Patents by Inventor Kiyomi Kobayashi
Kiyomi Kobayashi 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).
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Patent number: 11125715Abstract: A sensor element of a gas sensor includes a solid electrolyte body which has oxygen-ion conductivity, a measuring electrode that is exposed to a measured gas, a reference gas electrode that is exposed to a reference gas, and a porous protection layer. The measuring electrode is mounted on an outer surface of the solid electrolyte body. The reference electrode is mounted on an inner surface of the solid electrolyte body. The protection layer covers a surface of the measuring electrode. A plurality of open portions are formed to penetrate through the measuring electrode. A part of the protection layer is joined to the solid electrolyte body, via the plurality of open portions.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2017Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Akira Saito, Kiyomi Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20190317041Abstract: A sensor element of a gas sensor includes a solid electrolyte body which has oxygen-ion conductivity, a measuring electrode that is exposed to a measured gas, a reference gas electrode that is exposed to a reference gas, and a porous protection layer. The measuring electrode is mounted on an outer surface of the solid electrolyte body. The reference electrode is mounted on an inner surface of the solid electrolyte body. The protection layer covers a surface of the measuring electrode. A plurality of open portions are formed to penetrate through the measuring electrode. A part of the protection layer is joined to the solid electrolyte body, via the plurality of open portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2017Publication date: October 17, 2019Inventors: Akira SAITO, Kiyomi KOBAYASHI
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Patent number: 10228342Abstract: A gas sensor has a gas sensor element which has a solid electrolyte body, a reference electrode and a measuring electrode. The solid electrolyte body contains partially stabilized zirconia as a main component in which zirconia is stabilized by stabilizer agent. Particle boundary parts are formed between crystal particles made of the partially stabilized zirconia. The particle boundary parts are made of a metal element such as yttria derived from the stabilizer agent, an alumina component and a silica component. A total content of the alumina component and the silica component in the particle boundary parts in the solid electrolyte body is within a range of 0.01 mass % to 1 mass % in terms of oxide in the solid electrolyte body. A ratio of the alumina component to the silica component in the particle boundary parts 12 is within a range of 0.2 to 2.0 in terms of oxide.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2015Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kiyomi Kobayashi, Kazuki Yagi, Makoto Noguchi
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Patent number: 9624133Abstract: A solid electrolyte is made of zirconia grains containing yttria and alumina grains dispersed in the zirconia grains. In the solid electrolyte, the yttria content per zirconia content is within a range of 2 to 10 mol. %, the relative density is not less than 93%, and the average particle size Rz of the zirconia grains is not more than 2 ?m, an average particle size Ra of the alumina grains is not more than 1 ?m. The average particle size Ra of the alumina grains is smaller than the average particle size Rz of the zirconia grains. An average distance value ALa between the alumina grains is not more than 2 ?m, and a standard deviation SLa thereof is not more than 0.8. The solid electrolyte satisfies a relationship of (SLa/ALa)×Rz?0.9.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2010Date of Patent: April 18, 2017Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.Inventors: Kazuhiko Koike, Kiyomi Kobayashi
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Patent number: 9618473Abstract: A gas sensor has a cylindrical housing case, a gas sensor element as a sensor component, and a filler portion. The filler portion is formed between the inner surface of the cylindrical housing case and the outer surface of the gas sensor element. The filler portion is filled with filler powder composed of talc as a layered compound. Talc is a principal ingredient of the filler powder. The space formed between the cylindrical housing case and the gas sensor element is sealed with the filler powder in the filler portion. The filler powder in the filler portion has a degree of c-axis orientation within a range of 60% to 85%, The filler powder in the filler portion has a porosity of not more than 10%.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2012Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Kiyomi Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20160169830Abstract: A gas sensor has a gas sensor element which has a solid electrolyte body, a reference electrode and a measuring electrode. The solid electrolyte body contains partially stabilized zirconia as a main component in which zirconia is stabilized by stabilizer agent. Particle boundary parts are formed between crystal particles made of the partially stabilized zirconia. The particle boundary parts are made of a metal element such as yttria derived from the stabilizer agent, an alumina component and a silica component. A total content of the alumina component and the silica component in the particle boundary parts in the solid electrolyte body is within a range of 0.01 mass % to 1 mass % in terms of oxide in the solid electrolyte body. A ratio of the alumina component to the silica component in the particle boundary parts 12 is within a range of 0.2 to 2.0 in terms of oxide.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2015Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: Kiyomi KOBAYASHI, Kazuki YAGI, Makoto NOGUCHI
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Patent number: 8834693Abstract: The present invention provides, as one aspect, a gas sensor element including a solid electrolytic substance having a bottomed cylindrical shape and oxygen ion conductivity, a reference electrode arranged on an inner side surface of the solid electrolytic substance, a measuring electrode arranged on an outer side surface of the solid electrolytic substance, and a protective layer which covers the outer side surface of the solid electrolytic substance together with the measuring electrode and which allows gas to be measured to pass through the protective layer, wherein an end side of the gas sensor element is formed of a leg portion whose profile line is straight on an axial cross section and a bottom portion whose profile line is curved, and the film thickness of the protective layer of the bottom portion is larger than the film thickness of the protective layer of the leg portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2009Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Zhenzhou Su, Kiyomi Kobayashi, Motoaki Satou
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Patent number: 8597481Abstract: A gas sensor element with a bottom part is composed of at least a solid electrolyte body of oxygen ion conductivity, a reference electrode, a detection electrode, an electrode protection layer which supports noble metal catalyst, and a heater. The electrode protection layer is composed of a covering layer, a catalyst layer and a poisoning layer. A quantity of the noble metal catalyst supported in the electrode protection layer at the bottom part of the gas sensor element is larger than that in the electrode protection layer at a leg part of the gas sensor. The bottom part of the gas sensor element has a high temperature rising speed more than the leg part when the heater generates heat energy.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2011Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Zhenzhou Su, Kiyomi Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20120312685Abstract: A gas sensor has a cylindrical housing case, a gas sensor element as a sensor component, and a filler portion. The filler portion is formed between the inner surface of the cylindrical housing case and the outer surface of the gas sensor element. The filler portion is filled with filler powder composed of talc as a layered compound. Talc is a principal ingredient of the filler powder. The space formed between the cylindrical housing case and the gas sensor element is sealed with the filler powder in the filler portion. The filler powder in the filler portion has a degree of c-axis orientation within a range of 60% to 85%, The filler powder in the filler portion has a porosity of not more than 10%.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2012Publication date: December 13, 2012Applicant: Denso CorporationInventor: Kiyomi KOBAYASHI
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Patent number: 8168053Abstract: A gas sensing member has a unit structure and a porous protective layer disposed on the unit structure. The unit structure has a solid electrolyte body, a gas measurement electrode disposed on a surface of the body and exposed to a measured gas entering at a gas inlet, a reference gas electrode disposed on another surface of the body and exposed to a reference gas, and a heater disposed close to the body. The heater has a heater substrate and heating elements disposed in the heater substrate. The heating elements heat the body. The heater substrate has side corner areas placed on side corners of the unit structure and being adjacent to the heating elements. The protective layer is disposed on the gas inlet such that the side corner areas are not covered with the protective layer and are directly exposed to the measured gas.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2007Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kiyomi Kobayashi, Makoto Nakae, Toshikazu Hirose
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Publication number: 20120061231Abstract: A gas sensor element includes a solid electrolyte body having oxygen ion conductivity and electrode layers formed on both surfaces of the solid electrolyte body configuring a pair of electrodes. The gas sensor element detects concentration of a selected component included in a measured gas. In the gas sensor element, closed pores having an average pore diameter of 5 nm or more and 120 nm or less are dispersed in the electrode layers, porosity measured by cross-sectional observation of the electrode layers is 1% or more and 18% or less, and 90% or more of the closed pores is dispersed within metal grains forming the electrode layers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2011Publication date: March 15, 2012Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kiyomi KOBAYASHI, Zhenzhou Su
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Publication number: 20110278169Abstract: A gas sensor element with a bottom part is composed of at least a solid electrolyte body of oxygen ion conductivity, a reference electrode, a detection electrode, an electrode protection layer which supports noble metal catalyst, and a heater. The electrode protection layer is composed of a covering layer, a catalyst layer and a poisoning layer. A quantity of the noble metal catalyst supported in the electrode protection layer at the bottom part of the gas sensor element is larger than that in the electrode protection layer at a leg part of the gas sensor. The bottom part of the gas sensor element has a high temperature rising speed more than the leg part when the heater generates heat energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2011Publication date: November 17, 2011Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Zhenzhou Su, Kiyomi Kobayashi
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Patent number: 8058592Abstract: A gas sensor is equipped with a built-in ceramic heater. The gas sensor detects the concentration of a predetermined gas component contained in the exhaust gas. The ceramic heater has a heater base member made of ceramic, a heating element formed in the inside of the heater base material, and a pair of external electrode pads that is electrically connected to the output terminals for the outer leads. The external electrode pads, the heating element, and the heater leads are made of base metal. The outer surface of each external electrode pad is covered only with a dense protective film made of noble metal such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), and palladium (Pd).Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2008Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Takehito Kimata, Kiyomi Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20100200427Abstract: A solid electrolyte is made of zirconia grains containing yttria and alumina grains dispersed in the zirconia grains. In the solid electrolyte, the yttria content per zirconia content is within a range of 2 to 10 mol. %, the relative density is not less than 93%, and the average particle size Rz of the zirconia grains is not more than 2 ?m, an average particle size Ra of the alumina grains is not more than 1 ?m. The average particle size Ra of the alumina grains is smaller than the average particle size Rz of the zirconia grains. An average distance value ALa between the alumina grains is not more than 2 ?m, and a standard deviation SLa thereof is not more than 0.8. The solid electrolyte satisfies a relationship of (SLa/ALa)×Rz?0.9.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2010Publication date: August 12, 2010Applicants: NIPPON SOKEN, INC., DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuhiko Koike, Kiyomi Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20100163411Abstract: The present invention provides, as one aspect, a gas sensor element including a solid electrolytic substance having a bottomed cylindrical shape and oxygen ion conductivity, a reference electrode arranged on an inner side surface of the solid electrolytic substance, a measuring electrode arranged on an outer side surface of the solid electrolytic substance, and a protective layer which covers the outer side surface of the solid electrolytic substance together with the measuring electrode and which allows gas to be measured to pass through the protective layer, wherein an end side of the gas sensor element is formed of a leg portion whose profile line is straight on an axial cross section and a bottom portion whose profile line is curved, and the film thickness of the protective layer of the bottom portion is larger than the film thickness of the protective layer of the leg portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2009Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Zhenzhou SU, Kiyomi KOBAYASHI, Motoaki SATOU
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Patent number: 7607339Abstract: A ceramic laminate body, a gas sensor element employing such a ceramic laminate body and related manufacturing method are disclosed as including first and second ceramic sheets, made of material compositions different from each other, and an intermediate bonding layer, bonding the first and second ceramic sheets to each other so as to form a closed hollow space between the first and second ceramic sheets. The intermediate bonding layer has a multilayer structure including first and second unit intermediate layers laminated on each other such that innermost end portions of the first and second unit intermediate layers are displaced from each other to adapt a difference in degreasing contraction rates of associated component parts.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2007Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Makoto Nakae, Shoichiro Emmei, Kiyomi Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20080237065Abstract: A gas sensor is equipped with a built-in ceramic heater. The gas sensor detects the concentration of a predetermined gas component contained in the exhaust gas. The ceramic heater has a heater base member made of ceramic, a heating element formed in the inside of the heater base material, and a pair of external electrode pads that is electrically connected to the output terminals for the outer leads. The external electrode pads, the heating element, and the heater leads are made of base metal. The outer surface of each external electrode pad is covered only with a dense protective film made of noble metal such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), and palladium (Pd).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2008Publication date: October 2, 2008Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Takehito KIMATA, Kiyomi KOBAYASHI
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Publication number: 20080210575Abstract: In an oxygen sensor for installation in the exhaust gas system of a vehicle for detecting a concentration of NOx in exhaust gas downstream from a catalytic converter, in which the exhaust gas is passed through a protective layer to an electrode disposed at one side of a solid electrolyte in a sensor element of the oxygen sensor, the protective layer is formed with a combination of values of thickness and porosity which provide improved sensitivity in detecting low levels of NOx in the exhaust gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2008Publication date: September 4, 2008Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Takahiko NONOGAKI, Kiyomi Kobayashi, Takehito Kimata, Zhenzhou Su
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Publication number: 20080190767Abstract: A laminated gas sensor includes a solid electrolyte layer, a measurement gas chamber, a reference gas chamber, a measurement gas chamber formation layer, and a reference gas chamber formation layer. The measurement gas chamber formation layer has an opposite pair of inner side surfaces that extend in a longitudinal direction of the solid electrolyte layer and face each other in a lateral direction of the solid electrolyte layer through the measurement gas chamber. The reference gas chamber formation layer has an opposite pair of inner side surfaces that extend in the longitudinal direction and face each other in the lateral direction through the reference gas chamber. Further, at least one of the inner side surfaces of the measurement gas chamber formation layer is located more inside the laminated gas sensor than a corresponding one of the inner side surfaces of the reference gas chamber formation layer in the lateral direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2007Publication date: August 14, 2008Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Makoto NAKAE, Kiyomi Kobayashi
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Publication number: 20070246361Abstract: A gas sensor and method of manufacturing the gas sensor are disclosed. The gas sensor comprises a gas sensing element, an insulating element holder having an element inserting bore through which the gas sensing element axially extends, a housing fixedly supporting the insulating element holder, an airtight sealant and a cushioning filler. Ceramic slurry, composed of at least ceramic powder and binder, is filled in an area between the gas sensing element and the insulating element holder on a leading end portion of the element inserting bore and fired to form a cushioning filler. The ceramic slurry contains 47 to 53 wt % of ceramic solids for a gross weight of ceramic slurry and a binder laying in a value ranging from 5 to 10 wt % for a weight of the ceramic solids.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2007Publication date: October 25, 2007Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Toshikazu Hirose, Kiyomi Kobayashi, Makoto Nakae