Patents by Inventor Naotaka Higuchi

Naotaka Higuchi 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: 11878307
    Abstract: A coarse crushing device including a rotary cutter portion tearing off a fiber-containing sheet in a first direction, a roller portion pinching the fiber-containing sheet, and a tearing portion provided between the rotary cutter portion and the roller portion, and having a plurality of blades tearing off the fiber-containing sheet in a second direction intersecting the first direction, in which the rotary cutter portion includes a first rotating shaft member rotating about a first axis, a second rotating shaft member rotating reversely to the first rotating shaft member about a second axis parallel to the first axis, a plurality of first rotary cutters provided on the first rotating shaft member and rotating together with the first rotating shaft member, and a plurality of second rotary cutters provided on the second rotating shaft member and rotating together with the second rotating shaft member, and the first rotary cutter and the second rotary cutter are separated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Kurata, Naotaka Higuchi
  • Patent number: 11802377
    Abstract: A fibrous body manufacturing method includes: a first supplying step of supplying a first raw material containing a first fiber group; a second supplying step of supplying a second raw material containing a second fiber group and a binder, the second fiber group having a length-average fiber length not less than a length-average fiber length of the first fiber group, the binder being configured to bond fibers together; a forming step of forming a first deposited material by depositing a first mixed material containing the first raw material and the second raw material; and a bonding step of bonding first fibers of the first fiber group and second fibers of the second fiber group that are contained in the first deposited material together using the binder to form a first fibrous body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Nakazawa, Shigemi Wakabayashi, Yoshihiro Ueno, Naotaka Higuchi, Hiroki Kurata, Shunichi Seki
  • Patent number: 11697224
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a compact includes a mixing step of mixing a fiber and a powder of a binder to obtain a mixture; an accumulating step of accumulating the mixture to form a web; a humidifying step of adding water to the web; and a forming step of heating and pressurizing the water-added web to obtain a compact. The binder binds between fiber molecules by the addition of water. The powder has an average particle diameter (D50) of 20.0 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Yoko Nakai, Shinobu Yokokawa, Hideki Tanaka, Naotaka Higuchi
  • Patent number: 11686044
    Abstract: A fibrous body accumulating device includes an accumulating section including a drum that introduces and releases a material including fibers, a detection section detecting a presence of the material in the drum, and an estimation section estimating an amount of the material in the drum based on a detection frequency at which the detection section detects the material. The fibrous body accumulating device further includes a storage section in which a calibration curve showing a relationship between the detection frequency and the amount of the material in the drum is stored, and the estimation section calculates information on the detection frequency and estimates the amount of the material in the drum with reference to the calibration curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Kensaku Matsuda, Naotaka Higuchi, Masahide Nakamura, Tomohide Onogi
  • Patent number: 11491790
    Abstract: A liquid absorber includes a container and an absorbing unit. The container has an opening and collects a liquid. The absorbing unit is an assembly of porous absorbent blocks, each containing fibers and a polymeric absorbent, and is in the container with spaces between the porous absorbent blocks. Each of the porous absorbent blocks has a first component and a second component. The first component is porous and has a density of 0.05 [g/cm3] or more and 0.50 [g/cm3] or less. The second component has a higher polymeric absorbent content than the first component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naotaka Higuchi, Shogo Nakada, Yoichi Miyasaka, Kaneo Yoda, Nobutaka Urano
  • Patent number: 11459703
    Abstract: The sheet manufacturing apparatus includes a fibrillating unit that fibrillates a raw material including fibers in a gas, an additive supply unit that supplies an additive, a mixing unit including a first rotating unit that mixes a fibrillated matter fibrillated by the fibrillating unit and the additive supplied by the additive supply unit, a depositing unit that deposits a mixture mixed by the mixing unit, a web forming unit including a mesh belt that transports a deposited material deposited by the depositing unit and a suction mechanism that sucks the deposited material to the mesh belt, and a control unit that changes granularity of a surface of the sheet by controlling at least one of a supply amount per unit time from the additive supply unit, a rotation velocity of the first rotating unit of the mixing unit, and a suction force of the suction mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Naotaka Higuchi, Yoshihiro Ueno, Kiyoshi Tsujino
  • Publication number: 20220293898
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a carbon fiber sheet includes a mixing section that mixes a plurality of carbon fibers with a binding material that binds the carbon fibers, a depositing section that deposits a mixture of the carbon fibers and the binding material, and a forming section that forms a fiber sheet by heating a deposit deposited by the depositing section. The forming section includes a heating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Satomi YOSHIOKA, Naotaka HIGUCHI, Shunichi SEKI, Akio ITO
  • Patent number: 11376855
    Abstract: A liquid absorber includes a case, a first liquid absorption member stored in the case, and a second liquid absorption member stored in the case. The case has an opening. The first liquid absorption member absorbs a portion of a liquid. The second liquid absorption member absorbs a portion of the liquid. The second liquid absorption member is disposed adjacent to the first liquid absorption member and is closer to the opening than is the first liquid absorption member. The first liquid absorption member and the second liquid absorption member include fiber substrates and a liquid-absorbent resin, the liquid-absorbent resin being liquid-absorbent resin particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Shogo Nakada, Naotaka Higuchi, Yoichi Miyasaka
  • Patent number: 11306439
    Abstract: A fiber material accumulating apparatus which includes a storage section including a porous screen, a supply section which supplies a material containing fibers to the storage section, and a rotating body which is provided inside the storage section and includes a blade which rotates to agitate the material, in which the blade includes an extending portion extending along a rotational axis of the rotating body, and an opening through which the material passes when the blade rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naotaka Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20220098797
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a compact includes a mixing step of mixing a fiber and a powder of a binder to obtain a mixture; an accumulating step of accumulating the mixture to form a web; a humidifying step of adding water to the web; and a forming step of heating and pressurizing the water-added web to obtain a compact. The binder binds between fiber molecules by the addition of water. The powder has a specific surface area of 0.2 m2/g or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Hideki TANAKA, Yoko NAKAI, Shinobu YOKOKAWA, Naotaka HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220097262
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a compact includes a mixing step of mixing a fiber and a powder of a binder to obtain a mixture; an accumulating step of accumulating the mixture to form a web; a humidifying step of adding water to the web; and a forming step of heating and pressurizing the water-added web to obtain a compact. The binder binds between fiber molecules by the addition of water. The powder has an average particle diameter (D50) of 20.0 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Yoko NAKAI, Shinobu YOKOKAWA, Hideki TANAKA, Naotaka HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220081843
    Abstract: A composite includes a fiber and a dextrin, wherein at least part of the dextrin adheres to the fiber, the molecular weight distribution curve of the dextrin has a first maximum and a second maximum, the weight average molecular weight value based on a peak belonging to the first maximum is less than 6000, and the weight average molecular weight value based on a peak belonging to the second maximum is 6000 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Shinobu YOKOKAWA, Hideki TANAKA, Yoko NAKAI, Naotaka HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220081841
    Abstract: A composite includes a fiber and a dextrin, wherein at least part of the dextrin adheres to the fiber, and the dextrin has a DE value of 0.25 or more and 3.60 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Shinobu YOKOKAWA, Hideki TANAKA, Yoko NAKAI, Naotaka HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220064856
    Abstract: A fibrous body accumulating device includes an accumulating section including a drum that introduces and releases a material including fibers, a detection section detecting a presence of the material in the drum, and an estimation section estimating an amount of the material in the drum based on a detection frequency at which the detection section detects the material. The fibrous body accumulating device further includes a storage section in which a calibration curve showing a relationship between the detection frequency and the amount of the material in the drum is stored, and the estimation section calculates information on the detection frequency and estimates the amount of the material in the drum with reference to the calibration curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Kensaku MATSUDA, Naotaka HIGUCHI, Masahide NAKAMURA, Tomohide ONOGI
  • Publication number: 20220056642
    Abstract: A fibrous body manufacturing method includes: a first supplying step of supplying a first raw material containing a first fiber group; a second supplying step of supplying a second raw material containing a second fiber group and a binder, the second fiber group having a length-average fiber length not less than a length-average fiber length of the first fiber group, the binder being configured to bond fibers together; a forming step of forming a first deposited material by depositing a first mixed material containing the first raw material and the second raw material; and a bonding step of bonding first fibers of the first fiber group and second fibers of the second fiber group that are contained in the first deposited material together using the binder to form a first fibrous body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Masahiko NAKAZAWA, Shigemi WAKABAYASHI, Yoshihiro UENO, Naotaka HIGUCHI, Hiroki KURATA, Shunichi SEKI
  • Patent number: 11214922
    Abstract: A fibrous material accumulating apparatus includes a dispersing section which disperses a material containing fibers, a belt which accumulates the dispersed material, and a suction section provided on a side of the belt opposite to the dispersing section, in which the dispersing section includes a storage section including a screen, a supply section which supplies the material to the storage section, and a rotating body which is provided inside the storage section and agitates the material supplied into the storage section, and the storage section includes a communicating port which causes an inside and an outside of the storage section to communicate with each other and is provided at a different position from the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naotaka Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20210361986
    Abstract: A sheet-like filter includes a first fiber that is mainly composed of polylactic acid, and a second fiber that is mainly composed of polylactic acid and has a core portion and a cover layer covering the core portion, in which the cover layer functions as a binder for fusing the first fiber and the second fiber. In addition, when a melting point of the core portion is denoted by Tm1 and a melting point of the cover layer is denoted by Tm2, it may be Tm2<Tm1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Satomi YOSHIOKA, Naotaka HIGUCHI, Shigeo FUJITA, Shunichi SEKI, Kazuhiro ICHIKAWA, Akio ITO
  • Publication number: 20210301106
    Abstract: A composite of the present disclosure includes a fiber, and starch, in which at least a part of the starch is fused to the fiber, and a weight-average molecular weight of the starch is 40,000 or higher and 400,000 or lower. A method for producing a molded product of the present disclosure includes a molding raw material preparing step of preparing a molding raw material containing a fiber and a starch that has a weight-average molecular weight of 40,000 or higher and 400,000 or lower, a humidifying step of humidifying the molding raw material, and a molding step of molding the molding raw material into a predetermined shape by heating and pressurizing the molding raw material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Shinobu YOKOKAWA, Hideki TANAKA, Yoko NAKAI, Naotaka HIGUCHI, Shunichi SEKI
  • Publication number: 20210301107
    Abstract: A composite of the present disclosure, which is used as a raw material for dry molding, includes a cellulose fiber, and a starch, in which at least a part of the starch is fused to the cellulose fiber, and a content of the starch is 30.0% by mass or more and 50.0% by mass or less with respect to a total amount of the composite.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Hideki TANAKA, Yoko NAKAI, Shinobu YOKOKAWA, Naotaka HIGUCHI, Shunichi SEKI
  • Publication number: 20210301463
    Abstract: A fiber body manufacturing method includes: a dispersing step of dispersing a mixture containing a defibrated material which includes fibers and a binding agent which exhibits a binding property by moisture absorption, the mixture having a moisture content of 10 to 30 percent by weight; a depositing step of depositing the mixture dispersed in the dispersing step; a humidifying step of imparting moisture by water vapor or mist to the binding agent in a deposit deposited in the depositing step so as to exhibit the binding property; and a forming step of forming the deposit humidified in the humidifying step into a fiber body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Yoko NAKAI, Hideki TANAKA, Shinobu YOKOKAWA, Shunichi SEKI, Naotaka HIGUCHI