Patents by Inventor Kumiko Sango

Kumiko Sango 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).

  • Molded fiber materials and methods and apparatus for making the same
    Patent number: 7513967
    Abstract: A raw material including a mixture of a natural fiber and a thermoplastic fiber is supplied to a surface of a rotating rotary body. The natural and thermoplastic fibers are scattered toward a carrying surface of a conveyor belt by the rotational force of the rotary body. An air blower may direct pressurized air to the scattered raw material in order to further effect separation of the natural and thermoplastic fibers. Consequently, the natural fibers and the thermoplastic fibers are deposited such that the relative concentration of the natural fibers and the thermoplastic fibers gradually and seamlessly changes or varies across the thickness of depth of the resulting molded fiber material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignees: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Otsuka
    Inventors: Takehiro Kato, Kumiko Sango, Masato Nomura, Kazuo Hayakawa
  • Molded fiber materials and methods and apparatus for making the same
    Publication number: 20040026012
    Abstract: A raw material (12) comprising a mixture of a natural fiber and a thermoplastic fiber is supplied to the surface of the rotating rotary body (11). The natural and thermoplastic fibers are scattered toward the carrying surface of the conveyor belt (15) by the rotational force of the rotary body (11). An air blower (14) may direct pressurized air to the scattered raw material (14) in order to further effect separation of the natural and thermoplastic fibers. Consequently, the natural fibers and the thermoplastic fibers are deposited such that the relative concentration of the natural fibers and the thermoplastic fibers gradually and seamlessly changes or varies across the thickness or depth of the resulting molded fiber material (50).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Takehiro Kato, Kumiko Sango, Masato Nomura, Kazuo Hayakawa