Patents by Inventor Kazuo Sakamoto

Kazuo Sakamoto 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: 20030145918
    Abstract: The method for manufacturing a plastic worked article includes the steps of shaping an article for plastic working by a semisolid molding in which molten metal including both a solid phase and a liquid phase is introduced into a die; performing a pre-plastic working heat treatment on the article for plastic working for causing blisters by expanding gas cavities included in the article for plastic working; and forming a plastic worked article by plastic working the article for plastic working after the pre-plastic working heat treatment. The plastic working of the article for plastic working is performed in such a manner that a tensile stress applied direction at a tensile stress applied portion to which tensile stress is principally applied in actual use of the plastic worked article substantially accords with a plastic flow direction at a portion of the article for plastic working corresponding to the tensile stress applied portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2003
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Yasuo Uosaki, Nobuo Sakate
  • Patent number: 6564854
    Abstract: In a semi-solid alloy including a large amount of a liquid phase portion, that is, semi-solid alloy with less than 50% of solid phase rate, there is a tendency for a solid phase portion to concentrate into the central portion in the direction of thickness, that is the internal portion. In order to enhance corrosion resistance at a portion where high corrosion resistance is particularly required in parts molded by semi-solid injection, the above tendency is utilized. By utilizing the tendency, a layer consisting of a liquid phase portion is partially formed at the semi-solid state on a surface portion where high corrosion resistance is required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuo Sakate, Shoji Hirabara, Kazuo Sakamoto, Yukio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6470956
    Abstract: In a semi-molten metal injection molding method of producing a thick molded article by injecting a semi-molten melt M of a magnesium alloy, in a semi-melting state, into a cavity 13 of a mold 11 through a product gate 17, characterized in that it is made possible to obtain a high-quality thick molded article free from internal defects. A solid fraction of the semi-molten melt M is set to not less than 10%, and more preferably within a range of 40 to 80%. A sectional area Sg of a product gate portion of the thick molded article corresponding to the product gate 17 is set to not less than 0.1 times a sectional area Sp in the vicinity of the product gate 17 in the product portion corresponding to the cavity 13. Furthermore, a product gate velocity Vg mm/s of the semi-molten melt M, a sectional area Sg mm2 of the product gate portion of the thick molded article and a volume Vp mm3 of the product portion are set so as to satisfy the following relationships: Vg≦8.0×104; and, Vg×Sg/Vp≧10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Kyoso Ishida, Yukio Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 6456572
    Abstract: A compact disk drive unit capable of changing disks in a very short time. An access mechanism is provided for transferring a disk between a rack and a plurality of disk driving mechanisms, wherein the access mechanism is pivotally supported by a central shaft which is approximately parallel with a central shaft of the rack. A disk transfer means is provided to selectively face the rack and the disk driving mechanisms to transfer a disk between them. The disk driving mechanisms are radially disposed around the central shaft of the access mechanism to face the revolving access mechanism at a preset distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuo Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6402399
    Abstract: A developing method comprising, a step of holding a substrate in substantially a horizontal position, the substrate coated with a photoresist film which has a pattern-exposed region where a predetermined circuit pattern is formed by light exposure, and a step of developing the photoresist film by starting to apply, at a time, a developing solution to the entire pattern-exposed region of the photoresist film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Shuuichi Nishikido
  • Patent number: 6391111
    Abstract: To provide a coating apparatus which is capable of making short a lag time up to action of a valve and making operate a discharging pump and a valve with the best timing. By employing electric-air regulators ER1 and ER2 of small size and high response speed as a speed controller for controlling a switching speed of a switching valve AV or a suck-back valve SV, total flowing course is made short, thereby a time lag up to operation of a valve is made short. Further, by detecting the pressure of a resist liquid being discharged from a discharging pump 120 by a pressure sensor 123, and by controlling the operation of each device of a discharging pump 120, a switching valve AV, and a suck-back valve SV through a controller 180, a discharging pump 120, a switching valve AV, and a suck-back valve SV can be operated with the best timings, and generation of particles due to dripping of a resist liquid at a tip end of a resist nozzle 60 is prevented from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Akihiro Fujimoto, Kazuo Sakamoto, Nobukazu Ishizaka, Izumi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 6382849
    Abstract: In a developing processing to apply the developing solution onto the substrate after the light exposure, a developing solution supply nozzle scans a substrate more than once while discharging the developing solution on the substrate in a band shape to coat the substrate with the developing solution. Thus, it is possible to perform a developing processing with a small variation and high uniformity of the line width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Akira Nishiya
  • Publication number: 20020046592
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a shaped light metal article includes the steps of forming a plastic worked article by plastic working an article for plastic working made of light metal material, and subjecting the plastic worked article to a post-plastic working heat treatment for between 20 minutes and 10 hours at a temperature in a range of 250 to 400° C. As a result, a shaped light metal article is produced with sufficient ductility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Yasuo Uosaki, Nobuo Sakate
  • Publication number: 20020020475
    Abstract: A heat-resistant magnesium alloy member having specially excellent molding property and elongation while keeping creep resistance property, which comprises 2 to 6% by weight of aluminum and 0.5 to 4% by weight of calcium, and the balance comprising magnesium and inevitable impurities, having a Ca/Al ratio of no more than 0.8, preferably no more than 0.6. The method of preparing the heat-resistant magnesium alloy member is characterized in a semi-solid injection molding at a range between a solidus temperaaature of the alloy and a liquidus temperature of the alloy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Publication date: February 21, 2002
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Yukio Yamamoto, Nobuo Sakate, Shoji Hirabara
  • Publication number: 20020017371
    Abstract: In a semi-molten metal injection molding method of producing a thin molded product by injecting a semi-molten metal M of a magnesium alloy, in a semi-melting state, into a cavity of a mold through a product gate, characterized in that it is made possible to obtain a high-quality thin molded product by maintaining satisfactory fluidity of the semi-molten metal M. A grain size of the solid fraction in the melt M is set to not more than 0.13 times the average thickness of the product portion of the thin molded product and a molten metal velocity at the product gate is set to not less than 30 m/s and, moreover, a solid fraction Fs (%) of the semi-molten metal M and a grain size D (&mgr;m) of the solid phase of the semi-molten metal M are set so as to define the relationship Fs×D≦1500.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventors: KAZUO SAKAMOTO, KYOSO ISHIDA, YUKIO YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20020007929
    Abstract: In a semi-molten metal injection molding method of producing a thick molded article by injecting a semi-molten melt M of a magnesium alloy, in a semi-melting state, into a cavity 13 of a mold 11 through a product gate 17, characterized in that it is made possible to obtain a high-quality thick molded article free from internal defects. A solid fraction of the semi-molten melt M is set to not less than 10%, and more preferably within a range of 40 to 80%. A sectional area Sg of a product gate portion of the thick molded article corresponding to the product gate 17 is set to not less than 0.1 times a sectional area Sp in the vicinity of the product gate 17 in the product portion corresponding to the cavity 13. Furthermore, a product gate velocity Vg mm/s of the semi-molten melt M, a sectional area Sg mm2 of the product gate portion of the thick molded article and a volume Vp mm3 of the product portion are set so as to satisfy the following relationships: Vg ≦8.0×104; and, Vg×Sg/Vp≧10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Kyoso Ishida, Yukio Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20020005496
    Abstract: In an apparatus for determining the exposure conditions, a developed pattern is converted into an optical information formed by exposing a plurality of different positions of a substrate at different exposure amounts and focus values to light at a predetermined pattern and developing the pattern thereby to determine the combination of the optimum exposure amount and the optimum focus value from the optical information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Hideaki Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 6334478
    Abstract: In order to provide a die structure for injection molding of a light alloy free from gas defects, and a method of molding a light alloy parts using the die, the die structure is used for converting a light alloy into a semi-molten state, wherein a solid phase and a liquid phase coexist, or a molten state at a temperature just above a melting point and injecting the molten metal into an interior cavity portion, and S1/S2 of a gate sectional area S1 with respect to a maximum sectional area S2 of the cavity of the mold which area is almost perpendicular to the flowing direction of the melt therein is set in a range of 0.06 to 0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Kyoso Ishida, Yukio Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20010050050
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of supplying a developing solution to a surface of a substrate to perform developing treatment for the substrate, comprising a first step of supplying the developing solution to the surface of the substrate while a developing solution supply nozzle is moving relative to the substrate and a second step of developing the substrate for a first predetermined period of time, and the second step has the step of stirring the developing solution on the surface of the substrate after a second predetermined period of time from the completion of the first step. Because of stirring, the concentration of the developing solution on the substrate is made uniform, resulting in a rise in the uniformity of developing treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2001
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Inventors: Akira Nishiya, Kazuo Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6306231
    Abstract: A light metal alloy material has excellent plastic workability. The method of producing the light metal alloy material comprises a light metal as a matrix, which is injection-molded at a solid phase proportion of not more than 20%. The injection molded material has a limiting upsetting rate of not more than 70% and excellent moldability. This injection molded material can be molded into a final molded article by means of single-step forging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Kyoso Ishida, Yukio Yamamoto, Makoto Fujita
  • Patent number: 6298901
    Abstract: In a semi-molten metal injection molding method of producing a thick molded article by injecting a semi-molten melt M of a magnesium alloy, in a semi-melting state, into a cavity 13 of a mold 11 through a product gate 17, characterized in that it is made possible to obtain a high-quality thick molded article free from internal defects. A solid fraction of the semi-molten melt M is set to not less than 10%, and more preferably within a range of 40 to 80%. A sectional area Sg of a product gate portion of the thick molded article corresponding to the product gate 17 is set to not less than 0.1 times a sectional area Sp in the vicinity of the product gate 17 in the product portion corresponding to the cavity 13. Furthermore, a product gate velocity Vg mm/s of the semi-molten melt M, a sectional area Sg mm2 of the product gate portion of the thick molded article and a volume Vp mm3 of the product portion are set so as to satisfy the following relationships: Vg≦8.0×104; and, Vg×Sg/Vp≧10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Kyoso Ishida, Yukio Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20010016121
    Abstract: A developing method comprising, a step of holding a substrate in substantially a horizontal position, the substrate coated with a photoresist film which has a pattern-exposed region where a predetermined circuit pattern is formed by light exposure, and a step of developing the photoresist film by starting to apply, at a time, a developing solution to the entire pattern-exposed region of the photoresist film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventors: Kazuo Sakamoto, Shuuichi Nishikido
  • Publication number: 20010013402
    Abstract: In order to provide a die structure for injection molding of a light alloy free from gas defects, and a method of molding a light alloy parts using the die, the die structure is used for converting a light alloy into a semi-molten state, wherein a solid phase and a liquid phase coexist, or a molten state at a temperature just above a melting point and injecting the molten metal into an interior cavity portion, and S1/S2 of a gate sectional area S1 with respect to a maximum sectional area S2 of the cavity of the mold which area is almost perpendicular to the flowing direction of the melt therein is set in a range of 0.06 to 0.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Publication date: August 16, 2001
    Inventors: KAZUO SAKAMOTO, KYOSO ISHIDA, YUKIO YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 6268013
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and an apparatus for applying a coating liquid to an object from a liquid-applying member at a first prescribed position, thereby forming a film on the object. Before the coating liquid at the first position, the coating liquid is applied at a second predetermined position. An impurity-detecting device detects the impurities contained in the coating liquid applied at the second position. A particle-counting device is provided, and a switching device is provided on a liquid-supplying pipe extending from a source of the coating liquid to the liquid-applying member. The switching device switches the supply of the coating liquid between the liquid-applying member and the impurity-detecting device. The impurities in the coating liquid can thereby monitored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masami Akimoto, Kazutoshi Yoshioka, Kazuo Sakamoto, Norio Semba
  • Patent number: 6265860
    Abstract: Disclosed is a waveform measuring apparatus in which an integration period T can be discretionally set to a value in accordance with the analog voltage cycle of the device being measured with a simple circuit configuration. The waveform measuring apparatus has two integrator circuits for integrating a repeat-cycle analog input with a fixed period. A control portion, consisting of a gate controller and a phase shifter, enables first and second integrators alternatively, such that only one integrator is active at any point in time. The integrals from both integrators are then combined to obtain the integral of the analog input voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Advantest Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Eguchi, Kazuo Sakamoto, Eiichi Yada