Patents by Inventor Makoto Isobe

Makoto Isobe 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: 7946321
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of holding a veneer sheet which has been dried to a moisture content lower than the fiber saturation point and also heated to a temperature higher than an ambient temperature of an environment where the veneer sheet is held. The veneer sheet is bent in such way that at least a part of the veneer sheet in the longitudinal section thereof along the grain direction is curved and the same veneer sheet in any transverse section thereof perpendicular to the grain direction is substantially straight. The veneer sheet held bent is held for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Issaku Okamura, Hiroshige Oda, Akihito Hamaguchi, Noriyuki Honda
  • Publication number: 20080264520
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of holding a veneer sheet which has been dried to a moisture content lower than the fiber saturation point and also heated to a temperature higher than an ambient temperature of an environment where the veneer sheet is held. The veneer sheet is bent in such way that at least a part of the veneer sheet in the longitudinal section thereof along the grain direction is curved and the same veneer sheet in any transverse section thereof perpendicular to the grain direction is substantially straight. The veneer sheet held bent is held for a predetermined period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: MEINAN MACHINERY WORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Issaku Okamura, Hiroshige Oda, Akihito Hamaguchi, Noriyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 7401632
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus of wood pressing usable in manufacturing glued laminated wood such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL) using a number of wood veneer sheets are disclosed. A hot press used for wood pressing includes a pair of heating plates which are disposed one above the other and have pressing surfaces facing each other. The paired heating plates are both movable toward and away from each other. In operation, firstly one of the heating plates is moved toward the other heating plate to a position where the pressing surface of the one heating plate is spaced from a surface to which a veneer sheet is to be glued by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the veneer sheet. Then, the other heating plate is moved toward the one heating plate until a desired pressure is produced pressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Issaku Okamura, Hiroshige Oda, Akihito Hamaguchi, Noriyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 7160414
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of manufacturing glued laminated wood such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL) are disclosed. The glued laminated wood is made of a number of wood sheets such as veneer sheets which are laminated together by a hot press with a thermosetting adhesive into a continuous length of multiple-layered board of the glued laminated wood wherein wood sheets in each layer of the multiple-layered board are arranged in a staggered relation in the lengthwise direction of the board to wood sheets in an adjacent layer. The hot press has a pair of heating plates arranged substantially in facing relation to each other and an auxiliary heating plate disposed adjacent to one end of each heating plate. The auxiliary heating plate is adapted to press part of wood sheet which extends out beyond the above end of the heating plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Issaku Okamura, Hiroshige Oda, Akihito Hamaguchi, Noriyuki Honda
  • Publication number: 20060027319
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of manufacturing glued laminated wood such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL) are disclosed. The glued laminated wood is made of a number of wood sheets such as veneer sheets which are laminated together by a hot press with a thermosetting adhesive into a continuous length of multiple-layered board of the glued laminated wood wherein wood sheets in each layer of the multiple-layered board are arranged in a staggered relation in the lengthwise direction of the board to wood sheets in an adjacent layer. The hot press has a pair of heating plates arranged substantially in facing relation to each other and an auxiliary heating plate disposed adjacent to one end of each heating plate. The auxiliary heating plate is adapted to press part of wood sheet which extends out beyond the above end of the heating plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Publication date: February 9, 2006
    Applicant: MEINAN MACHINERY WORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Issaku Okamura, Hiroshige Oda, Akihito Hamaguchi, Noriyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 6878230
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing glued laminated wood such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is disclosed. The glued laminated wood is made of a number of wood sheets such as veneer sheets which are laminated together by a hot press with a thermosetting adhesive into a continuous length of multiple-layered board wherein the end joints of the wood sheets are disposed in a staggered array. There is provided an initial base material having an end which is shaped in the form of a flight of steps including a series of alternate horizontal surface having a lengthwise dimension smaller than the length of the wood sheet and a vertical surface having a height corresponding to the wood sheet thickness, and the glued laminated wood board is formed extending from the end of such initial base material. The hot press includes a pair of heat plates each having an effective pressing area capable of covering the entire surface of the wood sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Issaku Okamura, Hiroshige Oda, Akihito Hamaguchi, Noriyuki Honda
  • Publication number: 20050056366
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus of wood pressing usable in manufacturing glued laminated wood such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL) using a number of wood veneer sheets are disclosed. A hot press used for wood pressing includes a pair of heating plates which are disposed one above the other and have pressing surfaces facing each other. The paired heating plates are both movable toward and away from each other. In operation, firstly one of the heating plates is moved toward the other heating plate to a position where the pressing surface of the one heating plate is spaced from a surface to which a veneer sheet is to be glued by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the veneer sheet. Then, the other heating plate is moved toward the one heating plate until a desired pressure is produced pressing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Applicant: MEINAN MACHINERY WORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Issaku Okamura, Hiroshige Oda, Akihito Hamaguchi, Noriyuki Honda
  • Publication number: 20040060634
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing glued laminated wood such as laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is disclosed. The glued laminated wood is made of a number of wood sheets such as veneer sheets which are laminated together by a hot press with a thermosetting adhesive into a continuous length of multiple-layered board wherein the end joints of the wood sheets are disposed in a staggered array. There is provided an initial base material having an end which is shaped in the form of a flight of steps including a series of alternate horizontal surface having a lengthwise dimension smaller than the length of the wood sheet and a vertical surface having a height corresponding to the wood sheet thickness, and the glued laminated wood board is formed extending from the end of such initial base material. The hot press includes a pair of heat plates each having an effective pressing area capable of covering the entire surface of the wood sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: MEINAN MACHINERY WORKS, INC.
    Inventors: Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Issaku Okamura, Hiroshige Oda, Akihito Hamaguchi, Noriyuki Honda
  • Patent number: 6087019
    Abstract: This invention is a plated steel sheet formed by laminating an iron oxide layer and a plated layer on a steel matrix in this order, in which excellent plating adhesion property can uniformly be given to a full surface of the steel sheet by disposing a connection portion made from a metallic iron or an iron alloy connecting the steel matrix to the plated layer in the iron oxide layer. Particularly, it can provide means for easily forming a plated layer having an excellent adhesion property through hot dipping can be given to steel sheets being difficult to conduct the hot dipping such as high-strength steel sheet, stainless steel sheet and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Isobe, Chiaki Kato, Kazuhiro Seto, Masaaki Kohno
  • Patent number: 6068887
    Abstract: A process for producing plated steel sheet comprises the steps of heating a steel slab containing not more than 0.5 wt % C to the temperature range not lower than the transformation point Ac.sub.3, and jetting high-pressure water to the surface of a steel sheet at a discharge pressure of 300 kgf/cm.sup.2 or more at least once during hot rough rolling and hot finish rolling, thereby removing a layer of iron oxide on the surface of the steel sheet. The steel sheet is thereafter coiled while keeping a finishing delivery temperature of the steel sheet in the range of 500-800.degree. C., reducing the layer of iron oxide on the surface of the steel sheet at 50-98 % in an annealing furnace with the temperature of the steel sheet held in the range of 750-900.degree. C., and plating the steel sheet. With the process of the invention, plated steel plates having superior workability and plating adhesion can be produced at low cost, even when cold rolling and pickling are omitted from the production steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Isobe, Chiaki Kato, Kazuhiro Seto
  • Patent number: 5875710
    Abstract: A veneer-pressing apparatus comprising a pressing device provided with at least three pressing bodies disposed movably from a non-pressing position where the pressing bodies are vertically spaced apart from each other to a pressing position where the pressing bodies are close to each other; endless belts each adapted to be intermittently moved in a direction opposite to that of the neighboring endless belt, thereby forming a forward transfer passage between a pair of facing surfaces of the neighboring endless belts and a backward transfer passage which is opposite in transferring direction to the forward transfer passage; and a pressing member which is capable of rendering the pressing bodies provided with the endless belt to move from a non-pressing position to a pressing position to press a veneer with a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Honda, Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe
  • Patent number: 5848483
    Abstract: A veneer drying apparatus comprises a pair of upper and lower hot plates connected to a heating unit and a plurality of steam escape grooves formed in the opposing press surfaces of the upper and lower hot plates. The apparatus further comprises intermittently driven endless belts and driving and driven rollers on the unloading and loading ends, respectively, of the lower hot plate. The endless belts are trained over the driving and driven rollers for transferring veneer P over the upper surface of the lower hot plate. Each endless belt has numerous apertures formed in the entire surface thereof in a regular pattern. The driving rollers have numerous protrusions formed on the periphery thereof for engaging in the apertures formed in the endless belts. The endless belts are smoothly driven by rotation of the driving rollers due to the protrusion-aperture engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Honda, Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe
  • Patent number: 5677005
    Abstract: In connection with the manufacture of zinc hot dip galvanized or galvannealed steel strip using a high strength, high tensile steel strip containing Si, Mn or Cr as a starting steel strip, the invention provides a method for hot dip galvanizing a high tensile steel strip with minimal bare spots which can manufacture a bare spot-free steel strip of quality in an inexpensive manner while minimizing process complications and lowered productivity. The invention is achieved by subjecting a cold rolled steel strip containing at least one component of 0.1 to 2.0% of Si, 0.5 to 2.0% of Mn, and 0.1 to 2.0% of Cr and optionally further containing up to 0.2% of P, in % by weight, to recrystallization annealing in a continuous annealing line, cooling the steel strip, removing a steel component concentrated layer at the surface of the steel strip by polishing and/or pickling, subjecting the steel strip again to heat reduction at a temperature from 650.degree. C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1997
    Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Isobe, Nobue Fujibayashi, Kazuaki Kyono, Nobuo Totsuka, Nobuyuki Morito
  • Patent number: 5562281
    Abstract: An apparatus for regulating a leading end stacked position in a stacker for successively stacking thin sheet materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Honda, Yukio Abe, Yoshioki Nozawa, Makoto Isobe
  • Patent number: 5433796
    Abstract: In the preparation of a galvanized steel strip by continuously heating and anneal reducing a steel strip and subsequently admitting it, without contact with the ambient air, into a molten zinc bath to coat the strip with zinc, there is provided a method for preparing a galvanized or galvannealed steel strip having minimal uncoated defects, characterized in that a steel strip having a composition which containsup to 0.1% by weight of C,0.01 to 1.0% by weight of Si,0.05 to 2.0% by weight of Mn, andup to 0.15% by weight of P,and satisfies the following formula (1):Si/28+Mn/55+P/31.gtoreq.0.01 (1)wherein the element symbols represent the contents in % by weight of the respective elements in the steel strip is used as the starting strip to be galvanized, and the steel strip is subjected to carburizing treatment during the anneal reducing step or before the anneal reduced steel strip is admitted into the molten zinc bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Isobe, Akira Yasuda, Koji Yamato
  • Patent number: 5127966
    Abstract: A method of producing a hot-dip galvannealed steel sheet from a very-low-carbon cold-rolled steel sheet containing not less than 0.01 wt % but not more than 0.1 wt % of Ti, by subjecting the cold rolled steel sheet to a process conducted in a continuous hot-dip galvanizing system including a heat treatment, hot-dip galvanizing and a subsequent galvannealing. The method is characterized by the steps of: subjecting the cold-rolled steel sheet to a degreasing and an acid cleaning; subjecting the degreased and acid-cleaned steel sheet to a heat treatment conducted in a reducing gas atmosphere; and cooling the heat-treated steel sheet at a temperature not lower than 380.degree. C. but not higher than the hot-dip galvanizing bath temperature, before the steel sheet is subjected to the hot-dip galvanizing. The very-low-carbon cold- rolled steel sheet contains, besides not less than 0.01 wt % but not more than 0.1 wt % of Ti, not more than 0.005 wt % of C, not less than 0.01 wt % but not more than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1992
    Assignee: kawasaki Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Isobe, Manabu Ohori, Koichi Hashiguchi, Koji Yamato, Toshitake Hanazawa
  • Patent number: 4827630
    Abstract: A heating plate is disclosed which is adapted for use in a dryer for drying a sheet of wood veneer by heating said plate at a desired level and placing one surface of the plate on either side thereof in engagement with the veneer sheet. The heating plate, when heated and placed in non-engagement state, is formed such that said one surface is convex shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Honda, Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Nobuhiro Nakata
  • Patent number: 4811496
    Abstract: Method of correcting the track of an intermittently-running endless belt in a veneer dryer is disclosed. In a veneer dryer having a pair of intermittently movable endless belts provided under tension so as to form at least one straight passage therebetween through which a veneer sheet is conveyed by the endless belts while being heated by heating plates located above and below the passage, and means disposed adjacent to the opposite lateral edges of the endless belts and movable toward and away from said lateral edges for moving the belts laterally, the tension is released to loosen the belts after a predetermined number of stops of the endless belts and the belts are then moved at the edge thereof on the side corresponding to the direction in which they are displaced, by said means located adjacent to said edge, until an area of normal running track is reached by the belts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1989
    Assignee: Meinan Machinery Works, Inc.
    Inventors: Noriyuki Honda, Yukio Abe, Makoto Isobe, Nobuhiro Nakata