Patents by Inventor Kenji Nagura

Kenji Nagura 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).

  • Patent number: 10087918
    Abstract: A compressor of the present invention comprises a crankshaft, a first compression part, and a second compression part for further compressing a gas discharged from the first compression part. The first compression part comprises a first reciprocating motion conversion part, a first pressing part, and a first cylinder body comprising a plurality of cylinder components, while the second compression part comprises a second reciprocating motion conversion part, a second pressing part, and a second cylinder body comprising a plurality of cylinder components. The number of the cylinder components of the second cylinder body is smaller than that of the cylinder components of the first cylinder body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Okuno, Kenji Nagura
  • Publication number: 20180274726
    Abstract: A gas supply system (2) includes a compressor unit (21), an accumulator unit (23), a pre-cooling system (24) and a housing (4). In the gas supply system (2), the compressor unit (21) is vertically arranged and the pre-cooling system (24) is arranged above the accumulator unit (23) in the housing (4). The compressor unit (21) and the accumulator unit (23) are covered by one rectangular parallelepiped housing (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Kenji NAGURA, Tetsuya KAKIUCHI, Takashi OKUNO, Koji NOISHIKI, Akitoshi FUJISAWA, Shinichi MIURA
  • Publication number: 20180238493
    Abstract: A gas supply device includes a first compressor that compresses hydrogen gas, an accumulator disposed downstream of the first compressor and supplying the hydrogen gas to a dispenser that fills the hydrogen gas in a vehicle, and a gas flow passage that connects the first compressor, the accumulator, and the dispenser, and a control device. The gas flow passage includes a lead-in line for leading the hydrogen gas into the accumulator, a lead-out line for leading out the hydrogen gas from the accumulator, a lead-in side valve, and a lead-out side valve. The control device is capable of simultaneously bringing the lead-in side valve and the lead-out side valve into an open state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Kenji NAGURA, Hitoshi TAKAGI, Takuro UBA
  • Publication number: 20180216878
    Abstract: A boil-off gas recovery system 1 includes a tank 2 storing liquefied gas, an oil supply type compressor 3b for compressing boil-off gas generated by partial evaporation of the liquefied gas in the tank 2, and a reliquefying system 9 for liquefying the boil-off gas compressed by the oil supply type compressor 3b and returning the liquefied gas that has been liquefied to the tank 2. The reliquefying system 9 includes a heat exchanger for oil constituent condensation 11 for cooling down the boil-off gas to a temperature equal to or lower than a condensation temperature of an oil constituent contained in the boil-off gas, a separator 14 for separating the oil constituent condensed by the heat exchanger for oil constituent condensation 11 from the boil-off gas, and a reliquefying portion for liquefying the boil-off gas from which the oil constituent is separated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Satoshi TEZUKA, Katsuhiro SEYAMA, Kenji NAGURA
  • Publication number: 20180023764
    Abstract: A gas delivery system including: a feeder for feeding a gas to a tank; a pressure storage container unit which has a plurality of pressure storage containers, and sends out the gas to the feeder; a gas supply unit; and a controller. The controller implements a storing operation that a specified pressure storage among the plurality of pressure storage containers is supplied with the gas until a pressure of the specified pressure storage container reaches a reference pressure or greater, after finish of a delivery of the gas to one tank carrier, and a sending operation that the gas is sent out from another pressure storage container except the specified pressure storage container to the feeder, and then sent out from the specified pressure storage container to the feeder on a receipt of a shift indication from the feeder, at a delivery of the gas to a subsequent tank carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takashi OKUNO, Kenji NAGURA, Hitoshi TAKAGI, Takuro UBA
  • Publication number: 20170328519
    Abstract: [Object] To enable a gas supply system to be easily transported and to increase a degree of freedom when the gas supply system is installed. [Solution] A hydrogen station includes: a filling facility for filling a tank-mounted device with a gas; and a gas supply system for supplying the gas to the filling facility. The gas supply system includes: a compressor for compressing the gas; a compressor accommodating body for accommodating the compressor; a refrigerator for cooling the gas flowed into the filling facility or the gas just before being flowed into the filling facility, the refrigerator including an evaporation part, an expansion part, and a compression part; and a cooler accommodating body for accommodating the evaporation part, the expansion part, and the compression part. The compressor accommodating body and the cooler accommodating body are detachable from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takashi OKUNO, Hitoshi TAKAGI, Kenji NAGURA, Daisuke WADA, Takuro UBA, Akitoshi FUJISAWA
  • Patent number: 9810374
    Abstract: A gas-filling apparatus includes a gas flow passage including an inflow end to which a gas supply source is connectable and an outflow end to which a pressure accumulator is connectable, a compressor, a storage portion, and an operation control portion conducting a first compression filling operation in which a gas supplied from the gas supply source connected to the inflow end is compressed by the compressor to be discharged from the outflow end and a second compression filling operation in which the gas stored in the storage portion is compressed by the compressor to be discharged from the outflow end, the operation control portion conducting the first compression filling operation until a pressure of the gas at the outflow end reaches a predetermined pressure and executing a control for shifting the first compression filling operation to the second compression filling operation when the pressure has reached the predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagura, Hitoshi Takagi, Takuro Uba
  • Patent number: 9777726
    Abstract: In order to prevent the leakage of a gas from an internal space communicating with a compression chamber inside a cylinder in a cylinder head of a compressor, the compressor includes a suction valve pressing portion that presses a suction valve so that the suction valve provided in the internal space of the cylinder head does not slip off through a suction-side head opening, the suction valve pressing portion includes a suction valve pressing and inserting portion that is inserted into the cylinder head through the suction-side head opening, the outer peripheral surface of the suction valve pressing and inserting portion is provided with an annular suction valve pressing groove portion, a suction-side O-ring is attached into the suction valve pressing groove portion, and a suction-side backup ring that suppresses the movement of the suction-side O-ring toward the suction-side head opening is disposed at a position near the suction-side head opening of the suction-side O-ring inside the suction valve pressing
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagura, Toshio Hirai, Hitoshi Takagi
  • Publication number: 20170146001
    Abstract: A gas compression device (10) is provided with a compressor (16) and a recovery section (20). The recovery section (20) is provided with a recovery passage (22), an auxiliary compressor (24) which is provided in the recovery passage (22), and a recovery tank (26) which is provided in the recovery passage (22). When gas leaks from the main compressor (16), the auxiliary compressor (24) is driven and the leaked gas is compressed. The leaked gas, the pressure of which has been increased by the auxiliary compressor (24), flows into the recovery tank (26) and is stored therein. The gas within the recovery tank (26) is fed to a suction passage (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Kenji NAGURA, Hitoshi TAKAGI, Takuro UBA
  • Patent number: 9605671
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reciprocating compressor that compresses a gas, including: a piston; a cylinder that includes a hole portion into which the piston is inserted so as to be movable in the axial direction in a reciprocating manner and includes a compression chamber which is formed in an area of the hole portion near a front end of the piston so that a gas is introduced into the compression chamber; a crank mechanism that drives the piston so that the gas introduced into the compression chamber is compressed by the piston; and a piston ring that is fitted to the outside of the piston and slides on an inner surface forming the hole portion of the cylinder, wherein a tapered portion is formed in an end, which is located near a base end of the piston, in the inner surface forming the hole portion of the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagura, Toshio Hirai, Hitoshi Takagi
  • Publication number: 20170051875
    Abstract: A gas supply device includes a first compressor that compresses hydrogen gas, an accumulator disposed downstream of the first compressor and supplying the hydrogen gas to a dispenser that fills the hydrogen gas in a vehicle, and a gas flow passage that connects the first compressor, the accumulator, and the dispenser, and a control device. The gas flow passage includes a lead-in line for leading the hydrogen gas into the accumulator, a lead-out line for leading out the hydrogen gas from the accumulator, a lead-in side valve, and a lead-out side valve. The control device is capable of simultaneously bringing the lead-in side valve and the lead-out side valve into an open state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Kenji NAGURA, Hitoshi TAKAGI, Takuro UBA
  • Publication number: 20160348840
    Abstract: A gas supply system—includes a compressor unit, an accumulator unit, a pre-cooling system and a housing. In the gas supply system, the compressor unit is vertically arranged and the pre-cooling system is arranged above the accumulator unit in the housing. The compressor unit and the accumulator unit are covered by one rectangular parallelepiped housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Kenji NAGURA, Tetsuya KAKIUCHI, Takashi OKUNO, Koji NOISHIKI, Akitoshi FUJISAWA, Shinichi MIURA
  • Publication number: 20160348814
    Abstract: A joint unit includes a first joint member, a second joint member, and a gasket. The first joint member has a female screw portion. The second joint member has a second pipe portion and a second fastener. The second pipe portion has a male screw portion. The second fastener has a second fastener body and a second collar having an annular shape. The second fastener body has an external screw portion that is a male screw. The second collar has at an inner circumferential portion thereof an internal screw portion that is a female screw. The external screw portion is engaged with the female screw portion, and the male screw portion is engaged with the internal screw portion. In the joint unit, the second fastener body and the first joint member are fastened so that the second collar presses the second pipe portion toward the gasket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Kenji NAGURA, Hitoshi TAKAGI
  • Patent number: 9464761
    Abstract: A gas-filling device (1) in which the design pressure of a pressure accumulator can be reduced while downsizing a compressor includes a compressor (4) and a pressure accumulator (5). In advance, a relationship between a filling pressure and a target flow rate is determined in accordance with the volume of a tank (3), the filling pressure is detected, and the target flow rate is determined. A flow rate of a gas to be supplied into the tank (3) is controlled according to the target flow rate. In a case where the target flow rate is equal to or less than a maximum discharge flow rate of the compressor (4), the gas is supplied to the tank (3) only from the compressor (4). In a case where the target flow rate is greater than the maximum discharge flow rate, the gas is supplied to the tank (3) from the compressor (4) and the pressure accumulator (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagura, Hitoshi Takagi
  • Publication number: 20160290562
    Abstract: A gas supply apparatus includes; a compressor unit including a compression section compressing hydrogen gas and storing pressure accumulators with the compressed hydrogen gas and a drive portion including an electric motor as drive source and driving the compression section; and a control unit controlling the electric motor. The electric motor has output characteristics where rated torque can be maintained against rotational speed changes in a standard rotation region, rotation region at or below standard speed, and output torque decreases from the rated torque as electric motor rotational speed increases in an overspeed region, rotation region above the standard speed. The control unit performs, in at least part of a storage process where the compression section stores the pressure accumulators with the hydrogen gas until set pressure is reached, overspeed operation control for allowing driving of the electric motor in the overspeed region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takashi OKUNO, Koichiro Hashimoto, Kenji Nagura
  • Publication number: 20160265720
    Abstract: The present invention is to properly manage life of an accumulator and extend the life of the accumulator. A gas supply system includes a control section, an acquiring section, a classifying section, and a judging section. The acquiring section acquires stress amplitude of accumulators from a pressure difference between first pressure on the gas storage side and second pressure on the gas lead-out side. The classifying section classifies the stress amplitude into a plurality of groups. The judging section divides the calculated acquirement number ni of the stress amplitude for each of the groups by the predetermined breaking cycle number Ni, and determines a fatigue degree ?ni/Ni. In a case where this value becomes a predetermined threshold value or more, the judging section judges that the accumulator comes to the end of the life.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: TAKASHI OKUNO, Kenji NAGURA
  • Patent number: 9435488
    Abstract: Provided is a hydrogen station that supplies hydrogen to an external hydrogen tank, the hydrogen station including: a reciprocating compressor that is driven by a driver of which revolution is controllable; a cooling device that is capable of cooling hydrogen supplied from the reciprocating compressor to the hydrogen tank; a temperature sensor that detects an internal temperature of the hydrogen tank or a temperature of the hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen tank; and a control unit that controls the revolution of the driver based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagura, Hitoshi Takagi
  • Publication number: 20160245274
    Abstract: A reciprocating compressor is provided with a compression section which compresses gas, and a crank section which has a crankshaft and drives the compression section. The compression section is provided with a wall body portion which includes a cylinder and constitutes a wall body of the compression section, a cylinder head attached to the cylinder, a piston which reciprocates within the cylinder, a piston rod which couples the crankshaft and the piston, and at least one sealing member fixed to the wall body portion and disposed in the circumference of the piston rod. The wall body portion has a first boundary wall which forms the boundary with the crank section in the crank section side with respect to the at least one sealing member and acts as a division surface when the crank section and the compression section are separated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Kenji NAGURA, Katsuhiro SEYAMA, Satoshi TEZUKA
  • Publication number: 20160169216
    Abstract: A compressor of the present invention comprises a crankshaft, a first compression part, and a second compression part for further compressing a gas discharged from the first compression part. The first compression part comprises a first reciprocating motion conversion part, a first pressing part, and a first cylinder body comprising a plurality of cylinder components, while the second compression part comprises a second reciprocating motion conversion part, a second pressing part, and a second cylinder body comprising a plurality of cylinder components. The number of the cylinder components of the second cylinder body is smaller than that of the cylinder components of the first cylinder body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takashi OKUNO, Kenji NAGURA
  • Patent number: 9328970
    Abstract: Provided is a compressing device including a compressor with a compressing unit compressing a gas and a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger including: a cooling unit that cools a gas compressed by the compressing unit; a connection path that connects the compressing unit to the cooling unit; and a connection path branch portion that is branched from a part of the connection path. The connection path branch portion includes an attachment portion that is provided in a surface different from a surface facing the compressor in the heat exchanger. An instrumentation device is directly and strongly attached to the attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Nagura, Hitoshi Takagi, Takuro Uba, Toshio Hirai