Patents by Inventor Norihiro Tajima

Norihiro Tajima 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).

  • Publication number: 20240229886
    Abstract: A spring member is provided between two pressed bodies facing each other in a first direction and includes base plates stacked in the first direction. Each base plate is provided with spring protrusions protruding toward either one pressed body of the two pressed bodies and pressing the two pressed bodies in directions such that the pressed bodies move away from each other in the first direction. Between two base plates adjacent to each other in the first direction, a base plate positioned closer to the one pressed body is provided with an insertion hole into which a spring protrusion of the other base plate is inserted in a state of penetrating therethrough in the first direction. Among portions in an along-plane direction along a plane orthogonal to the first direction provided with the spring protrusions, the spring constant of at least one portion is different from that of another portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Yoshio YAMADA, Hironobu IMAIZUMI, Norihiro TAJIMA, Shuji TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20240175533
    Abstract: A pulsation damping member includes a first metal plate and a second metal plate, a crest portion of the second metal plate enters inside a crest portion of the first metal plate, a valley portion of the first metal plate enters inside a valley portion of the second metal plate, a size in the axial direction of an outer end portion of an expansion/contraction space positioned on an outermost side in a radial direction and continuous with joint parts increases toward an inner side in the radial direction, and a first constricted portion having a smallest size in the axial direction in a portion of the expansion/contraction space positioned on an inner side with respect to the outer end portion in the radial direction is positioned on a radially outward side from a center portion between the central axis and the joint parts in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Publication date: May 30, 2024
    Inventors: Yoshio YAMADA, Norihiro TAJIMA, Shuji TAKAHASHI, Atsushi YONEOKA
  • Patent number: 11996591
    Abstract: An attachment structure for a deformation absorption member of a fuel-cell-stack includes a first raised piece raised from one surface of a base material in a grid pattern, and having an extension portion extending from a proximal end, the extension portion abutting at least one of the cathode side separator or the anode side separator, a second raised piece having a proximal end, and a joint portion formed by partially joining a location between the proximal end of the first raised piece and the proximal end of the second raised piece, proximal end of the first raised piece being adjacent the proximal end of the second raised piece in a second direction that intersects a first direction taken from the proximal end of the first raised piece to an extension portion side, to the at least one of the anode side separator and the cathode side separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Fukuyama, Takeshi Shiomi, Yusuke Terada, Norihiro Tajima
  • Publication number: 20240133442
    Abstract: A spring member is provided between two pressed bodies facing each other in a first direction and includes base plates stacked in the first direction. Each base plate is provided with spring protrusions protruding toward either one pressed body of the two pressed bodies and pressing the two pressed bodies in directions such that the pressed bodies move away from each other in the first direction. Between two base plates adjacent to each other in the first direction, a base plate positioned closer to the one pressed body is provided with an insertion hole into which a spring protrusion of the other base plate is inserted in a state of penetrating therethrough in the first direction. Among portions in an along-plane direction along a plane orthogonal to the first direction provided with the spring protrusions, the spring constant of at least one portion is different from that of another portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: Yoshio YAMADA, Hironobu IMAIZUMI, Norihiro TAJIMA, Shuji TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20230400078
    Abstract: The spring member (1, 2, 3) includes a conductive plate (11) and a support plate (12), the conductive plate is formed of a material in which at least one of electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity thereof is higher than that of a material forming the support plate, the support plate is formed of the material having a higher Young's modulus than that of the material forming the conductive plate, two end portions of the conductive plate in a second direction (X) are provided with first contact portions (13) that contact a first pressed body (W1), an intermediate portion of the conductive plate in the second direction is provided with a second contact portion (14) that contacts a second pressed body (W2), the two end portions of the conductive plate in the second direction are engaged with two end portions of the support plate in the second direction, an intermediate portion of the support plate in the second direction is provided with a third contact portion (15) that contacts the second contact portio
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Yoshio YAMADA, Hironobu IMAIZUMI, Norihiro TAJIMA, Shuji TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 11411275
    Abstract: A grid spring is provided with first raised pieces that generate an elastic force for pressing a separator toward a power generation cell and second raised pieces that generate an elastic force independently of the first raised pieces. The spring constant of the first raised pieces decreases as a result of heating of a grid spring. The grid spring functions as a high reaction force spring as a result of a larger spring constant of the first spring member relative to a spring constant of the second spring member before heating. After being heated, the grid spring functions as a low reaction force spring as a result of the smaller spring constant of the first spring member before being heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoki Yaginuma, Norihiro Tajima, Koichi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11339844
    Abstract: A seat member has a seat portion, a receiving surface of which comes into contact with a bearing surface of an end turn portion, a mounting shaft portion protruded from the receiving surface of the seat portion, and an enlarged diameter portion formed at the front end of the mounting shaft portion for guiding press-fitting, in a cross section along an axial direction of a coil spring, an outer diameter of the enlarged diameter portion is set larger than an inner diameter of the end turn portion and an axial length of the enlarged diameter portion is set so that at least a maximum diagonal length of the seat member is larger than an inter-element wire distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuteru Mimura, Norihiro Tajima, Yosuke Kawai, Shuji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11069915
    Abstract: A spring member is used in a fuel cell stack. The spring member includes a planar portion and a spring portion. The planar portion is joined to a separator in a state of surface contact with the separator. The spring portion extends from the planar portion and generates an elastic force for pressing the separator toward a power generation cell by receiving force in a stacking direction of a cell unit and undergoing bending deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Motoki Yaginuma, Akira Yasutake, Norihiro Tajima, Koichi Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20210003184
    Abstract: A seat member has a seat portion, a receiving surface of which comes into contact with a bearing surface of an end turn portion, a mounting shaft portion protruded from the receiving surface of the seat portion, and an enlarged diameter portion formed at the front end of the mounting shaft portion for guiding press-fitting, in a cross section along an axial direction of a coil spring, an outer diameter of the enlarged diameter portion is set larger than an inner diameter of the end turn portion and an axial length of the enlarged diameter portion is set so that at least a maximum diagonal length of the seat member is larger than an inter-element wire distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Mitsuteru MIMURA, Norihiro TAJIMA, Yosuke KAWAI, Shuji TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20200259134
    Abstract: A grid spring is provided with first raised pieces that generate an elastic force for pressing a separator toward a power generation cell and second raised pieces that generate an elastic force independently of the first raised pieces. The spring constant of the first raised pieces decreases as a result of heating of a grid spring. The grid spring functions as a high reaction force spring as a result of a larger spring constant of the first spring member relative to a spring constant of the second spring member before heating. After being heated, the grid spring functions as a low reaction force spring as a result of the smaller spring constant of the first spring member before being heated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: August 13, 2020
    Inventors: Motoki YAGINUMA, Norihiro TAJIMA, Koichi KAWASAKI
  • Publication number: 20200235417
    Abstract: A spring member is used in a fuel cell stack. The spring member includes a planar portion and a spring portion. The planar portion is joined to a separator in a state of surface contact with the separator. The spring portion extends from the planar portion and generates an elastic force for pressing the separator toward a power generation cell by receiving force in a stacking direction of a cell unit and undergoing bending deformation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Motoki YAGINUMA, Akira YASUTAKE, Norihiro TAJIMA, Koichi KAWASAKI
  • Patent number: 10644329
    Abstract: A fuel cell stack has a stacked plurality of single cells. Each of the single cells has a membrane electrode assembly, and a pair of separators sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly therebetween. A cooling fluid channel where a cooling fluid flows is formed between adjacent single cells. The fuel cell stack further comprises a displacement absorbing member disposed in the cooling fluid channel to absorb a displacement between the single cells. The displacement absorbing member comprises a channel flow resistance reduction structure that reduces a channel flow resistance of the cooling fluid channel against the cooling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Fukuyama, Keita Iritsuki, Yusuke Terada, Norihiro Tajima
  • Publication number: 20200088257
    Abstract: A pressing structure is arranged between a first pressed body and a second pressed body opposite to the first pressed body and presses the first pressed body and second pressed body. The pressing structure includes a spring member including: a base portion formed of a single strip-like member and having a curved principal surface; two extended portions extending respectively from end portions of the base portion and curved in a form inverse of a curving form of the base portion; and two bent portions extending respectively from end portions of the two extended portions, the end portions being at sides opposite to sides connected to the base portion, the two bent portions being curved in a form inverse of the curving form of the extended portions; and the maximum thickness of the extended portions and bent portions is smaller than the maximum thickness of the base portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Hironobu Imaizumi, Norihiro Tajima, Yoshio Yamada, Shuji Takahashi, Atsushi Yoneoka
  • Patent number: 10320009
    Abstract: A deformation absorption member for a fuel-cell-stack disposed between an anode side separator and a cathode side separator. The deformation absorption member includes a thin-board-like base material, and a plurality of raised pieces in which extension portions extended from proximal ends are arranged in a grid pattern. Each raised piece of the plurality of raised pieces is formed in a non-rectangular shape in which the width of the extension portion is shorter than the width of the proximal end, and plurality of raised pieces are configured so that the directions of the extension portions of mutually adjacent raised pieces are alternately arranged, and positions of the proximal ends of the mutually adjacent raised pieces are arranged in at least overlapping positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Fukuyama, Takeshi Shiomi, Yusuke Terada, Norihiro Tajima
  • Patent number: 9960435
    Abstract: A fuel-cell-stack manufacturing method, includes arranging an extension portion extended from a proximal end of a raised piece on one surface of a base material disposed so as to abut at least one of a cathode side separator and the anode side separator, and setting an interval between the anode side separator and the cathode side separator along a lamination direction so that deformation of the raised piece exceeds an elastic deformation region and enters a plastic deformation region, and is also in a region in which the proximal end moved due to the deformation does not come in contact with the cathode side separator or the anode side separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yosuke Fukuyama, Takeshi Shiomi, Yusuke Terada, Norihiro Tajima
  • Patent number: 9955611
    Abstract: A pressure structure which is arranged between a first pressed body and a second pressed body facing the first pressed body and applies a pressure to the first pressed body and the second pressed body includes: a first spring member including a center portion which is in contact with the first pressed body, two end portions, each of which is in contact with the second pressed body, and two arm portions which extend from the center portion toward the different end portions; and a second spring member including a center portion which is in contact with the second pressed body, two end portions, each of which is in contact with the first pressed body, and two arm portions which extend from the center portion toward the different end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Tajima, Yusuke Terada, Yosuke Kawai
  • Patent number: 9829046
    Abstract: A tolerance ring includes a base formed of a strip-like member approximately wound around into a ring shape, and a plurality of projections provided along a winding direction of the base so as to protrude in a radial direction from an outer peripheral surface of the base, wherein each of the projections has edges serving as a boundary with the base and at least one of the edges in a width direction orthogonal to the winding direction has a shape intersecting the winding direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Araki, Mitsuteru Mimura, Norihiro Tajima
  • Publication number: 20160372762
    Abstract: An attachment structure for a deformation absorption member of a fuel-cell-stack includes a first raised piece raised from one surface of a base material in a grid pattern, and having an extension portion extending from a proximal end, the extension portion abutting at least one of the cathode side separator or the anode side separator, a second raised piece having a proximal end, and a joint portion formed by partially joining a location between the proximal end of the first raised piece and the proximal end of the second raised piece, proximal end of the first raised piece being adjacent the proximal end of the second raised piece in a second direction that intersects a first direction taken from the proximal end of the first raised piece to an extension portion side, to the at least one of the anode side separator and the cathode side separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Yosuke FUKUYAMA, Takeshi SHIOMI, Yusuke TERADA, Norihiro TAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20160286687
    Abstract: A pressure structure which is arranged between a first pressed body and a second pressed body facing the first pressed body and applies a pressure to the first pressed body and the second pressed body includes: a first spring member including a center portion which is in contact with the first pressed body, two end portions, each of which is in contact with the second pressed body, and two arm portions which extend from the center portion toward the different end portions; and a second spring member including a center portion which is in contact with the second pressed body, two end portions, each of which is in contact with the first pressed body, and two arm portions which extend from the center portion toward the different end portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Norihiro Tajima, Yusuke Terada, Yosuke Kawai
  • Patent number: 9429190
    Abstract: A tolerance ring that has a ring shape approximately circling along a predetermined direction includes a plurality of projections, wherein the curvature radiuses of end portions in a circling direction are smaller than the curvature radius of a portion other than the end portions in the circling direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Tajima, Michinobu Hirama, Atsushi Shitama