Patents by Inventor Kotaro SHINOHARA

Kotaro SHINOHARA 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: 11926088
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fiber-reinforced composite material achieving both lightweight properties and mechanical properties, a laminate thereof, and a prepreg capable of easily molding a sandwich structure thereof. The present invention is a prepreg comprising a reinforced fiber substrate (B) impregnated with a resin (A), wherein the reinforced fiber substrate (B) exists in a folded state having a plurality of folds with a fold angle of 0° or more and less than 90° in the prepreg.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Naokichi Imai, Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma
  • Patent number: 11590716
    Abstract: A method is described for manufacturing a molded product having a recessed/protruding part from a molded substrate (A) including reinforcing fibers and a matrix resin by press molding, the method comprising: a step (I) of placing the molded substrate (A) between molds including an upper mold and a lower mold and deforming the molded substrate (A) in an in-plane direction by heating and pressing the molds; and a step (II) of deforming the molded substrate (A) in an out-of-plane direction by depressurizing the molds subsequent to the step (I), wherein a deformation rate ratio T represented by the following formula (1) is within a range of 0.1 to 1: T=X/Z ??(1) where X and Z are as defined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma, Yoshiki Takebe
  • Publication number: 20230040874
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain a fiber-reinforced composite material achieving both lightweight properties and mechanical properties at a high level. The present invention provides a fiber-reinforced composite material including a resin (A) and a reinforcing fiber (B), and having: a porous structure portion having micropores with an average pore diameter of 500 ?m or less as measured by a mercury intrusion method; and a coarse cavity portion defined by the porous structure portion and having a maximum length of more than 500 ?m as a cross-sectional opening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Naokichi Imai, Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma
  • Publication number: 20220410502
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain a fiber-reinforced composite material achieving both lightweight properties and mechanical properties at a high level. The present invention is a fiber-reinforced composite material including: a resin (A); and a reinforcing fiber (B), and including: a fiber-reinforced structure portion including an in-plane orientation portion having an average fiber orientation angle of the reinforcing fiber (B) of 0° or more and 45° or less and an out-of-plane orientation portion having an average fiber orientation angle of the reinforcing fiber (B) of more than 45° and 90° or less; and a cavity portion defined by the in-plane orientation portion and the out-of-plane orientation portion of the fiber-reinforced structure portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Naokichi Imai, Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma
  • Publication number: 20220410465
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fiber-reinforced composite material achieving both lightweight properties and mechanical properties, a laminate thereof, and a prepreg capable of easily molding a sandwich structure thereof. The present invention is a prepreg comprising a reinforced fiber substrate (B) impregnated with a resin (A), wherein the reinforced fiber substrate (B) exists in a folded state having a plurality of folds with a fold angle of 0° or more and less than 90° in the prepreg.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Naokichi Imai, Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma
  • Publication number: 20220402258
    Abstract: A composite prepreg and a fiber-reinforced plastic molded body are described that are excellent in secondary weldability with another member and exhibit excellent handleability and reinforcing characteristics, where the composite prepreg in which reinforcing fibers are impregnated with a thermoplastic resin and a thermosetting resin, and a thermoplastic resin layer and a thermosetting resin layer that form an interface and joined to each other are formed, wherein the thermoplastic resin layer is present on at least one surface of the composite prepreg, and the thermoplastic resin layer contains continuous reinforcing fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma
  • Publication number: 20220227024
    Abstract: A method is described for producing a fiber-reinforced plastic substrate that simultaneously satisfies three points of joinability, mechanical characteristics, and productivity, the method including the following components [A], [B], and [C], wherein at least the following drawing step, first impregnating step, second impregnating step, and take-up step are continuously and sequentially performed while the component [A] is caused to run: [A] a reinforcing fiber [B] a thermoplastic resin [C] a thermosetting resin <drawing step> step of drawing a continuous reinforcing fiber sheet containing the component [A]; <first impregnating step> step of impregnating either the component [B] or the component [C] from one surface of the continuous reinforcing fiber sheet to obtain a fiber-reinforced plastic intermediate in which either the component [B] or the component [C] is disposed on a first surface; <second impregnating step> step of impregnating the other of the component [B] or the component
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kotaro Shinohara, Yoshiki Takebe, Yoshihumi Nakayama, Masato Honma
  • Publication number: 20220212426
    Abstract: A fiber-reinforced plastic substrate is described in which a plurality of resins having different properties are firmly compounded and that includes components [A], [B], and [C]: [A] reinforcing fibers; [B] thermoplastic resin (b); and [C] thermoplastic resin (c), wherein the component [A] is arranged in one direction, in the fiber-reinforced plastic substrate, a resin area including the component [B] and a resin area including the component [C] are present, the resin area including the component [B] is present on a surface of one side of the fiber-reinforced plastic substrate, and a distance Ra(bc) between Hansen solubility parameters of the component [B] and the component [C] satisfies formula (1): Ra(bc)={4(?DB??DC)2+(?PB??PC)2+(?HB??HC)2}1/2?8 wherein Ra(bc), ?DB, ?DC, ?PB, ?PC, ?HB and ?HC are as defined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Fujioka, Naokichi Imai, Masato Honma, Yoshiki Takebe, Kotaro Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20210154952
    Abstract: Provided is a molded article that has both a low specific gravity and high rigidity and further has suppressed wrinkles and scrapes, and a manufacturing method for the same.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Takebe, Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma
  • Publication number: 20210016549
    Abstract: A molded article includes a continuous porous body provided with a thin film layer, the continuous porous body having a void that is continuous in a thickness direction of the continuous porous body, the thin film layer including a solid additive and a resin. A permeation rate of water from a surface of the molded article on a side of the thin film layer is 10% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Fujioka, Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma
  • Publication number: 20210016474
    Abstract: A method is described for manufacturing a molded product having a recessed/protruding part from a molded substrate (A) including reinforcing fibers and a matrix resin by press molding, the method comprising: a step (I) of placing the molded substrate (A) between molds including an upper mold and a lower mold and deforming the molded substrate (A) in an in-plane direction by heating and pressing the molds; and a step (II) of deforming the molded substrate (A) in an out-of-plane direction by depressurizing the molds subsequent to the step (I), wherein a deformation rate ratio T represented by the following formula (1) is within a range of 0.1 to 1: T=X/Z ??(1) where X and Z are as defined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma, Yoshiki Takebe
  • Publication number: 20210009783
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a molded article having a thin film layer (B) formed on a surface of a porous body (A). The method includes a process (I) and a process (II) described below in this order: process (I): forming the thin film layer (B) on a surface of a precursor (a) of the porous body (A) to obtain a preform, and process (II): expanding and molding the precursor (a) to the porous body (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Fujioka, Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma
  • Publication number: 20210001536
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a molded article obtained by integrating a decoration layer onto a surface of a porous body including a reinforcing fiber. The method includes: a preheating process at which the decoration layer is preheated; and a shaping and integrating process at which the porous body is pressed to the decoration layer or the decoration layer is pressed to the porous body to shape the decoration layer, and the porous body and the decoration layer are integrated to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Applicant: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Fujioka, Kotaro Shinohara, Masato Honma
  • Patent number: 10787548
    Abstract: A structure material includes a resin, reinforced fibers, and voids, a volume content of the resin being within a range of 2.5% by volume or more and 85% by volume or less, a volume content of the reinforced fibers being within a range of 0.5% by volume or more and 55% by volume or less, the voids being contained in the structure material in a rate within a range of 10% by volume or more and 97% by volume or less, a thickness St of the structure material satisfying a conditional expression: St?Lf2·(1?cos(?f)) where a length of the reinforced fibers is Lf and an oriented angle of the reinforced fibers in a sectional direction of the structure material is ?f, and a compression strength in an in-plane direction at 50% compression of the structure material measured in accordance with JIS K7220 being 3 MPa or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kotaro Shinohara, Yoshiki Takebe, Masato Honma
  • Publication number: 20200086588
    Abstract: Provided are a processed product obtained by processing a structure having excellent lightness and mechanical characteristics, and a method for manufacturing the processed product that can process with high precision and high productivity. A method for manufacturing a processed product according the present invention is a method comprising processing a structure, the structure containing reinforced fibers, resin, and voids, the structure having a density in a range of 0.01 to 1 g/cm3, the structure having a compression modulus in a range of 0.2 to 20 GPa, and the processing being cutting processing performed by bringing the structure into contact with a processing tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kotaro SHINOHARA, Yoshiki TAKEBE, Masato HONMA
  • Publication number: 20190002654
    Abstract: A structure material includes a resin, reinforced fibers, and voids, a volume content of the resin being within a range of 2.5% by volume or more and 85% by volume or less, a volume content of the reinforced fibers being within a range of 0.5% by volume or more and 55% by volume or less, the voids being contained in the structure material in a rate within a range of 10% by volume or more and 97% by volume or less, a thickness St of the structure material satisfying a conditional expression: St?Lf2·(1?cos(?f)) where a length of the reinforced fibers is Lf and an oriented angle of the reinforced fibers in a sectional direction of the structure material is ?f, and a compression strength in an in-plane direction at 50% compression of the structure material measured in accordance with JIS K7220 being 3 MPa or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kotaro SHINOHARA, Yoshiki TAKEBE, Masato HONMA