Patents by Inventor Nobukazu Ikeda
Nobukazu Ikeda 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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Patent number: 10895484Abstract: A gas supply system capable of flow measurement includes a flow controller that controls the flow rate of a flowing gas, a first shutoff valve provided downstream of the flow controller, a second shutoff valve provided in a first flow passage communicating with the downstream side of the first shutoff valve, a second flow passage that branches from the first flow passage, a third shutoff valve provided in the second flow passage, a pressure sensing device that detects a pressure in a flow passage controlled by the first, second, and third shutoff valves, a temperature sensing device that detects a temperature in the flow passage controlled by the first, second, and third shutoff valves, a volume measuring tank connected downstream of the third shutoff valve and having a known volume, and an arithmetic and control unit that obtains a passage volume controlled by the first, second, and third shutoff valves by applying Boyle's law to open and closed states of the third shutoff valve and calculates the flow rateType: GrantFiled: January 12, 2017Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Yohei Sawada, Nobukazu Ikeda, Kouji Nishino, Masaaki Nagase
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Patent number: 10884436Abstract: A flow rate signal correction method applicable to a pressure-type flow rate control device that controls a flow rate by controlling pressure existing upstream of a restriction part includes a step of generating a primary signal indicating the flow rate in accordance with an output of a pressure sensor provided upstream of the restriction part and a step of generating a secondary signal as a corrected signal of the primary signal such that the current value of the primary signal and a value including information regarding one or a plurality of past values of the primary signal are used to derive a current value corrected according to a predetermined relational expression. The secondary signal is output as a flow rate signal during a stable flow rate period, and the secondary signal is not output as a flow rate signal during a transient change period.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2016Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Katsuyuki Sugita, Nobukazu Ikeda, Kouji Nishino, Kaoru Hirata, Masahiko Takimoto, Masayoshi Kawashima, Takahiro Imai
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Patent number: 10884435Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control device 1, while maintaining an upstream pressure P1 of an orifice 5 at approximately at least twice a downstream pressure P2, calculates a flow factor FF of a mixed gas consisting of two types of gases mixed at a mixture ratio of X:(1?X) by FF=(k/?){2/(?+1)}1/(??1)[?/{(?+1)R}]1/2 using an average density ?, an average specific heat ratio ?, and an average gas constant R of the mixed gas that are calculated by weighting the densities, specific heat ratios, and gas constants of the two types of gases at the mixture ratio, and calculates a flow rate Q of the mixed gas passing through the orifice by Q=FF·S·P1(1/T1)1/2, where S is the orifice cross section, and P1 and T1 are respectively the pressure and temperature of the mixed gas on the upstream side of the orifice.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2017Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Patent number: 10883866Abstract: The pressure-type flow rate control device includes: a restriction part interposed in a flow channel; an upstream-side pressure sensor detecting a fluid pressure on the upstream side of the restriction part; a downstream-side pressure sensor detecting a fluid pressure on the downstream side of the restriction part; a flow control valve provided in the flow channel on the upstream side of the upstream-side pressure sensor; and computation control circuit controlling the flow control valve based on detected values of the upstream-side pressure sensor and the downstream-side pressure sensor, thereby controlling the flow. Under conditions where no fluid flow occurs in the flow channel, the computation control circuit computes the difference between the detected value of the upstream-side pressure sensor and the detected value of the downstream-side pressure sensor, and outputs a signal for pressure sensor malfunction determination based on the computed difference.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2016Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Katsuyuki Sugita, Kouji Nishino, Kaoru Hirata, Masahiko Takimoto, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Patent number: 10876870Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a gas supply unit having a first gas flow channel. A second gas flow channel of a flow rate measurement system is connected to the first gas flow channel. The flow rate measurement system further includes a third gas flow channel connected to the second gas flow channel, and a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor that measure a pressure and a temperature, respectively, in the third gas flow channel. In a method, a flow rate of a gas output from a flow rate controller of the gas supply unit is calculated using a build-up method. The flow rate of a gas is calculated without using the total volume of the first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel and temperatures in the first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2019Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Risako Miyoshi, Norihiko Amikura, Kazuyuki Miura, Masaaki Nagase, Satoru Yamashita, Yohei Sawada, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Patent number: 10838435Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control device includes a control valve; a pressure sensor provided downstream of the control valve; an orifice-built-in valve provided downstream of the pressure sensor; and a control unit connected to the control valve and pressure sensor. The built-in orifice valve has a valve mechanism comprising a valve seat body and a valve element for opening/closing a flow path; a drive mechanism for driving the valve mechanism, and an orifice member provided in the vicinity of the valve mechanism. The pressure-type flow rate control device further includes an opening/closing-detection mechanism for detecting the open/closed state of the valve mechanism, the control unit being configured to receive a detection signal from the opening/closing-detection mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2017Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Nobukazu Ikeda, Kouji Nishino
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Publication number: 20200348704Abstract: A flow rate control device (100) comprises: a pressure control valve (6) provided in a flow path; a flow rate control valve (8) provided downstream side of the pressure control valve; and a first pressure sensor (3) for measuring pressure on the downstream side of the pressure control valve and on the upstream side of the flow rate control valve. The flow rate control valve has a valve element (13) seated on/separated from a valve seat (12); a piezoelectric element (10b) for moving the valve element so as be seated on/separated from the valve seat; and a strain sensor (20) provided on a side surface of the piezoelectric element. The pressure control valve (6) is configured to control the pressure control valve (6) on the basis of a signal output from the first pressure sensor (3), and to control the driving of the piezoelectric element of the flow rate control valve (8) based on a signal output from the strain sensor (20).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2018Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Koji KAWADA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO
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Publication number: 20200348158Abstract: A self-diagnosis method of a flow rate control device includes: a step (a) for measuring a pressure drop characteristic after a pressure control valve (6) has been changed to a closed state from a state where a fluid flows from the upstream side of the pressure control valve with the opening of a flow rate control valve (8) is larger than a restriction part; a step (b) for measuring the pressure drop characteristic after the pressure control valve has been changed to the closed state from a state where the fluid flows from the upstream side of the flow rate control valve to the downstream side with the opening of the flow rate control valve is smaller than the restriction part; a step (c) for determining whether there is an abnormality by comparing the pressure drop characteristic measured in step (a) with a corresponding reference pressure drop characteristic; a step (d) for determining whether there is an abnormality by comparing the pressure drop characteristic measured in step (b) with a corresponding refType: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2018Publication date: November 5, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Koji KAWADA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO
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Publication number: 20200232873Abstract: An abnormality detection method performed using a flow rate control device including a restriction portion, a control valve, a first pressure sensor, a second pressure sensor, and a downstream valve, includes a step of changing the control valve and the downstream valve from an open state to a closed state, a step of measuring an upstream pressure or a downstream pressure in the closed state, and at least one step of (a) extracting an upstream pressure at a point when a difference between the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure reaches a predetermined value as an upstream convergence pressure, and extracting the downstream pressure as a downstream convergence pressure, and (b) extracting the time from a point when the control valve are changed to a closed state to a point when a difference between the upstream pressure and the downstream pressure reaches a predetermined value as a convergence time.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2016Publication date: July 23, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Masaaki NAGASE, Kaoru HIRATA, Yohei SAWADA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Publication number: 20200199753Abstract: In order to appropriately control temperatures of fluid heating sections that are maintained at different temperatures, the fluid control device (100) comprises a plurality of fluid heating sections (1) connected to each other and each having a flow path or a fluid accommodating portion inside, heaters (10) configured to heat each of the plurality of fluid heating sections to different temperatures, and heat insulating members (13, 13?) disposed between adjacent fluid heating sections.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2018Publication date: June 25, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Atsushi HIDAKA, Takatoshi NAKATANI, Keisuke NAKATSUJI, Keiji HIRAO, Yukio MINAMI, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Publication number: 20200159257Abstract: A fluid control system (1) comprises: a first valve (21) provided downstream of a flow rate controller (10), a flow rate measuring device (30) provided downstream of the first valve (21) and having a second valve (22), an open/close detector (26) provided to the second valve (22), and a controller (25) for controlling an open/close operation of the first valve (21) and the second valve (22), and the controller (25) controls the open/close operation of the first valve (21) in response to a signal output from the open/close detector (26).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2018Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Satoru YAMASHITA, Yohei SAWADA, Masaaki NAGASE, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Publication number: 20200149162Abstract: In order to optimally supply a raw material by using a heater, the fluid control device (100) includes a fluid heating section (1) provided with a flow path or a fluid accommodation portion inside, and a heater (10) for heating the fluid heating section, the heater having a heating element (10a) and a metallic heat transfer member (10b) thermally connected to the heating element and arranged so as to surround the fluid heating section, and the surface of the heat transfer member facing the fluid heating section includes a surface (S1) subjected to surface treatment for improving heat dissipation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2018Publication date: May 14, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Atsushi HIDAKA, Takatoshi NAKATANI, Keisuke NAKATSUJI, Keiji HIRAO, Yukio MINAMI, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Patent number: 10646844Abstract: A vaporization supply apparatus comprises a vaporizer which heats and vaporize a liquid, a flow-rate control device which controls a flow rate of a gas sent out from the vaporizer, a first control valve interposed in a supply channel of a liquid to the vaporizer, a pressure detector for detecting a pressure of a gas vaporized by the vaporizer, a liquid detection part for measuring parameters of a liquid in an amount higher than a predetermined amount in the vaporizer, and a control device which controls the first control valve to supply a predetermined amount of a liquid to the vaporizer based on the pressure value detected by the pressure detector, and to close the first control valve when the liquid detection part detect a liquid in an amount higher than the predetermined amount.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2016Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Atsushi Hidaka, Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Takatoshi Nakatani, Satoru Yamashita, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda, Keiji Hirao
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Patent number: 10648572Abstract: A valve with a built-in orifice includes a base section having a housing recess and first and second flow passages; a valve seat body; an inner disc; a valve element; and an orifice body, wherein the housing recess has a wide-diameter section and a narrow-diameter section, the first flow passage is connected to a space between a wall surface of the narrow-diameter section and the orifice body to communicate with a valve chamber, and the second flow passage communicates with the valve chamber through a through hole of the orifice body and a through hole of the valve seat body.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2017Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Yohei Sawada, Kaoru Hirata, Masaaki Nagase, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Patent number: 10641407Abstract: The flow controller according to the present invention includes: a control valve; a first flow passage provided on the downstream side of the control valve; a second flow passage; and an expansion chamber provided between the first flow passage and the second flow passage. The second flow passage is provided in a position that is not on the extension of the first flow passage.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Toru Hirai, Kazuyuki Morisaki, Kaoru Hirata, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Patent number: 10604840Abstract: To provide a liquid level indicator and a liquid raw material vaporization feeder, in which the time to detect a switch from the liquid phase to the gas phase has reduced flow rate dependence, and also the detection time can be shortened. The present invention includes a chamber 2 that stores a liquid raw material, at least one protection tube 3 housing a resistance temperature detector for detecting the liquid level L1 in the chamber 2, and a flow controller 4 that controls the flow rate of the gas flowing out from the chamber 2 and feeds the same. The protection tube 3 is horizontally inserted into a sidewall 2a of the chamber 2 and fixed thereto.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2015Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Atsushi Hidaka, Masaaki Nagase, Kaoru Hirata, Satoru Yamashita, Keiji Hirao, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda
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Publication number: 20200088561Abstract: The liquid level meter according to the present invention includes a resistive temperature detector, a temperature measuring body located above it, a temperature detecting unit detecting temperatures of the resistive temperature detector and the temperature measuring body, a current controlling unit determining a current value to be flowed through the resistive temperature detector so that the resistive temperature detector and the temperature measuring body become a predetermined temperature difference, a power supply unit supplying the current of the determined current value to the resistive temperature detector, and a liquid level detecting unit detecting a position of a liquid level.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2017Publication date: March 19, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Atsushi HIDAKA, Takatoshi NAKATANI, Satoru YAMASHITA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kaoru HIRATA, Masaaki NAGASE, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Publication number: 20200033895Abstract: A pressure-type flow rate control device includes a restriction part; a control valve provided upstream of the restriction part; an upstream pressure sensor for detecting pressure between the restriction part and the control valve; and an arithmetic processing circuit connected to the control valve and the upstream pressor sensor. The device is configured to perform flow rate control by controlling the control valve according to an output of the upstream pressure sensor. The arithmetic processing circuit performs an operation of closing the control valve in order to reduce a flow rate of a fluid flowing through the restriction part, and performs an operation of closing the control valve by feedback control in which a target value is an exponential function more gradual than the pressure drop characteristic data when a gas flows out of the restriction part.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2018Publication date: January 30, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Katsuyuki SUGITA, Kaoru HIRATA, Nobukazu IKEDA, Kouji NISHINO, Masahiko TAKIMOTO, Takahiro IMAI, Shinya OGAWA
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Publication number: 20200018413Abstract: A piezoelectric-element-driven valve includes a valve seat provided on a flow path, a valving element detachably seated on the valve seat, and a piezoelectric element, and is configured to move the valve body by extension of the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric-element-driven valve also is provided with a detection mechanism for detecting an extension amount of the piezoelectric element, the detection mechanism including a strain sensor, and being capable of detecting an movement amount of the valving element from an output of the strain sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2017Publication date: January 16, 2020Applicant: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Ryousuke DOHI, Kaoru HIRATA, Katsuyuki SUGITA, Koji KAWADA, Kouji NISHINO, Nobukazu IKEDA
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Patent number: 10534376Abstract: A gas divided flow supplying apparatus, including a control valve 3, a pressure type flow control unit 1a connected to a process gas inlet 11, a gas supply main pipe 8 connected to the downstream side of control valve 3, a plurality of branched pipe passages 9a, 9n connected in parallel to the downstream side of main pipe 8, opening and closing valves 10a, 10n interposed in the respective branched pipe passages 9a, 9n, orifices 6a, 6n provided on the downstream sides of valves 10a, 10n, a temperature sensor 4 provided near the process gas passage between the control valve 3 and the orifices 6a, 6n, a pressure sensor 5 provided in the process gas passage between the control valve 3 and the orifices 6a, 6n, divided gas flow outlets 11a, 11n provided on the outlet sides of the orifices 6a, 6n, and an arithmetic and control unit 7.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2013Date of Patent: January 14, 2020Assignee: FUJIKIN INCORPORATEDInventors: Kouji Nishino, Ryousuke Dohi, Kaoru Hirata, Katsuyuki Sugita, Nobukazu Ikeda