Patents by Inventor Motohiko Nohmi

Motohiko Nohmi 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: 11975225
    Abstract: The present invention relates a drone system for transporting liquid or gas from a remote area to a demand area. The drone system (100) includes: a transport pipe (10) for flowing the liquid or the gas; a pump device (201) for suppling the liquid or the gas to the transport pipe (10); a top drone (1) for holding a nozzle (11) coupled to a tip end of the transport pipe (10); a plurality of pump drones (6A, 6B), each of which incorporates a pump (40A, 40B); and a power supply unit (3) for suppling a power to the top drone (1) and the pump drones (6A, 6B) through power cables (5). Each of the pump drones (6A, 6B) has a coupling mechanism (35) for tiltably and rotatably coupling the pump (40A, 40B) to a pump drone body (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Motohiko Nohmi
  • Patent number: 11541977
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an underwater drone which is an unmanned mobile which can move in the water, and more particularly to a communication system for the underwater drone which performs communication between the underwater drone and a land-based controller (or maneuvering device). The present invention also relates to an airlock apparatus for the drone which transfers the drone into or from facilities or containers, or equipment sealed (or closed) against surrounding environment. The communication system for an underwater drone includes an underwater drone (1) configured to move in the water, at least one transmitting and receiving antenna (2) provided in an area where the transmitting and receiving antenna (2) can communicate with the underwater drone (1) by wireless communication, and a controller or a maneuvering device (5) connected to the at least one transmitting and receiving antenna (2) by a wired cable (4) and configured to control the underwater drone (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Motohiko Nohmi, Yumiko Sekino
  • Patent number: 11391940
    Abstract: Provided are various devices, systems and methods for observing pumps and the like. Provided is an industrial endoscope including an imaging device, a flexible holding member configured to hold the imaging device, and one or a plurality of nozzles fixed to the holding member and which injects a fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motohiko Nohmi, Yumiko Sekino
  • Patent number: 11378084
    Abstract: A turbo pump acts on a liquid, and an apparatus and a method suppresses or alleviates a cavitation surge which is a unique phenomenon occurring in a turbo pump for a liquid. A method of operating a turbo pump while suppressing cavitation, includes: measuring a flow rate upstream of the turbo pump and a flow rate downstream of the turbo pump for delivering a liquid and comparing the flow rates with each other; if the upstream flow rate is lower than the downstream flow rate, reducing a pressure in a pump suction section to increase an upstream flow velocity while reducing a pressure in a pump discharge section to lower a downstream flow velocity; and if the downstream flow rate is lower than the upstream flow rate, increasing the pressure in the pump discharge section to increase the downstream flow velocity while increasing the pressure in the pump suction section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Motohiko Nohmi
  • Publication number: 20220023685
    Abstract: The present invention relates a drone system for transporting liquid or gas from a remote area to a demand area. The drone system (100) includes: a transport pipe (10) for flowing the liquid or the gas; a pump device (201) for suppling the liquid or the gas to the transport pipe (10); a top drone (1) for holding a nozzle (11) coupled to a tip end of the transport pipe (10); a plurality of pump drones (6A, 6B), each of which incorporates a pump (40A, 40B); and a power supply unit (3) for suppling a power to the top drone (1) and the pump drones (6A, 6B) through power cables (5). Each of the pump drones (6A, 6B) has a coupling mechanism (35) for tiltably and rotatably coupling the pump (40A, 40B) to a pump drone body (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: Ebara Corporation
    Inventor: Motohiko NOHMI
  • Publication number: 20210138281
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fire fighting system for transporting a nozzle of a fire hose coupled to a drone to a high place. The fire fighting system includes a fire hose (10) having a fire hose (10) having a nozzle (11) for injecting a fire extinguishing liquid; a fire-extinguishing-liquid supply source (2) which is coupled to the fire hose (10), and supplies the fire extinguishing liquid to the fire hose (10); a top drone (1) coupled to the nozzle (11); a wired cable (4) coupled to the top drone (1); and a power supply unit (3) which supplies power or fuel for flying the top drone (1) through the wired cable (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Applicant: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Motohiko NOHMI, Yumiko SEKINO
  • Publication number: 20210109339
    Abstract: Provided are various devices, systems and methods for observing pumps and the like. Provided is an industrial endoscope including an imaging device, a flexible holding member configured to hold the imaging device, and one or a plurality of nozzles fixed to the holding member and which injects a fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Motohiko Nohmi, Yumiko Sekino
  • Publication number: 20210088048
    Abstract: A turbo pump acts on a liquid, and an apparatus and a method suppresses or alleviates a cavitation surge which is a unique phenomenon occurring in a turbo pump for a liquid. A method of operating a turbo pump while suppressing cavitation, includes: measuring a flow rate upstream of the turbo pump and a flow rate downstream of the turbo pump for delivering a liquid and comparing the flow rates with each other; if the upstream flow rate is lower than the downstream flow rate, reducing a pressure in a pump suction section to increase an upstream flow velocity while reducing a pressure in a pump discharge section to lower a downstream flow velocity; and if the downstream flow rate is lower than the upstream flow rate, increasing the pressure in the pump discharge section to increase the downstream flow velocity while increasing the pressure in the pump suction section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventor: Motohiko Nohmi
  • Patent number: 10718362
    Abstract: A vortex control device for modifying a vortex in a fluid stemming from a wall is disclosed. The device includes a rotatable hub disposed within an opening in the wall. The device also includes an inlet port and an outlet port in the rotatable hub. The inlet port forms a suction port to suction fluid from or about the vortex, and the outlet port forms an injection port to inject fluid into or about the vortex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignees: THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC., EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kunihiko Taira, Qiong Liu, Byungjin An, Motohiko Nohmi, Masashi Obuchi
  • Publication number: 20200088203
    Abstract: A turbo pump acts on a liquid, and an apparatus and a method suppresses or alleviates a cavitation surge which is a unique phenomenon occurring in a turbo pump for a liquid. A method of operating a turbo pump while suppressing cavitation, includes: measuring a flow rate upstream of the turbo pump and a flow rate downstream of the turbo pump for delivering a liquid and comparing the flow rates with each other; if the upstream flow rate is lower than the downstream flow rate, reducing a pressure in a pump suction section to increase an upstream flow velocity while reducing a pressure in a pump discharge section to lower a downstream flow velocity; and if the downstream flow rate is lower than the upstream flow rate, increasing the pressure in the pump discharge section to increase the downstream flow velocity while increasing the pressure in the pump suction section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventor: Motohiko Nohmi
  • Publication number: 20200070941
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an underwater drone which is an unmanned mobile which can move in the water, and more particularly to a communication system for the underwater drone which performs communication between the underwater drone and a land-based controller (or maneuvering device). The present invention also relates to an airlock apparatus for the drone which transfers the drone into or from facilities or containers, or equipment sealed (or closed) against surrounding environment. The communication system for an underwater drone includes an underwater drone (1) configured to move in the water, at least one transmitting and receiving antenna (2) provided in an area where the transmitting and receiving antenna (2) can communicate with the underwater drone (1) by wireless communication, and a controller or a maneuvering device (5) connected to the at least one transmitting and receiving antenna (2) by a wired cable (4) and configured to control the underwater drone (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Motohiko NOHMI, Yumiko SEKINO
  • Publication number: 20190256207
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a drone which is an unmanned mobile which can move in the air or in the water or in both areas, and a wired drone group having a plurality of drones. The wired drone group includes a plurality of drones (1) coupled in series by a wired cable (2) having a function for performing power feeding to the respective drones and/or communication with the respective drones (1), and a controller (3) connected to the drone (1) at one end side of the drone group and configured to control movement of the drone group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2017
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Applicant: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Motohiko NOHMI, Yumiko SEKINO
  • Patent number: 10386292
    Abstract: To provide an erosion characteristics database and a method for constructing the same, an erosion prediction method and an erosion prediction system using the database for predicting a widespread erosion amount of a fluid machine or the like in a short time without the need for an operation of a model machine or an actual machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motohiko Nohmi, Hiroshi Yakuwa, Keisuke Hayabusa, Hiroaki Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20190145442
    Abstract: A vortex control device for modifying a vortex in a fluid stemming from a wall is disclosed. The device includes a rotatable hub disposed within an opening in the wall. The device also includes an inlet port and an outlet port in the rotatable hub. The inlet port forms a suction port to suction fluid from or about the vortex, and the outlet port forms an injection port to inject fluid into or about the vortex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Kunihiko Taira, Qiong Liu, Byungjin An, Motohiko Nohmi, Masashi Obuchi
  • Patent number: 10232315
    Abstract: A seawater desalination system for desalinating seawater by removing salinity from the seawater and an energy recovery apparatus which is preferably used in the seawater desalination system. The energy recovery apparatus includes a cylindrical chamber being installed such that a longitudinal direction of the chamber is placed in a vertical direction, a concentrated seawater port for supplying and discharging the concentrated seawater, a seawater port for supplying and discharging the seawater, a flow resistor provided at a concentrated seawater port side in the chamber, and a flow resistor provided at a seawater port side in the chamber. Each of the flow resistor provided at the concentrated seawater port side and the seawater port side comprises at least one perforated circular plate, and each perforated circular plate has a plurality of holes formed in an outer circumferential area outside a circle having a predetermined diameter on the perforated circular plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Goto, Tamami Takahashi, Motohiko Nohmi, Masanori Goto
  • Patent number: 10207224
    Abstract: An energy recovery apparatus which is used in a seawater desalination system includes a cylindrical chamber (CH) being installed such that a longitudinal direction of the chamber is placed in a vertical direction, a concentrated seawater port (P1) for supplying and discharging the concentrated seawater, a seawater port (P2) for supplying and discharging the seawater, a flow resistor (23) provided at a concentrated seawater port (P1) side in the chamber (CH), and a flow resistor (23) provided at a seawater port (P2) side in the chamber (CH). The flow resistor (23) provided at the concentrated seawater port (P1) side and the flow resistor (23) provided at the seawater port (P2) side comprise at least one perforated circular plate, and the perforated circular plate has holes formed at an outer circumferential area outside a predetermined diameter of the circular plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tamami Takahashi, Masanori Goto, Akira Goto, Motohiko Nohmi, Kazuya Hirata
  • Publication number: 20190022587
    Abstract: A seawater desalination system for desalinating seawater by removing salinity from the seawater and an energy recovery apparatus which is preferably used in the seawater desalination system. The energy recovery apparatus includes a cylindrical chamber being installed such that a longitudinal direction of the chamber is placed in a vertical direction, a concentrated seawater port for supplying and discharging the concentrated seawater, a seawater port for supplying and discharging the seawater, a flow resistor provided at a concentrated seawater port side in the chamber, and a flow resistor provided at a seawater port side in the chamber. Each of the flow resistor provided at the concentrated seawater port side and the seawater port side comprises at least one perforated circular plate, and each perforated circular plate has a plurality of holes formed in an outer circumferential area outside a circle having a predetermined diameter on the perforated circular plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Akira GOTO, Tamami TAKAHASHI, Motohiko NOHMI, Masanori GOTO
  • Patent number: 10124295
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a seawater desalination system for desalinating seawater by removing salinity from the seawater and an energy recovery apparatus which is preferably used in the seawater desalination system. The energy recovery apparatus includes a cylindrical chamber (CH) being installed such that a longitudinal direction of the chamber is placed in a vertical direction, a concentrated seawater port (P1) for supplying and discharging the concentrated seawater, a seawater port (P2) for supplying and discharging the seawater, a flow resistor (23) provided at a concentrated seawater port (P1) side in the chamber (CH), and a flow resistor (23) provided at a seawater port (P2) side in the chamber (CH).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Goto, Tamami Takahashi, Motohiko Nohmi, Masanori Goto
  • Publication number: 20180257035
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a seawater desalination system for desalinating seawater by removing salinity from the seawater and an energy recovery apparatus which is preferably used in the seawater desalination system. The energy recovery apparatus includes a cylindrical chamber (CH) being installed such that a longitudinal direction of the chamber is placed in a vertical direction, a concentrated seawater port (P1) for supplying and discharging the concentrated seawater, a seawater port (P2) for supplying and discharging the seawater, a flow resistor (23) provided at a concentrated seawater port (P1) side in the chamber (CH), and a flow resistor (23) provided at a seawater port (P2) side in the chamber (CH).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Akira GOTO, Tamami TAKAHASHI, Motohiko NOHMI, Masanori GOTO
  • Patent number: 10005034
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a seawater desalination system for desalinating seawater by removing salinity from the seawater and an energy recovery apparatus which is preferably used in the seawater desalination system. The energy recovery apparatus includes a cylindrical chamber (CH) being installed such that a longitudinal direction of the chamber is placed in a vertical direction, a concentrated seawater port (P1) for supplying and discharging the concentrated seawater, a seawater port (P2) for supplying and discharging the seawater, a flow resistor (23) provided at a concentrated seawater port (P1) side in the chamber (CH), and a flow resistor (23) provided at a seawater port (P2) side in the chamber (CH).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Goto, Tamami Takahashi, Motohiko Nohmi, Masanori Goto