Patents by Inventor Ken Nakayama

Ken Nakayama 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: 20120223566
    Abstract: A backrest for a chair, including a bag-like upholstery material, with which a back frame is upholstered by fitting the bag-like upholstery material onto the back frame that has a pair of right and left side frames extending in an up-down direction. A low-friction member is disposed on at least one of an inner surface of both side portions of the upholstery material and an outer surface of the right and left side frames contacting the inner surface of the side portions of the upholstery material, the low-friction member being configured to reduce a sliding resistance in an area of contact between the upholstery material and the side frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Inventors: Ken Nakayama, Kouichirou Wakizono, Ryou Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20120212027
    Abstract: A backrest for a chair, including a bag-like upholstery material, with which a back frame is upholstered by fitting the bag-like upholstery material onto the back frame that has a pair of right and left side frames extending in an up-down direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: OKAMURA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ken Nakayama, Kouichirou Wakizono, Ryou Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20120171590
    Abstract: An anode non-circulation type fuel cell sets an anode upper limit pressure and an anode lower limit pressure, and sets an anode pressure increase rate based on at least a detected temperature of a fuel cell. The system controls the supply of an anode gas to the fuel cell so as to repeat pressure increase and pressure decrease. The pressure increase is conducted by supplying the anode gas to the anode upper limit pressure at the anode pressure increase rate. The pressure decrease is conducted by restricting the supply of the anode gas to the anode lower limit pressure. When the detected temperature of the fuel cell is lower than a predetermined temperature, the system sets the anode pressure increase rate at a slower rate than when the temperature of the fuel cell is equal to or higher than the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Michihiko Matsumoto, Masashi Sato, Ken Nakayama, Junichi Hasegawa, Kiyoshi Hoshi
  • Patent number: 8114534
    Abstract: A fuel cell system is described that enables discharge of moisture generated by the fuel cell system based on pressure differences between components of the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell that discharges oxidant offgas via a cathode discharge pipe and discharges fuel offgas and moisture to an anode drain opening that in turn discharges the fuel offgas and the moisture to a gas-liquid separator via an anode drainpipe. A throttle valve establishes a pressure difference downstream within the anode drainpipe to enable movement of the fuel offgas and the moisture from the anode drain opening to a lower pressure area of the gas-liquid separator. In addition, the pressure difference enables the fuel offgas to flow from the gas-liquid separator to the cathode discharge pipe through the throttle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Nakayama, Akihiro Sakakida, Hiroshi Tanaka, Junichi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20110274998
    Abstract: A fuel cell system 100 includes: a fuel cell 1 for generating a power by causing an electrochemical reaction between an oxidant gas supplied to an oxidant electrode 34 and a fuel gas supplied to a fuel electrode 67; a fuel gas supplier HS for supplying the fuel gas to the fuel electrode 67; and a controller 40 for controlling the fuel gas supplier HS to thereby supply the fuel gas to the fuel electrode 67, the controller 40 being configured to implement a pressure change when an outlet of the fuel electrode 67 side is closed, wherein based on a first pressure change pattern for implementing the pressure change at a first pressure width API, the controller 40 periodically changes a pressure of the fuel gas at the fuel electrode 67.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Yasushi Ichikawa, Keigo Ikezoe, Kenichi Goto, Ken Nakayama, Mitsunori Kumada, Yousuke Tomita
  • Patent number: 8034142
    Abstract: A gas/liquid separator is provided in which separation performance for fluid into gas and liquid is enhanced. A gas/liquid separator includes a body which separates a circulation gas into water and hydrogen gas in a separating space, a supply port from which the circulation gas flows into the inner space, the supply port being provided on the side wall surface forming the separating space, and a discharge port through which the separated hydrogen gas flows out of the separating space, the discharge port being provided on the side wall surface. In this case, the discharge port is provided above the supply port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Sakakida, Hiroshi Tanaka, Junichi Hasegawa, Ken Nakayama, Kazuhiro Kageyama, Satoshi Okano, Takayoshi Nabeta, Yoshinori Nakano, Nobuo Sakatsume, Kotaro Akashi, Hisashi Niioka, Douglas Vanderwees, Mark Britton, Manaf Hasan, Craig Hogg
  • Publication number: 20110204694
    Abstract: A chair backrest in which a frame-like back frame is covered with a bag-like upholstering material having an open lower end in a state of tension, the back frame being formed by connecting a pair of left and right side portion frames, which extend in an up and down direction, together at upper ends and lower ends thereof by an upper frame and a lower frame which extend in the left and right direction, wherein intermediate portions in the left and right direction of the upper frame and the lower frame are connected to each other by an intermediate frame which is situated behind the both side portion frames and is extended in the up and down direction, thereby causing an intermediate portion of a rear surface portion of the upholstering material to project rearward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2009
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: OKAMURA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Igarashi, Ken Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20110081584
    Abstract: A fuel cell system is described that enables discharge of moisture generated by the fuel cell system based on pressure differences between components of the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell that discharges oxidant offgas via a cathode discharge pipe and discharges fuel offgas and moisture to an anode drain opening that in turn discharges the fuel offgas and the moisture to a gas-liquid separator via an anode drainpipe. A throttle valve establishes a pressure difference downstream within the anode drainpipe to enable movement of the fuel offgas and the moisture from the anode drain opening to a lower pressure area of the gas-liquid separator. In addition, the pressure difference enables the fuel offgas to flow from the gas-liquid separator to the cathode discharge pipe through the throttle valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Publication date: April 7, 2011
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Nakayama, Akihiro Sakakida, Hiroshi Tanaka, Junichi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7875377
    Abstract: A fuel cell system is described that enables discharge of moisture generated by the fuel cell system based on pressure differences between components of the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell that discharges oxidant offgas via a cathode discharge pipe and discharges fuel offgas and moisture to an anode drain opening that in turn discharges the fuel offgas and the moisture to a gas-liquid separator via an anode drainpipe. A throttle valve establishes a pressure difference downstream within the anode drainpipe to enable movement of the fuel offgas and the moisture from the anode drain opening to a lower pressure area of the gas-liquid separator. In addition, the pressure difference enables the fuel offgas to flow from the gas-liquid separator to the cathode discharge pipe through the throttle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Nakayama, Akihiro Sakakida, Hiroshi Tanaka, Junichi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7837272
    Abstract: An upholstered structure including an upholstery material for a chair or a backrest of a chair is proposed, which may achieve: reduced proportion of the appearance of the rear frame of the backrest over the appearance of the whole chair; more sophisticated design; reduced weight; reduced number of parts; and improved assemble-ability. In the chair having the backrest upholstered with the upholstery material over the front surface of the rear frame, the rear frame comprises a front frame to which the peripheral edge part of the upholstery material is fixed and an upper reinforcement frame rod. The laterally facing upper reinforcement frame rod is connected at its both ends to both ends of the laterally facing upper frame rod at the top of the front frame with the center part of the upper reinforcement frame rod separated backward from the upper frame rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Okamura Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Masunaga, Tetsuya Narita, Ryo Igarashi, Akira Kiyoku, Ken Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20100206052
    Abstract: There are provided a control method and a device of a filled water volume in a fluid space through which the fluid space can be filled with water while preventing a pipe in the fluid space from making contact with the filling water by controlling the filled water by controlling the filled water volume. The control method of a filled water volume in a fluid space requiring a water filling test includes disposing a pipe in the fluid space and enclosing the pipe with an enclosure, detecting pressure of a water filled portion in the fluid space or outside of the enclosure; and controlling, based on the detected pressure, the volumes of filling fluid and water to a water filling portion in the fluid space inside and outside the enclosure, such that the pressure in the enclosure becomes higher than the pressure at the water filling part in the fluid space outside the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Nakayama, Seiichi Noda, Yoshimichi Kawakami
  • Patent number: 7594327
    Abstract: A side plate for a heat exchanger and method for making a heat exchanger is provided. The side plate includes at least one localized contact point that can be bonded to a header of the heat exchanger during assembly of the heat exchanger. The localized contact point separates from the header under relatively low tension applied by the thermal expansion and contraction of the heat exchanger under normal operating conditions, thereby allowing the tubes of the heat exchanger to expand and contract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Ken Nakayama, David M. Scoville
  • Publication number: 20090205297
    Abstract: A gas/liquid separator in which separation performance for fluid into gas and liquid is enhanced is provided. A gas/liquid separator 10 includes a body 40 which separates a circulation gas into water and hydrogen gas in a separating space S1, a supply port 45 from which the circulation gas flows into the inner space S1, the supply port 45 being provided on the side wall surface 43 forming the separating space S1, and a discharge port48 through which the separated hydrogen gas flows out of the separating space S1, the discharge port 48 being provided on the side wall surface 43. In this case, the discharge port 48 is provided above the supply port 45.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicants: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., DANA CANADA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Sakakida, Hiroshi Tanaka, Junichi Hasegawa, Ken Nakayama, Kazuhiro Kageyama, Satoshi Okano, Takayoshi Nabeta, Yoshinori Nakano, Nobuo Sakatsume, Kotaro Akashi, Hisashi Niioka, Douglas Vanderwees, Mark Britton, Manaf Hasan, Craig Hogg
  • Publication number: 20090169928
    Abstract: A fuel cell system having a fuel cell for causing reactant gas to be electrochemically reacted to generate power, a reactant gas supply path for supplying reactant gas to the fuel cell, a reactant gas recirculation path for recirculating exhaust gas discharged from the fuel cell and combining the recirculating exhaust gas with reactant gas flowing through the reactant gas supply path to the fuel cell, and a pump unit disposed in the reactant gas recirculation path to pump the recirculating exhaust gas through the reactant gas recirculation path. A pump-tempering apparatus increases the temperature of the pump unit and a controller controls the pump-tempering apparatus. After the controller receives a fuel cell system stop signal, the controller controls the pump-tempering apparatus such that the temperature of the pump unit becomes higher than the temperature of piping in the reactant gas recirculation path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetaka NISHIMURA, Takahito Osada, Takatada Usami, Ken Nakayama, Kotaro Akashi
  • Publication number: 20080284229
    Abstract: A stretching structure of a stretching material in a chair in which the ratio of the rear frame of a backrest to the outline of the chair is small, design is smart, weight is reduced, the number of parts is reduced, and assemblability is improved and the backrest of the chair. In the chair having the backrest formed by stretching the stretching material on the front surface of the rear frame, the rear frame comprises a front frame to which the peripheral edge part of the stretching material is fixed and an upper reinforcement frame rod. The laterally facing upper reinforcement frame rod is connected at its both ends to both ends of the laterally facing upper frame rod at the top of the front frame with the center part of the upper reinforcement frame rod separated backward from the upper frame rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroshi Masunaga, Tetsuya Narita, Ryo Igarashi, Akira Kiyoku, Ken Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20080233445
    Abstract: A fuel cell system is described that enables discharge of moisture generated by the fuel cell system based on pressure differences between components of the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell that discharges oxidant offgas via a cathode discharge pipe and discharges fuel offgas and moisture to an anode drain opening that in turn discharges the fuel offgas and the moisture to a gas-liquid separator via an anode drainpipe. A throttle valve establishes a pressure difference downstream within the anode drainpipe to enable movement of the fuel offgas and the moisture from the anode drain opening to a lower pressure area of the gas-liquid separator. In addition, the pressure difference enables the fuel offgas to flow from the gas-liquid separator to the cathode discharge pipe through the throttle valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ken Nakayama, Akihiro Sakakida, Hiroshi Tanaka, Junichi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7360584
    Abstract: A multi-fluid heat exchanger and a method of making the same are provided wherein a cut portion is provided in an elongated header of the heat exchanger at a location between a pair of baffles in the elongated header and first and second cores of the heat exchanger. At least a majority of the transverse cross section of the elongated header is removed at the cut portion to allow for relative thermal growth of the first and second cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Thomas A. Hunzinger, Ken Nakayama, David M. Scoville
  • Publication number: 20080006390
    Abstract: A multi-fluid heat exchanger (10) is provided for transferring heat between a common fluid and a first fluid in one core section (22), and between the common fluid and a second fluid in another core section (28) of the heat exchanger (10). The core sections (22,28) are located in a series arrangement with respect to the flow of the common fluid through the heat exchanger (10) by folding the heat exchanger (10), with the core sections (22,28) being connected by folded portions (20) of the header pipes (12,14) that direct the first and second fluid flows to the interiors of the core sections (22,28).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Ken Nakayama, David M. Scoville
  • Patent number: 7246859
    Abstract: A chair has a backrest and a pair of armrests. A pair of support struts for supporting the backrest is connected to a shaft of a base under a seat. The armrest is supported by an arm post. An operating lever is mounted on the upper front end of the arm post. When the backrest is tilted, it is held at a desired angle by pressing up the operating lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Okamura Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Igarashi, Naoki Numa, Ken Nakayama, Hiroshi Masunaga
  • Patent number: 7243993
    Abstract: A chair has a backrest and a pair of armrests. A pair of support struts for supporting the backrest is connected to a shaft of a base under a seat. The armrest is supported by an arm post. An operating lever is mounted on the upper front end of the arm post. When the backrest is tilted, it is held at a desired angle by pressing up the operating lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Okamura Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Igarashi, Naoki Numa, Ken Nakayama, Hiroshi Masunaga