Patents by Inventor Masahiko Nishi

Masahiko Nishi 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: 8702305
    Abstract: In a temperature sensor (1), a pair of electrode wires (25) of a thermistor element (21) are formed of a material prepared by adding strontium to platinum or a platinum alloy and without addition of zirconia or a like oxide. Rear end portions of the electrode wires (25) formed of the above-mentioned material and front end portions of sheath core wires (3) are laser-welded to one another in an overlapping condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Yokoi, Masamichi Ito, Takaaki Chosokabe, Masahiko Nishi
  • Publication number: 20090323765
    Abstract: In a temperature sensor (1), a pair of electrode wires (25) of a thermistor element (21) are formed of a material prepared by adding strontium to platinum or a platinum alloy and without addition of zirconia or a like oxide. Rear end portions of the electrode wires (25) formed of the above-mentioned material and front end portions of sheath core wires (3) are laser-welded to one another in an overlapping condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi YOKOI, Masamichi ITO, Takaaki CHOSOKABE, Masahiko NISHI
  • Patent number: 7553078
    Abstract: A temperature sensor 10 includes a metallic cover 5, a thermistor element 1 accommodated in a front portion 5s of the metallic cover 5, first and second conductive wires 2a and 2b extending rearwards of the thermistor element 1 and transmitting a signal therefrom, a MI cable 4 in which first and second core wires 4a and 4b are positioned and having a front end thereof inserted into the metallic cover 5, and an insulating holder 3 situated between the thermistor element 1 and the front end of the MI cable 4 in the metallic cover 5. The insulating holder 3 holds the first and second conductive wires 2a and 2b and corresponding first and second core wires 4a and 4b, respectively. The conductive wires and the corresponding core wires are connected to each other in the insulating holder 3. Furthermore, the thermistor element 1 and the insulating holder 3 are fixed by means of cement 6.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Hanzawa, Masahiko Nishi
  • Patent number: 7121722
    Abstract: A temperature sensor comprising: a flange having a bore and mounted on a fluid pipe having a fluid flow, to prevent said fluid from leaking out; an MI cable formed to have metallic cores insulated and retained on a metallic outer cylinder, and fixed in such a mode in said bore that a leading end side of said MI cable protrudes from a leading end side of said flange and extends in an axial direction; a metallic cap fixed on a leading end side outer circumference of said MI cable and having fluid communication ports for allowing said fluid to flow therein; and a temperature sensing element including: a ceramic substrate housed in said cap; a sensing portion formed over said ceramic substrate and having electric characteristics varied with a temperature of said fluid; and a wiring portion for connecting said sensing portion and said metallic cores of said MI cable electrically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Hanzawa, Masahiko Nishi
  • Patent number: 7104685
    Abstract: A temperature sensor (1) including a cylindrical metal tube (3) having a front end side blocked, a thermistor element (2), and a sheath member (8) connected to the thermistor element (2) and held in the inside of the metal tube (3), wherein: the metal tube (3) has a small-diameter portion (33) located on the front end side and entirely having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the sheath member (8), and a large-diameter portion (36) located on the rear end side of the small-diameter portion (33) and having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the small-diameter portion (33); and a thermistor sintered body (21) is held in the small-diameter portion (33) and cement (10) is filled in between a front end of the thermistor sintered body (21) and a front end of an inner wall of the metal tube (3) and on the front end side viewed from a rear end surface of the thermistor sintered body (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Hanzawa, Masahiko Nishi, Masaki Iwaya, Takaaki Chosokabe
  • Patent number: 6997607
    Abstract: A cylindrical metal tube (3) accommodating therein a thermistor device (2), the electric characteristics of which change with temperature, is pushed into, or clamped and fixed to, a sheath portion (42) positioned on a flange (4) to the rear of a projection portion (41) of the flange (4), and is laser welded in a circumferential direction. A weld portion (L1) formed to bridge the metal tube (3) and the sheath portion (42) of the flange (4) firmly fixes the metal tube (3) to the flange (4). In the temperature sensor (1) having this construction, the weld portion (L1) between the metal tube (3) and the flange (4) is not exposed to a high temperature environment. Therefore, oxidation hardly occurs at the weld portion and reliability of air tightness to an exhaust gas can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Iwaya, Masahiko Nishi, Takaaki Chosokabe, Masaru Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 6997604
    Abstract: A temperature sensor comprising: a housing; a thermo-sensitive element housed in the housing for outputting electric characteristics varying with a temperature, as an electric signal; and a pair of lead wires connected at their one-side ends with the thermo-sensitive element for extracting the electric signal from the thermo-sensitive element to an outside of the housing, wherein at least one of the lead wires is made of a mixed twisted wire including: first electric wires made of a first conductor containing copper; and second electric wires made of a second conductor having a higher bending resistance and a tensile strength than those of the first conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Go Hanzawa, Masahiko Nishi, Masaki Iwaya, Takaaki Chosokabe
  • Publication number: 20060013282
    Abstract: A temperature sensor 10 includes a metallic cover 5, a thermistor element 1 accommodated in a front portion 5s of the metallic cover 5, first and second conductive wires 2a and 2b extending rearwards of the thermistor element 1 and transmitting a signal therefrom, a MI cable 4 in which first and second core wires 4a and 4b are positioned and having a front end thereof inserted into the metallic cover 5, and an insulating holder 3 situated between the thermistor element 1 and the front end of the MI cable 4 in the metallic cover 5. The insulating holder 3 holds the first and second conductive wires 2a and 2b and corresponding first and second core wires 4a and 4b, respectively. The conductive wires and the corresponding core wires are connected to each other in the insulating holder 3. Furthermore, the thermistor element 1 and the insulating holder 3 are fixed by means of cement 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2005
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventors: Go Hanzawa, Masahiko Nishi
  • Publication number: 20050265426
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to attain greater improvement of response characteristic in a temperature sensor having a thermistor element held in a metal tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventors: Go Hanzawa, Masahiko Nishi, Masaki Iwaya, Takaaki Chosokabe
  • Publication number: 20040218662
    Abstract: A temperature sensor comprising: a flange having a bore and mounted on a fluid pipe having a fluid flow, to prevent said fluid from leaking out; an MI cable formed to have metallic cores insulated and retained on a metallic outer cylinder, and fixed in such a mode in said bore that a leading end side of said MI cable protrudes from a leading end side of said flange and extends in an axial direction; a metallic cap fixed on a leading end side outer circumference of said MI cable and having fluid communication ports for allowing said fluid to flow therein; and a temperature sensing element including: a ceramic substrate housed in said cap; a sensing portion formed over said ceramic substrate and having electric characteristics varied with a temperature of said fluid; and a wiring portion for connecting said sensing portion and said metallic cores of said MI cable electrically.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Go Hanzawa, Masahiko Nishi
  • Publication number: 20040135664
    Abstract: A temperature sensor comprising: a housing; a thermo-sensitive element housed in the housing for outputting electric characteristics varying with a temperature, as an electric signal; and a pair of lead wires connected at their one-side ends with the thermo-sensitive element for extracting the electric signal from the thermo-sensitive element to an outside of the housing, wherein at least one of the lead wires is made of a mixed twisted wire including: first electric wires made of a first conductor containing copper; and second electric wires made of a second conductor having a higher bending resistance and a tensile strength than those of the first conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Go Hanzawa, Masahiko Nishi, Masaki Iwaya, Takaaki Chosokabe
  • Publication number: 20040101028
    Abstract: A cylindrical metal tube (3) accommodating therein a thermistor device (2), the electric characteristics of which change with temperature, is pushed into, or clamped and fixed to, a sheath portion (42) positioned on a flange (4) to the rear of a projection portion (41) of the flange (4), and is laser welded in a circumferential direction. A weld portion (L1) formed to bridge the metal tube (3) and the sheath portion (42) of the flange (4) firmly fixes the metal tube (3) to the flange (4). In the temperature sensor (1) having this construction, the weld portion (L1) between the metal tube (3) and the flange (4) is not exposed to a high temperature environment. Therefore, oxidation hardly occurs at the weld portion and reliability of air tightness to an exhaust gas can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Iwaya, Masahiko Nishi, Takaaki Chosokabe, Masaru Hayakawa