Patents by Inventor Masahiko Katano

Masahiko Katano 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: 11626257
    Abstract: When manufacturing an electrode for an electrolytic capacitor, in a first hydration step (ST1), an aluminum electrode is immersed in a first hydration processing solution having a temperature of at least 70° C. and comprising pure water or an aqueous solution to which phosphoric acid or a phosphate has been added so that the phosphorus concentration is no greater than 4 mass ppm. In a second hydration step (ST2), the aluminum electrode is immersed in a second hydration processing solution to which phosphoric acid or a phosphate has been added so that the phosphorus concentration is 4-5000 mass ppm, the second hydration processing solution having a pH of 3.0-9.0 and a temperature of at least 70° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignees: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD., TOYO ALUMINIUM K. K.
    Inventors: Shuhei Enoki, Yuta Shimizu, Masahiko Katano, Toshifumi Taira, Kazuya Fujimoto, Shinya Sone
  • Patent number: 11332841
    Abstract: An electrode holder and a method for producing an electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor are provided that enable prevention of exfoliation of a porous layer during chemical formation even when the porous layer is formed on an aluminum electrode so as to have a thickness of 200 micrometers or greater. When an aluminum electrode 10 having at least one surface 11 on which a porous layer 17 having a thickness of 200 micrometers or greater is formed is subjected to chemical formation in a chemical formation solution, the aluminum electrode 10 is held by an electrode holder 50. The electrode holder 50 includes: an insulating first support plate 51 configured to overlap the one surface 11 of the aluminum electrode 10; an insulating second support plate 52 configured to overlap the other surface 12 of the aluminum electrode 10; and a connecting part 53 configured to connect the first support plate 51 and the second support plate 52 to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta Shimizu, Masahiko Katano, Toshifumi Taira, Shinya Sone
  • Patent number: 11309137
    Abstract: An electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor and a method for producing the same are provided that enable improvement of water resistance of a chemical formation film having a withstand voltage of 400 V or higher. The electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor is produced by performing a hydration step of bringing the aluminum electrode into contact with a hydration treatment liquid having a temperature of 78° C. to 92° C. to form a hydrated film on the aluminum electrode and a chemical formation step of performing chemical formation at a chemical formation voltage of 400 V or higher in a chemical formation solution having a temperature of 58° C. to 78° C. to form the chemical formation film on the aluminum electrode. In this method, the amount of the hydrated film is made appropriate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD
    Inventors: Yuta Shimizu, Shuhei Enoki, Masahiko Katano, Toshifumi Taira, Kazuya Fujimoto, Shinya Sone
  • Publication number: 20210335554
    Abstract: In production of an electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor, a hydrated film is formed onto an aluminum electrode including a porous layer by immersing the aluminum electrode into a first hydration treatment liquid having a temperature of 80° C. or more in a first hydration treatment step (ST1) and thereafter the aluminum electrode is heated in an atmosphere having a temperature of 150° C. or more and 350° C. or less in a dehydration step (ST2). Subsequently, a hydrated film is formed onto the aluminum electrode by immersing the aluminum electrode into a second hydration treatment liquid having a temperature of 80° C. or more in a second hydration treatment step (ST3) and thereafter chemical formation of the aluminum electrode is performed at 400 V or more and further 600 V or more in a chemical formation step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Yuta SHIMIZU, Masahiko KATANO, Toshifumi TAIRA, Kazuya FUJIMOTO, Shinya SONE
  • Patent number: 11094472
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing an electrode for an electrolytic capacitor, the method comprising: a hydration step in which an aluminum electrode is immersed in a hydration treatment solution having a temperature of 80° C. or higher; and a chemical conversion step in which the aluminum electrode is subjected to chemical conversion treatment up to a formation voltage of at least 400 V. The hydration treatment solution contains a hydration inhibitor. The thickness of a hydrated film formed in the hydration step satisfies the following condition, 0.6?t2/t1?1, wherein t1 is the average thickness of the hydrated film formed in a depth range of up to 100 ?m from the surface of the aluminum electrode, and t2 is the average thickness s of the hydrated film formed in a deep portion at least 100 ?m from the surface of the aluminum electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta Shimizu, Masahiko Katano, Yuya Yoshida, Toshifumi Taira, Shinya Sone
  • Patent number: 10923288
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor is provided that can reduce defects in a chemical formation film formed at a chemical formation voltage of 500 V or higher. For producing the electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor, an aluminum electrode is brought into contact with pure water having a temperature of 70° C. or higher to form a hydrated film having a suitable film thickness on the aluminum electrode at a hydration step, and then chemical formation is performed thereon at a chemical formation voltage of 500 V or higher in a chemical formation solution having a temperature of 40° C. or higher at a chemical formation step. At the chemical formation step, when the relative velocity of the chemical formation solution to the aluminum electrode is represented by a three-dimensional velocity vector B?A and the absolute value of the velocity vector B?A is represented by |B?A|, the absolute value |B?A| of the velocity vector satisfies the following conditional formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta Shimizu, Shuhei Enoki, Masahiko Katano, Toshifumi Taira, Kazuya Fujimoto, Shinya Sone
  • Publication number: 20200227209
    Abstract: When manufacturing an electrode for an electrolytic capacitor, in a first hydration step (ST1), an aluminum electrode is immersed in a first hydration processing solution having a temperature of at least 70° C. and comprising pure water or an aqueous solution to which phosphoric acid or a phosphate has been added so that the phosphorus concentration is no greater than 4 mass ppm. In a second hydration step (ST2), the aluminum electrode is immersed in a second hydration processing solution to which phosphoric acid or a phosphate has been added so that the phosphorus concentration is 4-5000 mass ppm, the second hydration processing solution having a pH of 3.0-9.0 and a temperature of at least 70° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Shuhei ENOKI, Yuta SHIMIZU, Masahiko KATANO, Toshifumi TAIRA, Kazuya FUJIMOTO, Shinya SONE
  • Patent number: 10614961
    Abstract: An aluminum electrode in which a porous layer made of a sintered layer of aluminum powder having an average particle diameter of 1 ?m to 10 ?m is laminated in a thickness of 150 ?m to 3000 ?m on a surface of an aluminum core material is produced by chemical formation to produce an anode for an electrolytic capacitor. In this process, an organic acid immersion step of immersing the aluminum electrode in an organic acid aqueous solution containing dodecanoic acid, benzoic acid, propanedioic acid, butanedioic acid, (E)-2-butenedioic acid, 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, (E)-1-propene-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, or the like is carried out after a pure water boiling step and before a chemical formation step. In the chemical formation step, a phosphoric acid immersion step of immersing the aluminum electrode in an aqueous solution containing phosphate ions is carried out one or more times in the course of raising a film withstand voltage to a chemical formation voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta Shimizu, Yuya Yoshida, Masahiko Katano, Shinya Sone, Masashi Mehata, Toshifumi Taira
  • Publication number: 20200013555
    Abstract: An electrode holder and a method for producing an electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor are provided that enable prevention of exfoliation of a porous layer during chemical formation even when the porous layer is formed on an aluminum electrode so as to have a thickness of 200 micrometers or greater. When an aluminum electrode 10 having at least one surface 11 on which a porous layer 17 having a thickness of 200 micrometers or greater is formed is subjected to chemical formation in a chemical formation solution, the aluminum electrode 10 is held by an electrode holder 50. The electrode holder 50 includes: an insulating first support plate 51 configured to overlap the one surface 11 of the aluminum electrode 10; an insulating second support plate 52 configured to overlap the other surface 12 of the aluminum electrode 10; and a connecting part 53 configured to connect the first support plate 51 and the second support plate 52 to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Yuta SHIMIZU, Masahiko KATANO, Toshifumi TAIRA, Shinya SONE
  • Publication number: 20200013556
    Abstract: A method for producing an electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor is provided that can reduce defects in a chemical formation film formed at a chemical formation voltage of 500 V or higher. For producing the electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor, an aluminum electrode is brought into contact with pure water having a temperature of 70° C. or higher to form a hydrated film having a suitable film thickness on the aluminum electrode at a hydration step, and then chemical formation is performed thereon at a chemical formation voltage of 500 V or higher in a chemical formation solution having a temperature of 40° C. or higher at a chemical formation step. At the chemical formation step, when the relative velocity of the chemical formation solution to the aluminum electrode is represented by a three-dimensional velocity vector B?A and the absolute value of the velocity vector B?A is represented by |B?A|, the absolute value |B?A| of the velocity vector satisfies the following conditional formula.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Yuta SHIMIZU, Shuhei ENOKI, Masahiko KATANO, Toshifumi TAIRA, Kazuya FUJIMOTO, Shinya SONE
  • Publication number: 20190362901
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing an electrode for an electrolytic capacitor, the method comprising: a hydration step in which an aluminum electrode is immersed in a hydration treatment solution having a temperature of 80° C. or higher; and a chemical conversion step in which the aluminum electrode is subjected to chemical conversion treatment up to a formation voltage of at least 400 V. The hydration treatment solution contains a hydration inhibitor. The thickness of a hydrated film formed in the hydration step satisfies the following condition, 0.6?t2/t1?1, wherein t1 is the average thickness of the hydrated film formed in a depth range of up to 100 ?m from the surface of the aluminum electrode, and t2 is the average thickness s of the hydrated film formed in a deep portion at least 100 ?m from the surface of the aluminum electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Yuta SHIMIZU, Masahiko KATANO, Yuya YOSHIDA, Toshifumi TAIRA, Shinya SONE
  • Publication number: 20190362902
    Abstract: An electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor and a method for producing the same are provided that enable improvement of water resistance of a chemical formation film having a withstand voltage of 400 V or higher. The electrode for an aluminum electrolytic capacitor is produced by performing a hydration step of bringing the aluminum electrode into contact with a hydration treatment liquid having a temperature of 78° C. to 92° C. to form a hydrated film on the aluminum electrode and a chemical formation step of performing chemical formation at a chemical formation voltage of 400 V or higher in a chemical formation solution having a temperature of 58° C. to 78° C. to form the chemical formation film on the aluminum electrode. In this method, the amount of the hydrated film is made appropriate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Yuta SHIMIZU, Shuhei ENOKI, Masahiko KATANO, Toshifumi TAIRA, Kazuya FUJIMOTO, Shinya SONE
  • Publication number: 20180350526
    Abstract: An aluminum electrode in which a porous layer made of a sintered layer of aluminum powder having an average particle diameter of 1 ?m to 10 ?m is laminated in a thickness of 150 ?m to 3000 ?m on a surface of an aluminum core material is produced by chemical formation to produce an anode for an electrolytic capacitor. In this process, an organic acid immersion step of immersing the aluminum electrode in an organic acid aqueous solution containing dodecanoic acid, benzoic acid, propanedioic acid, butanedioic acid, (E)-2-butenedioic acid, 2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, (E)-1-propene-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid, or the like is carried out after a pure water boiling step and before a chemical formation step. In the chemical formation step, a phosphoric acid immersion step of immersing the aluminum electrode in an aqueous solution containing phosphate ions is carried out one or more times in the course of raising a film withstand voltage to a chemical formation voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Yuta SHIMIZU, Yuya YOSHIDA, Masahiko KATANO, Shinya SONE, Masashi MEHATA, Toshifumi TAIRA
  • Patent number: 9805876
    Abstract: A porous aluminum electrode has a porous layer formed by sintering aluminum powder on the surface of an aluminum core. The porous aluminum electrode, when subjected to a formation to a voltage of 200V or more, is boiled and then subjected to a first forming process in which formation is performed in an aqueous solution of ammonium adipate at a temperature of 80° C. or below and a second forming process in which formation is performed in a boric acid aqueous solution. When heat depolarization is first carried out, washing with water is performed for five minutes or more before heat depolarization; therefore, the porous layer is not destroyed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Katano, Yuya Yoshida, Yoshihiro Taguchi, Asami Shirai, Yuta Shimizu, Toshifumi Taira, Masashi Mehata
  • Publication number: 20150221443
    Abstract: A porous aluminum electrode has a porous layer formed by sintering aluminum powder on the surface of an aluminum core. The porous aluminum electrode, when subjected to a formation to a voltage of 200V or more, is boiled and then subjected to a first forming process in which formation is performed in an aqueous solution of ammonium adipate at a temperature of 80° C. or below and a second forming process in which formation is performed in a boric acid aqueous solution. When heat depolarization is first carried out, washing with water is performed for five minutes or more before heat depolarization; therefore, the porous layer is not destroyed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicants: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.,, TOYO ALUMINIUM KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Katano, Yuya Yoshida, Yoshihiro Taguchi, Asami Shirai, Yuta Shimizu, Toshifumi Taira, Masashi Mehata
  • Patent number: 7903391
    Abstract: This invention provides an aluminum electrode plate for an electrolytic capacitor, which, even when the thickness of an etching layer is large, can realize a high level of impregnation of a solid electrolyte and can reduce ESR of a capacitor. An aluminum plate having an aluminum purity of not less than 99.98% by mass is etched to form an etching layer having a depth of 70 ?m or above. When a plane cross section of a position deeper than 20 ?m from the surface in the etching layer is measured with an image analyzer, for each measured face, not less than 70% of the total number of pits within the measured face is accounted for by pits having a diameter of 0.01 to 1 ?m ?; in terms of equivalent circle diameter. The aluminum plate has an aluminum purity of not less than 99.98% by mass and comprises 5 to 50 ppm of Fe and 5 to 40 ppm of Cu with the balance consisting of inevitable impurities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Nippon Light Metal Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Katano, Masashi Isobe, Yuya Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090303661
    Abstract: This invention provides an aluminum electrode plate for an electrolytic capacitor, which, even when the thickness of an etching layer is large, can realize a high level of impregnation of a solid electrolyte and can reduce ESR of a capacitor. An aluminum plate having an aluminum purity of not less than 99.98% by mass is etched to form an etching layer having a depth of 70 ?m or above. When a plane cross section of a position deeper than 20 ?m from the surface in the etching layer is measured with an image analyzer, for each measured face, not less than 70% of the total number of pits within the measured face is accounted for by pits having a diameter of 0.01 to 1 ?m ?; in terms of equivalent circle diameter. The aluminum plate has an aluminum purity of not less than 99.98% by mass and comprises 5 to 50 ppm of Fe and 5 to 40 ppm of Cu with the balance consisting of inevitable impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventors: Masahiko Katano, Masashi Isobe, Yuya Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7612986
    Abstract: An aluminum plate having an aluminum purity of not less than 99.98% by mass and an Fe content of 5 to 50 ppm with the balance consisting of unavoidable impurities is used to realize increased capacitance of an aluminum electrolytic capacitor, reduced height, and improved high frequency characteristics. In this aluminum plate, the total content of Fe in crystal/precipitate is 1 to 50% based on the original content, and the thickness of the aluminum plate 0.2 to 1 mm. In the formation of a capacitor anode, the aluminum plate is subjected to alternate current etching so as to leave a core part having an average thickness of 50 to 150 ?m in the center part in the thickness-wise direction to increase the surface area, followed by anodic oxidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Light Metal Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Katano, Masashi Isobe, Shinichi Arai
  • Publication number: 20090021892
    Abstract: An aluminum plate having an aluminum purity of not less than 99.98% by mass and an Fe content of 5 to 50 ppm with the balance consisting of unavoidable impurities is used to realize increased capacitance of an aluminum electrolytic capacitor, reduced height, and improved high frequency characteristics. In this aluminum plate, the total content of Fe in crystal/precipitate is 1 to 50% based on the original content, and the thickness of the aluminum plate is 0.2 to 1 mm. In the formation of a capacitor anode, the aluminum plate is subjected to alternate current etching so as to leave a core part having an average thickness of 50 to 150 ?m in the center part in the thickness-wise direction to increase the surface area, followed by anodic oxidation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Katano, Masashi Isobe, Shinichi Arai
  • Patent number: 6402861
    Abstract: A process for the production of a base foil of an aluminum alloy is provided which comprises a first heating step in which a cold-rolled plate derived from a continuously cast-rolled plate is maintained at a temperature between higher than 350° C. and lower than 450° C. for longer than 0.5 hour, the cast-rolled plate being comprised of a Al-Fe-Si type aluminum alloy, the aluminum alloy containing Fe in a content between more than 0.3% by weight and less than 1.2% by weight and Si in a content between more than 0.20% by weight and less than 1% by weight and having a Si/Fe ratio between above 0.4 and below 1.2, and a second heating step in which the resultant plate is maintained at a temperature between higher than 200° C. and lower than 330° C. for longer than 0.5 hour. The base foil is substantially free of macroscopic and microscopic rib patterns on its rolled and mat surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Alcan International Limited
    Inventors: Masahiko Katano, Hidehiko Ishii, Iljoon Jin