Patents by Inventor Kazuya Kotani

Kazuya Kotani 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: 20160203592
    Abstract: A board production work method which includes a position detection process which detects an arrangement position of a detection target provided on a printed circuit board, and a work executing process which subjects the printed circuit board to predetermined production work based on the detected arrangement position, in which the position detection process includes an image acquisition step of imaging the printed circuit board under multiple imaging conditions and acquiring multiple items of original image data containing luminance values of each pixel arranged in two-dimensional coordinates, a difference calculation step of using two of the multiple items of original image data as calculation targets, calculating differences between luminance values of pixels with same coordinate values, and acquiring difference image data which is formed of luminance difference values of each of the pixels, and a position determination step of determining the arrangement position based on the difference image data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: FUJI MACHINE MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masafumi AMANO, Kazuya KOTANI
  • Patent number: 9254799
    Abstract: A battery, a regenerative generator, a capacitor capable of storing power generated by the regenerative generator, and a DC/DC convertor capable of allowing an output current to flow up to a specified permissible limit value are provided. The capacitor is connected to a first circuit portion connecting the regenerative generator and the DC/DC convertor. The battery is connected to a second circuit portion connecting the DC/DC convertor and electric loads. Thereby, power from the capacitor is supplied to electric loads by way of the DC/DC convertor until the output current of the DC/DC convertor reaches the specified permissible limit value, whereas power from the battery is supplied to the electric loads after the output current of the DC/DC convertor has reached the specified permissible limit value. A specified electric load is turned OFF when the power from the battery is supplied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshida, Shosuke Morimoto, Kazuya Kotani, Tomoyuki Imamura
  • Publication number: 20140062414
    Abstract: A power-source apparatus for a vehicle comprises a generator driven by an engine and generating power, a power-storage device storing the power generated by the generator thereat and supplying the power stored thereat to an electric load, and a control device configured to detect a deterioration state of the power-storage device and change a voltage of the power-storage device during a soak in accordance with the deterioration state of the power-storage device detected. Thereby, the improvement of the fuel economy can be achieved and also the necessary durability of the power-storage device can be ensured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masamitsu YUHARA, Katsumasa YOSHIDA, Kazuya KOTANI
  • Publication number: 20140067241
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a power-source apparatus for a vehicle comprising a generator driven by an engine of the vehicle having a function of an idle stop and generating power, a power-storage device storing the power generated by the generator thereat, and a control device. The power-storage device supplies the power to an electric load of the vehicle when the engine is stopped by means of the idle stop. The control device is configured to restart the engine when a voltage of the power-storage device decreases below a lower-limit value after the engine is stopped by means of the idle stop, and stop the engine again when a specified requirement for determining a sufficient recovery of the voltage of the power-storage device by means of the engine's restart is met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masamitsu YUHARA, Katsumasa YOSHIDA, Kazuya KOTANI
  • Publication number: 20130320931
    Abstract: A battery, a regenerative generator, a capacitor capable of storing power generated by the regenerative generator, and a DC/DC convertor capable of allowing an output current to flow up to a specified permissible limit value are provided. The capacitor is connected to a first circuit portion connecting the regenerative generator and the DC/DC convertor. The battery is connected to a second circuit portion connecting the DC/DC convertor and electric loads. Thereby, power from the capacitor is supplied to electric loads by way of the DC/DC convertor until the output current of the DC/DC convertor reaches the specified permissible limit value, whereas power from the battery is supplied to the electric loads after the output current of the DC/DC convertor has reached the specified permissible limit value. A specified electric load is turned OFF when the power from the battery is supplied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsumasa YOSHIDA, Shosuke MORIMOTO, Kazuya KOTANI, Tomoyuki IMAMURA
  • Patent number: 8498767
    Abstract: A power-supply control apparatus of a vehicle comprises a first electricity-storage device to supply electric power to a starter for starting engine, a generator to convert kinetic energy of the vehicle during a vehicle deceleration to electric energy for energy recovery, a second electricity-storage device coupled to the generator to store the electric power from the generator thereat, a feeder circuit coupling the second electricity-storage device to an electric load with a relatively-small electric-load capacity via a DC/DC convertor, a coupling line coupling the second electricity-storage device to the first electricity-storage device via a coupling relay, and a controller to control the electric power passing through the feeder circuit and the coupling line, wherein the controller executes a control to make the coupling relay on the coupling line in an OFF state when the starter operates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuya Kotani, Hideki Sanai, Takeharu Yamashita, Masayoshi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8433502
    Abstract: One example method for an engine having an automatic stopping function in which the engine is automatically stopped when a predetermined engine stopping condition is satisfied, and then the engine is automatically restarted when a predetermined engine restarting condition is satisfied, includes the following: a first step for driving a motor so as to increase an engine rotating speed of the engine up to a predetermined rotating speed and maintain the engine rotating speed, in a case in which a predetermined first condition is satisfied when the engine rotating speed is below the predetermined rotating speed during automatic engine stopping; and a second step for restarting a fuel supply into the engine in a case in which a predetermined second condition is satisfied after the first step is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kunitomo Minamitani, Katsumasa Yoshida, Seiyo Hirano, Akitomo Kume, Hideki Sanai, Kazuya Kotani
  • Publication number: 20120296506
    Abstract: A power-supply control apparatus of a vehicle comprises a first electricity-storage device to supply electric power to a starter for starting engine, a generator to convert kinetic energy of the vehicle during a vehicle deceleration to electric energy for energy recovery, a second electricity-storage device coupled to the generator to store the electric power from the generator thereat, a feeder circuit coupling the second electricity-storage device to an electric load with a relatively-small electric-load capacity via a DC/DC convertor, a coupling line coupling the second electricity-storage device to the first electricity-storage device via a coupling relay, and a controller to control the electric power passing through the feeder circuit and the coupling line, wherein the controller executes a control to make the coupling relay on the coupling line in an OFF state when the starter operates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuya KOTANI, Hideki SANAI, Takeharu YAMASHITA, Masayoshi TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110029221
    Abstract: One example method for an engine having an automatic stopping function in which the engine is automatically stopped when a predetermined engine stopping condition is satisfied, and then the engine is automatically restarted when a predetermined engine restarting condition is satisfied, includes the following: a first step for driving a motor so as to increase an engine rotating speed of the engine up to a predetermined rotating speed and maintain the engine rotating speed, in a case in which a predetermined first condition is satisfied when the engine rotating speed is below the predetermined rotating speed during automatic engine stopping; and a second step for restarting a fuel supply into the engine in a case in which a predetermined second condition is satisfied after the first step is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunitomo MINAMITANI, Katsumasa YOSHIDA, Seiyo HIRANO, Akitomo KUME, Hideki SANAI, Kazuya KOTANI
  • Publication number: 20040200177
    Abstract: Provided is a form for use in placing concrete, which is made from a recycled resin composition including a recycled polyester resin, a lactone polymer, an epoxidized diene based block copolymer, and optionally a polyolefin resin. The form can be made extremely advantageously from the view point of production cost since it utilizes a recycled resin such as waste PET. Further, the form is easy to set up and to remove after the placement of concrete when a support is used for setting. The form for use in placing concrete according to the present invention is improved in formability and has excellent mechanical strength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventors: Kouichi Okumura, Kazuya Kotani, Yoshinobu Mizutani, Genichiro Ochiai, Shunichi Endo
  • Publication number: 20020059382
    Abstract: An electronic mail distribution system and method for sending electronic mail with a writable file for users requested to edit the file contents, and sending electronic mail with a non-writable file for users not requested to edit the contents of the file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Publication date: May 16, 2002
    Inventors: Akihiko Yamaguchi, Hideko Kagimasa, Katsumi Tada, Tomomi Yonenaga, Kazuya Kotani