Patents by Inventor Norio Imai

Norio Imai 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: 9580767
    Abstract: A high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet includes a composition having controlled amounts of carbon, silicon, manganese, phosphorous, sulfur, titanium, niobium, sol. Aluminum, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, boron, calcium, REM, and iron. A microstructure thereof has a main phase of ferrite of at least 40 area %, and a second phase of a low-temperature transformation phase consisting either or both of martensite and bainite, which comprises at least 10 area % in total and retained austenite (?) at least comprising 3 area % . An average grain diameter of ferrite has a tilt angle of at least 15° is at most 5.0 mm, an average grain diameter of the low-temperature transformation-produced phase is at most 2.0 mm, an average grain diameter of lump-like retained ? having an aspect ratio of less than 5 is at most 1.5 mm, and an area fraction of the lump-like retained ? relative to the retained ? is at least 50%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Hata, Toshiro Tomida, Norio Imai, Jun Haga, Takuya Nishio
  • Publication number: 20170032679
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes: a route determination unit that determines a route from an initial position of a vehicle to a target parking position when assisting the vehicle to be parked in a parking area, and includes, a first generation unit generating a first circumference tangent to a line passing though the initial position and extending along a forward direction of the vehicle, and a second generation unit generating a second circumference having a tangent line passing through a rear position of the vehicle at a rear direction of the target parking position in the forward direction and extending along the forward direction, and having a radius of minimum turning of the vehicle, a part of the first circumference functions as a part of the route, and a part of a third circumference functions as the route subsequent to the first circumference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motokatsu TOMOZAWA, Norio IMAI
  • Publication number: 20170032680
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes: an acquisition unit that acquires a first distance between a vehicle and a first obstacle measured by a distance measuring unit and a second distance between the vehicle and a second obstacle measured by the distance measuring unit; a calculation unit that calculates an inter-objects distance between the first and second obstacles; and a generation unit that generates a guidance route for the vehicle such that each of the first and second distances become equal to or longer than a second reference distance which is shorter than a first reference distance that is a reference for safe travelling of the vehicle, when the vehicle is caused to move between the first and second obstacles and within the inter-objects distance and in a case where a condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norio IMAI, Masaya KATO, Yusuke KIYOKAWA, Motokatsu TOMOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20170032681
    Abstract: A parking assistance device includes: a route determination unit determining a route from an initial position of a vehicle to a target position at a time of assisting the vehicle to be parked in a parking area, wherein the route determination unit includes a first generation unit generating a first circumference being tangent to a line passing through the target position and extending along the forward direction, a second generation unit generating a second circumference being tangent to a line passing through the initial position and extending along a forward direction and to the first circumference, and a recalculation determination unit generating a third circumference having a center at the position on an obstacle in the front direction nearest to the route, and determining whether the recalculation of the route is necessary based on the first and third circumferences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Motokatsu TOMOZAWA, Norio IMAI
  • Patent number: 9523139
    Abstract: A high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet excellent in ductility, work hardenability, and stretch flangeability, and having tensile strength of 780 MPa or more includes: a chemical composition containing, in mass percent, C: more than 0.020% to less than 0.30%, Si: more than 0.10% to 3.00% or less, Mn: more than 1.00% to 3.50% or less; and metallurgical structure whose main phase is a low-temperature transformation product, and whose secondary phase contains retained austenite. The retained austenite has a volume fraction relative to overall structure of more than 4.0% to less than 25.0% and an average grain size of less than 0.80 ?m, and of the retained austenite, the number density of retained austenite grains whose grain size is 1.2 ?m or more is 3.0×10?2 grains/?m2 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Haga, Takuya Nishio, Masayuki Wakita, Yasuaki Tanaka, Norio Imai, Toshiro Tomida
  • Patent number: 9435013
    Abstract: A cold-rolled steel sheet having a refined structure in which grain growth during annealing is suppressed has a chemical composition containing, in mass percent, controlled amounts of carbon, manganese, niobium, titanium, vanadium, sol. Aluminum, chromium, molybdenum, boron, calcium, and REM and a microstructure which contains at least 50% by area of ferrite as a main phase, a second phase containing at least 10% by area of a low temperature transformation phase and 0-3% by area of retained austenite and which satisfies the following Equations (1)-(3), in addition to a particular texture, dm<2.7+10000/(5+300×C+50×Mn+4000×Nb+2000×Ti+400×V)2??(1), dm<4.0??(2), and ds?1.5??(3), wherein dm is the average grain diameter (?m) of ferrite defined by a high angle grain boundary having a tilt angle of at least 15°, and ds is the average grain diameter (?m) of the second phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kengo Hata, Toshiro Tomida, Norio Imai
  • Publication number: 20160186642
    Abstract: A body of an oil jet is provided with: an oil supply port; a cylinder; and an oil injection port. A piston valve is accommodated in the cylinder. The piston valve forms in the cylinder a differential pressure room which is a closed compartment. In the piston valve, an orifice which makes the differential pressure room being communicated with a side of the oil supply port is formed. The piston valve is biased toward a position at which the oil injection port is closed by a spring. A first oil injection nozzle is connected to the oil injection port. A leak hole which allows oil to be leaked outside of the cylinder from the differential pressure room is open at the side surface of the cylinder. Further, a second oil injection nozzle is connected to the leak hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TAIHO KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro HONDA, Motoichi MURAKAMI, Masahiro KAWAHARA, Norio IMAI
  • Patent number: 9168637
    Abstract: A vitrified superabrasive grain grinding stone includes superabrasive grains including a CBN abrasive grain as a main abrasive grain and a diamond abrasive grain as an auxiliary abrasive grain bonded together by use of a vitrified bond. The auxiliary abrasive grain has an average grain diameter equal to ½ to 1/10 of that of the main abrasive grain, and the auxiliary abrasive grain has a toughness value of 0.4 to 1 when that of the main abrasive grain is given as 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: NORITAKE CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro Mizuno, Norio Imai, Kouichi Yoshimura, Takeshi Mishima
  • Publication number: 20150037610
    Abstract: A high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet includes a composition having controlled amounts of carbon, silicon, manganese, phosphorous, sulfur, titanium, niobium, sol. Aluminum, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, boron, calcium, REM, and iron. A microstructure thereof has a main phase of ferrite of at least 40 area %, and a second phase of a low-temperature transformation phase consisting either or both of martensite and bainite, which comprises at least 10 area % in total and retained austenite (?) at least comprising 3 area %. An average grain diameter of ferrite has a tilt angle of at least 15° is at most 5.0 mm, an average grain diameter of the low-temperature transformation-produced phase is at most 2.0 mm, an average grain diameter of lump-like retained ? having an aspect ratio of less than 5 is at most 1.5 mm, and an area fraction of the lump-like retained ? relative to the retained ? is at least 50%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Kengo Hata, Toshiro Tomida, Norio Imai, Jun Haga, Takuya Nishio
  • Publication number: 20140349557
    Abstract: A vitrified superabrasive grain grinding stone includes superabrasive grains including a CBN abrasive grain as a main abrasive grain and a diamond abrasive grain as an auxiliary abrasive grain bonded together by use of a vitrified bond. The auxiliary abrasive grain has an average grain diameter equal to ½ to 1/10 of that of the main abrasive grain, and the auxiliary abrasive grain has a toughness value of 0.4 to 1 when that of the main abrasive grain is given as 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: NORITAKE CO., LIMITED
    Inventors: Akihiro Mizuno, Norio Imai, Kouichi Yoshimura, Takeshi Mishima
  • Patent number: 8858081
    Abstract: A sliding bearing includes a center portion and end portions on a bearing surface 1. Convexo-concave portions are respectively formed in the center portion and the end portions. The average height of the vertexes of convex portions 1A in the center portion is set smaller than the average height of the vertexes of convex portions 1B in the end portions. Average height Lh of the convexo-concave portion 1A in the center portion and average height LH of the convexo-concave portions 1B in the end portions are set to the same height. The center portion may be formed flat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Taiho Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hikita, Norio Imai, Shinji Matsumoto, Kenji Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20140241933
    Abstract: A high-strength cold-rolled steel sheet excellent in ductility, work hardenability, and stretch flangeability, and having tensile strength of 780 MPa or more includes: a chemical composition containing, in mass percent, C: more than 0.020% to less than 0.30%, Si: more than 0.10% to 3.00% or less, Mn: more than 1.00% to 3.50% or less; and metallurgical structure whose main phase is a low-temperature transformation product, and whose secondary phase contains retained austenite. The retained austenite has a volume fraction relative to overall structure of more than 4.0% to less than 25.0% and an average grain size of less than 0.80 ?m, and of the retained austenite, the number density of retained austenite grains whose grain size is 1.2 ?m or more is 3.0×10?2 grains/?m2 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Haga, Takuya Nishio, Masayuki Wakita, Yasuaki Tanaka, Norio Imai, Toshiro Tomida
  • Publication number: 20140238557
    Abstract: A method for producing a high-tensile cold-rolled steel sheet includes subjecting a slab having a composition containing C: more than 0.020% and less than 0.30%, Si: more than 0.10% and 3.00% or less, and Mn: more than 1.00% and 3.50% or less to hot rolling wherein the roll draft of the final one pass is higher than 15%, and rolling is finished in the temperature region of Ar3 point or higher, optionally annealing wherein the hot-rolled steel sheet is heated to 300° C. or higher after being cooled to 780° C. or lower, coiling higher than 400° C. or lower than 400° C., cold rolling the hot-rolled steel sheet or the annealed steel sheet, and annealing wherein the cold-rolled steel sheet is soaked in the temperature region of (Ac3 point?40° C.) or higher, cooling to 500° C. or lower and 300° C. or higher, and holding in that temperature region for 30 seconds or longer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Haga, Takuya Nishio, Masayuki Wakita, Yasuaki Tanaka, Norio Imai, Toshiro Tomida, Mitsuru Yoshida, Kengo Hata
  • Publication number: 20140212686
    Abstract: A hot-dip galvanized cold-rolled steel sheet has a tensile strength of 750 MPa or higher, a composition consisting, in mass percent, of C: more than 0.10% and less than 0.25%, Si: more than 0.50% and less than 2.0%, Mn: more than 1.50% and 3.0% or less, and optionally containing one or more types of Ti, Nb, V, Cr, Mo, B, Ca, Mg, REM, and Bi, P: less than 0.050%, S: 0.010% or less, sol. Al: 0.50% or less, and N: 0.010% or less, and a main phase as a low-temperature transformation product and a second phase as retained austenite. The retained austenite volume fraction is more than 4.0% and less than 25.0% of the whole structure, and has an average grain size of less than 0.80 ?m. A number density of retained austenite grains having a grain size of 1.2 ?m or more is 3.0?10?2/?m2 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Norio Imai, Masayuki Wakita, Takuya Nishio, Jun Haga, Kengo Hata, Yasuaki Tanaka, Mitsuru Yoshida, Hiroshi Takebayashi, Suguhiro Fukushima, Toshiro Tomida
  • Publication number: 20140144553
    Abstract: A cold-rolled steel sheet having a refined structure in which grain growth during annealing is suppressed has a chemical composition containing, in mass percent, controlled amounts of carbon, manganese, niobium, titanium, vanadium, sol. Aluminum, chromium, molybdenum, boron, calcium, and REM and a microstructure which contains at least 50% by area of ferrite as a main phase, a second phase containing at least 10% by area of a low temperature transformation phase and 0-3% by area of retained austenite and which satisfies the following Equations (1)-(3), in addition to a particular texture, dm<2.7+10000/(5+300×C+50×Mn+4000×Nb+2000×Ti+400×V)2??(1), dm<4.0??(2), and ds?1.5??(3), wherein dm is the average grain diameter (?m) of ferrite defined by a high angle grain boundary having a tilt angle of at least 15°, and ds is the average grain diameter (?m) of the second phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Inventors: Kengo Hata, Toshiro Tomida, Norio Imai
  • Publication number: 20130216162
    Abstract: A sliding bearing includes a center portion and end portions on a bearing surface 1. Convexo-concave portions are respectively formed in the center portion and the end portions. The average height of the vertexes of convex portions 1A in the center portion is set smaller than the average height of the vertexes of convex portions 1B in the end portions. Average height Lh of the convexo-concave portion 1A in the center portion and average height LH of the convexo-concave portions 1B in the end portions are set to the same height. The center portion may be formed flat. It is possible to attain a reduction in friction without sacrificing conformability and a load capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Hikita, Norio Imai, Shinji Matsumoto, Kenji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8318096
    Abstract: A wireless blood glucose meter is a battery-powered apparatus to communicating wirelessly with a portable terminal, and includes a blood glucose level detector that measures a blood glucose level, a transmitter that transmits the blood glucose level measured by the blood glucose level detector to the portable terminal, a receiver that receives a response signal sent from the portable terminal in response to the transmission of the blood glucose level by the transmitter to the portable terminal, and a voltage monitor that monitors the output voltage of the battery. A transmission control circuit changes the transmission method used by the transmitter on the basis of the output voltage of the battery as detected by the voltage monitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Okuda, Tooru Aoki, Norio Imai, Akiyoshi Oozawa
  • Patent number: 8271015
    Abstract: A wireless blood glucose meter (2) has a blood glucose level detector (21), a transmitter (22), a receiver (23), a storage component (24), and a transmission power determiner (25). Whether or not an acknowledge signal has been received and the transmission power when the transmitter (22) has transmitted a blood glucose level are stored as history information in the storage component (24), and the transmission power determiner (25) determines the transmission power when the transmitter (22) transmits on the basis of the history information stored in the storage component (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tooru Aoki, Eiji Okuda, Akiyoshi Oozawa, Hiroshi Ando, Kazuo Manabe, Norio Imai
  • Patent number: 8262876
    Abstract: A blood glucose measurement device (50) comprises a test piece insertion unit (10) for inserting, holding, and electrically connecting a test piece on which an electrode pattern has been formed, a measurement circuit (16) for electrochemically measuring a biological sample that has been placed in the form of a spot on the test piece, a communication circuit (15) for transmitting the result of measurement with the measurement circuit (16) by wireless communication using an antenna electrode (2C) equipped with the test piece, and a switch (14) that is connected to the test piece insertion unit (10) for switching between the measurement circuit (16) and the communication circuit (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Manabe, Norio Imai, Akiyoshi Oozawa
  • Patent number: 8257517
    Abstract: A steel sheet excellent in mechanical strength, workability and thermal stability and suited for use as a raw material in such fields of manufacturing automobiles, household electric appliances and machine structures and of constructing buildings, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The steel sheet is a hot-rolled steel sheet of carbon steel or low-alloy steel, the main phase of which is ferrite, and is characterized in that the average ferrite crystal grain diameter D (?m) at the depth of ¼ of the sheet thickness from the steel sheet surface satisfies the relations respectively defined by the formulas (1) and (2) given below and the increase rate X (?m/min) in average ferrite crystal grain diameter at 700° C. at the depth of ¼ of the sheet thickness from the steel sheet surface and said average crystal grain diameter D (?m) satisfy the relation defined by the formula (3) given below: 1.2?D?7??formula (1) D?2.7+5000/(5+350·C+40·Mn)2??formula (2) D·X?0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshirou Tomida, Norio Imai, Mitsuru Yoshida, Kaori Kawano, Masayuki Wakita, Tamotsu Toki, Masanori Yasuyama, Hitomi Nishibata