Patents by Inventor Kenshirou Muramatsu

Kenshirou Muramatsu 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: 20130037235
    Abstract: Directly above a heat recovering unit (30) configured to carry out heat exchange between exhaust gas and a heat medium so as to heat the heat medium, a condensing unit (40) is disposed to carry out heat exchange between the heat medium and an engine coolant so as to heat the engine coolant. A vapor supply pipe (50) couples an upper portion of the heat recovering unit (30) to a lower portion of the condensing unit (40). In an inner space of the condensing unit (40), an LLC pipe (42) through which the engine coolant flows is disposed so as to surround an opening portion of the vapor supply pipe (50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Motoya Sakabe, Kazutoshi Wakatsuki, Hideyuki Komitsu, Yuuki Mukoubara, Kenshirou Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 8333068
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device is provided with an evaporation portion for evaporating an operation fluid flowing therein by performing heat exchange with exhaust gas of an engine, a condensation portion for condensing the operation fluid flowing from the evaporation portion by performing heat exchange with coolant of the engine, and a flow adjusting portion for adjusting a flow amount of the operation fluid flowing from the condensation portion to the evaporation portion. A catalyst temperature detector is adapted to detect a temperature of a catalyst for purifying the exhaust gas, and a control unit sets a catalyst heating mode when the detected temperature of the catalyst is lower than a threshold value. Furthermore, the control unit causes the flow adjusting portion to adjust the flow amount of the operation fluid from the condensation portion to the evaporation portion at zero, in the catalyst heating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kenshirou Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Kimio Kohara, Yuuki Mukoubara
  • Patent number: 8069906
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes an evaporation unit, a condensation unit, an evaporation-side communication part and a condensation-side communication part. The evaporation unit is disposed in a duct member through which an exhaust gas generated from an engine flows, and evaporates an operation fluid by heat of the exhaust gas. The condensation unit is disposed in a coolant passage through which a coolant flows, and condenses the operation fluid by radiating the heat to the coolant. The evaporation-side communication part connects the evaporation unit and the condensation unit for introducing evaporated operation fluid to the condensation unit. The condensation-side communication part connects the condensation unit and the evaporation unit for introducing condensed operation fluid to the evaporation unit. The condensation-side communication part is in contact with an outer surface of the duct member at least at a part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuki Mukoubara, Seiji Inoue, Kimio Kohara, Kenshirou Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 7931071
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes an evaporation side heat pipe in which a working fluid flowing therein is heat exchanged with a high-temperature fluid to be evaporated, a condensation side heat pipe in which the working fluid flowing therein is heat exchanged with a low-temperature fluid to be condensed, and an inner fin located at least in the evaporation side heat pipe to increase a heat transmission area of the evaporation side heat pipe with the working fluid. The evaporation side heat pipe and the condensation side heat pipe are connected to form a closed cycle, and the evaporation side heat pipe is arranged such that the working fluid flows in the evaporation side heat pipe in a direction different from a horizontal direction. Furthermore, the inner fin has a bottom end that is positioned above a top surface of the working fluid at least in a liquid state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kenshirou Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Masashi Miyagawa, Kazuaki Kafuku
  • Publication number: 20100146943
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device is provided with an evaporation portion for evaporating an operation fluid flowing therein by performing heat exchange with exhaust gas of an engine, a condensation portion for condensing the operation fluid flowing from the evaporation portion by performing heat exchange with coolant of the engine, and a flow adjusting portion for adjusting a flow amount of the operation fluid flowing from the condensation portion to the evaporation portion. A catalyst temperature detector is adapted to detect a temperature of a catalyst for purifying the exhaust gas, and a control unit sets a catalyst heating mode when the detected temperature of the catalyst is lower than a threshold value. Furthermore, the control unit causes the flow adjusting portion to adjust the flow amount of the operation fluid from the condensation portion to the evaporation portion at zero, in the catalyst heating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenshirou Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Kimio Kohara, Yuuki Mukoubara
  • Publication number: 20090032213
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes an evaporation unit, a condensation unit, an evaporation-side communication part and a condensation-side communication part. The evaporation unit is disposed in a duct member through which an exhaust gas generated from an engine flows, and evaporates an operation fluid by heat of the exhaust gas. The condensation unit is disposed in a coolant passage through which a coolant flows, and condenses the operation fluid by radiating the heat to the coolant. The evaporation-side communication part connects the evaporation unit and the condensation unit for introducing evaporated operation fluid to the condensation unit. The condensation-side communication part connects the condensation unit and the evaporation unit for introducing condensed operation fluid to the evaporation unit. The condensation-side communication part is in contact with an outer surface of the duct member at least at a part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuki Mukoubara, Seiji Inoue, Kimio Kohara, Kenshirou Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20090000285
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device includes an evaporator disposed to evaporate a working fluid by exchanging heat between a heating fluid and the working fluid, a condenser disposed to cool and condense the working fluid by exchanging heat between a fluid to be heated and the working fluid evaporated by the evaporator, an evaporation side connection portion for guiding the working fluid evaporated by the evaporator to the condenser, and a condensation side connection portion for guiding the working fluid condensed by the condenser to the evaporator. Furthermore, at least one of the evaporation side connection portion and the condensation side connection portion has a curved portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Miyagawa, Kenshirou Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Kazuaki Kafuku
  • Publication number: 20080196401
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery apparatus includes an evaporation unit, a condensation unit, an evaporation-side communication part and a condensation-side communication part. The evaporation unit is disposed in an exhaust gas passage through which an exhaust gas flows and performs heat exchange between the exhaust gas and an operation fluid flowing therein, thereby evaporating the operation fluid. The condensation unit is disposed in a coolant passage through which an engine coolant flows and performs heat exchange between the operation fluid and the engine coolant, thereby condensing the operation fluid. The evaporation-side communication part connects the evaporation unit and the condensation unit for introducing evaporated operation fluid to the condensation unit. The condensation-side communication part connects the condensation unit and the evaporation unit for introducing condensed operation fluid to the evaporation unit. The condensation-side communication part is provided with a throttle part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Kenshirou Muramatsu, Masashi Miyagawa, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Seiji Inoue, Kimio Kohara
  • Publication number: 20080053649
    Abstract: A heat exchange apparatus comprises an evaporation unit 1 for exchanging heat between a working fluid and a high-temperature fluid to thereby evaporate the working fluid, a condenser unit for exchanging heat between the working fluid and a low-temperature fluid to thereby condense the working fluid, an evaporation-side communication unit 5a for leading the working fluid evaporated in the evaporation unit 1 to the condenser unit 2, and a condenser-side communication unit 5b for leading the working fluid condensed in the condenser unit 2 to the evaporation unit 1. The high-temperature fluid is prevented by condenser-side shield plates 101, 102 from flowing to the condenser-side communication unit 5b. As a result, the heating and evaporation of the working fluid in the condenser-side communication unit 5b by the high-temperature fluid is prevented or reduced thereby preventing a dry-out phenomenon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Kenshirou Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Masashi Miyagawa, Kimio Kohara
  • Publication number: 20080047690
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes an evaporation side heat pipe in which a working fluid flowing therein is heat exchanged with a high-temperature fluid to be evaporated, a condensation side heat pipe in which the working fluid flowing therein is heat exchanged with a low-temperature fluid to be condensed, and an inner fin located at least in the evaporation side heat pipe to increase a heat transmission area of the evaporation side heat pipe with the working fluid. The evaporation side heat pipe and the condensation side heat pipe are connected to form a closed cycle, and the evaporation side heat pipe is arranged such that the working fluid flows in the evaporation side heat pipe in a direction different from a horizontal direction. Furthermore, the inner fin has a bottom end that is positioned above a top surface of the working fluid at least in a liquid state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Kenshirou Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Masashi Miyagawa, Kazuaki Kafuku
  • Publication number: 20080011458
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device able to secure heat exchange performance even when tilted, provided with an evaporator exchanging heat between an exhaust gas and an evaporable and condensable working fluid sealed inside it and thereby evaporating the working fluid and a condenser exchanging heat between the working fluid evaporated by the evaporator and the cooling water and thereby condensing the working fluid, wherein the evaporator and condenser are arranged in a closed loop channel through which the working fluid circulates, the evaporator and condenser are arranged adjoining each other in the substantially horizontal direction, the evaporator is provided with a plurality of evaporation side heat pipes arranged in parallel and is provided with a first evaporation side header communicating one ends of the plurality of evaporation side heat pipe and a second evaporation side header communicating the other ends, and, when mounted in a vehicle in a horizontal state, the second evaporation side header arranged
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Masashi Miyagawa, Yasutoshi Yamanaka, Seiji Inoue, Kimio Kohara, Kenshirou Muramatsu, Takahiro Maeda