Patents by Inventor Michito Sasaki

Michito Sasaki 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).

  • Publication number: 20170174546
    Abstract: A glass melt production apparatus, which comprises a melting vessel, a vacuum degassing apparatus, a first conducting pipe structure connecting the melting vessel and the vacuum degassing apparatus, and a second conducting pipe structure to introduce a glass melt to a forming means, provided downstream the vacuum degassing apparatus; the vacuum degassing apparatus having an uprising pipe through which the glass melt from the melting vessel ascends, a vacuum degassing vessel, and a downfalling pipe through which the glass melt from the vacuum degassing vessel descends; the flow path of the glass melt in the uprising pipe, the vacuum degassing vessel and the downfalling pipe being made of a refractory material; the first conducting pipe structure having an upstream pit to supply the glass melt to the uprising pipe; and the second conducting pipe structure having a downstream pit containing the glass melt from the downfalling pipe; the glass melt production apparatus further comprising a third conducting pipe st
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroaki HAMAMOTO, Suguru KOBAYASHI, Michito SASAKI, Takashi KUBO, Wataru MIYOSHI, Kazuo NINOMIYA
  • Publication number: 20170081233
    Abstract: To facilitate a preheating operation in a vacuum degassing apparatus having a flow path of a glass melt in an uprising pipe, a vacuum degassing vessel and a downfalling pipe constituted by a refractory material. Flow of a glass melt G between a melting vessel 100 and an upstream pit 210 of a first conducting pipe structure connected to a vacuum degassing vessel 320 is shut off, and in a state where the flow of the glass melt G in a by-pass 500 for the glass melt G is shut off by a first closing means 220, a combustion gas from preheating burners 530, 540 is introduced to the by-pass 500 to preheat the flow path of the glass melt G in an uprising pipe 330, the vacuum degassing vessel 320 and a downfalling pipe 340.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroaki HAMAMOTO, Suguru Kobayashi, Takahisa Nagata, Satoshi Abiko, Michito Sasaki, Kazuo Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 9505645
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum degassing apparatus configured so as to be capable of carrying out more simply exchange operation for an extension pipe made of heat-resisting metal and immersed in molten glass. The present invention includes a vacuum housing, a vacuum vessel, an introduction pipe and a discharge pipe which are assembled by a plurality of bricks, and an extension pipe connected to at least one of the introduction pipe and the discharge pipe and made of heat-resisting metal. The extension pipe is constituted by a base end portion, a body portion formed so as to be continuous to the base end portion, and a sealing flange extending from an outer peripheral side of the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Wataru Miyoshi, Hiroaki Hamamoto, Suguru Kobayashi, Toshiyuki Uematsu, Michito Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9073772
    Abstract: A conduit structure for molten glass, in which molten glass is flown through a double-pipe structure, with little stress loading even for a long time operation. A supporting rib connecting an inner pipe and an outer pipe is employed in the double pipe structure having the inner pipe and outer pipe in the conduit structure for molten glass, wherein excessive stress concentration hardly occurs in an inner pipe-joint portion, an outer pipe-joint portion and the rib when the rib is applied with a stress load due to the weight of the inner pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takahiro Nagata, Wataru Miyoshi, Hajime Itoh, Hiroaki Hamamoto, Michito Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20130340478
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum degassing apparatus configured so as to be capable of carrying out more simply exchange operation for an extension pipe made of heat-resisting metal and immersed in molten glass. The present invention includes a vacuum housing, a vacuum vessel, an introduction pipe and a discharge pipe which are assembled by a plurality of bricks, and an extension pipe connected to at least one of the introduction pipe and the discharge pipe and made of heat-resisting metal. The extension pipe is constituted by a base end portion, a body portion formed so as to be continuous to the base end portion, and a sealing flange extending from an outer peripheral side of the body portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Wataru MIYOSHI, Hiroaki Hamamoto, Suguru Kobayashi, Toshiyuki Uematsu, Michito Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8136373
    Abstract: A conduit structure for molten glass, a conduit system for molten glass, a vacuum degassing apparatus and a method for vacuum-degassing molten glass by use of the vacuum degassing apparatus, which are capable of effectively removing components eluted from a refractory brick forming a conduit for molten glass, foreign substances generated in the interface between molten glass and a platinum wall surface forming a conduit for molten glass, a bubble remaining in a surface layer of molten glass, a glass material denatured by volatilization, and the like, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Michito Sasaki, Motoichi Iga, Hajime Itoh, Kazuhiko Yamada, Masahiro Saitou
  • Patent number: 7905386
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new method for airtightly joining a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum and a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, which prevents decreasing of mechanical strength of the hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum due to its joining with a flange. A method for airtightly joining a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum with a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, which is a method for airtightly joining the outer periphery of a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum produced by dispersing metal oxides in platinum or a platinum alloy, with a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, the method comprising a step of shrink-fitting a ring made of platinum or a platinum alloy to the outer periphery of the hollow tube, a step of heating the hollow tube to which the ring is shrink-fit at from 1,150 to 1,450° C. for from 1 to 10 hours, and a step of welding the flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy to the outer periphery of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazuo Hamashima, Michito Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20110005631
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new method for airtightly joining a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum and a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, which prevents decreasing of mechanical strength of the hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum due to its joining with a flange. A method for airtightly joining a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum with a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, which is a method for airtightly joining the outer periphery of a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum produced by dispersing metal oxides in platinum or a platinum alloy, with a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, the method comprising a step of shrink-fitting a ring made of platinum or a platinum alloy to the outer periphery of the hollow tube, a step of heating the hollow tube to which the ring is shrink-fit at from 1,150 to 1,450° C. for from 1 to 10 hours, and a step of welding the flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy to the outer periphery of the ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuo HAMASHIMA, Michito Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7819303
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new method for airtightly joining a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum and a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, which prevents decreasing of mechanical strength of the hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum due to its joining with a flange. A method for airtightly joining a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum with a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, which is a method for airtightly joining the outer periphery of a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum produced by dispersing metal oxides in platinum or a platinum alloy, with a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, the method comprising a step of shrink-fitting a ring made of platinum or a platinum alloy to the outer periphery of the hollow tube, a step of heating the hollow tube to which the ring is shrink-fit at from 1,150 to 1,450° C. for from 1 to 10 hours, and a step of welding the flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy to the outer periphery of the ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazuo Hamashima, Michito Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7650764
    Abstract: A vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass includes a vacuum housing which is evacuated to be depressurized therein; a vacuum degassing vessel which is provided in the vacuum housing to vacuum-degas molten glass as the molten glass flows therein; an uprising pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel, and sucks and draws up undegassed molten glass to introduce the undegassed molten glass into the vacuum degassing vessel; and a downfalling pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel and draws down the degassed molten glass from the vacuum degassing vessel to discharge the degassed molten glass. The cross sectional area of the path at the upper end portion of the uprising pipe is larger than the cross sectional area of the path at the lower end portion of the uprising pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Sakai, Michito Sasaki, Hajime Itoh, Rei Kitamura, Atsushi Tanigaki
  • Publication number: 20090165501
    Abstract: A conduit structure for molten glass, a conduit system for molten glass, a vacuum degassing apparatus and a method for vacuum-degassing molten glass by use of the vacuum degassing apparatus, which are capable of effectively removing components eluted from a refractory brick forming a conduit for molten glass, foreign substances generated in the interface between molten glass and a platinum wall surface forming a conduit for molten glass, a bubble remaining in a surface layer of molten glass, a glass material denatured by volatilization, and the like, are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michito Sasaki, Motoichi Iga, Hajime Itoh, Kazuhiko Yamada, Masahiro Saitou
  • Publication number: 20080006610
    Abstract: The present invention provides a new method for airtightly joining a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum and a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, which prevents decreasing of mechanical strength of the hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum due to its joining with a flange. A method for airtightly joining a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum with a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, which is a method for airtightly joining the outer periphery of a hollow tube made of a reinforced platinum produced by dispersing metal oxides in platinum or a platinum alloy, with a flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy, the method comprising a step of shrink-fitting a ring made of platinum or a platinum alloy to the outer periphery of the hollow tube, a step of heating the hollow tube to which the ring is shrink-fit at from 1,150 to 1,450° C. for from 1 to 10 hours, and a step of welding the flange made of platinum or a platinum alloy to the outer periphery of the ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Kazuo HAMASHIMA, Michito Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7007514
    Abstract: A vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass includes a vacuum housing which is evacuated to be depressurized therein; a vacuum degassing vessel which is provided in the vacuum housing to vacuum-degas molten glass as the molten glass flows therein; an uprising pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel, and sucks and draws up undegassed molten glass to introduce the undegassed molten glass into the vacuum degassing vessel; and a downfalling pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel and draws down the degassed molten glass from the vacuum degassing vessel to discharge the degassed molten glass. The cross sectional area of the path at the upper end portion of the uprising pipe is larger than the cross sectional area of the path at the lower end portion of the uprising pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Sakai, Michito Sasaki, Hajime Itoh, Rei Kitamura, Atsushi Tanigaki
  • Patent number: 6948338
    Abstract: A vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass includes a vacuum housing; a vacuum degassing vessel provided in the vacuum housing; an uprising pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel; and a downfalling pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel. The vacuum housing has an accommodating portion to accommodate the uprising pipe and an accommodating portion to accommodate the downfalling pipe, at least one of which is divided horizontally into a plurality of sections to form a plurality of divided rooms juxtaposed in the vertical direction, and the respective divided rooms are provided with a pressure controller to control the pressures of the respective divided rooms independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Sakai, Michito Sasaki, Hajime Itoh
  • Publication number: 20050160769
    Abstract: A vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass, comprising: a vacuum housing which is evacuated to be depressurized therein; a vacuum degassing vessel which is provided in the vacuum housing to vacuum-degas molten glass as the molten glass flows therein; an uprising pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel, and sucks and draws up undegassed molten glass to introduce the undegassed molten glass into the vacuum degassing vessel; and a downfalling pipe which connects to the vacuum degassing vessel and draws down the degassed molten glass from the vacuum degassing vessel to discharge the degassed molten glass; wherein the cross sectional area of the path at the upper end portion of said uprising pipe is larger than the cross sectional area of the path at the lower end portion of said uprising pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Publication date: July 28, 2005
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Sakai, Michito Sasaki, Hajime Itoh, Rei Kitamura, Atsushi Tanigaki
  • Patent number: 6560996
    Abstract: Molten glass has a liquid level located at a higher level than lower ends of an uprising pipe and a downfalling. In addition, a contacting portion of the uprising pipe or the downfalling pipe and a brick receiver on an upstream or downstream pit for supporting the uprising or downfalling pipe, or a joint in the brick receiver is filled with sealing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Takei, Shigekuni Inoue, Michito Sasaki, Yasuharu Hirabara, Atsushi Tanigaki, Mitsuo Sugimoto
  • Publication number: 20030066315
    Abstract: A vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass, comprising:
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Sakai, Michito Sasaki, Hajime Itoh, Rei Kitamura, Atsushi Tanigaki
  • Publication number: 20030051509
    Abstract: A vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass, comprising:
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Sakai, Michito Sasaki, Hajime Itoh
  • Patent number: 6405564
    Abstract: A vacuum degassing apparatus for molten glass according to the present invention comprises a vacuum housing where a vacuum is created; a vacuum degassing vessel housed in the vacuum housing to degas the molten glass; an introduction device communicated to the vacuum degassing vessel so as to introduce untreated molten glass into the vacuum degassing vessel, or preferably an uprising pipe; and a discharge device to discharge treated molten glass from the vacuum degassing vessel, or preferably a downfalling pipe. In the apparatus, at least a portion of at least one of the vacuum degassing vessel, the uprising pipe and the downfalling pipe that directly contact with the molten glass is constituted by refractory material having a porosity of not greater than 5%. The apparatus can increase quantity of flow of the molten glass and consequently a degassing throughput of the molten glass in comparison with prior art, having the same size and the same pressure loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Takei, Masataka Matsuwaki, Toshiyasu Kawaguchi, Takashi Kijima, Atsushi Tanigaki, Katsuharu Imamaki, Michito Sasaki, Toshihiro Ishino
  • Patent number: 6334336
    Abstract: A vacuum degassing apparatus comprises a path made of dense refractory bricks, the path including an inner surface brick layer, the refractory bricks in the inner surface brick layer having a flatness of 0.5 mm on contacting surfaces with one anther, and the path including a backup brick layer and a ramming material filling layer besides the inner surface brick layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Takei, Michito Sasaki, Masataka Matsuwaki, Shigekuni Inoue, Atsushi Tanigaki, Mitsuo Sugimoto