Patents by Inventor Naoki Sakoda

Naoki Sakoda 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).

  • Induction heating apparatus and induction heating method of plate-like member
    Patent number: 11477860
    Abstract: An induction heating apparatus of a plate-like member for arranging a plate-like member having a three-dimensional structure so that it is interposed between a pair of plate-like coils and inductively heating the plate-like member, the pair of plate-like coils having a three-dimensional structure that corresponds to the plate-like member and being arranged to be opposed to each other. The plate-like member arranged between the pair of plate-like coils includes a plurality of surfaces in a predetermined cross section perpendicular to a current that flows through the plate-like coil pair, and each of the coils of the plate-like coil pair is divided into a plurality of turns along the direction in which the current flows for at least each of the plurality of surfaces of the plate-like member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Sakoda, Shinya Yamamoto, Masatomo Niihara, Satoshi Yamazaki, Shinobu Okuma
  • Heating method and heating apparatus for center pillar for vehicle
    Patent number: 11371106
    Abstract: A heating method capable of changing thermal hysteresis for each part of the center pillar for the vehicle is provided. A heating method includes heating, when the center pillar for the vehicle is annealed, the center pillar by induction heating so that: a strength of a part of the first part other than the flange part becomes higher than that of the flange part of the first part, and the strength of the flange part of the first part becomes higher than that of the second part; and toughness of the second part becomes higher than that of the flange part of the first part, and the toughness of the flange part of the first part becomes higher than that of the part of the first part other than the flange part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Yamamoto, Masatomo Niihara, Shinobu Okuma, Satoshi Yamazaki, Naoki Sakoda
  • INDUCTION HEATING APPARATUS AND INDUCTION HEATING METHOD OF PLATE-LIKE MEMBER
    Publication number: 20200245414
    Abstract: An induction heating apparatus of a plate-like member for arranging a plate-like member having a three-dimensional structure so that it is interposed between a pair of plate-like coils and inductively heating the plate-like member, the pair of plate-like coils having a three-dimensional structure that corresponds to the plate-like member and being arranged to be opposed to each other. The plate-like member arranged between the pair of plate-like coils includes a plurality of surfaces in a predetermined cross section perpendicular to a current that flows through the plate-like coil pair, and each of the coils of the plate-like coil pair is divided into a plurality of turns along the direction in which the current flows for at least each of the plurality of surfaces of the plate-like member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki SAKODA, Shinya YAMAMOTO, Masatomo NIIHARA, Satoshi YAMAZAKI, Shinobu OKUMA
  • HEATING METHOD AND HEATING APPARATUS FOR CENTER PILLAR FOR VEHICLE
    Publication number: 20200208231
    Abstract: A heating method capable of changing thermal hysteresis for each part of the center pillar for the vehicle is provided. A heating method includes heating, when the center pillar for the vehicle is annealed, the center pillar by induction heating so that: a strength of a part of the first part other than the flange part becomes higher than that of the flange part of the first part, and the strength of the flange part of the first part becomes higher than that of the second part; and toughness of the second part becomes higher than that of the flange part of the first part, and the toughness of the flange part of the first part becomes higher than that of the part of the first part other than the flange part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Publication date: July 2, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Yamamoto, Masatomo Niihara, Shinobu Okuma, Satoshi Yamazaki, Naoki Sakoda