Patents by Inventor Masao Sekimoto

Masao Sekimoto 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: 7309441
    Abstract: A method is disclosed, which is capable of subjecting microorganisms to sterilizing or bacteriostatic treatment with good efficiency as compared with the conventional sterilizing or bacteriostatic method using a noble metal electrode. Microorganism-containing water to be treated is electrochemically treated using an anode having conductive diamond to bring the microorganism into contact with the anode, thereby undergoing sterilization. Since the conductive diamond has a high oxidation potential as compared with other electrode substances, direct oxidation reaction due to contact between a microorganism in water to be treated, such as Legionella bacteria, and the anode surface occurs strongly as compared with other electrodes, thereby enabling effective sterilization. The conductive diamond has a high ability to generate ozone and has an excellent formation efficiency with respect to the generation of hydrogen peroxide and radicals. Accordingly, an indirect sterilizing effect can also be expected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Permelec Electrode Ltd.
    Inventors: Philippe Rychen, Laurent Pupunat, Tsuneto Furuta, Masao Sekimoto, Hozumi Tanaka, Yoshinori Nishiki, Shuhei Wakita
  • Publication number: 20050072667
    Abstract: An electrolytic treatment apparatus and method by simply subjecting a chemical plating waste liquor containing phosphorus components and organic compounds to electrolytic treatment, thereby reducing the amount of impurities in the waste liquor to a level at which the waste liquor can be discharged. The chemical plating waste liquor containing hypophosphorous acid, phosphorous acid and organic compounds is subjected to electrolytic treatment in an electrolytic cell having a conductive diamond electrode as an anode. The conductive diamond electrode oxidizes or oxidatively decomposes the phosphorus components and organic compounds in the waste liquor substantially simultaneously, thereby reducing the amount of impurities to a level at which the waste liquor can be discharged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Inventors: Tsuneto Furuta, Masao Sekimoto, Shuhei Wakita, Hozumi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20050023227
    Abstract: A method is disclosed, which is capable of subjecting microorganisms to sterilizing or bacteriostatic treatment with good efficiency as compared with the conventional sterilizing or bacteriostatic method using a noble metal electrode. Microorganism-containing water to be treated is electrochemically treated using an anode having conductive diamond to bring the microorganism into contact with the anode, thereby undergoing sterilization. Since the conductive diamond has a high oxidation potential as compared with other electrode substances, direct oxidation reaction due to contact between a microorganism in water to be treated, such as Legionella bacteria, and the anode surface occurs strongly as compared with other electrodes, thereby enabling effective sterilization. The conductive diamond has a high ability to generate ozone and has an excellent formation efficiency with respect to the generation of hydrogen peroxide and radicals. Accordingly, an indirect sterilizing effect can also be expected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Philippe Rychen, Laurent Pupunat, Tsuneto Furuta, Masao Sekimoto, Hozumi Tanaka, Yoshinori Nishiki, Shuhei Wakita
  • Patent number: 6767447
    Abstract: An electrolytic cell and method of electrolysis for producing hydrogen peroxide at a moderate current density while preventing metal deposition on the cathode surface. A feed water from which multivalent metal ions have been removed and in which a salt of a univalent metal, e.g., sodium sulfate, has been dissolved in a given concentration is prepared with an apparatus for removing multivalent metal ions and dissolving a salt in low concentration. The feed water is supplied to an electrolytic cell. Even when electrolysis is continued, almost no deposition of a hydroxide or carbonate occurs on the cathode because multivalent metal ions are not present in the electrolytic solution. Due to the dissolved salt, a sufficient current density is secured to prevent an excessive load from being imposed on the electrodes, etc. Thus, stable production of hydrogen peroxide is possible over a long period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Premelec Electrode Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaharu Uno, Shuhei Wakita, Masao Sekimoto, Tsuneto Furuta, Yoshinori Nishiki
  • Patent number: 6666030
    Abstract: An ice composition obtained by freezing a liquid containing, dissolved therein, hydrogen peroxide produced by electrolysis; and a method of food storage using the composition. Hydrogen peroxide has a lower rate of dissipation into the air and better suitability for long-term storage than ozone. Furthermore, since hydrogen peroxide is electrolytically produced, it eliminates the trouble of transportation, storage, and dissolution. When seawater is used as a feed water for electrolysis, the ice composition thus obtained has a higher cooling effect because it has a melting point lower than 0° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Permelec Electrode Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuneto Furuta, Yoshinori Nishiki, Masao Sekimoto, Shyuhei Wakita
  • Publication number: 20030226810
    Abstract: An oxoacid or oxoacid salt is added from an oxoacid addition device to a liquid to be treated which contains organic compound, and a peracid is electrochemically synthesized therefrom in an electrolytic cell. The organic compound in the liquid is thus oxidatively decomposed with the peracid. The organic compound is converted to carbon dioxide and water, yielding almost no solid matter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Applicant: PERMELEC ELECTRODE LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuneto Furuta, Yoshinori Nishiki, Masao Sekimoto, Hozumi Tanaka, Shuhei Wakita
  • Publication number: 20020194852
    Abstract: An ice composition obtained by freezing a liquid containing, dissolved therein, hydrogen peroxide produced by electrolysis; and a method of food storage using the composition. Hydrogen peroxide has a lower rate of dissipation into the air and better suitability for long-term storage than ozone. Furthermore, since hydrogen peroxide is electrolytically produced, it eliminates the trouble of transportation, storage, and dissolution. When seawater is used as a feed water for electrolysis, the ice composition thus obtained has a higher cooling effect because it has a melting point lower than 0° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Applicant: PERMEREC ELECTRODE LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuneto Furuta, Yoshinori Nishiki, Masao Sekimoto, Shyuhei Wakita
  • Publication number: 20020153262
    Abstract: An electrolytic cell and method of electrolysis for producing hydrogen peroxide at a moderate current density while preventing metal deposition on the cathode surface. A feed water from which multivalent metal ions have been removed and in which a salt of a univalent metal, e.g., sodium sulfate, has been dissolved in a given concentration is prepared with an apparatus for removing multivalent metal ions and dissolving a salt in low concentration. The feed water is supplied to an electrolytic cell. Even when electrolysis is continued, almost no deposition of a hydroxide or carbonate occurs on the cathode because multivalent metal ions are not present in the electrolytic solution. Due to the dissolved salt, a sufficient current density is secured to prevent an excessive load from being imposed on the electrodes, etc. Thus, stable production of hydrogen peroxide is possible over a long period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Applicant: PERMELEC ELECTRODE LTD.
    Inventors: Masaharu Uno, Shuhei Wakita, Masao Sekimoto, Tsuneto Furuta, Yoshinori Nishiki
  • Patent number: 5560815
    Abstract: A chromium plating method using a plating bath comprising trivalent chromium and an electrode which is an anode comprising an electrode substrate of titanium, tantalum, zirconium, niobium or an alloy thereof, coated with an electrode catalyst comprising at least iridium oxide and, optionally, at least one of titanium, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, tin, antimony, ruthenium, platinum, cobalt, molybdenum, tungsten or an oxide thereof. The anode may be placed directly in the chromium plating bath or may be placed in an anode chamber partitioned from the chromium plating bath with an ion-exchange membrane. The chromium plating method may be a barrel plating method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignees: Permelec Electrode Ltd., Wm. Canning Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Sekimoto, Yukiei Matsumoto, Kyohei Kuroda, Takanobu Hayashi, Akio Nishi, Mitsuo Shibata
  • Patent number: 5232576
    Abstract: There are described an anode, a process for producing the same, an apparatus for electrolytic chromium plating, and a method for electrolytic chromium plating, using such anode, wherein the anode comprises an electrically conductive substrate comprising a valve metal or an alloy thereof, a first intermediate layer formed on the sustrate and comprising an oxide of tin, a second intermediate layer formed on the first intermediate layer and comprising either (1) platinum metal and an oxide of tin, or (2) platinum metal, an oxide of tin, and iridium oxide, and a surface layer formed on the second intermediate layer and comprising either (1) platinum metal and an oxide of tin, or (2) platinum metal, an oxide of tin, and iridium oxide, the composition of said surface layer being different form that of said second intermediate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: Permelec Electrode Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukiei Matsumoto, Masao Sekimoto