diameter of 5 ?m or smaller have been dispersed, to carbonization treatment after optional hot press forming and optional oxidization treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sumioka, Yoshihiro Sako
  • Publication number: 20130224625
    Abstract: Provided are: a porous electrode substrate which has excellent handling properties and surface smoothness and satisfactory gas permeability and electrical conductivity, and enables the reduction of damage to a polymer electrolyte membrane when integrated into a fuel cell; and a process for producing the porous electrode substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sumioka, Yoshihiro Sako
  • Publication number: 20120141911
    Abstract: The provision of a porous electrode substrate that has large sheet strength, low production costs, high handling properties, high thickness precision and surface smoothness, and sufficient gas permeability and electrical conductivity. A porous electrode substrate including a three-dimensional entangled structure including short carbon fibers (A) dispersed in a three-dimensional structure, joined together via three-dimensional mesh-like carbon fibers (B). A method for producing a porous electrode substrate, including a step (1) of producing a precursor sheet including short carbon fibers (A), and short carbon fiber precursors (b) and/or fibrillar carbon fiber precursors (b?) dispersed in a two-dimensional plane; a step (2) of subjecting the precursor sheet to entanglement treatment; and a step (3) of subjecting this sheet to carbonization treatment at 1000° C. or higher. It is preferable to include a step (4) of subjecting the sheet to hot press forming at lower than 200° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sumioka, Yoshihiro Sako
  • Publication number: 20120115063
    Abstract: The present invention provides a porous electrode substrate that has high sheet strength, low production cost, and sufficient gas permeability and electrical conductivity, and a method for producing the same. In the present invention, the porous electrode substrate is produced by producing a precursor sheet including short carbon fibers (A), and one or more types of short precursor fibers (b) that undergo oxidation and/or one or more types of fibrillar precursor fibers (b?) that undergo oxidation, all of which are dispersed in a two-dimensional plane, subjecting the precursor sheet to entanglement treatment to form a three-dimensional entangled structure, then impregnating the precursor sheet with carbon powder and fluorine-based resin, and further heat treating the precursor sheet at a temperature of 150° C. or higher and lower than 400° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sumioka, Hiroto Tatsuno
  • Publication number: 20120100456
    Abstract: The present invention provides a porous electrode substrate that has low production cost, high mechanical strength, thickness precision, and surface smoothness, and sufficient gas permeability and electrical conductivity, and a method for producing the same. In the present invention, for example, a porous electrode substrate that includes short carbon fibers (A) joined together via three-dimensional mesh-like carbon fibers (B) is produced by a method including a step (1) of dispersing short carbon fibers (A), and short carbon fiber precursors (b) to be fibrillated by beating, to produce a precursor sheet; and a step (2) of subjecting the precursor sheet to carbonization treatment at a temperature of 1000° C. or higher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sumioka, Yoshihiro Sako
  • Publication number: 20110294036
    Abstract: Provided is a porous electrode substrate having high mechanical strength, good handling properties, high thickness precision, little undulation, and adequate gas permeability and conductivity. Also provided is a method for producing a porous electrode substrate at low costs. A porous electrode substrate is produced by joining short carbon fibers (A) via mesh-like of carbon fibers (B) having an average diameter of 4 ?m or smaller. Further provided are a membrane-electrode assembly and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell that use this porous electrode membrane. A porous electrode substrate is obtained by subjecting a precursor sheet, in which short carbon fibers (A) and short carbon fiber precursors (b) having an average diameter of 5 ?m or smaller have been dispersed, to carbonization treatment after optional hot press forming and optional oxidization treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI RAYON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Sumioka, Yoshihiro Sako
  • Patent number: 7768193
    Abstract: There is provided a display element capable of efficiently emitting generated light externally and a method of manufacturing the display element, without damaging an organic electroluminescent layer. First, a transparent electrode protection material (11) is deposited on a first holding substrate (10); then organic electroluminescent light-emitting elements (12, 13, 14) are manufactured thereon; and then after sealing and holding with a sealing material (15) and a second holding substrate (16), the first holding substrate (10) and a transparent electrode protection material (11) are removed by etching or the like. According to the present invention, the removal of the first holding substrate (10) enables improvement of the emission rate generated in the electroluminescent layer (13), and improvement of brightness and contrast in the display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tsutsui, Kazuhiro Sumioka
  • Publication number: 20080315758
    Abstract: There is provided a display element capable of efficiently emitting generated light externally and a method of manufacturing the display element, without damaging an organic electroluminescent layer. First, a transparent electrode protection material (11) is deposited on a first holding substrate (10); then organic electroluminescent light-emitting elements (12, 13, 14) are manufactured thereon; and then after sealing and holding with a sealing material (15) and a second holding substrate (16), the first holding substrate (10) and a transparent electrode protection material (11) are removed by etching or the like. According to the present invention, the removal of the first holding substrate (10) enables improvement of the emission rate generated in the electroluminescent layer (13), and improvement of brightness and contrast in the display element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tsutsui, Kazuhiro Sumioka
  • Patent number: 7414364
    Abstract: There is provided a display element capable of efficiently emitting generated light externally and a method of manufacturing the display element, without damaging an organic electroluminescent layer. First, a transparent electrode protection material (11) is deposited on a first holding substrate (10); then organic electroluminescent light-emitting elements (12, 13, 14) are manufactured thereon; and then after sealing and holding with a sealing material (15) and a second holding substrate (16), the first holding substrate (10) and a transparent electrode protection material (11) are removed by etching or the like. According to the present invention, the removal of the first holding substrate (10) enables improvement of the emission rate generated in the electroluminescent layer (13), and improvement of brightness and contrast in the display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tsutsui, Kazuhiro Sumioka
  • Publication number: 20080038589
    Abstract: One porous electrode base material for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises: short carbon fibers which are dispersed in random directions in a substantially two-dimensional plane and have a fiber diameter of 3 to 9 ?m; an amorphous resin carbide which binds said short carbon fibers; and a filamentary resin carbide which further cross-links said short carbon fibers, wherein said porous electrode base material has a thickness of 150 ?m or less. Furthermore, another porous electrode base material for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises: short carbon fibers which are dispersed in random directions in a substantially two-dimensional plane and have a fiber diameter of 3 to 9 ?m; an amorphous resin carbide which binds said short carbon fibers; and a network resin carbide having a minimum fiber diameter of 3 ?m or less which further cross-links said short carbon fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nakamura, Hidehiko Ohashi, Mitsuo Hamada, Kazushige Mihara, Kazuhiro Sumioka
  • Publication number: 20050088089
    Abstract: There is provided a display element capable of efficiently emitting generated light externally and a method of manufacturing the display element, without damaging an organic electroluminescent layer. First, a transparent electrode protection material (11) is deposited on a first holding substrate (10); then organic electroluminescent light-emitting elements (12, 13, 14) are manufactured thereon; and then after sealing and holding with a sealing material (15) and a second holding substrate (16), the first holding substrate (10) and a transparent electrode protection material (11) are removed by etching or the like. According to the present invention, the removal of the first holding substrate (10) enables improvement of the emission rate generated in the electroluminescent layer (13), and improvement of brightness and contrast in the display element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tsutsui, Kazuhiro Sumioka
  • Patent number: 6866555
    Abstract: There is provided a display element capable of efficiently emitting generated light externally and a method of manufacturing the display element, without damaging an organic electroluminescent layer. First, a transparent electrode protection material (11) is deposited on a first holding substrate (10); then organic electroluminescent light-emitting elements (12, 13, 14) are manufactured thereon; and then after sealing and holding with a sealing material (15) and a second holding substrate (16), the first holding substrate (10) and a transparent electrode protection material (11) are removed by etching or the like. According to the present invention, the removal of the first holding substrate (10) enables improvement of the emission rate generated in the electroluminescent layer (13), and improvement of brightness and contrast in the display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tsutsui, Kazuhiro Sumioka
  • Publication number: 20020030770
    Abstract: There is provided a display element capable of efficiently emitting generated light externally and a method of manufacturing the display element, without damaging an organic electroluminescent layer. First, a transparent electrode protection material (11) is deposited on a first holding substrate (10); then organic electroluminescent light-emitting elements (12, 13, 14) are manufactured thereon; and then after sealing and holding with a sealing material (15) and a second holding substrate (16), the first holding substrate (10) and a transparent electrode protection material (11) are removed by etching or the like. According to the present invention, the removal of the first holding substrate (10) enables improvement of the emission rate generated in the electroluminescent layer (13), and improvement of brightness and contrast in the display element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tsutsui, Kazuhiro Sumioka