Patents by Inventor Koji Katano

Koji Katano 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: 11285659
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tank includes: a winding step of winding a fiber impregnated with thermosetting resin before curing on a liner; a shape changing step of making the shape of the liner larger than the shape thereof at the time of the winding step, the shape changing step being performed after the winding step; and a curing step of heating and curing the thermosetting resin while the shape of the liner is increased by the shape changing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji Katano
  • Publication number: 20220034451
    Abstract: A high-pressure tank includes a reinforcing layer and a liner having a gas-barrier property and disposed on an inner surface of the reinforcing layer. The reinforcing layer includes a cylindrical reinforcing pipe having a plurality of cylindrical pipe forming portions coupled together, and a pair of semispherical reinforcing domes, one of the pair of semispherical reinforcing domes being disposed at a first end of the reinforcing pipe, and the other one of the pair of semispherical reinforcing domes being disposed at a second end of the reinforcing pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji KATANO, Takashi USUI
  • Publication number: 20220032531
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for manufacturing a reinforced layer constituting a high-pressure tank includes: a first forming step of forming a cylindrical pipe portion and extending in an axial direction of the high-pressure tank, the pipe portion including a first end portion including a first end and a second end portion including a second end, the pipe portion being formed to have a first stepped portion such that the first stepped portion projects outwardly at a position distanced from the first end in the axial direction by a first distance; a first placing step of placing the first end inside a first dome portion by moving at least either of the first dome portion and the pipe portion until a first bottom end portion of the first dome portion abuts with the first stepped portion; and a first joining step of joining the pipe portion to the first dome portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20220034449
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for manufacturing a tank includes: a step of forming a structural body constituted by a liner and a fiber reinforced resin layer placed on the outer periphery of the liner, the structural body including a cylindrical portion and dome portions provided in opposite ends of the cylindrical portion in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion; a step of winding a heat insulating sheet around the fiber reinforced resin layer after the step of forming the structural body, the heat insulating sheet having notches in dome forming portions provided to correspond to the dome portions; and a step of covering the dome portions with the dome forming portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20220034450
    Abstract: A high-pressure tank includes a cylindrical portion including a fiber-reinforced resin and a dome portion including a fiber-reinforced resin. The cylindrical portion includes an axial fiber layer including a fiber oriented in a center axis direction of the high-pressure tank, and a circumferential fiber layer including a fiber oriented in a circumferential direction of the high-pressure tank. An end portion of the axial fiber layer and an end portion of the dome portion are joined to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20220010928
    Abstract: A high pressure tank includes a liner that has gas barrier properties and that is made of resin, a reinforcing layer disposed around the liner, and a cap that is provided on one end of the liner and that includes a flange portion. The reinforcing layer includes a first reinforcing layer that is disposed between the liner and at least a part of a lower face of the flange portion, the part of the lower face including an outer end of the flange portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20220009347
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a tank having a cylindrical tank main unit, and a neck provided at a first end in an axial direction of the tank main unit, a bracket that fixes the tank main unit to a vehicle body of the vehicle by neck mounting, using the neck, and a fixing device. The fixing device has a covering portion that grips and holds, at a second end in the axial direction of the tank main unit, the tank main unit so as to surround an outer circumferential face of the tank main unit, and a fixing portion that is integrally provided with the covering portion and that is fixed to the vehicle body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji KATANO, Akihiko OHBA
  • Publication number: 20220009150
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a high pressure tank includes a step of forming a reinforcing pipe portion including a straight pipe portion and reduced-diameter portions, a step of forming reinforcing dome portions, a step of forming a joined body by joining the reinforcing pipe portion and the reinforcing dome portions, and a step of forming an outer helical layer on an outer face of the joined body. The reinforcing dome portions are disposed with opening ends of the reinforcing dome portions positioned on outer faces of the reduced-diameter portions of the reinforcing pipe portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20210381647
    Abstract: A high-pressure tank comprises a liner, a strengthening layer including a first helical layer and a first hoop layer each including a carbon fiber, and a protective layer including a second helical layer and a second hoop layer each including a glass fiber, in this order. The high-pressure tank is provided with a stress-generating portion, a reinforcement layer includes a first area ? overlapping the stress-generating portion in a stacking direction and a second area ? that is an area except for the first area, and a one-round portion including a final crossing portion at an end of winding of the glass fiber constituting the second hoop layer overlaps the second area in the stacking direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Koji KATANO, Masayoshi TAKAMI, Motohiro MIZUNO
  • Patent number: 11125387
    Abstract: A high-pressure tank comprises a liner, a strengthening layer including a first helical layer and a first hoop layer each including a carbon fiber, and a protective layer including a second helical layer and a second hoop layer each including a glass fiber, in this order. The high-pressure tank is provided with a stress-generating portion, a reinforcement layer includes a first area ? overlapping the stress-generating portion in a stacking direction and a second area ? that is an area except for the first area, and a one-round portion including a final crossing portion at an end of winding of the glass fiber constituting the second hoop layer overlaps the second area in the stacking direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Katano, Masayoshi Takami, Motohiro Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20210222830
    Abstract: A high-pressure tank includes a liner, a first reinforcing layer covering an outer surface of the liner, and a second reinforcing layer covering an outer surface of the first reinforcing layer. The first reinforcing layer is formed as a cylindrical member, a valve-side dome member, and an end-side dome member are fitted to each other in a state where resin intervening members are arranged between these members neighboring each other, respectively. The resin intervening member is formed into a ring shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20210221081
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a high-pressure tank includes joining a cylindrical member and dome members to each other so that a first reinforcing layer and a second reinforcing layer to which a cap is attached are formed, and after a resin material is poured inside the first reinforcing layer, rotating the first reinforcing layer so that the resin material covers an inner surface of the first reinforcing layer, and solidifying the resin material so that the liner is formed. The cap is attached to the first reinforcing layer so that a recessed portion in which the resin material is collected is formed between the cap and the first reinforcing layer. After the first reinforcing layer is rotated, the resin material is solidified in a state where the cap side is positioned on a lower side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20210213689
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank including a liner and a reinforcing layer covering an outer surface of the liner includes: forming a cylinder member made of a fiber-reinforced resin; forming a pair of dome members made of the fiber-reinforced resin; and forming a reinforcing body that is the reinforcing layer by joining the cylinder member and the dome members. When forming the cylinder member, a resin-impregnated fiber sheet is wound around an outer peripheral surface of a mandrel to form a cylinder body, and a resin-impregnated fiber bundle is then wound so as to overlap the cylinder body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junya MAEDA, Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20210197499
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank including a liner and a fiber-reinforced resin layer, the fiber-reinforced resin layer having a first reinforcing layer covering an outer surface of the liner and a second reinforcing layer covering an outer surface of the first reinforcing layer includes: forming a cylinder member made of a fiber-reinforced resin and having fibers oriented in a circumferential direction of the cylinder member; forming two dome members made of the fiber-reinforced resin; forming a reinforcing body that is the first reinforcing layer by joining the cylinder member and the dome members; and forming on an outer surface of the reinforcing body the second reinforcing layer made of the fiber-reinforced resin and having fibers oriented across the dome members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20210078238
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tank includes: a winding step of winding a fiber impregnated with thermosetting resin before curing on a liner; a shape changing step of making the shape of the liner larger than the shape thereof at the time of the winding step, the shape changing step being performed after the winding step; and a curing step of heating and curing the thermosetting resin while the shape of the liner is increased by the shape changing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Patent number: 10892508
    Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes a fuel cell stack having a stacked plurality of single cells; a stack case housing the fuel cell stack; a component case having an opening dosed by a wall of the stack case that is parallel to a stacking direction of the single cells; and a high-voltage component which is housed inside the component case and fixed to at least one of an opposite wall and an extending wall of the component case, on a surface of that wall facing the inside of the component case, and to which electricity generated in the fuel cell stack is supplied. The opposite wall faces the opening. The extending wall extends from the opposite wall toward the stack case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Katano, Hiroyuki Sekine
  • Publication number: 20200247070
    Abstract: A high-pressure tank includes a liner for storing a fluid, and a reinforcing layer covering an outer surface of the liner and including a fiber wound around the liner and a resin. The reinforcing layer includes a helical layer group including laminated helical layers, and a large-angle layer provided adjacent to the helical layer group and on the liner-side. The helical layer group includes an innermost layer that is closest to the liner and that is one of first and second helical layers respectively having the largest and second largest fiber winding angles, an outermost layer that is closest to an outer surface of the high-pressure tank and that is the other one of the first and second helical layers, and an intermediate layer disposed between the innermost and outermost layers and including a helical layer that is smaller in winding angle than the innermost and outermost layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Koji KATANO
  • Publication number: 20190390821
    Abstract: A high-pressure tank comprises a liner, a strengthening layer including a first helical layer and a first hoop layer each including a carbon fiber, and a protective layer including a second helical layer and a second hoop layer each including a glass fiber, in this order. The high-pressure tank is provided with a stress-generating portion, a reinforcement layer includes a first area ? overlapping the stress-generating portion in a stacking direction and a second area ? that is an area except for the first area, and a one-round portion including a final crossing portion at an end of winding of the glass fiber constituting the second hoop layer overlaps the second area in the stacking direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Koji KATANO, Masayoshi TAKAMI, Motohiro MIZUNO
  • Patent number: 10511042
    Abstract: A fuel cell unit includes a fuel cell and a converter. A fuel cell has single cells laminated in a given direction. A converter has a plurality of combinations of a reactor electrically connected with the fuel cell and a power module electrically connected with the reactor. At least either a direction in which first reactors among the reactors are arrayed or a direction in which first power modules among the power modules are arrayed is parallel with a laminating direction of the single cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Katano, Hiroyuki Sekine
  • Patent number: 10507736
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle, which is capable of preventing direct input of an impact to an external power feeding device that stores a high-voltage component, and is capable of protecting the external power feeding device. A vehicle 100 includes: an external power feeding device 70 that stores a high-voltage component for performing external power feeding; and a secondary battery 60 that stores a part of electric power, both of which are provided in a rear in a travel direction of the vehicle 100. The external power feeding device 70 is disposed in front of a rear end 61 of the secondary battery 60, and is disposed below a lower end 62 of the secondary battery 60 in a vertical direction when viewed from a side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Katano, Akiyoshi Furuzawa