Patents by Inventor Masafumi Kurata
Masafumi Kurata 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: 9862251Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a vehicle includes a switching heat exchanger. The switching heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core, a receiver tank, and a switch valve. The switch valve may be arranged between the heat exchanger core and the receiver tank to control the flow of refrigerant. A controller can be configured to control the switch valve in an access position during a cooling mode and a bypass position during a heating mode. In the access position, the heat exchanger core is in communication with the receiver tank such that the refrigerant flows from a primary region of the heat exchanger core to the receiver tank. In the bypass position, the heat exchanger core is in communication with its outlet such that the refrigerant from the primary region flows out from the switching heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2016Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Bradley Brodie, Erik Huyghe, Masafumi Kurata
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Publication number: 20170028814Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a vehicle includes a switching heat exchanger. The switching heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core, a receiver tank, and a switch valve. The switch valve may be arranged between the heat exchanger core and the receiver tank to control the flow of refrigerant. A controller can be configured to control the switch valve in an access position during a cooling mode and a bypass position during a heating mode. In the access position, the heat exchanger core is in communication with the receiver tank such that the refrigerant flows from a primary region of the heat exchanger core to the receiver tank. In the bypass position, the heat exchanger core is in communication with its outlet such that the refrigerant from the primary region flows out from the switching heat exchanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2016Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Bradley BRODIE, Erik HUYGHE, Masafumi KURATA
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Patent number: 9499026Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a vehicle includes a switching heat exchanger. The switching heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core, a receiver tank, and a switch valve. The switch valve may be arranged between the heat exchanger core and the receiver tank to control the flow of refrigerant. A controller can be configured to control the switch valve in an access position during a cooling mode and a bypass position during a heating mode. In the access position, the heat exchanger core is in communication with the receiver tank such that the refrigerant flows from a primary region of the heat exchanger core to the receiver tank. In the bypass position, the heat exchanger core is in communication with its outlet such that the refrigerant from the primary region flows out from the switching heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2013Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Bradley R. Brodie, Erik Philip Huyghe, Masafumi Kurata
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Publication number: 20150075204Abstract: An air-conditioning system for a vehicle includes a switching heat exchanger. The switching heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core, a receiver tank, and a switch valve. The switch valve may be arranged between the heat exchanger core and the receiver tank to control the flow of refrigerant. A controller can be configured to control the switch valve in an access position during a cooling mode and a bypass position during a heating mode. In the access position, the heat exchanger core is in communication with the receiver tank such that the refrigerant flows from a primary region of the heat exchanger core to the receiver tank. In the bypass position, the heat exchanger core is in communication with its outlet such that the refrigerant from the primary region flows out from the switching heat exchanger.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2013Publication date: March 19, 2015Applicant: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bradley R. Brodie, Erik Philip Huyghe, Masafumi Kurata
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Patent number: 8329325Abstract: A battery pack cooling system may utilize a shroud defining a throat and a body, which may contain a battery pack. An evaporator may be arranged against the battery pack. A liquid coolant delivery pipe may deliver liquid coolant from a reservoir to the throat section with the aid of gravity, a pump, or an ultrasonic misting device. A spray nozzle may also deliver liquid coolant into the throat. When in the throat, liquid coolant mixes with air blown by a fan. Gaps in the battery pack may align with gaps of the evaporator to permit liquid and air to be blown completely through the battery pack and through the evaporator. A refrigeration system including a refrigerant compressor, a condenser and an expansion device work to cool the evaporator to condense, cool and remove liquid coolant from the liquid and air mixture, and deposit it in the reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2010Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.Inventors: Bradley Brodie, Kwangtaek Hong, Masafumi Kurata
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Publication number: 20110200860Abstract: A battery pack cooling system may utilize a shroud defining a throat and a body, which may contain a battery pack. An evaporator may be arranged against the battery pack. A liquid coolant delivery pipe may deliver liquid coolant from a reservoir to the throat section with the aid of gravity, a pump, or an ultrasonic misting device. A spray nozzle may also deliver liquid coolant into the throat. When in the throat, liquid coolant mixes with air blown by a fan. Gaps in the battery pack may align with gaps of the evaporator to permit liquid and air to be blown completely through the battery pack and through the evaporator. A refrigeration system including a refrigerant compressor, a condenser and an expansion device work to cool the evaporator to condense, cool and remove liquid coolant from the liquid and air mixture, and deposit it in the reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2010Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Bradley Brodie, Kwangtaek Hong, Masafumi Kurata
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Patent number: 6625994Abstract: If a refrigerant leaks from an interior heat exchanger, an outside air mode is switched ON, and a first bypass channel is opened to supply air, not having passed through the interior heat exchanger, to a passenger compartment through a defroster opening portion, while also supplying air, having passed through the internal heat exchanger, to the passenger compartment through a foot opening portion. Consequently, air having passed through the first bypass channel and thereby containing a considerable quantity of outside air free from the leaked refrigerant is supplied to the upper side of the passenger compartment, while air having passed through the interior heat exchanger and thereby containing the leaked refrigerant is supplied to the lower side of the passenger compartment, which makes it possible to prevent driver inhalation of the refrigerant.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2002Date of Patent: September 30, 2003Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Nobuharu Kakehashi, Masami Taguchi, Noriyuki Miyazaki, Shin Nishida, Kouji Matsunaga, Shinya Kumamoto, Masafumi Kurata
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Publication number: 20030056529Abstract: If a refrigerant leaks from an interior heat exchanger, an outside air mode is switched ON, and a first bypass channel is opened to supply air, not having passed through the interior heat exchanger, to a passenger compartment through a defroster opening portion, while also supplying air, having passed through the internal heat exchanger, to the passenger compartment through a foot opening portion. Consequently, air having passed through the first bypass channel and thereby containing a considerable quantity of outside air free from the leaked refrigerant is supplied to the upper side of the passenger compartment, while air having passed through the interior heat exchanger and thereby containing the leaked refrigerant is supplied to the lower side of the passenger compartment, which makes it possible to prevent driver inhalation of the refrigerant.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2002Publication date: March 27, 2003Inventors: Nobuharu Kakehashi, Masami Taguchi, Noriyuki Miyazaki, Shin Nishida, Kouji Matsunaga, Shinya Kumamoto, Masafumi Kurata
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Patent number: 5309308Abstract: A cassette-detection device for use in magnetic tape apparatuses which is provided with a first detection means for detecting the difference in thickness between a cartridge and a cassette shell in order to judge which cassette tape is loaded, an analog cassette tape or a digital cassette tape, and a second detection means for detecting the recessed section of the cartridge of an analog cassette tape in order to judge which side is up with respect to the analog cassette tape. In accordance with the above arrangement, by providing a simple structure, judgement is made as to which cassette tape is loaded, an analog cassette tape or a digital cassette tape, and judgement is also made as to which side is up when an analog cassette tape is loaded.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 1993Date of Patent: May 3, 1994Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kouji Nakagawa, Masafumi Kurata, Hideo Yoshida
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Patent number: 5191490Abstract: An auto reverse type tape player is capable of selectively switching between a one-cycle mode and an endless mode. When a play button is operated once, the one-cycle mode is set and when the play button is reoperated within a prescribed period thereafter, the endless mode is set.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 1990Date of Patent: March 2, 1993Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Susumu Tyouno, Norihiro Kurokawa, Masafumi Kurata, Hideo Yoshida