Patents by Inventor Noritomo Kameda

Noritomo Kameda 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: 11731318
    Abstract: A method includes producing recycled products from a plurality of used absorbent articles, each including a top sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent body including absorbent body materials, by recovering a plurality of structural members from the plurality of used absorbent articles. At least one of the top sheet and the back sheet includes a film. The method includes: separating the plurality of used absorbent articles into a plurality of the films and the absorbent body materials; sorting the plurality of films into a plurality of types of recyclable films according to the filler contents of the plurality of films; and forming a plurality of types of recycled resin pellets from the plurality of types of recyclable films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Noritomo Kameda
  • Patent number: 11224994
    Abstract: A method of recovering structural members from a used absorbent article comprising a front sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent body between the front sheet and the back sheet, wherein at least one of the front sheet and the back sheet includes a film, and wherein the absorbent body includes an absorbent body material, may include swelling the used absorbent article with water, applying a physical shock to and disintegrating the swelled used absorbent article into at least the film and the absorbent body material, and separating the film and the absorbent body material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Noritomo Kameda
  • Patent number: 11208674
    Abstract: A simple method is provided for producing a saccharified solution from a used absorbent article such as a used diaper. In order to produce a saccharified solution from a used absorbent article comprising a non-cellulosic liquid permeable surface material and an absorbent body that contains pulp fibers, the used absorbent article is immersed, without first being decomposed, in a saccharifying enzyme solution containing cellulase. The pulp fibers in the used absorbent article are saccharified by the cellulase, producing a saccharified solution. The produced saccharified solution is exuded out of the used absorbent article through the liquid permeable surface material, so it is possible to easily separate and recover the saccharified solution from the used absorbent article while maintaining the outer shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Koichi Yamaki, Noritomo Kameda
  • Patent number: 10960577
    Abstract: Pulp fiber containing little ash is effectively recovered from a used sanitary product containing the pulp fiber and a polymer absorbent. The method according to the present invention comprises: a step for treating the used sanitary product with an ozone-containing gas and thus decomposing and removing at least a portion of the polymer absorbent in the used sanitary product; and a step for stirring the used sanitary product, that has been treated with the ozone-containing gas, in water or an aqueous solution containing an antiseptic and thus decomposing the used sanitary product into constituents. If required, the method may further comprise a step for separating the pulp fiber from the decomposition product obtained by the decomposition step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Noritomo Kameda, Hideaki Ichiura, Hiroko Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 10961658
    Abstract: Pulp fiber containing little ash is effectively recovered from a used sanitary product containing the pulp fiber and a polymer absorbent. The method according to the present invention comprises: a step for treating the used sanitary product with an ozone-containing gas and thus decomposing and removing at least a portion of the polymer absorbent in the used sanitary product; and a step for stirring the used sanitary product, that has been treated with the ozone-containing gas, in water or an aqueous solution containing an antiseptic and thus decomposing the used sanitary product into constituents. If required, the method may further comprise a step for separating the pulp fiber from the decomposition product obtained by the decomposition step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Noritomo Kameda, Hideaki Ichiura, Hiroko Nakaoka
  • Patent number: 10927496
    Abstract: A method is provided for recovering pulp fibers having little damage from a used absorbent article that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. The used absorbent article is treated at a temperature of greater than or equal to 80° C. with an organic acid aqueous solution having a pH no greater than 2.5, and the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated. Preferably, the pulp fibers and the deactivated superabsorbent polymer are separated from the used absorbent article after treatment with the organic acid aqueous solution, and further, a mixture including the separated pulp fibers and deactivated superabsorbent polymer is treated with an oxidizing agent, the deactivated superabsorbent polymer is decomposed, reduced in molecular weight and solubilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Koichi Yamaki, Noritomo Kameda
  • Patent number: 10881558
    Abstract: An evaluation method of a wearing state of a disposable diaper including an elastic region in a waist portion or leg-surrounding portions, the evaluation method including: an evaluation image acquiring process in which a terminal including a photographing function acquires an image including at least a part of the elastic region as an evaluation image in the wearing state of the disposable diaper; and an evaluation process of evaluating the wearing state of the disposable diaper based on a degree of deformation of the evaluation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Okuda, Noritomo Kameda, Takuya Miyama
  • Patent number: 10842691
    Abstract: An evaluation method of a wearing state of a disposable diaper including an elastic region in a waist portion or leg-surrounding portions, the evaluation method including: an evaluation image acquiring process in which a terminal including a photographing function acquires an image including at least a part of the elastic region as an evaluation image in the wearing state of the disposable diaper; and an evaluation process of evaluating the wearing state of the disposable diaper based on a degree of deformation of the evaluation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Okuda, Noritomo Kameda, Takuya Miyama
  • Patent number: 10806644
    Abstract: An evaluation method of a wearing state of a disposable diaper including an elastic region in a waist portion or leg-surrounding portions, the evaluation method including: an evaluation image acquiring process in which a terminal including a photographing function acquires an image including at least a part of the elastic region as an evaluation image in the wearing state of the disposable diaper; and an evaluation process of evaluating the wearing state of the disposable diaper based on a degree of deformation of the evaluation image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Okuda, Noritomo Kameda, Takuya Miyama
  • Publication number: 20200238574
    Abstract: Pulp fiber containing little ash is effectively recovered from a used sanitary product containing the pulp fiber and a polymer absorbent. The method according to the present invention comprises: a step for treating the used sanitary product with an ozone-containing gas and thus decomposing and removing at least a portion of the polymer absorbent in the used sanitary product; and a step for stirring the used sanitary product, that has been treated with the ozone-containing gas, in water or an aqueous solution containing an antiseptic and thus decomposing the used sanitary product into constituents. If required, the method may further comprise a step for separating the pulp fiber from the decomposition product obtained by the decomposition step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA, Noritomo KAMEDA, Hideaki ICHIURA, Hiroko NAKAOKA
  • Patent number: 10646386
    Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently recovering pulp fiber from used hygiene products that include pulp fiber and a polymer absorbent. This method is characterized by including a step for introducing the used hygiene product into a treatment tank in which an aqueous solution with ozone dissolved therein has been introduced, and a step for treating the used hygiene product while infusing water into the treatment tank at a first flow rate, extracting the aqueous solution from the treatment tank at a second flow rate and introducing a gas containing ozone into the aqueous solution in the treatment tank, thereby decomposing the polymer absorbent, lowering the molecular weight thereof, and making the same dissolvable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Noritomo Kameda, Hideaki Ichiura
  • Patent number: 10538878
    Abstract: A method is provided for recovering pulp fibers having little damage from a used absorbent article which includes a water permeable front sheet, a water impermeable back sheet and an absorbent body that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. At least one opening with a circle equivalent diameter of 5-45 mm, or 10-45 mm cut, is made in the front sheet and/or the back sheet of the used absorbent article, which is then agitated in an organic acid aqueous solution with a pH of less than or equal to 2.5, and the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated and the pulp fibers and superabsorbent polymer are discharged from the used absorbent article through the opening or cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Koichi Yamaki, Noritomo Kameda
  • Publication number: 20200016794
    Abstract: A method of recovering structural members from a used absorbent article comprising a front sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent body between the front sheet and the back sheet, wherein at least one of the front sheet and the back sheet includes a film, and wherein the absorbent body includes an absorbent body material, may include swelling the used absorbent article with water, applying a physical shock to and disintegrating the swelled used absorbent article into at least the film and the absorbent body material, and separating the film and the absorbent body material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Noritomo Kameda
  • Patent number: 10533282
    Abstract: A method is provided which, by a simple process, separates and recovers pulp fibers from a used absorbent article that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. A used absorbent article is treated with an aqueous solution that contains greater than or equal to 0.05 mass % of at least one kind of terpene selected from the group comprising terpene hydrocarbons, terpene aldehydes, and terpene ketones and that contains a deactivating agent that can deactivate the superabsorbent polymer; the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated, the adhesive that bonds together the constituent materials of the absorbent article is dissolved with the terpene to decompose the absorbent article, the pulp fibers are discharged to outside of the absorbent article, and the pulp fibers are separated from the absorbent article and recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Koichi Yamaki, Noritomo Kameda
  • Publication number: 20200001506
    Abstract: A method includes producing recycled products from a plurality of used absorbent articles, each including a top sheet, a back sheet and an absorbent body including absorbent body materials, by recovering a plurality of structural members from the plurality of used absorbent articles. At least one of the top sheet and the back sheet includes a film. The method includes: separating the plurality of used absorbent articles into a plurality of the films and the absorbent body materials; sorting the plurality of films into a plurality of types of recyclable films according to the filler contents of the plurality of films; and forming a plurality of types of recycled resin pellets from the plurality of types of recyclable films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Noritomo Kameda
  • Publication number: 20190381543
    Abstract: A method of recycling a used absorbent article having human waste includes: a first step of separating pulp fiber from the used absorbent article to obtain regenerated pulp fiber; a second step of conversion to solid fuel from constituent materials of the used absorbent article remaining after separation of the pulp fiber to obtain solid fuel, and a third step of supplying waste water containing organic material generated from the first step to a microbial fuel cell to obtain electric power while purifying the waste water. The processing rate for the used absorbent article containing human waste is 90 mass % or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Koichi Yamaki, Toshio Hiraoka, Noritomo Kameda
  • Publication number: 20190338463
    Abstract: A method is provided which, by a simple process, separates and recovers pulp fibers from a used absorbent article that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. A used absorbent article is treated with an aqueous solution that contains greater than or equal to 0.05 mass % of at least one kind of terpene selected from the group comprising terpene hydrocarbons, terpene aldehydes, and terpene ketones and that contains a deactivating agent that can deactivate the superabsorbent polymer; the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated, the adhesive that bonds together the constituent materials of the absorbent article is dissolved with the terpene to decompose the absorbent article, the pulp fibers are discharged to outside of the absorbent article, and the pulp fibers are separated from the absorbent article and recovered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA, Koichi YAMAKI, Noritomo KAMEDA
  • Publication number: 20190291303
    Abstract: Pulp fiber containing little ash is effectively recovered from a used sanitary product containing the pulp fiber and a polymer absorbent. The method according to the present invention comprises: a step for treating the used sanitary product with an ozone-containing gas and thus decomposing and removing at least a portion of the polymer absorbent in the used sanitary product; and a step for stirring the used sanitary product, that has been treated with the ozone-containing gas, in water or an aqueous solution containing an antiseptic and thus decomposing the used sanitary product into constituents. If required, the method may further comprise a step for separating the pulp fiber from the decomposition product obtained by the decomposition step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA, Noritomo KAMEDA, Hideaki ICHIURA, Hiroko NAKAOKA
  • Publication number: 20190271018
    Abstract: A simple method is provided for producing a saccharified solution from a used absorbent article such as a used diaper. In order to produce a saccharified solution from a used absorbent article comprising a non-cellulosic liquid permeable surface material and an absorbent body that contains pulp fibers, the used absorbent article is immersed, without first being decomposed, in a saccharifying enzyme solution containing cellulase. The pulp fibers in the used absorbent article are saccharified by the cellulase, producing a saccharified solution. The produced saccharified solution is exuded out of the used absorbent article through the liquid permeable surface material, so it is possible to easily separate and recover the saccharified solution from the used absorbent article while maintaining the outer shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA, Koichi YAMAKI, Noritomo KAMEDA
  • Publication number: 20190186074
    Abstract: A method is provided for recovering pulp fibers having little damage from a used absorbent article which includes a water permeable front sheet, a water impermeable back sheet and an absorbent body that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. At least one opening with a circle equivalent diameter of 5-45 mm, or 10-45 mm cut, is made in the front sheet and/or the back sheet of the used absorbent article, which is then agitated in an organic acid aqueous solution with a pH of less than or equal to 2.5, and the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated and the pulp fibers and superabsorbent polymer are discharged from the used absorbent article through the opening or cut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA, Koichi YAMAKI, Noritomo KAMEDA