Patents by Inventor Masaki Kaga

Masaki Kaga 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: 11705594
    Abstract: A metal-air cell comprises a negative electrode, a negative electrode case housing the negative electrode, sealed while a lead of the negative electrode extends from the negative electrode case, including a separator that forms at least part of the negative electrode case, an air electrode facing the negative electrode across the separator, and a cell case housing the negative electrode case and the air electrode and sealed while the lead of the negative electrode expands from the cell case and a lead of the air electrode expands from the cell case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Kaga, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Shinobu Takenaka
  • Patent number: 11522173
    Abstract: In a battery casing a metal negative electrode that contains metal serving as a negative electrode active material and an air electrode are arranged so as to face each other in a state where at least a part of the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is immersed in an electrolytic solution inside a casing. The metal negative electrode is housed in a negative electrode housing in the casing. A separator separating the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is arranged at a side surface of the negative electrode housing. An opening through which inside of the negative electrode housing and outside of the negative electrode housing communicate with each other is provided on an upper surface of the negative electrode housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomo Kitagawa, Shinobu Takenaka, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Masaki Kaga, Toyoka Aimoto
  • Patent number: 11063310
    Abstract: A battery case containing an electrode group including an air electrode and a separator includes main walls on which the air electrode is opposingly disposed and a surrounding portion that is disposed at marginal portions of the main walls and that surrounds a side edge portion of the opposingly disposed air electrode. The surrounding portion is covered by an edge portion of the separator disposed opposing the air electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Kaga, Toyoka Aimoto
  • Publication number: 20200266423
    Abstract: In a battery casing a metal negative electrode that contains metal serving as a negative electrode active material and an air electrode are arranged so as to face each other in a state where at least a part of the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is immersed in an electrolytic solution inside a casing. The metal negative electrode is housed in a negative electrode housing in the casing. A separator separating the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is arranged at a side surface of the negative electrode housing. An opening through which inside of the negative electrode housing and outside of the negative electrode housing communicate with each other is provided on an upper surface of the negative electrode housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: TOMO KITAGAWA, SHINOBU TAKENAKA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, MASAKI KAGA, TOYOKA AIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20200243937
    Abstract: A metal-air cell comprises a negative electrode, a negative electrode case housing the negative electrode, sealed while a lead of the negative electrode extends from the negative electrode case, including a separator that forms at least part of the negative electrode case, an air electrode facing the negative electrode across the separator, and a cell case housing the negative electrode case and the air electrode and sealed while the lead of the negative electrode expands from the cell case and a lead of the air electrode expands from the cell case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: MASAKI KAGA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, SHINOBU TAKENAKA
  • Publication number: 20200075903
    Abstract: A battery case containing an electrode group including an air electrode and a separator includes main walls on which the air electrode is opposingly disposed and a surrounding portion that is disposed at marginal portions of the main walls and that surrounds a side edge portion of the opposingly disposed air electrode. The surrounding portion is covered by an edge portion of the separator disposed opposing the air electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Masaki KAGA, Toyoka AIMOTO
  • Patent number: 10181624
    Abstract: The present invention provides a metal-air battery, wherein a failure in a wiring portion can be repaired easily. The present invention provides a metal electrode cartridge including a first operation portion and a first insertion portion extended from the first operation portion, wherein the first insertion portion includes a first fuel electrode containing a metal serving as an electrode active material, the first operation portion includes a first fuel electrode terminal electrically connected to the first fuel electrode and a first air electrode connection portion, and the first air electrode connection portion includes a first internal connection terminal and a first external connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Kaga, Akihito Yoshida, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Shinobu Takenaka, Masashi Muraoka, Shunsuke Sata, Tomoharu Arai
  • Patent number: 9893397
    Abstract: The present invention provides a metal-air cell that allows pieces of an electrode active material that have fallen off to contribute to a discharge reaction and thus has high power generation efficiency. The metal-air cell according to the present invention includes an electrolyte cell containing an electrolyte, a metal electrode disposed in the electrolyte cell and serving as an anode, and an air electrode serving as a cathode. The metal electrode includes a current collector and an electrode active material part disposed on the current collector and made of an electrode active material. The current collector includes a supporting part supporting the electrode active material part and a receiving part disposed between a bottom of the electrolyte cell and the electrode active material part. The receiving part includes a projection projecting in the electrolyte cell beyond a side surface of the electrode active material part toward a sidewall of the electrolyte cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Masaki Kaga, Tomoharu Arai, Hirotaka Mizuhata
  • Patent number: 9742048
    Abstract: The invention provides a metal-air battery in which a metallic electrode can be smoothly inserted into a metal-air battery main body. The metal-air battery of the invention includes at least one cell. The cell includes an electrolytic tank that stores an electrolytic solution, a metallic electrode that is provided in the electrolytic tank and serves as an anode, at least one air electrode that serves as a cathode, an electrode insertion opening through which the metallic electrode is inserted into the electrolytic tank, and a position adjustment section. The position adjustment section is provided to adjust a position of the metallic electrode through contact between the metallic electrode and the position adjustment section during insertion of the metallic electrode into the electrolytic tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Masaki Kaga, Tomoharu Arai
  • Patent number: 9708718
    Abstract: There is provided a hydrogen production device which is high in the light use efficiency and can produce hydrogen with high efficiency without decreasing the hydrogen generation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Shunsuke Sata, Masaki Kaga
  • Patent number: 9705164
    Abstract: The present invention has been achieved to provide a metal-air battery that allows removal of a metallic compound without suspending power supply. The metal-air battery of the present invention includes: first and second electrolytic tanks for storing an electrolytic solution; a metallic electrode to serve as an anode provided in the first electrolytic tank; and an air electrode to serve as a cathode, wherein the metallic electrode is formed of a metal which becomes a metallic ion or composes a metallic compound in the electrolytic solution with progress of a battery reaction, the first and second electrolytic tanks are communicated with each other for allowing the electrolytic solution in the first electrolytic tank to move into the second electrolytic tank, and the metallic ion or the metallic compound in the electrolytic solution is precipitated as a metallic compound precipitate in the second electrolytic tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Tomohisa Yoshie, Masaki Kaga, Shinobu Takenaka, Tomoharu Arai
  • Patent number: 9447508
    Abstract: A hydrogen production device of the present invention includes a photoelectric conversion portion having a light-receiving surface and a back surface, a first electrolysis electrode provided on the back surface, and a second electrolysis electrode provided on the back surface. As a result of reception of light by the photoelectric conversion portion, a potential difference is generated between a first area on the back surface and a second area on the back surface, the first area becomes electrically connected to the first electrolysis electrode, and the second area becomes electrically connected to the second electrolysis electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Shunsuke Sata, Masaki Kaga
  • Publication number: 20160172728
    Abstract: The present invention provides a metal-air battery, wherein a failure in a wiring portion can be repaired easily. The present invention provides a metal electrode cartridge including a first operation portion and a first insertion portion extended from the first operation portion, wherein the first insertion portion includes a first fuel electrode containing a metal serving as an electrode active material, the first operation portion includes a first fuel electrode terminal electrically connected to the first fuel electrode and a first air electrode connection portion, and the first air electrode connection portion includes a first internal connection terminal and a first external connection terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Masaki KAGA, Akihito YOSHIDA, Hirotaka MIZUHATA, Shinobu TAKENAKA, Masashi MURAOKA, Shunsuke SATA, Tomoharu ARAI
  • Publication number: 20160020498
    Abstract: The invention provides a metal-air battery in which a metallic electrode can be smoothly inserted into a metal-air battery main body. The metal-air battery of the invention includes at least one cell. The cell includes an electrolytic tank that stores an electrolytic solution, a metallic electrode that is provided in the electrolytic tank and serves as an anode, at least one air electrode that serves as a cathode, an electrode insertion opening through which the metallic electrode is inserted into the electrolytic tank, and a position adjustment section. The position adjustment section is provided to adjust a position of the metallic electrode through contact between the metallic electrode and the position adjustment section during insertion of the metallic electrode into the electrolytic tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Akihito YOSHIDA, Hirotaka MIZUHATA, Masaki KAGA, Tomoharu ARAI
  • Publication number: 20150295291
    Abstract: An electrode body for batteries of the invention includes a first metal portion configured to include metal as an electrode active material as a main component, a first structural member configured to cover a part of a surface of the first metal portion, and a coating member configured to cover the other part of the surface of the first metal portion. The first metal portion, the first structural member, and the coating member are provided such that the first metal portion is divided between the first structural member and the coating member or the coating member is separated from the first metal portion to expose the metal included in the first metal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke SATA, Akihito YOSHIDA, Tomohisa YOSHIE, Masaki KAGA, Shinobu TAKENAKA, Nobuhiko OKA, Kazuya SAKASHITA, Takahiro MATSUYAMA, Hisayuki UTSUMI, Yuichi KAMIMURA
  • Publication number: 20150214591
    Abstract: The present invention provides a metal-air cell that allows pieces of an electrode active material that have fallen off to contribute to a discharge reaction and thus has high power generation efficiency. The metal-air cell according to the present invention includes an electrolyte cell containing an electrolyte, a metal electrode disposed in the electrolyte cell and serving as an anode, and an air electrode serving as a cathode. The metal electrode includes a current collector and an electrode active material part disposed on the current collector and made of an electrode active material. The current collector includes a supporting part supporting the electrode active material part and a receiving part disposed between a bottom of the electrolyte cell and the electrode active material part. The receiving part includes a projection projecting in the electrolyte cell beyond a side surface of the electrode active material part toward a sidewall of the electrolyte cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Masaki Kaga, Tomoharu Arai, Hirotaka Mizuhata
  • Patent number: 9029691
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solar-cell-integrated gas production device that can generate a first gas and a second gas by utilizing an electromotive force of a solar cell, and that can supply power to an external circuit by utilizing the same solar cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Masaki Kaga, Shunsuke Sata
  • Patent number: 8632663
    Abstract: There is provided a hydrogen production device high in light use efficiency and capable of producing hydrogen with high efficiency. The hydrogen production device according to the present invention includes a photoelectric conversion part having a light acceptance surface and a back surface, a first gas generation part provided on the back surface, and a second gas generation part provided on the back surface, in which one of the first gas generation part and the second gas generation part is a hydrogen generation part to generate H2 from an electrolytic solution, another one thereof is an oxygen generation part to generate O2 from the electrolytic solution, the first gas generation part is electrically connected to the back surface, and the second gas generation part is electrically connected to the light acceptance surface via a first conductive part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Shunsuke Sata, Masaki Kaga
  • Publication number: 20130280623
    Abstract: The present invention has been achieved to provide a metal-air battery that allows removal of a metallic compound without suspending power supply. The metal-air battery of the present invention includes: first and second electrolytic tanks for storing an electrolytic solution; a metallic electrode to serve as an anode provided in the first electrolytic tank; and an air electrode to serve as a cathode, wherein the metallic electrode is formed of a metal which becomes a metallic ion or composes a metallic compound in the electrolytic solution with progress of a battery reaction, the first and second electrolytic tanks are communicated with each other for allowing the electrolytic solution in the first electrolytic tank to move into the second electrolytic tank, and the metallic ion or the metallic compound in the electrolytic solution is precipitated as a metallic compound precipitate in the second electrolytic tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihito YOSHIDA, Hirotaka MIZUHATA, Tomohisa YOSHIE, Masaki KAGA, Shinobu TAKENAKA, Tomoharu ARAI
  • Publication number: 20130180862
    Abstract: A hydrogen production device of the present invention includes a photoelectric conversion portion having a light-receiving surface and a back surface, a first electrolysis electrode provided on the back surface, and a second electrolysis electrode provided on the back surface. As a result of reception of light by the photoelectric conversion portion, a potential difference is generated between a first area on the back surface and a second area on the back surface, the first area becomes electrically connected to the first electrolysis electrode, and the second area becomes electrically connected to the second electrolysis electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Shunsuke Sata, Masaki Kaga