Patents by Inventor Norihisa Mino

Norihisa Mino 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: 9975785
    Abstract: A desalination method includes: introducing a liquid to a reservoir layer to place the liquid above a water-repellent particle layer; heating and evaporating the liquid placed above the water-repellent particle layer to generate water vapor and deposit impurities on the sheet; liquefying the water vapor by a liquefying layer to obtain fresh water; and removing the sheet on which the impurities have been deposited from a desalination apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Taomoto, Morio Tomiyama, Hisaaki Gyoten, Norihisa Mino, Atsushi Ono, Stephen William John
  • Patent number: 9873618
    Abstract: In a desalination system, a water-repellent particle layer is provided at a lower portion of a water tank and composed of water-repellent particles. A devolatilizing layer is provided below the layer. Liquid is provided in the tank and is heated for evaporation, and obtained vapor passes through the particle layer and is liquefied at the devolatilizing layer, so that freshwater is obtained from the liquid. The particle layer includes a first and a second particle layers composed of discriminable first and second particles. A particle measuring unit measures an amount of the second water-repellent particles. A decision unit decides whether or not the measured amount of the second water-repellent particles is equal to or more than a predetermined value. A controller alerts when the decision unit decides that the amount of the second particles is equal to or more than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumi Wakita, Norihisa Mino, Hiroki Takeuchi, Mikiya Nakata
  • Patent number: 9862621
    Abstract: A desalination apparatus that includes: a water-repellent particle layer that is located below a water tank, contains water-repellent particles, and allows passage of water vapor generated by evaporation of the liquid stored in the water tank, the water tank being a space for storing the liquid; and a liquefying layer that is located below the water-repellent particle layer, and liquefies the water vapor that has passed through the water-repellent particle layer to obtain the fresh water. The water-repellent particle layer includes: a first layer that contains first water-repellent particles among the water-repellent particles, and faces the water tank; and a second layer that contains second water-repellent particles among the water-repellent particles, and is provided below the first layer. The second water-repellent particles have a larger average particle size than the first water-repellent particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Ono, Hisaaki Gyoten, Norihisa Mino, Morio Tomiyama, Akira Taomoto, Stephen William John
  • Patent number: 9834453
    Abstract: The desalination apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a water-repellent particle layer that is located below a water tank, contains water-repellent particles, and allows passage of water vapor generated by evaporation of the liquid stored in the water tank, the water tank being a space for storing the liquid; and a liquefying layer that is located below the water-repellent particle layer, and liquefies the water vapor that has passed through the water-repellent particle layer to obtain the fresh water. The water-repellent particle layer includes an anti-migration layer provided as a surface layer that faces the water tank and containing anti-migration particles. Each of the anti-migration particles has a higher aspect ratio than the water-repellent particles, the aspect ratio being a value obtained by dividing a length in a major axis direction by a length in a minor axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akira Taomoto, Morio Tomiyama, Hisaaki Gyoten, Norihisa Mino, Atsushi Ono, Stephen William John
  • Patent number: 9822018
    Abstract: A water amount controlling method according to the present disclosure includes: opening a discharge valve that discharges a liquid from a water tank if an impurity concentration is higher than or equal to a first reference value, and opening a sluice gate that introduces the liquid to the water tank a predetermined period after opening the discharge valve, the first reference value being lower than a saturation concentration; throttling the discharge valve and the sluice gate if the impurity concentration is higher than or equal to a second reference value and the temperature is lower than or equal to a third reference value, the second reference value being lower than the first reference value; and closing the discharge valve if the impurity concentration is lower than the second reference value, and closing the sluice gate a predetermined period after closing the discharge valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Morio Tomiyama, Hisaaki Gyoten, Norihisa Mino, Akira Taomoto, Atsushi Ono, Stephen William John
  • Patent number: 9822019
    Abstract: A desalination system includes a water tank, a water-repellent particle layer located at a lower portion of the tank and composed of water-repellent particles, and a devolatilizing layer located below the water-repellent particle layer. Liquid is introduced to the tank, the introduced liquid is heated to be evaporated into water vapor, and the water vapor passes through the water-repellent particle layer and is liquefied at the devolatilizing layer, so that fresh water is obtained from the liquid. The desalination system further includes a liquid level controller for determining a level of the liquid introduced to the tank in accordance with information on relationship between information corresponding to an amount of the liquid introduced to the tank and a surface level of the liquid in the tank, and an introduced amount controller for adjusting the amount of the liquid introduced to the tank in accordance with the determined liquid surface level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumi Wakita, Norihisa Mino, Hiroki Takeuchi, Mikiya Nakata
  • Patent number: 9809463
    Abstract: A desalination system, etc. of the present disclosure includes: a water tank; a water-repellent particle layer that is located below the water tank and contains a plurality of water-repellent particles; a liquefying layer that is located below the water-repellent particle layer and liquefies water vapor that has passed through the water-repellent particle layer, to obtain fresh water; an introduction channel of a liquid supply channel that supplies a liquid to the water tank; and a liquid speed reduction part that is located on the introduction channel of the supply channel, and includes a wall surface crossing a flow direction of the liquid in the supply channel, for reducing a flow speed of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Morio Tomiyama, Hisaaki Gyoten, Norihisa Mino, Akira Taomoto, Atsushi Ono, Stephen William John
  • Patent number: 9686923
    Abstract: An artificial soil structure includes a water shield layer provided on a soil layer, the water shield layer includes water repellent sand processed by water repellent treatment. A water retentive layer is provided on the water shield layer, and the water retentive layer includes water retentive sand with no water repellent treatment. A water repellent soil body is provided in part of the water shield layer so as to penetrate the water shield layer and be in contact with the soil layer and the water retentive layer. The soil body includes sand processed by water repellent treatment, and the water shield layer has a water infiltration pressure higher than that of the water repellent soil body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumi Wakita, Norihisa Mino, Osamu Yamada
  • Patent number: 9604777
    Abstract: A water storage structure includes an impermeable layer including a plurality of hydrophobic particles, a water retentive layer provided on the impermeable layer and capable of holding a predetermined volume of liquid, and a pavement layer provided on the water retentive layer and including a tube penetrating from a first surface to a second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yumi Wakita, Osamu Yamada, Norihisa Mino, Akira Taomoto
  • Patent number: 9409819
    Abstract: A water repellent sand mixture includes at least water repellent sand and cement at a weight ratio of 2% or more and 5% or less relative to the water repellent sand. The mixture achieves condensation between the water repellent sand particles by the hydration reaction of the cement, which improves dynamic stability. The mixture can be kept in a block shape due to such improved dynamic stability, water repellency, and less slidable surfaces of the sand particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Taomoto, Norihisa Mino, Shoichi Kiyama, Akira Murakami, Toshihiko Kawachi
  • Publication number: 20150291442
    Abstract: A desalination method disclosed herein includes: introducing a liquid to a reservoir layer to place the liquid above a water-repellent particle layer; heating and evaporating the liquid placed above the water-repellent particle layer to generate water vapor; liquefying the water vapor by a liquefying layer to obtain fresh water; determining whether or not impurities have been deposited on a sheet; and removing the sheet from a desalination apparatus if it is determined that the impurities have been deposited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Akira TAOMOTO, Morio TOMIYAMA, Hisaaki GYOTEN, Norihisa MINO, Atsushi ONO, Stephen William JOHN
  • Patent number: 9057008
    Abstract: A porous silica material disclosed in the present application is a porous silica material in which a plurality of silica particles are connected to one another three-dimensionally, wherein: a density of the porous silica material is less than 220 kg/m3; a particle diameter of the silica particles is 3.5 nm or more; and the water content of the porous silica material is 8 wt % or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuriko Kaneko, Takuya Iwamoto, Ushio Sangawa, Masahiko Hashimoto, Norihisa Mino
  • Patent number: 9028788
    Abstract: A porous silica material in which silica particles are connected to one another three-dimensionally, wherein: the porous silica material includes a through hole including first pores smaller than a mean free path of an air, and second pores larger than the first pores; the porous silica material has a density of 100 kg/m3 or more and 300 kg/m3 or less; and an isobutyl group is bound to silicon of silica of the silica particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuriko Kaneko, Takuya Iwamoto, Ushio Sangawa, Masahiko Hashimoto, Norihisa Mino
  • Publication number: 20150090160
    Abstract: A water repellent sand mixture includes at least water repellent sand and cement at a weight ratio of 2% or more and 5% or less relative to the water repellent sand. The mixture achieves condensation between the water repellent sand particles by the hydration reaction of the cement, which improves dynamic stability. The mixture can be kept in a block shape due to such improved dynamic stability, water repellency, and less slidable surfaces of the sand particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Inventors: Akira TAOMOTO, Norihisa MINO, Shoichi KIYAMA, Akira MURAKAMI, Toshihiko KAWACHI
  • Publication number: 20150075966
    Abstract: A desalination apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure obtains fresh water from a liquid. The desalination apparatus includes: a water-repellent particle layer that is located below a water tank, contains water-repellent particles, and allows passage of water vapor generated by evaporation of the liquid stored in the water tank, the water tank being a space for storing the liquid; and a liquefying layer that is located below the water-repellent particle layer, and liquefies the water vapor that has passed through the water-repellent particle layer to obtain the fresh water. The water-repellent particle layer includes: a first layer that contains first water-repellent particles among the water-repellent particles, and faces the water tank; and a second layer that contains second water-repellent particles among the water-repellent particles, and is provided below the first layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Atsushi ONO, Hisaaki GYOTEN, Norihisa MINO, Morio TOMIYAMA, Akira TAOMOTO, Stephen William JOHN
  • Publication number: 20150075965
    Abstract: A water amount controlling method according to the present disclosure includes: opening a discharge valve that discharges a liquid from a water tank if an impurity concentration is higher than or equal to a first reference value, and opening a sluice gate that introduces the liquid to the water tank a predetermined period after opening the discharge valve, the first reference value being lower than a saturation concentration; throttling the discharge valve and the sluice gate if the impurity concentration is higher than or equal to a second reference value and the temperature is lower than or equal to a third reference value, the second reference value being lower than the first reference value; and closing the discharge valve if the impurity concentration is lower than the second reference value, and closing the sluice gate a predetermined period after closing the discharge valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Morio TOMIYAMA, Hisaaki GYOTEN, Norihisa MINO, Akira TAOMOTO, Atsushi ONO, Stephen William JOHN
  • Publication number: 20150060260
    Abstract: A desalination system, etc. of the present disclosure includes: a water tank; a water-repellent particle layer that is located below the water tank and contains a plurality of water-repellent particles; a liquefying layer that is located below the water-repellent particle layer and liquefies water vapor that has passed through the water-repellent particle layer, to obtain fresh water; an introduction channel of a liquid supply channel that supplies a liquid to the water tank; and a liquid speed reduction part that is located on the introduction channel of the supply channel, and includes a wall surface crossing a flow direction of the liquid in the supply channel, for reducing a flow speed of the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Morio TOMIYAMA, Hisaaki GYOTEN, Norihisa MINO, Akira TAOMOTO, Atsushi ONO, Stephen William JOHN
  • Publication number: 20150047966
    Abstract: The desalination apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a water-repellent particle layer that is located below a water tank, contains water-repellent particles, and allows passage of water vapor generated by evaporation of the liquid stored in the water tank, the water tank being a space for storing the liquid; and a liquefying layer that is located below the water-repellent particle layer, and liquefies the water vapor that has passed through the water-repellent particle layer to obtain the fresh water. The water-repellent particle layer includes an anti-migration layer provided as a surface layer that faces the water tank and containing anti-migration particles. Each of the anti-migration particles has a higher aspect ratio than the water-repellent particles, the aspect ratio being a value obtained by dividing a length in a major axis direction by a length in a minor axis direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Akira TAOMOTO, Morio TOMIYAMA, Hisaaki GYOTEN, Norihisa MINO, Atsushi ONO, Stephen William JOHN
  • Publication number: 20150014145
    Abstract: In a desalination system, a water-repellent particle layer is provided at a lower portion of a water tank and composed of water-repellent particles. A devolatilizing layer is provided below the layer. Liquid is provided in the tank and is heated for evaporation, and obtained vapor passes through the particle layer and is liquefied at the devolatilizing layer, so that freshwater is obtained from the liquid. The particle layer includes a first and a second particle layers composed of discriminable first and second particles. A particle measuring unit measures an amount of the second water-repellent particles. A decision unit decides whether or not the measured amount of the second water-repellent particles is equal to or more than a predetermined value. A controller alerts when the decision unit decides that the amount of the second particles is equal to or more than the predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Yumi WAKITA, Norihisa MINO, Hiroki TAKEUCHI, Mikiya NAKATA
  • Publication number: 20150014146
    Abstract: A desalination system includes a water tank, a water-repellent particle layer located at a lower portion of the tank and composed of water-repellent particles, and a devolatilizing layer located below the water-repellent particle layer. Liquid is introduced to the tank, the introduced liquid is heated to be evaporated into water vapor, and the water vapor passes through the water-repellent particle layer and is liquefied at the devolatilizing layer, so that fresh water is obtained from the liquid. The desalination system further includes a liquid level controller for determining a level of the liquid introduced to the tank in accordance with information on relationship between information corresponding to an amount of the liquid introduced to the tank and a surface level of the liquid in the tank, and an introduced amount controller for adjusting the amount of the liquid introduced to the tank in accordance with the determined liquid surface level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Yumi WAKITA, Norihisa MINO, Hiroki TAKEUCHI, Mikiya NAKATA