Patents by Inventor Kazumasa Ohnishi
Kazumasa Ohnishi 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: 20040050176Abstract: A flow rate of fluid moving within a tube having a small diameter can be measured by the steps of: preparing a structure that has first and second oscillation wave generating-detecting means on a surface of a wall along the conduit; moving the fluid in the conduit; generating an oscillation wave in the first oscillation wave generating-detecting means, applying the wave onto the wall, and measuring a period of time required for transmitting the generated oscillation wave to the second oscillation wave generating-detecting means within the wall; generating an oscillation wave in the second oscillation wave generating-detecting means, applying the wave onto the wall, and measuring a period of time required for transmitting the generated oscillation wave to the first oscillation wave generating-detecting means in the wall; and comparing a difference of the periods of time of transmission and separately prepared calibration data.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Inventor: Kazumasa Ohnishi
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Patent number: 6684716Abstract: A sensitivity of a Coriolis flowmeter, which is also utilizable as a density meter, composed of a straight conduit through which a fluid to be measured flows, and two counter straight rods that are aligned on both sides of the conduit in parallel, in which one end of the conduit and each one end of the counter rods are fixed to a common support block and another end of the conduit and each another end of the counter rods are fixed to another common support block, is improved by providing to each of the conduit and counter rods a vibration generator for generating vibrations in such manner that the conduit and the counter rods vibrate in opposite phase, and by fixing both support blocks onto a rigid substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2001Date of Patent: February 3, 2004Inventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Yoshiro Tomikawa
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Patent number: 6615674Abstract: A clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter has a pair of ultrasonic transmitting-receiving devices which are placed on a pipe in which a liquid flows. Each device is composed of a composite of a ultrasonic transducer and a ultrasonic propagating element which propagates ultrasonic wave transmitted by the transducer predominantly in the direction perpendicular to a plane of the transducer (which is arranged at an acute angle from the center line of the pipe), and a ultrasonic propagating layer placed between the ultrasonic propagating element and the pipe. The ultrasonic propagating layer has a viscosity of 0.5×10−3 to 3×10 Pa.sec at 25° C. and a rate of sonic propagation in terms of V1 at 25° C. satisfying the condition of 0.5<V1/V2<1.7 in which V2 represents a rate of sonic propagation of material of the pipe at 25° C. Otherwise, the ultrasonic propagating layer has a rate of penetration of needle in the range of 10 to 300 at 25° C.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2002Date of Patent: September 9, 2003Inventor: Kazumasa Ohnishi
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Patent number: 6553845Abstract: A highly sensitive Coriolis flowmeter, which is also utilizable as a density meter, is composed of: a substrate having two conduits through which a fluid to be measured flows; a curved tube fixed to the substrate in such manner that one end connects with one conduit and another end connects with another conduit; two curved rods having a curve identical to the curve of the curved tube each of which is fixed to the substrate on each side in parallel with the curve tube with a space; vibrators attached to the tube and rods which generate vibrations in such manner that the tube and rods vibrate in opposite phase; and a sensor for detecting variation of vibration of the tube which is caused by a Coriolis force occurring when a fluid flows through the tube.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2001Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Inventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Yoshiro Tomikawa
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Patent number: 6532827Abstract: A clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter has a pair of ultrasonic transmitting-receiving devices. Each device is composed of a ultrasonic propagating element in the form of wedge having a bottom surface and a slanting surface extending from one edge of the bottom surface at an acute angle, and a ultrasonic transducer attached on the slanting surface. The ultrasonic propagating element is composed of a plurality of sheet units in which each sheet unit is composed of plural high modulus fibers aligned in parallel in resinous material, whereby propagating ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic transducer onto the bottom surface at an angle perpendicular to the slanting surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2002Date of Patent: March 18, 2003Inventor: Kazumasa Ohnishi
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Publication number: 20030041674Abstract: A clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter has a pair of ultrasonic transmitting-receiving devices. Each device is composed of a ultrasonic propagating element in the form of wedge having a bottom surface and a slanting surface extending from one edge of the bottom surface at an acute angle, and a ultrasonic transducer attached on the slanting surface. The ultrasonic propagating element is composed of a plurality of sheet units in which each sheet unit is composed of plural high modulus fibers aligned in parallel in resinous material, whereby propagating ultrasonic wave emitted by the ultrasonic transducer onto the bottom surface at an angle perpendicular to the slanting surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2002Publication date: March 6, 2003Inventor: Kazumasa Ohnishi
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Publication number: 20020139198Abstract: A clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter has a pair of ultrasonic transmitting-receiving devices which are placed on a pipe in which a liquid flows. Each device is composed of a composite of a ultrasonic transducer and a ultrasonic propagating element which propagates ultrasonic wave transmitted by the transducer predominantly in the direction perpendicular to a plane of the transducer (which is arranged at an acute angle from the center line of the pipe), and a ultrasonic propagating layer placed between the ultrasonic propagating element and the pipe. The ultrasonic propagating layer has a viscosity of 0.5×10−3 to 3×10 Pa.sec at 25° C. and a rate of sonic propagation in terms of V1 at 25° C. satisfying the condition of 0.5<V1/V2<1.7 in which V2 represents a rate of sonic propagation of material of the pipe at 25° C. Otherwise, the ultrasonic propagating layer has a rate of penetration of needle in the range of 10 to 300 at 25° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2002Publication date: October 3, 2002Inventor: Kazumasa Ohnishi
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Publication number: 20020071755Abstract: A precision positioning unit composed of a table on which an article is to be placed, a linearly movable rod which is connected with the table at one end and further connected with a rod actuating device at another end, in which the rod actuating device is capable of linearly moving the rod forward and backward, has the following characteristics:Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2001Publication date: June 13, 2002Inventor: Kazumasa Ohnishi
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Publication number: 20020020228Abstract: A sensitivity of a Coriolis flowmeter, which is also utilizable as a density meter, composed of a straight conduit through which a fluid to be measured flows, and two counter straight rods that are aligned on both sides of the conduit in parallel, in which one end of the conduit and each one end of the counter rods are fixed to a common support block and another end of the conduit and each another end of the counter rods are fixed to another common support block, is improved by providing to each of the conduit and counter rods a vibration generator for generating vibrations in such manner that the conduit and the counter rods vibrate in opposite phase, and by fixing both support blocks onto a rigid substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2001Publication date: February 21, 2002Inventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Yoshiro Tomikawa
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Publication number: 20010045133Abstract: A highly sensitive Coriolis flowmeter, which is also utilizable as a density meter, is composed of:Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2001Publication date: November 29, 2001Inventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Yoshiro Tomikawa
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Patent number: 6053044Abstract: Described herein is a vibratory gyroscope. In the present vibratory gyroscope, two detection output portions are provided on a vibrator. The detection output portions are constructed such that an output (corresponding to a null output F0) obtained when no angular velocity is given, can be produced in phase and Coriolis output components F.omega.C and F.omega.D can be outputted in phase opposite to each other. Outputs C and D produced from both detection output portions result in the sum of vectors represented as F0 and F.omega.C and the sum of vectors represented as F0 and F.omega.D respectively. However, the sensitivity of detection of Coriolis force components can be increased by determining the difference .phi. in phase between the detected outputs C and D.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 1998Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Masayuki Tanaka, Katsutoshi Sakurai, Fumihito Shikanai
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Patent number: 5942839Abstract: A piezoelectric vibrator having three parallel vibrator arms formed from piezoelectric material in which dielectric polarization is generated through the application of electric fields extending widthwise between first electrodes formed on top surfaces thereof and between second electrodes formed on bottom surfaces, and also between the first and second electrodes through the piezoelectric material, such that a portion of the dielectric polarization occurs at the surfaces of the vibrator arms, and a portion also occurs within the vibrator arms. When ac driving voltages are applied to the electrodes, the vibrator arms vibrate at large vibration amplitudes due to strains created in the portion of dielectric polarization within the vibrator arms.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 1996Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Katsutoshi Sakurai, Akihiko Ohashi
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Patent number: 5912524Abstract: A vibratory gyroscope including an elongated vibrator having a central (neutral) axis (Y-axis), a drive unit for deforming the first direction such that the vibrator vibrates in a first (X) direction, an added mass attached to the vibrator at a position offset from the central axis in a second (Z) direction, and a detector formed on the vibrator. Rotation of the vibratory gyroscope about the second (Z) direction during vibration in the second direction causes Coriolis force to acting on the added mass in a direction parallel to the central axis. Because the added mass is offset from the central axis, a resulting vibration in the second (Z) direction is produced, which is detected by the detector. With this arrangement, the central axis of the vibrator is placed in parallel with the surface of rotation of the rotating system. Thus, rotations about two or three axes in each direction can be detected in such a manner that noise generation is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1997Date of Patent: June 15, 1999Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Akira Satoh, Yoshiro Tomikawa
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Patent number: 5708320Abstract: A vibratory gyroscope including an elongated vibrator having a central (neutral) axis (Y-axis), a drive unit for deforming the first direction such that the vibrator vibrates in a first (X) direction, an added mass attached to the vibrator at a position offset from the central axis in a second (Z) direction, and a detector formed on the vibrator. Rotation of the vibratory gyroscope about the second (Z) direction during vibration in the second direction causes Coriolis force to acting on the added mass in a direction parallel to the central axis. Because the added mass is offset from the central axis, a resulting vibration in the second (Z) direction is produced, which is detected by the detector. With this arrangement, the central axis of the vibrator is placed in parallel with the surface of rotation of the rotating system. Thus, rotations about two or three axes in each direction can be detected in such a manner that noise generation is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1995Date of Patent: January 13, 1998Assignees: Alps Electric Co., Ltd, Yoshiro TomikawaInventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Akira Satoh, Yoshiro Tomikawa
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Patent number: 5691595Abstract: A vibratory gyroscope including a planar elastic vibrator having vibrator piezoelectric material layers formed on both the front and back sides. The vibrator includes a base portion and three parallel elastic pieces extending from the base portion such that the a center elastic piece is located between two side elastic pieces. Electrode layers are formed over the piezoelectric material layers which cause both the side elastic pieces and the center elastic piece to vibrate in a plane, such that the vibrations of the center elastic piece are 180.degree. out-of-phase with the side elastic pieces. When the thus-vibrated vibrator is rotated, the elastic pieces are vibrated in directions parallel to the plane due to the Coriolis force. These deformations are detected as voltage changes across the piezoelectric material layers, and the voltage changes are used to determinate the angular velocity of the vibrator.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 1995Date of Patent: November 25, 1997Assignees: Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Yoshiro TomikawaInventors: Yoshiro Tomikawa, Kazumasa Ohnishi, Akira Satoh
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Patent number: 5451828Abstract: A vibratory gyroscope, including a vibrator, which has three elastic arms separated by two slits, a driving means for generating vibration in at least one elastic arm, and a detecting means for detecting a component of vibration in a direction, which intersects with the direction of the vibration generated in an elastic arm due to Coriolis force when the vibrator rotates.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 1994Date of Patent: September 19, 1995Assignees: Alps Electric Co., Ltd., Yoshiro TomikawaInventors: Yoshiro Tomikawa, Kazumasa Ohnishi
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Patent number: 5258694Abstract: A control device for an ultrasonic motor for controlling to drive the ultrasonic motor according to a logical AND operation between a control pulse having a duty ratio changing from 100% to 0% according to a moving position of the ultrasonic motor and a driving signal having a resonance frequency of the ultrasonic motor. Accordingly, after starting the ultrasonic motor at a maximum speed, a moving speed of the ultrasonic motor can be gradually reduced until it reaches a target position, and when reaching the target position, the ultrasonic motor can be stopped precisely at the target position.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 1992Date of Patent: November 2, 1993Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Masayuki Tanaka, Youichi Kimura
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Patent number: 5245243Abstract: In the ultrasonic motor according to the present invention, a carbon fiber reinforced plastic whose carbon fibers are arranged in one direction is used for a friction member applied to a sliding surface of a stator or rotor; Vickers hardness is Hv550 or more; and a sliding surface of the rotor or stator in sliding relationship with the friction member has surface roughness of Ra=0.03 .mu.m or less.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1992Date of Patent: September 14, 1993Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazumasa Ohnishi, Masahiro Uchiyama
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Patent number: 5170088Abstract: The present invention relates to a driving mechanism for an electronic part such as a switch, a variable resistor, etc., which can be remote-controlled, wherein an ultrasonic motor is used as a driving source for the electronic part. Therefore the object thereof is to provide a driving mechanism for an electronic part, which produces no electromagnetic noise and for which the construction can be simplified by omitting a converting mechanism and a controlling mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 1991Date of Patent: December 8, 1992Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichi Naito, Kazumasa Ohnishi, Toru Nakazawa
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Patent number: 5166572Abstract: A friction member which is suitable for use in supersonic motors is disclosed. The friction member is constituted of a composite material comprised of a carbon material and a mechanical strength reinforcing material. The composite material is a shaped porous sintered product containing the carbon material, which is impregnated with metals, synthetic resins or non-metallic inorganic compounds and hot pressed.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 1991Date of Patent: November 24, 1992Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Kazumasa Ohnishi