Patents by Inventor Kou Komori

Kou Komori 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: 11919366
    Abstract: A target thermal sensation setter sets target thermal sensations for a finite number of parts into which the occupant is virtually divided. A cabin temperature controller individually controls a cabin air-conditioning unit and an auxiliary heater so that the thermal sensations of the respective parts of the occupant estimated by an occupant thermal sensation estimator fall within a range of the target thermal sensations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignees: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD., JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kensaku Saitou, Kou Komori, Mio Furui, Yu Nakashima, Hiroshi Hamamoto, Yoichi Miyazaki, Hideaki Nishii, Hiroaki Shigenaka
  • Publication number: 20230302871
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat air-conditioning device, at least a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet are provided in a seat, and at least a first ventilation path, a portion of a second ventilation path, a ventilation path selection switch, a blower, and a third ventilation path are provided inside of the seat. To lead air to the third ventilation path, the ventilation path selection switch has: a first mode in which the first ventilation path is connected to the third ventilation path; a second mode in which the second ventilation path is connected to the third ventilation path; and a third mode in which the first ventilation path and the second ventilation path are connected to the third ventilation path. A controller switches between the modes of the ventilation path selection switch by selecting one of the first mode, the second mode, or the third mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Yuki MAKITA, Kou KOMORI, Takeshi ENYA
  • Patent number: 11766918
    Abstract: A comfort sensation calculation unit quantitatively calculates comfort sensation of an occupant from an RRI of the occupant A, and a target control value of a thermal environment control device is set based on the comfort sensation of the occupant. Therefore, it is possible to achieve air conditioning control that reflects the comfort sensation of the occupant. When a signal output from the comfort sensation calculation unit and a signal output from the occupant thermal sensation calculation unit do not correspond to each other, the signal output from the comfort sensation calculation unit is corrected, and the target control value is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignees: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD., JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Nakashima, Kou Komori, Mio Furui, Kensaku Saitou, Hiroshi Hamamoto, Yoichi Miyazaki, Hideaki Nishii, Hiroaki Shigenaka
  • Publication number: 20230256791
    Abstract: A seat air-conditioning device includes: a blower; a first ventilation path through which air is drawn in by the blower from a first inlet in a seat base of a seat on which a person sits; a second ventilation path through which the drawn air is discharged from a first outlet in the seat; a third ventilation path that is different from the second ventilation path and through which the drawn air is discharged from a second outlet in the seat; and an outlet ventilation path selection switch that is between the blower and the first and second outlets and selects at least one of the second and third ventilation path to which the drawn air is to be led. The first inlet is vertically below the first outlet and the second outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Yuki MAKITA, Kou KOMORI, Takeshi ENYA
  • Patent number: 11155190
    Abstract: A vehicle seat heater is provided in a vehicle seat. This vehicle seat heater includes a first heat generator, second heat generator, and controller. The first heat generator is disposed in a first area of the vehicle seat supporting an occupant. The second heat generator is disposed in a second area not being in contact with the occupant or being less pressed by the occupant than the first area is. The controller controls current application to the first heat generator in a manner such that a heating temperature zone of the first heat generator is a direct heat transfer temperature zone close to a body temperature of the occupant, and also controls current application to the second heat generator in a manner such that a heating temperature zone of the second heat generator is a radiation heat transfer temperature zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mio Furui, Kou Komori, Takaaki Hyoudou
  • Publication number: 20210039471
    Abstract: A comfort sensation calculation unit quantitatively calculates comfort sensation of an occupant from an RRI of the occupant A, and a target control value of a thermal environment control device is set based on the comfort sensation of the occupant. Therefore, it is possible to achieve air conditioning control that reflects the comfort sensation of the occupant. When a signal output from the comfort sensation calculation unit and a signal output from the occupant thermal sensation calculation unit do not correspond to each other, the signal output from the comfort sensation calculation unit is corrected, and the target control value is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu NAKASHIMA, Kou KOMORI, Mio FURUI, Kensaku SAITOU, Hiroshi HAMAMOTO, Yoichi MIYAZAKI, Hideaki NISHII, Hiroaki SHIGENAKA
  • Publication number: 20210008960
    Abstract: A target thermal sensation setter sets target thermal sensations for a finite number of parts into which the occupant is virtually divided. A cabin temperature controller individually controls a cabin air-conditioning unit and an auxiliary heater so that the thermal sensations of the respective parts of the occupant estimated by an occupant thermal sensation estimator fall within a range of the target thermal sensations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kensaku SAITOU, Kou KOMORI, Mio FURUI, Yu NAKASHIMA, Hiroshi HAMAMOTO, Yoichi MIYAZAKI, Hideaki NISHII, Hiroaki SHIGENAKA
  • Publication number: 20200391634
    Abstract: A vehicle seat heater is provided in a vehicle seat. This vehicle seat heater includes a first heat generator, second heat generator, and controller. The first heat generator is disposed in a first area of the vehicle seat supporting an occupant. The second heat generator is disposed in a second area not being in contact with the occupant or being less pressed by the occupant than the first area is. The controller controls current application to the first heat generator in a manner such that a heating temperature zone of the first heat generator is a direct heat transfer temperature zone close to a body temperature of the occupant, and also controls current application to the second heat generator in a manner such that a heating temperature zone of the second heat generator is a radiation heat transfer temperature zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: MIO FURUI, KOU KOMORI, TAKAAKI HYOUDOU
  • Patent number: 10774747
    Abstract: A disclosed micro gas turbine system includes a micro gas turbine apparatus and an extracting cycle apparatus. The micro gas turbine apparatus includes a first compressor, a burner, and a first turbine. The first turbine expands a combustion gas generated by the burner. The extracting cycle apparatus includes a second compressor and a second turbine. The second compressor receives a flow of extracted air that is generated by extracting a part of a working fluid discharged from the first compressor. The second turbine expands the working fluid discharged from the second compressor. The working fluid discharged from the second turbine cools down the first turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Taguchi, Kou Komori, Osao Kido, Fumitoshi Nishiwaki, Yoshitsugu Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 10215095
    Abstract: A gas turbine system (1A) includes a gas turbine unit (2) and a cooling fluid generator (5). The gas turbine unit (2) includes a first compressor (21) and a first expansion turbine (23) coupled to each other by a first shaft (22), a combustor (26), and a fuel tank (30). A fuel held in the fuel tank (30) circulates through a fuel circulation passage (31). A working fluid that has a pressure increased by the first compressor (1) is extracted from the gas turbine unit (2). The cooling fluid generator (5) includes a cooler (55) for cooling, with the fuel flowing through the fuel circulation passage (31), the working fluid that has been extracted from the gas turbine unit (2), and a second expansion turbine (53) for expanding the working fluid that has flowed out of the cooler (55).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Taguchi, Fumitoshi Nishiwaki, Kou Komori, Tomoichiro Tamura, Subaru Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10207564
    Abstract: An exterior heat exchanger is provided with paths P1-P4. The flow rate of the air being blown by an exterior blower to pass through the path P4 closer to a refrigerant outlet of the exterior heat exchanger is set to be higher than that of the air being blown by the exterior blower to pass through the path P1 closer to a refrigerant inlet of the exterior heat exchanger. An air-conditioning controller activates cooling fans during a defrosting mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: Japan Climate Systems Corporation, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 10189331
    Abstract: A heat pump device includes an air conditioning control device configured to switch the heat pump device among a plurality of operation modes including an air-heating operation mode in which an indoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator and an outdoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber, and an air-cooling operation mode in which the indoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator. The air conditioning control device switch a refrigerant pipe such that refrigerant is, in the air-cooling operation mode, supplied to part of the outdoor heat exchanger serving as a refrigerant inlet in the air-heating operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignees: JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto, Katsuyoshi Wakano
  • Patent number: 10180277
    Abstract: An exterior heat exchanger is provided with first to fourth paths. The flow rate of the air being blown by an exterior blower to pass through the first path closer to a refrigerant inlet of the exterior heat exchanger is set to be higher than that of the air being blown by the exterior blower to pass through the fourth path closer to a refrigerant outlet of the exterior heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignees: Japan Climate Systems Corporation, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20180371955
    Abstract: A cogeneration system (10a) of the present disclosure includes an internal combustion engine (21), a first power generator (22), a first coolant circuit (23), a first heat exchanger (24), a second coolant circuit (25), a Rankine cycle power generation apparatus (26), and an exhaust gas supply path (40). The Rankine cycle power generation apparatus (26) includes a pump (27), an evaporator (28), an expander (29), a second power generator (30), and a condenser (31). The evaporator (28) heats and evaporates a working fluid with exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine (21). The exhaust gas supply path (40) delivers the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine (21) to the evaporator (28) without allowing the exhaust gas to exchange heat with a liquid. The condenser (31) has a flow path (31a) through which the first coolant flows and which forms a part of the first coolant circuit (23).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Osao KIDO, Fumitoshi NISHIWAKI, Kou KOMORI, Yoshikazu SHIRAI, Tetsu YAMAGISHI, Ryo TAKEYA
  • Patent number: 10160289
    Abstract: A air conditioning control device is configured to estimate whether or not the temperature of refrigerant on a high-pressure side in a heat pump device is equal to or lower than a predetermined low temperature and to switch a flow path switching device to an air-heating start-up mode when it is estimated that the temperature of refrigerant on the high-pressure side in the heat pump device is equal to or lower than the predetermined low temperature and switch the flow path switching device to a normal air-heating mode when it is estimated that the temperature of refrigerant on the high-pressure side in the heat pump device is higher than the predetermined low temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignees: JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto, Katsuyoshi Wakano
  • Patent number: 10052939
    Abstract: A vehicle air conditioner comprising a heat pump device including a compressor that compresses refrigerant, first and second heat exchangers disposed inside the vehicle cabin within an interior air-conditioning unit, and a pressure reducing valve. The vehicle air conditioner further comprises an air-conditioning controller which controls the heat pump device and interior air-conditioning unit, an exterior heat exchanger temperature sensor and a degree-of-heating requested detecting section. If the quantity of heat absorbed by the exterior heat exchanger has decreased, the controller operates the heat pump device to operate in a mode in which a refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows through the first and second heat exchangers, bypasses the exterior heat exchanger, and then is sucked into the compressor, and a second mode in which the refrigerant is flow throughs the first heat exchanger and is bypassed around the second and exterior heat exchanger after pressure has been reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignees: JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto, Katsuyoshi Wakano, Mio Furui, Norihiro Miyamura
  • Patent number: 10018401
    Abstract: If an exterior heat exchanger is sensed to be frosted while a heat pump device is operating in a first heating operation mode in which two interior heat exchangers are used, the operation modes are switched into a second heating operation mode in which one interior heat exchanger is used, and then switched into a defrosting operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignees: JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto, Norihiro Miyamura
  • Patent number: 10000107
    Abstract: A heat pump device 20 is operated so as to make a switch between multiple operation modes including a first dehumidification and heating operation mode in which a refrigerant discharged from a compressor is circulated through a downstream interior heat exchanger 31, a first pressure reducing valve 52, an upstream interior heat exchanger 32, and an exterior heat exchanger 33 in this order so that the heat exchanger 31 functions as a radiator and the heat exchanger 32 functions as a heat absorber, and a second dehumidification and heating operation mode in which the refrigerant discharged from the compressor is circulated through the downstream interior heat exchanger 31, a second pressure reducing valve 53, the exterior heat exchanger 33, and the upstream interior heat exchanger 32 in this order so that the heat exchanger 31 functions as a radiator and the heat exchanger 32 functions as a heat absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignees: JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto, Katsuyoshi Wakano, Mio Furui, Norihiro Miyamura
  • Publication number: 20180105016
    Abstract: A heat pump device includes an air conditioning control device configured to switch the heat pump device among a plurality of operation modes including an air-heating operation mode in which an indoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator and an outdoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber, and an air-cooling operation mode in which the indoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator. The air conditioning control device switch a refrigerant pipe such that refrigerant is, in the air-cooling operation mode, supplied to part of the outdoor heat exchanger serving as a refrigerant inlet in the air-heating operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicants: JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi HAMAMOTO, Kohei FUKAWATASE, Yoshihiko OTAKE, Kou KOMORI, Subaru MATSUMOTO, Katsuyoshi WAKANO
  • Patent number: 9878593
    Abstract: A heat pump device includes an air conditioning control device configured to switch the heat pump device among a plurality of operation modes including an air-heating operation mode in which an indoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator and an outdoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber, and an air-cooling operation mode in which the indoor heat exchanger serves as a heat absorber and the outdoor heat exchanger serves as a radiator. The air conditioning control device switch a refrigerant pipe such that refrigerant is, in the air-cooling operation mode, supplied to part of the outdoor heat exchanger serving as a refrigerant inlet in the air-heating operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: JAPAN CLIMATE SYSTEMS CORPORATION, Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hamamoto, Kohei Fukawatase, Yoshihiko Otake, Kou Komori, Subaru Matsumoto, Katsuyoshi Wakano