Patents by Inventor Minjuan Zhang

Minjuan Zhang 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: 10781438
    Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and processes in the field of self-cleaning system using digestive proteins. One composition includes a substrate, a digestive protein capable of decomposing a stain molecule, and a linker moiety bound to both said digestive protein and said substrate. The processes include binding a substrate to a surface and forming a linker moiety between a digestive protein and said substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Ping Wang, Minjuan Zhang, Hongfei Jia, Archana H. Trivedi, Masahiko Ishii
  • Patent number: 10767141
    Abstract: A substrate or coating is provided that includes a protease with enzymatic activity toward a component of a biological stain. Also provided is a process for facilitating the removal of a biological stain is provided wherein an inventive substrate or coating including a protease is capable of enzymatically degrading of one or more components of the biological stain to facilitate biological stain removal from the substrate or said coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Songtao Wu, Hongfei Jia, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Patent number: 10690823
    Abstract: A high-chroma omnidirectional structural color multilayer structure is provided. The structure includes a multilayer stack that has a core layer, a dielectric layer extending across the core layer, and an absorber layer extending across the dielectric layer. An interface is present between the dielectric layer and the absorber layer and a near-zero electric field for a first incident electromagnetic wavelength is present at this interface. In addition, a large electric field at a second incident electromagnetic wavelength is present at the interface. As such, the interface allows for high transmission of the first incident electromagnetic wavelength and high absorption of the second incident electromagnetic wavelength such that a narrow band of reflected light is produced by the multilayer stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION, TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Debasish Banerjee, Minjuan Zhang, Masahiko Ishii
  • Patent number: 10672966
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a thermoelectric material having a plurality of grains and grain boundaries. The process includes determining a material composition to be investigated for the thermoelectric material and then determining a range of values of grain size and/or grain boundary barrier height obtainable for the material composition using current state of the art manufacturing techniques. Thereafter, a range of figure of merit values for the material composition is determined as a function of the range of values of grain size and/or grain boundary barrier height. And finally, a thermoelectric material having the determined material composition and an average grain size and grain boundary barrier height corresponding to the maximum range of figure of merit values is manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Debasish Banerjee, Michael Paul Rowe, Li Qin Zhou, Minjuan Zhang, Takuji Kita
  • Publication number: 20200109311
    Abstract: Bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base including an enzyme associated therein, and a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Hongfei Jia, Ping Wang, Liting Zhang, Andreas Buthe, Xueyan Zhao, Songtao Wu, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20200088922
    Abstract: A high-chroma omnidirectional structural color multilayer structure is provided. The structure includes a multilayer stack that has a core layer, a dielectric layer extending across the core layer, and an absorber layer extending across the dielectric layer. An interface is present between the dielectric layer and the absorber layer and a near-zero electric field for a first incident electromagnetic wavelength is present at this interface. In addition, a large electric field at a second incident electromagnetic wavelength is present at the interface. As such, the interface allows for high transmission of the first incident electromagnetic wavelength and high absorption of the second incident electromagnetic wavelength such that a narrow band of reflected light is produced by the multilayer stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Debasish Banerjee, Minjuan Zhang, Masahiko Ishii
  • Patent number: 10563094
    Abstract: Bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Motor Corporation, Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Hongfei Jia, Ping Wang, Liting Zhang, Andreas Buthe, Xueyan Zhao, Songtao Wu, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190153423
    Abstract: Provided are methods for providing thermal stability to a protein whereby a digestive protein is covalently bound to a substrate by a linker moiety bound to an outer surface of said substrate and an active group of the protein, the linker moiety covalently linking the protein to a surface of the substrate wherein the digestive protein forms a layer on the surface of said substrate such that the digestive protein is surface exposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Ping Wang, Minjuan Zhang, Hongfei Jia, Archana H. Trivedi, Masahiko Ishii
  • Publication number: 20190153424
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to compositions and processes in the field of self-cleaning system using digestive proteins. One composition includes a substrate, a digestive protein capable of decomposing a stain molecule, and a linker moiety bound to both said digestive protein and said substrate. The processes include binding a substrate to a surface and forming a linker moiety between a digestive protein and said substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Ping Wang, Minjuan Zhang, Hongfei Jia, Archana H. Trivedi, Masahiko Ishii
  • Publication number: 20190153422
    Abstract: Provided are methods and compositions for self-cleaning that include a digestive protein capable of decomposing stain forming molecules, a substrate applied to a solid surface, and a linker moiety bound to an outer surface of said substrate and an active group of said digestive protein, said linker moiety between said protein and said substrate and covalently linking said protein to a surface of said substrate by an amide bond, the linker moiety between a free amine of said protein and said outer surface of said substrate wherein the digestive protein forms a layer on a surface of said substrate such that the digestive protein is surface exposed for reaction with a stain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Ping Wang, Minjuan Zhang, Hongfei Jia, Archana H. Trivedi, Masahiko Ishii
  • Publication number: 20190153359
    Abstract: Bioactive coatings that include a base and a protein associated with the base for actively promoting the removal of organic stains are provided. In aspects, bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Andreas Buthe, Ping Wang, Songtao Wu, Hongfei Jia, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190153360
    Abstract: A liquid coating material and processes of its use are provided that includes an enzyme with enzymatic activity toward a component of a biological stain and a polymeric material. Also provided are processes for facilitating the removal of a biological stain wherein an inventive liquid coating material including an enzyme is capable of enzymatically degrading of one or more components of the biological stain to facilitate biological stain removal from a substrate or coating upon which the biological stain is contacting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Songtao Wu, Hongfei Jia, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190144710
    Abstract: Bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Hongfei Jia, Ping Wang, Liting Zhang, Andreas Buthe, Xueyan Zhao, Songtao Wu, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190144711
    Abstract: Bioactive coatings suitable for facilitating removal of a fingerprint when contacting the coating are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate. Also provided are processes of facilitating fingerprint removal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Hongfei Jia, Ping Wang, Liting Zhang, Andreas Buthe, Xueyan Zhao, Songtao Wu, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20190144709
    Abstract: Bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Hongfei Jia, Ping Wang, Liting Zhang, Andreas Buthe, Xueyan Zhao, Songtao Wu, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Patent number: 10048415
    Abstract: A non-dichroic omnidirectional structural color multilayer structure. The non-dichroic omnidirectional structural color multilayer structure has an absorbing layer, a first layer extending across the absorbing layer, and a second layer extending across the first layer. The multilayer structure can reflect a narrow band of electromagnetic radiation that has a width of less than 500 nanometers and a center wavelength shift of less than 200 nanometers when the multilayer structure is viewed from angles between 0 and 45 degrees. In addition, the absorbing layer can block electromagnetic radiation reflected off of a surface that is proximate to the multilayer structure and thereby afford for a “pure” color that is not contaminated by reflected light from surrounding surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Vivai Solutions Inc.
    Inventors: Debasish Banerjee, Minjuan Zhang, Paul Kohlmann, Masahiko Ishii
  • Patent number: 9978924
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a nanocomposite thermoelectric material having a plurality of nanoparticle inclusions. The process includes determining a material composition to be investigated for the nanocomposite thermoelectric material, the material composition including a conductive bulk material and a nanoparticle material. In addition, a range of surface roughness values for the insulating nanoparticle material that can be obtained using current state of the art manufacturing techniques is determined. Thereafter, a plurality of Seebeck coefficients, electrical resistivity values, thermal conductivity values and figure of merit values as a function of the range of nanoparticle material surface roughness values is calculated. Based on these calculated values, a nanocomposite thermoelectric material composition or ranges of compositions is/are selected and manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Debasish Banerjee, Minjuan Zhang, Takuji Kita
  • Publication number: 20180127685
    Abstract: Bioactive coatings that include a base and a protein associated with the base for actively promoting the removal of organic stains are provided. In aspects, bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas Buthe, Ping Wang, Songtao Wu, Hongfei Jia, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20180127686
    Abstract: Bioactive coatings that include a base and a protein associated with the base for actively promoting the removal of organic stains are provided. In aspects, bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Andreas Buthe, Ping Wang, Songtao Wu, Hongfei Jia, Masahiko Ishii, Minjuan Zhang
  • Publication number: 20180045865
    Abstract: An omnidirectional multilayer thin film is provided. The multilayer thin film includes a multilayer stack having a first layer of a first material and a second layer of a second material, the second layer extending across the first layer. The multilayer stack reflects a narrow band of electromagnetic radiation having a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of less than 300 nanometers (nm) and a color of less than 50 nm when the multilayer stack is exposed to broadband electromagnetic radiation and viewed from angles between 0 and 45 degrees. In some instances, the multilayer stack has a total thickness of less than 2 microns (?m). Preferably, the multilayer thin film has a total thickness of less than 1.5 ?m and more preferably less than 1.0 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Debasish Banerjee, Minjuan Zhang, Masahiko Ishii