Patents by Inventor Masahiko Minemi

Masahiko Minemi 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: 6948316
    Abstract: A Rankine cycle system having a working medium circulation circuit (110) that includes an evaporator (112), an expander (113), a condenser (114), and a feed pump (115) is provided in which a mixture of oil for lubricating the expander (113) and water, which is a working medium and has become mixed with the oil, is supplied to coalescer type water separating means (118), thus separating the water from the oil. The oil from which water has been separated in water separating means (118) is returned to the expander (113), and the water separated from the oil is returned to the working medium circulation circuit (110). It is thus unnecessary to replenish the working medium circulation circuit (110) with water or replenish the expander (113) with oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Minemi, Hiroyoshi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 6910333
    Abstract: A Rankine cycle system includes a first Rankine cycle (2A) operated by a first working medium and a second Rankine cycle (2B) operated by a second working medium. The first Rankine cycle (2A) is constituted from an evaporator (3A), an expander (4), a condenser (5A) and a supply pump (6A), and the second Rankine cycle (2B) is constituted from an evaporator (3B), the expander (4), a condenser (5B) and a supply pump (6c). The evaporator (3A) in the first Rankine cycle (2A) and the evaporator (3B) in the second Rankine cycle (2B) are disposed at locations upstream and downstream of an exhaust emission control device (8) mounted in an exhaust passage (7) for the internal combustion engine (1). The first working medium has a boiling point higher than that of the second working medium, and the capacity of the pump (6A) in at least the first Rankine cycle (2A) is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Minemi, Hiroyuki Miura, Kazuo Yoshida, Masakatsu Miyao
  • Publication number: 20040250544
    Abstract: A Rankine cycle system having a working medium circulation circuit (110) that includes an evaporator (112), an expander (113), a condenser (114), and a feed pump (115) is provided in which a mixture of oil for lubricating the expander (113) and water, which is a working medium and has become mixed with the oil, is supplied to coalescer type water separating means (118), thus separating the water from the oil. The oil from which water has been separated in water separating means (118) is returned to the expander (113), and the water separated from the oil is returned to the working medium circulation circuit (110). It is thus unnecessary to replenish the working medium circulation circuit (110) with water or replenish the expander (113) with oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Masahiko Minemi, Hiroyoshi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 6776128
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber is provided in a cylinder head on one side of a partition wall, and a heat-insulating layer is provided in the cylinder head on the other side of the partition wall. Cooling passages are provided in a plurality of regions provided with different heat loads in the partition wall, respectively. The flow rate of a cooling medium is set, so that the flow rate in the cooling passage existing in the region of the larger heat load is larger than that in the cooling passage existing in the region of the smaller heat load. Thus, the temperature of an exhaust gas can be maintained at a high level by maintaining the combustion chamber at a high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Baba, Tatsuya Nakagawa, Masahiko Minemi, Tsuneo Endoh, Taizou Kitamura
  • Patent number: 6732525
    Abstract: A waste heat recovery system for an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes first and second raised temperature portions. The raised temperature is higher at the first portion than at the second portion. A first evaporating portion generates a first vapor from the first raised temperature portion. A second evaporating portion generates a second vapor from the second raised temperature portion and with a lower pressure than the first vapor. First and second energy converting portions of a displacement type expander converts expansion energy of the first and second vapor into mechanical energy. A condenser and a supply pump are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuneo Endoh, Haruhiko Komatsu, Masahiko Minemi, Tsuyoshi Baba, Kensuke Honma
  • Publication number: 20040060292
    Abstract: A Rankine cycle system includes a first Rankine cycle (2A) operated by a first working medium and a second Rankine cycle (2B) operated by a second working medium. The first Rankine cycle (2A) is constituted from an evaporator (3A), an expander (4), a condenser (5A) and a supply pump (6A), and the second Rankine cycle (2B) is constituted from an evaporator (3B), the expander (4), a condenser (5B) and a supply pump (6c). The evaporator (3A) in the first Rankine cycle (2A) and the evaporator (3B) in the second Rankine cycle (2B) are disposed at locations upstream and downstream of an exhaust emission control device (8) mounted in an exhaust passage (7) for the internal combustion engine (1). The first working medium has a boiling point higher than that of the second working medium, and the capacity of the pump (6A) in at least the first Rankine cycle (2A) is variable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Inventors: Masahiko Minemi, Hiroyuki Miura, Kazuo Yoshida, Masakatsu Miyao
  • Patent number: 6629516
    Abstract: In an exhaust port structure in an internal combustion engine, a cylinder head has a cylinder head body and a cylindrical exhaust port liner. The exhaust port liner is partially supported at a plurality of points on the cylinder head body, and a heat-insulating layer exists around the exhaust port liner. Thus, it is possible to inhibit the propagation of heat from the exhaust port liner to the cylinder head body as much as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Minemi, Tsuneo Endoh, Tatsuya Nakagawa, Taizou Kitamura, Atsushi Baba
  • Publication number: 20030111026
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, a combustion chamber is provided in a cylinder head on one side of a partition wall, and a heat-insulating layer is provided in the cylinder head on the other side of the partition wall. Cooling passages are provided in a plurality of regions provided with different heat loads in the partition wall, respectively. The flow rate of a cooling medium is set, so that the flow rate in the cooling passage existing in the region of the larger heat load is larger than that in the cooling passage existing in the region of the smaller heat load. Thus, the temperature of an exhaust gas can be maintained at a high level by maintaining the combustion chamber at a high temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Inventors: Atsushi Baba, Tatsuya Nakagawa, Masahiko Minemi, Tsuneo Endoh, Taizuo Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20030106316
    Abstract: A waste heat recovery system for an internal combustion engine is provided, which is configured as follows. The internal combustion engine (1) generates first and second raised temperature portions (202, 204) by operation thereof. A degree of raised temperature is higher at the first raised temperature portion (202) than at the second raised temperature portion (204). A first evaporating portion (205) of evaporating device (3) generates a first vapor with raised temperature by using the first raised temperature portion (202). A second evaporating portion (206) generates a second vapor with raised temperature by using the second raised temperature portion (204) and with a lower pressure than the first vapor. A first energy converting portion (207) of a displacement type expander (4) converts an expansion energy of the first vapor into a mechanical energy. A second energy converting portion (208) converts an expansion energy of the second vapor into a mechanical energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Tsuneo Endoh, Haruhiko Komatsu, Masahiko Minemi, Tsuyoshi Baba, Kensuke Honma
  • Patent number: 5709758
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy structural member is crystalline. In producing this aluminum alloy structural member, a procedure is employed which includes forming a green compact by use of aluminum alloy having an amorphous phase, and subjecting the green compact to a powder forging technique. An aluminum alloy powder exhibiting an exotherm E smaller than 20 J/g at the time of the crystallization of the amorphous phases is used. By setting the exotherm E in such a range, cracking of the green compact due to a degassing can be avoided, even if the green compact is rapidly heated in a temperature-rising or heating course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Okamoto, Hiroyuki Horimura, Masahiko Minemi, Yoshinobu Takeda, Yoshishige Takano, Toshihiko Kaji
  • Patent number: 5662863
    Abstract: A powder preform of aluminum alloy powder is subjected to a heating treatment and then to a compacting and hardening process under a pressure to produce a structural member of aluminum alloy. The aluminum alloy powder used is one having a non-equilibrium phase which shows a calorific value C in a range of C.gtoreq.10 J/g at a temperature-increasing rate of 20 K./min in a differential scanning calorimetry. In the heating treatment, the average temperature-rising rate R.sub.2 from a heat-generation starting temperature Tx (K.) of the aluminum alloy powder to Tx+A (wherein A.gtoreq.30 K.) is R.sub.2 .ltoreq.60 K./min. Thus, the change of the non-equilibrium phase in the powder preform is uniformly performed. In addition, the average temperature-increasing rate R.sub.4 from a processing temperature Tw (K.-B) in the compacting and hardening process to Tw (wherein B.gtoreq.30 K., and Tw-B>Tx+A) is R.sub.4 .gtoreq.60 K./min. Thus, the oxidation of the powder preform is reliably prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Okamoto, Hiroyuki Horimura, Masahiko Minemi
  • Patent number: 5658366
    Abstract: A heat- and abrasion-resistant aluminum alloy having a grain size of the matrix of .alpha.-aluminum in the alloy not more than 1,000 nm; a grain size of an intermetallic compounds contained in the alloy of not more than 500 nm; and 0.5 to 20% by volume of ceramic particles in the range of 1.5 to 10 .mu.m in particle size and dispersed in the alloy. By this composition, the stress concentration due to the ceramic particles is reduced. Furthermore, because the powders bind well with each other, the heat resistance and abrasion resistance are compatibly improved without decreasing toughness and ductility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Okamoto, Hiroyuki Horimura, Masahiko Minemi, Kensuke Honma
  • Patent number: 5566449
    Abstract: A connecting rod as a shaft clamping member includes a rod member and cap, each of which has mating faces at circumferentially opposite ends of a semi-circular recess and which are fastened to each other by bolts by matching the opposed mating faces to each other to define a crank pin hole by the two semi-circular recesses. The rod member and the cap are forgings formed from an aluminum alloy and simultaneously produced by forging powder preforms of the rod member and cap in a cavity having the desired shape of the connecting rod. After forging, the opposed mating faces have an infinite number of recesses and projections which are formed from the flow of the material during the forging and which are in a matched and fitted relation to each other. Thus, any misalignment between and in a direction parallel to the mating faces can be prevented to avoid the generation of a situation that only the rod member receives a stress. This achieves a prolongation in the life of the connecting rod of the aluminum alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Okamoto, Hiroyuki Horimura, Masahiko Minemi, Yoshinobu Takeda, Yoshishige Takano, Toshihiko Kaji
  • Patent number: 5547632
    Abstract: In a powder forging process, a heated green compact is placed in a stationary die and subjected to a press-forging carried out mainly to reduce the thickness thereof by cooperation of the stationary die with a movable die. The press-forging is performed at two pressing steps. After placement of the green compact into the concave molding portion of the stationary die, the pressing step were carried out. Thus, it is possible to produce a forged product having a high strength and a high toughness. A heated heat insulator also may be placed in the stationary die to provide a temperature-retaining effect to the green compact before and during pressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Horimura, Kenji Okamoto, Masahiko Minemi, Toshihiko Kaji, Yoshinobu Takeda, Yoshishige Takano
  • Patent number: 5498393
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy powder or a green compact thereof is prepared, wherein: (1) the composition formula is Al.sub.100-a-b Fe.sub.a X.sub.b where a and b in atomic % are 4.0.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.6.0, 1.0.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.4.0, and where X is at least one alloy element selected from Y and Mm (mish metal); or (2) the composition formula is Al.sub.100-a-b-c Fe.sub.a Si.sub.b X.sub.c, where a, b and c in atomic % are 3.0.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.6.0, 0.5.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.3.0, and 0.5.ltoreq.c.ltoreq.3.0, and where X is at least one alloy element selected from Ti, Co, Ni, Mn and Cr, and wherein both (1) and (2) include an amorphous phase of at least 1% by volume. The aluminum alloy powder or the green compact thereof is heated at a temperature increasing at a rate of at least 80.degree. C./min. to a predetermined temperature of at least 560.degree. C. and not more than a temperature at which 10% by volume of a liquid phase is contained in the alloy powder or green compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Horimura, Kenji Okamoto, Masahiko Minemi, Toshihiko Kaji, Yoshishige Takano, Yoshinobu Takeda