Patents by Inventor Masaharu Kiyama

Masaharu Kiyama 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: 10087410
    Abstract: In culture vessels for producing biological samples, it is possible to prevent decrease in a temperature at the time of taking out the culture vessels from an automatic culture apparatus and during delivery of the culture vessels which have been taken out from the automatic culture apparatus. This invention includes a culture vessel 201 holding a biological sample therein, a heat storage portion 701 holding the culture vessel, and a heat insulation portion 601 surrounding the heat storage portion. The whole circumference or a part of 609, 610, and 611 of the heat insulation portion 601 is removable depending on an arrangement environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nozaki, Guangbin Zhou, Masaharu Kiyama, Taku Nakamura, Shizu Takeda, Ryota Nakajima, Masakazu Sugaya, Koichi Terada
  • Publication number: 20180171278
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to provide cell concentration devices and cell concentration systems having a novel liquid flow-circulation chamber. It is a cell concentration device including a liquid flow-circulation chamber, the liquid flow-circulation chamber having a first tube and a second tube, the first tube and the second tube being connected with each other via a liquid delivery tube outside the liquid flow-circulation chamber, the liquid delivery tube including a liquid delivery pump and a cell concentration module, the liquid delivery pump being capable of feeding a liquid through the liquid delivery pump in both directions, the first tube and the second tube each having an open end in a liquid in the liquid flow-circulation chamber, the first tube having an opening in a gas in the liquid flow-circulation chamber, and the liquid being a suspension of cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Masaharu KIYAMA, Midori KATO, Shuhei HASHIBA, Yumiko IGARASHI
  • Publication number: 20170355941
    Abstract: The present invention provides a culture vessel and a measuring device for measuring a cell sheet thickness nondestructively during culturing. A culture vessel having a lid 4 has a float 8 installed in the interior and the float is structured so as to be uplifted by a culture medium in the culture vessel. Further, a cell sheet thickness measuring device having a sensor head 10 having a light-emitting element 10A and a light-receiving element 10B to detect a positional variation of the float in the vertical direction and a controller 11 to process a signal of the sensor head is configured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Guangbin ZHOU, Masaharu KIYAMA, Yumiko IGARASHI
  • Publication number: 20170342365
    Abstract: To provide a closed system culture vessel for realizing culturing in which an aseptic state is maintained at the time of culturing, and making the reduction of the shear stress generated during conveyance after manufacturing possible. A closed system culture vessel 201 holds a second vessel 302 consisting of an insert vessel on the inside of a first vessel 301, and a lid portion 303 of the closed system culture vessel 201 forms a closed space with the first vessel 301 and has a convex portion 305 contacting the entire outer circumference of the second vessel 302. During conveyance, the closed system culture vessel is conveyed in a state in which the culture medium for conveyance is filled within the second vessel 302.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Takayuki NOZAKI, Guangbin ZHOU, Masaharu KIYAMA, Masakazu SUGAYA
  • Publication number: 20170198249
    Abstract: There is the problem that a liquid culture medium fed by a pump has a high frequency of contact with a gas during movement in a tube, and the pH value of the liquid culture medium before and after feeding changes easily. In a liquid feeder and a cell culture apparatus provided therewith, a feed pipe 7 is connected with a gas bag 14, the liquid to be fed into the feed pipe 7 is fed so as to be sandwiched by a gas for suppressing the qualitative changes of the liquid. Furthermore, the gas bag is connected with a container 8 for holding a liquid, and holds the gas for suppressing qualitative changes of the liquid in a gas phase of the container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Masaharu KIYAMA, Guangbin ZHOU, Takayuki NOZAKI, Ryota NAKAJIMA, Daisuke SUZUKI, Yumiko IGARASHI, Shizu TAKEDA, Taku NAKAMURA, Masakazu SUGAYA, Koichi TERADA
  • Publication number: 20170145365
    Abstract: A culture which maintains an aseptic state at the time of culturing is achieved, the avoidance of damage to a closed-system culture vessel and of an influence to the cells due to impacts and oscillation is possible during transportation after being manufactured. The closed-system culture vessel 101 has culture vessels 201, 202 for maintaining the cells and/or the culture medium, and a culturing space which is closed by holding members 203, 204 for holding the culture vessels, and the holding member has a semi-open cavity 221 independent of the culturing space. Further, the holding member, by being provided with a lid fixing ring 220 surrounding a connector part 214, is not damaged even when impacts are applied during transportation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Takayuki NOZAKI, Masaharu KIYAMA, Masakazu SUGAYA, Guangbin ZHOU, Taku NAKAMURA, Daisuke SUZUKI, Shizu TAKEDA, Yumiko IGARASHI, Koichi TERADA
  • Publication number: 20160244713
    Abstract: Provided is an automated culture apparatus in which the exchange of a culture medium or the exchange of a gas in a culture vessel that is taken from the device is not needed. The device is equipped with multiple culture vessels (500 to 530), flow channels respectively connected to the multiple culture vessels, a vessel selection unit (300) for controlling a liquid or a gas that is to be sent to the culture vessels through the flow channels, and a control unit (400) for controlling the vessel selection unit, wherein the control unit (400) detects the disconnection of some of the flow channels which correspond to some of the culture vessels among the multiple culture vessels and alters the manner of the control of the sending of the liquid or the gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Taku Nakamura, Takayuki Nozaki, Koichi Terada, Masaharu Kiyama, Guangbin Zhou, Masakazu Sugaya, Shizu Matsuoka
  • Publication number: 20160244711
    Abstract: Maintaining pressure inside a culturing vessel is difficult when minimizing the size of a liquid supply path that supplies liquid and gas to a cell culturing vessel that performs two-level culturing (co-culturing). This cell culturing device includes: culturing vessels; a flow path having at least first supply ports capable of supplying liquid or gas to the culturing vessels and first discharge ports that discharge the gas from the culturing vessels, said flow path discharging gas from the first discharge ports to the atmosphere; and a filter in the flow path. A trap bottle is provided between the first discharge ports and the filter upon the flow path to collect moisture from the discharged gas. Thus, a liquid phase and a gas phase are separated in the trap bottle; moisture is prevented from reaching the filter; filter clogging is prevented; and the internal pressure of the culturing vessels can be maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaharu Kiyama, Guangbin Zhou, Takayuki Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20160108350
    Abstract: The liquid feeder includes a liquid feeding pipe having a liquid introduce port and a liquid discharge port, a housing container which holds liquid to be introduced from the liquid introduce port, a liquid feed mechanism which feeds the liquid in the liquid feeding pipe to the liquid discharge port, a gas introduce unit which introduces gas into the liquid feeding pipe, and a liquid level detection unit which detects an advancing liquid level of the liquid to be fed in the liquid feeding pipe. The gas introduce unit is connected to a branch part provided in the liquid feeding pipe on the upstream side of the liquid feed mechanism. The liquid level detection unit is provided on the downstream side of the branch part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Masaharu KIYAMA, Guangbin ZHOU, Takayuki NOZAKI, Shizu MATSUOKA, Masakazu SUGAYA, Taku NAKAMURA, Koichi TERADA
  • Publication number: 20160017271
    Abstract: In culture vessels for producing biological samples, it is possible to prevent decrease in a temperature at the time of taking out the culture vessels from an automatic culture apparatus and during delivery of the culture vessels which have been taken out from the automatic culture apparatus. This invention includes a culture vessel 201 holding a biological sample therein, a heat storage portion 701 holding the culture vessel, and a heat insulation portion 601 surrounding the heat storage portion. The whole circumference or a part of 609, 610, and 611 of the heat insulation portion 601 is removable depending on an arrangement environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Takayuki NOZAKI, Guangbin ZHOU, Masaharu KIYAMA, Taku NAKAMURA, Shizu TAKEDA, Ryota NAKAJIMA, Masakazu SUGAYA, Koichi TERADA
  • Publication number: 20160002584
    Abstract: An automatic culture device which employs closed-system culture vessels and in which, when a passage part (2) and a rotational valve mechanism (3) are configured, the multiple culture vessels in a culture vessel part (1) can be rendered equal in liquid-feeding conditions by, for example, regulating the length of each passage. As a result, the evenness in quality of cells incubated in the multiple culture vessels is rendered possible. Furthermore, by providing a mechanism which enables a user to normally set passages in the device, the evenness in quality of the cells is rendered possible likewise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: January 7, 2016
    Inventors: Takayuki NOZAKI, Guangbin ZHOU, Masaharu KIYAMA, Ryota NAKAJIMA, Shizu MATSUOKA, Taku NAKAMURA, Masakazu SUGAYA, Koichi TERADA
  • Patent number: 9194793
    Abstract: Using an LED element as a light source, a photometric unit including the light source, a light receiving element and other components therebetween is reduced in size. A holder 30 detachable from the device as a unit holds a light emission unit 15 formed of an LED and a light receiving element 21, and the holder is placed inside a thermostatic chamber 18 which holds a constant temperature fluid 17. Thus, the photometric unit is reduced in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sakuichiro Adachi, Kunio Harada, Isao Yamazaki, Masaharu Kiyama, Takeshi Fujita
  • Publication number: 20150232798
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a valve mechanism which features a simple structure adapted to collectively control the supply of gas or culture medium to a plurality of cultivation containers for simultaneous cultivation and to enhance the reliability of the valve mechanism. The valve mechanism of the invention is a valve mechanism for opening and closing passages for liquid or gas. The valve mechanism includes: clip members adapted to close a plurality of tube passages, respectively; a multiple cam member for opening the clip members in sequence by making contact with the clip members; and a rotational mechanism for rotating the multiple cam member. The clip member includes: a spring for closing a clip thereof; and a clip contact portion for a cam contact portion of the multiple cam member to make contact therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Guangbin Zhou, Takayuki Nozaki, Shizu Matsuoka, Ryota Nakajima, Masaharu Kiyama, Kenichi Minami
  • Publication number: 20150231628
    Abstract: The present invention provides a biological sample packaging container including: a sample storage container having a recessed part; a lid member that seals the upper surface of the sample storage container; and at least one gasket that is provided on the rear surface of the lid member or on the upper surface of the sample storage container, wherein: the sample storage container has a function of holding a biological sample therein; the lid member includes a first lid member provided with flow channel tubes that allow liquid and gas to be moved between the sample storage container and the outside, and a second lid member having no flow channel tubes; and the sample storage container is configured in such a manner that the first lid member and the second lid member can be replaced by each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takayuki Nozaki, Masaharu Kiyama, Guangbin Zhou, Shizu Matsuoka, Ryota Nakajima, Naoko Senda
  • Publication number: 20150218503
    Abstract: Provided is a cell culturing vessel for holding and culturing cells. It has a first vessel that stores a culture medium and cells or only a culture medium, a second vessel that is placed above the first vessel and stores a culture medium and cells or only a culture medium, a main vessel that holds the first vessel and houses the second vessel, and a lid member that engages with the main vessel. The main vessel has a pressing member that fixes and holds the first vessel in the main vessel and the second vessel is eccentrically held in the first vessel by the pressing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Kiyama, Guangbin Zhou, Ryota Nakajima, Takayuki Nozaki, Naoko Senda, Shizu Matsuoka
  • Publication number: 20110110822
    Abstract: Using an LED element as a light source, a photometric unit including the light source, a light receiving element and other components therebetween is reduced in size. A holder 30 detachable from the device as a unit holds a light emission unit 15 formed of an LED and a light receiving element 21, and the holder is placed inside a thermostatic chamber 18 which holds a constant temperature fluid 17. Thus, the photometric unit is reduced in size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Sakuichiro Adachi, Kunio Harada, Isao Yamazaki, Masaharu Kiyama, Takeshi Fujita
  • Patent number: 6485916
    Abstract: Focusing that abundant class genes abundantly present in a nucleic acid sample can comparatively easily be analyzed and readily be removed in a selective manner, a nucleic acid sample for expression analysis of rare expressed genes can be obtained by removing abundant genes therefrom, and analyses based upon the sample can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamichi Muramatsu, Takeshi Fujita, Masaharu Kiyama, Takashi Irie, Kazunori Okano
  • Publication number: 20020102561
    Abstract: Focusing that abundant class genes abundantly present in a nucleic acid sample can comparatively easily be analyzed and readily be removed in a selective manner, a nucleic acid sample for expression analysis of rare expressed genes can be obtained by removing abundant genes therefrom, and analyses based upon the sample can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Publication date: August 1, 2002
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamichi Muramatsu, Takeshi Fujita, Masaharu Kiyama, Takashi Irie, Kazunori Okano
  • Publication number: 20020009731
    Abstract: Focusing that abundant class genes abundantly present in a nucleic acid sample can comparatively easily be analyzed and readily be removed in a selective manner, a nucleic acid sample for expression analysis of rare expressed genes can be obtained by removing abundant genes therefrom, and analyses based upon the sample can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takamichi Muramatsu, Takeshi Fujita, Masaharu Kiyama, Takashi Irie, Kazunori Okano
  • Patent number: 5976338
    Abstract: Arranging a pair of temperature control units on both sides of gel 1 and arranging light-transmitting slit 134 on one of the elements, irradiation of an excitation beam over the gel 1 and signal detection are practiced through the slit 134. Introducing dry air onto the slit part, mildew occurrence is prevented on the detecting part. Detecting the power level applied to the gel and calculating the temperature of the temperature control units so that the gel temperature might be a predetermined temperature, on the basis of the detected power level, thereafter carrying out the feedback control of the power level, the gel temperature can be controlled appropriately and strictly during electrophoresis in an automatic fluorescent electrophoresis system, so that high-speed analysis can be done highly reproducibly at a higher voltage applied even by SSCP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Electronics Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujita, Masaharu Kiyama, Shin-ichiro Umemura, Takamichi Muramatsu, Yuusuke Miyazaki, Masao Kamahori, Noboru Moriya, Shokichi Matsunami