Patents by Inventor Masaaki Itagaki
Masaaki Itagaki 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).
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Patent number: 5993581Abstract: There is provided an adhesive composition for use as an adhesive agent for bonding a flexible lining tube on to the internal surface of an existing old pipe. Such an adhesive composition comprises: a) an epoxy resin; b) a thixotropy agent mainly containing silica fine particles; c) a lubricant mainly containing spheroidal fine particles; d) a curing agent having a sufficient compatibility with the thixotropy agent, and being used in a sufficient amount to cure the epoxy resin. In particular, the above components a),b),c) together form a main agent, and the above components b) and d) together form an auxiliary agent. Before use, the main agent and the auxiliary agent are separated from each other. When in use, the main agent and the auxiliary agent are mixed together, so as to form the adhesive composition for use as an adhesive agent for bonding a flexible lining tube on to the internal surface of the existing old pipe.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1998Date of Patent: November 30, 1999Assignees: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., Three Bond Co., Ltd., Three Bond Unicom Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki, Yukio Sato, Kiyoshi Shinkado
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Patent number: 5983948Abstract: A method of repairing an existing pipeline including a main pipe and a branch pipe, includes the steps of introducing a first lining pig, a first batch of a resin, and some other pigs into the branch pipe and supplying a first batch of a liquid into the branch pipe until the first lining pig reaches a branching position; introducing a second lining pig, a second batch of a resin, and some other pigs into the main pipe and supplying a second batch of a liquid into the main pipe until the second lining pig reaches an inner end thereof; drawing back the second batch of the liquid out of the main pipe so as to cause the second batch of the resin to move back toward an open end of the main pipe, thereby forming a resin lining layer on the internal surface of the main pipe; drawing back the first batch of the liquid out of the branch pipe so as to cause the first batch of the resin to move back toward an open end of the branch pipe, thereby forming a resin lining layer on the internal surface of the branch pipe.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1998Date of Patent: November 16, 1999Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki, Kenji Morita
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Patent number: 5899636Abstract: A reversible lining tube for repairing an existing pipeline is reversible into the existing pipeline so that its initial inner surface becomes its outer surface which adheres to the internal surface of the pipeline. In detail, the reversible lining tube includes an elastomer layer and a flock layer, prior to reversal into the existing pipeline the elastomer layer is an outer layer and the flock layer is an inner layer, upon reversal into the existing pipeline the elastomer layer becomes an inner layer and the flock layer becomes an outer layer which adheres to the internal surface of the existing pipeline.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1997Date of Patent: May 4, 1999Assignees: Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd., Nisshinbo Industries, Inc.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki, Kazuki Okabe
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Patent number: 5888302Abstract: There is provided a suction system for use in a method of lining the internal surface of a pipe, said suction system comprises a pig receiving device to be attached to an open end of the pipe, a liquid receiving tank connected with the pig receiving device, and a suction pump connected with the liquid receiving tank. Further, a pig detecting device for detecting the passing of a pig is provided between the open end of the pipe and the pig receiving device, a suction force controlling device is provided between the pig receiving device and the liquid receiving tank, and a gas-liquid separation apparatus is provided between the liquid receiving tank and the suction pump.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1995Date of Patent: March 30, 1999Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5873390Abstract: There is provided a method of lining the internal surface of a pipe involving a larger diameter portion, said method comprising the steps of inserting a first pig into the pipe from an open end thereof, said first pig being a spherical body made of a resilient material having a diameter larger than the pipe inner diameter and having a number of grooves formed on the surface thereof for permitting air escape, injecting behind the first pig a necessary amount of resin into the pipe, inserting behind the resin a second pig into the pipe, said second pig having a diameter smaller than the pipe inner diameter such that a resin lining layer having a desired thickness may be formed on the internal surface of the pipe, providing a positive pressure and applying the positive pressure behind the second pig in the pipe, and causing the first pig, the resin and the second pig to move through the pipe along the entire length thereof by the positive pressure, so as to form a resin lining layer on the internal surface of thType: GrantFiled: July 19, 1996Date of Patent: February 23, 1999Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinobu Satake, Tadao Yahata, Takashi Shigefuji, Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5855712Abstract: A method of repairing an existing pipe includes steps of introducing at least one leading pig into the existing pipe through one open end thereof, introducing behind the leading pig a necessary amount of adhesive agent into the existing pipe through the same open end thereof, fixing one end of a liner tube at the above open end of the existing pipe, in a manner such that the liner tube may be reversed into the existing pipe, and providing a negative pressure into the existing pipe through an opposite open end thereof to cause the leading pig and the adhesive agent to move forwardly and thus cause the unfixed portions of the liner tube to be reversed into the existing pipe. The adhesive agent is caused to move through the existing pipe in the form of a plug flow, thereby coating the whole internal surface of the existing pipe with the adhesive agent, ensuring that the liner tube reversed into the pipe may adhere to the internal surface of the existing pipe.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 1996Date of Patent: January 5, 1999Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5853629Abstract: Methods of lining the internal surface of a pipe, include first inserting two lining pigs into the pipe and then introducing a batch of resin thereinto, or inserting one lining pig between two batches of a resin, or first inserting a lining pig and then inserting two batches of a resin with another lining pig therebetween, or first introducing a lining pig made of a soft material capable of deforming so as to pass through a narrow-passing section and then introducing a batch of a resin into the pipe, causing the resin to move forward until the front end of the resin reaches an inner end of the pipe, and sucking the resin back from the inner end so as to line the internal surface of the pipe with the resin. The methods use improved liquid blocking pigs for use in pipe lining treatment, each of such pigs includes a spherical body made of a soft resilient material and at least one flexible liquid barrier diaphragm interposed in the spherical body.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1996Date of Patent: December 29, 1998Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5740838Abstract: There is provided a method of lining an existing underground main pipe involving a branch pipe.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 1996Date of Patent: April 21, 1998Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinobu Satake, Tadao Yahata, Takashi Shigefuji, Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5716672Abstract: There are provided methods of lining the internal surface of a pipe, which includes first inserting two lining pigs into the pipe and then introducing a batch of resin thereinto, or inserting one lining pig between two batches of a resin, or first inserting a lining pig and then inserting two batches of a resin with another lining pig therebetween, or first introducing a lining pig made of a soft material capable of deforming so as to pass through a narrow-passing section and then introducing a batch of a resin into the pipe, causing the resin to move forward until the front end of the resin reaches an inner end of the pipe, and sucking the resin back from the inner end so as to line the internal surface of the pipe with the resin. There are also provided improved liquid blocking pigs for use in pipe lining treatment, each of such pigs comprises a spherical body made of a soft resilient material and a least one flexible liquid barrier diaphragm interposed in the spherical body.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1996Date of Patent: February 10, 1998Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., LTD.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5700405Abstract: Methods of lining the internal surface of a pipe include first inserting two lining pigs into the pipe and then introducing a batch of resin thereinto, or inserting one lining pig between two batches of a resin, or first inserting a lining pig and then inserting two batches of a resin with another lining pig therebetween, or first introducing a lining pig made of a soft material capable of deforming so as to pass through a narrow-passing section and then introducing a batch of a resin into the pipe, causing the resin to move forward until the front end of the resin reaches an inner end of the pipe, and sucking the resin back from the inner end so as to line the internal surface of the pipe with the resin. The methods use improved liquid blocking pigs for use in pipe lining treatment, each of such pigs includes a spherical body made of a soft resilient material and at least one flexible liquid barrier diaphragm interposed in the spherical body.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1995Date of Patent: December 23, 1997Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5667841Abstract: There are provided methods of lining the internal surface of a pipe, which includes first inserting two lining pigs into the pipe and then introducing a batch of resin thereinto, or inserting one lining pig between two batches of a resin, or first inserting a lining pig and then inserting two batches of a resin with another lining pig therebetween, or first introducing a lining pig made of a soft material capable of deforming so as to pass through a narrow-passing section and then introducing a batch of a resin into the pipe, causing the resin to move forward until the front end of the resin reaches an inner end of the pipe, and sucking the resin back from the inner end so as to line the internal surface of the pipe with the resin. There are also provided improved liquid blocking pigs for use in pipe lining treatment, each of such pigs comprises a spherical body made of a soft resilient material and a least one flexible liquid barrier diaphragm interposed in the spherical body.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 1996Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5632818Abstract: There is provided a liquid injection apparatus for use in a method of lining the internal surface of a pipe. The apparatus comprises a push car having a frame structure, a liquid tank for storing a necessary amount of liquid to be injected into the pipe, a liquid pump for pumping the necessary amount of liquid so as to inject the liquid into the pipe, and a liquid injection controlling device for controlling the pressure of the liquid being supplied through the liquid pump, for stopping the liquid injection after a predetermined amount of liquid has been injected into the pipe, and for stopping the liquid injection if the liquid pressure in the pipe changes beyond a predetermined range. The liquid tank, the liquid pump and the liquid injection controlling device are installed together in the push car so as to be easily movable.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 1995Date of Patent: May 27, 1997Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5609186Abstract: There is provided a method of lining an existing underground main pipe involving a branch pipe.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 1995Date of Patent: March 11, 1997Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shinobu Satake, Tadao Yahata, Takashi Shigefuji, Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki
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Patent number: 5590689Abstract: There is provided a method for lining the internal surface of a pipe having a first open end and a second open end.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 1996Date of Patent: January 7, 1997Assignees: Tokyo Gas Co. Ltd., Hakko Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Toyoda, Shuichi Yagi, Masaaki Itagaki, Nobukatsu Ike, Kenji Ohshima
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Patent number: 5447664Abstract: An amount of resin necessary for lining an inner surface of a pipe is calculated. A lining pig is inserted in the pipe from an open end thereof, and the calculated amount of resin is supplied in the pipe from the open end subsequent to the insertion of the lining pig. A blocking pig is inserted in the pipe behind the resin, and a pressurized non-compressible liquid is supplied in the pipe subsequent to the insertion of the blocking pig thereby feeding the charged resin through the blocking pig until a front end of the resin reaches an inner end of the pipe. The resin is sucked together with the lining pig and the blocking pig so that the inner surface of the pipe is lined with the resin.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 1993Date of Patent: September 5, 1995Assignee: Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takanori Ito, Masaki Natori, Masaaki Itagaki, Shigeru Toyoda