Patents by Inventor Nobuhiko Masaki
Nobuhiko Masaki 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).
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Publication number: 20240112407Abstract: One or more devices, systems, methods, and storage mediums for performing imaging and/or visualization and/or for performing lithotripsy are provided herein. Examples of applications include imaging, evaluating, and diagnosing biological objects, such as, but not limited to, for ureteral, Gastro-intestinal, cardio, bronchial, and/or ophthalmic applications, and being obtained via one or more optical instruments, such as, but not limited to, optical probes, catheters, ureteroscopes, endoscopes, and bronchoscopes. Techniques provided herein also improve image processing and efficiency and provide reliable imaging techniques that may be used for one or more applications, including, but not limited to, ureteroscopy and lithotripsy, while reducing mental and physical burden and improving ease of use.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: Fumitaro Masaki, Takahisa Kato, Nobuhiko Hata, Satoshi Kobayashi, Franklin King
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Patent number: 11926062Abstract: A continuum robot having at least two independently manipulateable bendable section for advancing the robot through a passage, without contacting fragile elements within the passage, wherein the robot incorporates control algorithms that enable the continuum robot to operate and advance into the passage, as well as the systems and procedures associated with the continuum robot and said functionality.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignees: Canon U.S.A., Inc., The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc.Inventors: Fumitaro Masaki, Franklin King, Nobuhiko Hata, Takahisa Kato
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Patent number: 8899024Abstract: An engine exhaust purification device comprises: a selective reduction type NOx catalyst; an oxidation catalyst disposed on an upstream side of the NOx catalyst; a reducing agent adding device which adds an NOx reducing agent to an exhaust gas of an engine; a control device which controls the reducing agent adding device; and an NO2 ratio calculation device which estimates an NO2 ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NOx catalyst. The NO2 ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NOx catalyst is calculated by a catalytic reaction model where the oxidation reaction of NO in the oxidation catalyst is numerically formulated, and the NO2 ratio is reflected to calculate an amount of ammonia adsorbed on the NOx catalyst by a catalytic reaction model where a chemical reaction concerned with the reduction of NOx in the NOx catalyst is numerically formulated.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: December 2, 2014Assignees: UD Trucks Corporation, Waseda UniversityInventors: Nobuhiko Masaki, Kiminobu Hirata, Jin Kusaka, Hideaki Kato, Yasumasa Notake
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Patent number: 8790219Abstract: In order to maintain a high NOx purification rate of a NOx reduction catalytic converter even in the case in which an NOx emission amount from an engine changes suddenly, in an exhaust emission purifying apparatus for an engine that reduces and purifies NOx in exhaust gas using ammonia generated from an injection-supplied urea aqueous solution, after engine starting, when an exhaust temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature T (step S1), an amount of urea aqueous solution corresponding to an actual engine operating state is injection-supplied (steps S3 to S5). On the other hand, at a change of the transmission speed ratio based on a driver's shift operation, an engine operating state after the change of the transmission speed ratio is predicted (steps S2, S6), and an amount of urea aqueous solution corresponding to the predicted engine operating state is injection-supplied before the change of the transmission speed ratio is completed (steps S7, S8).Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2011Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: UD Trucks CorporationInventors: Masakazu Yano, Kiminobu Hirata, Nobuhiko Masaki
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Patent number: 8713922Abstract: In an exhaust filter, a urea hydrolysis catalyst is supported on a first portion of an inner wall of a cell passage on the inlet side, and a first NOx reducing catalyst is supported on a second portion of the inner wall of the inlet-side passage downstream of the first portion. A second NOx reducing catalyst is supported on a third portion of an inner wall of a cell passage on the outlet side where the third portion overlaps with the first portion in a direction of intersection with the exhaust flow into the exhaust filter or is downstream of the first portion. An oxidation catalyst is supported on a fourth portion of the inner wall of the outlet-side passage downstream of the third portion where the fourth portion overlaps with the second portion in the direction of intersection or is downstream of the second portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2012Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: UD Trucks CorporationInventors: Masakazu Yano, Nobuhiko Masaki, Kiminobu Hirata
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Patent number: 8578703Abstract: In an exhaust emission purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine, for adding a reducing agent for NOx to the exhaust gas to thereby purify NOx in the exhaust gas, the mixing of the reducing agent injected by an injection nozzle with the exhaust gas is accelerated. To this end, in the apparatus of the present invention, the injection nozzle for the urea water is disposed to be opposite to the flow of the exhaust gas, or to face upward in a vertical direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2010Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kiminobu Hirata, Nobuhiko Masaki, Hisashi Akagawa, Yuji Yajima
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Patent number: 8490389Abstract: In an exhaust gas purification apparatus for an engine includes a bubble generation device, the bubble generation device for mixing nano-sized to micro-sized bubbles into a liquid reducing agent or a precursor thereof injection-supplied from an injection nozzle is disposed in a reducing agent supply system running from a reducing agent tank to the injection nozzle. When the liquid reducing agent or the precursor thereof is injection-supplied from the injection nozzle, the liquid reducing agent or the precursor thereof is divided by bubbles, and the bubbles are radically inflated and burst by a pressure change and a temperature change at the time of injection-supplying, so that microparticulation of the liquid reducing agent or the precursor thereof is facilitated.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2011Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: UD Trucks CorporationInventors: Masakazu Yano, Kiminobu Hirata, Nobuhiko Masaki
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Publication number: 20130064717Abstract: An engine exhaust purification device comprises: a selective reduction type NOx catalyst; an oxidation catalyst disposed on an upstream side of the NOx catalyst; a reducing agent adding device which adds an NOx reducing agent to an exhaust gas of an engine; a control device which controls the reducing agent adding device; and an NO2 ratio calculation device which estimates an NO2 ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NOx catalyst. The NO2 ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NOx catalyst is calculated by a catalytic reaction model where the oxidation reaction of NO in the oxidation catalyst is numerically formulated, and the NO2 ratio is reflected to calculate an amount of ammonia adsorbed on the NOx catalyst by a catalytic reaction model where a chemical reaction concerned with the reduction of NOx in the NOx catalyst is numerically formulated.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: March 14, 2013Inventors: Nobuhiko MASAKI, Kiminobu HIRATA, Jin KUSAKA, Hideaki KATO, Yasumasa NOTAKE
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Publication number: 20120222411Abstract: In an exhaust filter, a urea hydrolysis catalyst is supported on a first portion of an inner wall of a cell passage on the inlet side, and a first NOx reducing catalyst is supported on a second portion of the inner wall of the inlet-side passage downstream of the first portion. A second NOx reducing catalyst is supported on a third portion of an inner wall of a cell passage on the outlet side where the third portion overlaps with the first portion in a direction of intersection with the exhaust flow into the exhaust filter or is downstream of the first portion. An oxidation catalyst is supported on a fourth portion of the inner wall of the outlet-side passage downstream of the third portion where the fourth portion overlaps with the second portion in the direction of intersection or is downstream of the second portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2012Publication date: September 6, 2012Inventors: Masakazu YANO, Nobuhiko Masaki, Kiminobu Hirata
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Patent number: 8161737Abstract: An exhaust gas pressure P, exhaust gas temperatures TU and TD on upstream and downstream of a DPF, a rotation speed Ne, a load Q, and an intake flow rate F as various operating conditions are read, and an amount of PM generated for short time ?t is obtained to be added to a PM deposited amount m, and thus, to obtain an initial deposited amount. Exhaust gas properties and a space velocity SV are obtained based on various operating conditions, and the PM deposited amount m after a lapse of the short time ?t is estimated from a PM deposited amount estimation equation “m=m·exp(?B·?t)” having been derived considering the exhaust gas properties and the space velocity SV. When the PM deposited amount m is equal to or more than a predetermined value, a forced regeneration processing in the DPF is executed, and thereafter, the PM deposited amount m is reset to 0.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2010Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignees: UD Trucks Corporation, Waseda University, Tokyo Roki Co., Ltd.Inventors: Isamu Kanaya, Takayuki Adachi, Nobuhiko Masaki, Kiminobu Hirata, Jin Kusaka, Keishi Takada, Takeshi Mende, Fumiyuki Tsurumi
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Publication number: 20120079812Abstract: A control unit calculates an amount of produced ammonia from an amount of a dosed urea aqueous solution according to an engine operation state, and calculates a NOx purification ratio in the case of dosing the amount of the dosed urea aqueous solution according to the operation state to exhaust gas on an exhaust upstream side of an SCR catalyst. Moreover, the control unit estimates an amount of adsorbed ammonia to the SCR catalyst based on the produced ammonia amount and the NOx purification ratio. Then, the control unit subtracts the amount of the urea aqueous solution corresponding to the amount of the adsorbed ammonia from the amount of the dosed urea aqueous solution according to the operation state to correct the amount of the dosed urea aqueous solution, and controls the dosing of the urea aqueous solution based on the corrected amount of the dosed urea aqueous solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Inventor: Nobuhiko MASAKI
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Publication number: 20110239632Abstract: In order to maintain a high NOx purification rate of a NOx reduction catalytic converter even in the case in which an NOx emission amount from an engine changes suddenly, in an exhaust emission purifying apparatus for an engine that reduces and purifies NOx in exhaust gas using ammonia generated from an injection-supplied urea aqueous solution, after engine starting, when an exhaust temperature exceeds a predetermined temperature T (step S1), an amount of urea aqueous solution corresponding to an actual engine operating state is injection-supplied (steps S3 to S5). On the other hand, at a change of the transmission speed ratio based on a driver's shift operation, an engine operating state after the change of the transmission speed ratio is predicted (steps S2, S6), and an amount of urea aqueous solution corresponding to the predicted engine operating state is injection-supplied before the change of the transmission speed ratio is completed (steps S7, S8).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Inventors: Masakazu Yano, Kiminobu Hirata, Nobuhiko Masaki
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Publication number: 20110239633Abstract: The present invention provides an exhaust emission purifying apparatus. In the exhaust emission purifying apparatus, while an ammonia adsorbent is coated on a predetermined length portion on the exhaust inflow side of a carrier of a catalytic converter which reduces and purifies NOx in exhaust gas, a NOx reduction catalyst is coated on the remaining portion on the exhaust outflow side of the carrier of the catalytic converter. On the other hand, a first layer containing the ammonia adsorbent and the NOx reduction catalyst in a mixed state and a second layer containing a hydrolysis catalyst are coated in that order on a carrier surface of the catalytic converter. In a transition of an engine operation state, NOx is reduced and purified with the use of ammonia adsorbed to the ammonia adsorbent.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Inventors: Nobuhiko MASAKI, Kiminobu HIRATA, Masakazu YANO
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Patent number: 8028516Abstract: In order to suppress deposition of constituent of a reducing agent (dissolved matter) in an exhaust passage of an engine enhancing an elimination rate of NOx even when temperature of an exhaust emission from the engine is low, an exhaust emission purifying apparatus is provided with an electro-generative-heat carrier provided on an upstream side of an injection nozzle that supplies the reducing agent into the exhaust emission on upstream side of a reduction catalyst in an exhaust pipe, the exhaust emission being heated to a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point of the dissolved matter whereby deposition of the dissolved matter on an inner wall surface of the exhaust pipe is suppressed to effectively use the supplied reducing agent for catalytic reduction reaction, even when the exhaust emission temperature is lower than the melting point of the dissolved matter of the reducing agent.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2009Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kouji Masuda, Kiminobu Hirata, Nobuhiko Masaki
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Patent number: 8011176Abstract: In an exhaust emission purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine, for adding a reducing agent for NOx to the exhaust gas to thereby purify NOx in the exhaust gas, the mixing of the reducing agent injected by an injection nozzle with the exhaust gas is accelerated. To this end, in the apparatus of the present invention, the injection nozzle for the urea water is disposed to be opposite to the flow of the exhaust gas, or to face upward in a vertical direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2006Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kiminobu Hirata, Nobuhiko Masaki, Hisashi Akagawa, Yuji Yajima
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Patent number: 7975470Abstract: In relation to an exhaust gas purification system that mixes a liquid reducing agent with air and injection-supplies this mixture into an exhaust gas flowing on an upstream side of a reduction catalyst (20) to thereby effect reduction purification of NOx in exhaust gas, a technical attention is directed to the relation of respective elements of; the travel distance, the fuel consumption, the air consumption, or the running time and the like, and the liquid reducing agent consumption, to constitute a configuration such that a continual monitor as to whether the injection condition of liquid reducing agent is normal or abnormal is executed by judging whether or not the amount of liquid reducing agent consumed for a predetermined travel distance, a predetermined fuel consumption, a predetermined air consumption, or a predetermined running time, is within a predetermined range.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2007Date of Patent: July 12, 2011Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kiminobu Hirata, Nobuhiko Masaki, Masakazu Yano
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Publication number: 20110162351Abstract: In an exhaust gas purification apparatus for an engine includes a bubble generation device, the bubble generation device for mixing nano-sized to micro-sized bubbles into a liquid reducing agent or a precursor thereof injection-supplied from an injection nozzle is disposed in a reducing agent supply system running from a reducing agent tank to the injection nozzle. When the liquid reducing agent or the precursor thereof is injection-supplied from the injection nozzle, the liquid reducing agent or the precursor thereof is divided by bubbles, and the bubbles are radically inflated and burst by a pressure change and a temperature change at the time of injection-supplying, so that microparticulation of the liquid reducing agent or the precursor thereof is facilitated.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2011Publication date: July 7, 2011Inventors: Masakazu YANO, Kiminobu Hirata, Nobuhiko Masaki
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Publication number: 20110154808Abstract: A DPF disposed in an exhaust passage of a diesel engine is coated with a selective reducing catalyst, for selectively reducing and purifying NOx by using a reducing agent, and a thin film, having fine pores of size for allowing passage of the NOx and preventing passage of PM, in this order. In regeneration treatment of a DPF, the thin film prevents direct transmission of combustion heat of the PM to the selective reducing catalyst and suppresses a temperature rise of the selective reducing catalyst to thereby suppress deterioration of an active component.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2011Publication date: June 30, 2011Inventors: Kiminobu HIRATA, Nobuhiko MASAKI, Masakazu YANO
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Publication number: 20110067385Abstract: In an exhaust emission purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine, for adding a reducing agent for NOx to the exhaust gas to thereby purify NOx in the exhaust gas, the mixing of the reducing agent injected by an injection nozzle with the exhaust gas is accelerated. To this end, in the apparatus of the present invention, the injection nozzle for the urea water is disposed to be opposite to the flow of the exhaust gas, or to face upward in a vertical direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2010Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: NISSAN DIESEL MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiminobu HIRATA, Nobuhiko Masaki, Hisashi Akagawa, Yuji Yajima
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Publication number: 20110067384Abstract: In an exhaust emission purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine, for adding a reducing agent for NOx to the exhaust gas to thereby purify NOx in the exhaust gas, the mixing of the reducing agent injected by an injection nozzle with the exhaust gas is accelerated. To this end, in the apparatus of the present invention, the injection nozzle for the urea water is disposed to be opposite to the flow of the exhaust gas, or to face upward in a vertical direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2010Publication date: March 24, 2011Applicant: NISSAN DIESEL MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiminobu HIRATA, Nobuhiko Masaki, Hisashi Akagawa, Yuji Yajima