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).

  • Patent number: 9862251
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Brodie, Erik Huyghe, Masafumi Kurata
  • Publication number: 20170028814
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Bradley BRODIE, Erik HUYGHE, Masafumi KURATA
  • Patent number: 9499026
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley R. Brodie, Erik Philip Huyghe, Masafumi Kurata
  • Publication number: 20150075204
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley R. Brodie, Erik Philip Huyghe, Masafumi Kurata
  • Patent number: 8329325
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley Brodie, Kwangtaek Hong, Masafumi Kurata
  • Publication number: 20110200860
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO INTERNATIONAL AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley Brodie, Kwangtaek Hong, Masafumi Kurata
  • Patent number: 6625994
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuharu Kakehashi, Masami Taguchi, Noriyuki Miyazaki, Shin Nishida, Kouji Matsunaga, Shinya Kumamoto, Masafumi Kurata
  • Publication number: 20030056529
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Nobuharu Kakehashi, Masami Taguchi, Noriyuki Miyazaki, Shin Nishida, Kouji Matsunaga, Shinya Kumamoto, Masafumi Kurata
  • Patent number: 5309308
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouji Nakagawa, Masafumi Kurata, Hideo Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5191490
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Susumu Tyouno, Norihiro Kurokawa, Masafumi Kurata, Hideo Yoshida