Patents by Inventor Noritsugu Sakuma

Noritsugu Sakuma 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: 20240153680
    Abstract: Provided is a rare-earth anisotropic magnet powder capable of achieving high magnetic properties while reducing the usage of Nd and Pr. The present invention provides a rare-earth anisotropic magnet powder comprising magnetic particles that contain rare-earth elements, boron, and a transition metal element. The rare-earth elements include a first rare-earth element that comprises Ce and/or La and a second rare-earth element that comprises Nd and/or Pr. The rare-earth elements have a first ratio (R1/Rt) of 5% to 57%. The first ratio (R1/Rt) is a ratio of an amount (R1) of the first rare-earth element to a total amount (Rt) of the rare-earth elements in terms of the number of atoms. The first rare-earth element has a La ratio (La/R1) of 0% to 35%. The La ratio (La/R1) is a ratio of an amount of La to the amount (R1) of the first rare-earth element in terms of the number of atoms. The magnetic particles have a Ga content of 0.35 at % or less with respect to 100 at % as a whole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Applicants: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo SHIMBO, Masao YAMAZAKI, Noritsugu SAKUMA, Akihito KINOSHITA, Akira KATO, Tetsuya SHOJI
  • Patent number: 11935676
    Abstract: An Sm—Fe—N-based magnetic material according to the present disclosure includes a main phase having a predetermined crystal structure. The main phase has a composition represented by a molar ratio formula (Sm(1-x-y-z)LaxCeyR1z)2(Fe(1-p-q-s)CopNiqMs)17Nh (where, R1 is a predetermined rare earth element, M is a predetermined element, and 0?x+y<0.04, 0?z?0.10, 0<p+q?0.10, 0?s?0.10, and 2.9?h?3.1 are satisfied). A lattice volume of the main phase is 0.830 nm3 to 0.840 nm3, and a density of the main phase is 7.70 g/cm3 to 8.00 g/cm3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Ichigozaki, Tetsuya Shoji, Noritsugu Sakuma, Akihito Kinoshita, Masaaki Ito
  • Patent number: 11869690
    Abstract: A rare earth magnet in which the amount used of a heavy rare earth element is more reduced while maintaining enhancement of the coercive force, and a producing method thereof are provided. The rare earth magnet of the present disclosure has a main phase 10 and a grain boundary phase 20. The main phase 10 has a composition represented by R12T14B. The main phase 10 has a core part 12 and a shell part 14. Denoting the abundances of R2 and Ce (R2 is heavy rare earth element) occupying 4f site of the shell part 14 as R24f and Ce4f, respectively, and denoting the abundances of R2 and Ce occupying 4g site of the shell part 14 as R24g and Ce4g, respectively, the rare earth magnet satisfies 0.44?R24g/(R24f+R24g)?0.70 and 0.04?(Ce4f+Ce4g)/(R24f+R24g). The rare earth magnet-producing method of the present disclosure uses a modifier containing at least R2 and Ce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noritsugu Sakuma, Tetsuya Shoji, Akihito Kinoshita, Akira Kato
  • Publication number: 20230317327
    Abstract: A production method of a Sm—Fe—N-based rare earth magnet, enabling to stably impart sufficient anisotropy, is provided. The present disclosure provides a production method of a rare earth magnet, including preparing a raw material powder containing a magnetic powder (SmFeN powder 10) having a magnetic phase which contains Sm, Fe and N and at least partially has a crystal structure of at least either Th2Zn17 type or Th2Ni17 type, and pressure-sintering the raw material powder. In this production method, magnetic orientation is imparted to the raw material powder by applying a magnetic field before the pressure sintering, and the application of magnetic field is continued to maintain the magnetic orientation at least until the middle of the pressure sintering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki ITO, Noritsugu SAKUMA, Akihito KINOSHITA, Reimi TABUCHI, Tomonori INUZUKA, Kunihiro MATSUYAMA, Masashi HARADA
  • Patent number: 11721479
    Abstract: A rare earth magnet including a magnetic phase having the composition represented by (Nd(1?x?y)LaxCey)2(Fe(1?z)Coz)14B. When the saturation magnetization at absolute zero and the Curie temperature calculated by Kuzmin's formula based on the measured values at finite temperature and the saturation magnetization at absolute zero and the Curie temperature calculated by first principles calculation are respectively subjected to data assimilation. The saturation magnetization M(x, y, z, T=0) at absolute zero and the Curie temperature obtained by machine learning using the assimilated data group are applied again to Kuzmin's formula and the saturation magnetization at finite temperature is represented by a function M(x, y, z, T), x, y, and z of the formula in an atomic ratio are in a range of satisfying M(x, y, z, T)>M(x, y, z=0, T) and 400?T?453.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Kazuya Yokota, Tetsuya Syoji, Noritsugu Sakuma, Takashi Miyake, Yosuke Harashima, Hisazumi Akai, Naoki Kawashima, Keiichi Tamai, Munehisa Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 11664140
    Abstract: A rare earth magnet includes a main phase and a particle boundary phase and in which an overall composition is represented by a formula, (R2(1-x)R1x)yFe(100-y-w-z-v)CowBzM1v.(R3(1-p)M2p)q.(R4(1-s)M3s)t, where R1 is a light rare earth element, R2 and R3 are a medium rare earth element, R4 is a heavy rare earth element, M1, M2, M3 are a predetermined metal element. The main phase includes a core portion, a first shell portion, and a second shell portion. The content proportion of medium rare earth element is higher in the first shell portion than in the core portion, the content proportion of medium rare earth element is lower in the second shell portion than in the first shell portion. The second shell portion contains heavy rare earth elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noritsugu Sakuma, Tetsuya Shoji, Akihito Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11522420
    Abstract: A method of producing a motor core includes preparing a soft magnetic plate containing a transition metal element, preparing a modifying member containing an alloy having a melting point lower than a melting point of the soft magnetic plate, bringing the modifying member into contact with a part of a plate surface of the soft magnetic plate, causing the modifying member to diffuse and penetrate into the soft magnetic plate from a contact surface between the soft magnetic plate and the modifying member and forming a hard magnetic phase-containing part in a part of the soft magnetic plate, and laminating a plurality of soft magnetic plates on each other after the modifying member is brought into contact with the part of the plate surface of the soft magnetic plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Kinoshita, Noritsugu Sakuma, Tetsuya Shoji, Kosuke Yonekawa
  • Patent number: 11476020
    Abstract: To provide a rare earth magnet having excellent coercive force and a production method thereof. A rare earth magnet, wherein the rare earth magnet comprises a magnetic phase containing Sm, Fe, and N, a Zn phase present around the magnetic phase, and an intermediate phase present between the magnetic phase and the Zn phase, wherein the intermediate phase contains Zn and the oxygen content of the intermediate phase is higher than the oxygen content of the Zn phase; and a method for producing a rare earth magnet, including mixing a magnetic raw material powder having an oxygen content of 1.0 mass % or less and an improving agent powder containing metallic Zn and/or a Zn alloy, and heat-treating the mixed powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Noritsugu Sakuma, Tetsuya Shoji, Kazuaki Haga, Satoshi Sugimoto, Masashi Matsuura
  • Publication number: 20220301753
    Abstract: A rare earth magnet in which the amount used of a heavy rare earth element is more reduced while maintaining enhancement of the coercive force, and a producing method thereof are provided. The rare earth magnet of the present disclosure has a main phase 10 and a grain boundary phase 20. The main phase 10 has a composition represented by R12T14B. The main phase 10 has a core part 12 and a shell part 14. Denoting the abundances of R2 and Ce (R2 is heavy rare earth element) occupying 4f site of the shell part 14 as R24f and Ce4f, respectively, and denoting the abundances of R2 and Ce occupying 4g site of the shell part 14 as R24g and Ce4g, respectively, the rare earth magnet satisfies 0.44?R24g/(R24f+R24g)?0.70 and 0.04?(Ce4f+Ce4g)/(R24f+R24g). The rare earth magnet-producing method of the present disclosure uses a modifier containing at least R2 and Ce.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noritsugu SAKUMA, Tetsuya SHOJI, Akihito KINOSHITA, Akira KATO
  • Publication number: 20220246336
    Abstract: There is provided a manufacturing method for a rare earth magnet, including forming a zinc-containing coating film on a surface of a particle of a samarium-iron-nitrogen-based magnetic powder to obtain a coated powder, subjecting the coated powder to compression molding to obtain a compacted powder body, and subjecting the compacted powder body to pressure sintering, in which a coating rate of the coating film with respect to an entire surface of the particle of the coated powder is 96% or more, and the formation of the coating film and the pressure sintering of the compacted powder body is carried out in a vacuum or an inert gas atmosphere, and the compression molding of the coated powder is carried out in the atmospheric air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke ICHIGOZAKI, Noritsugu SAKUMA, Akihito KINOSHITA, Masaaki ITO
  • Publication number: 20220199321
    Abstract: A rare-earth magnet and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The method includes: preparing Sm-Fe-N magnetic powder; preparing reforming material powder containing metallic zinc; mixing the magnetic powder and the reforming material powder to obtain mixed powder; subjecting the mixed powder to compression molding in a magnetic field to obtain a magnetic-field molded body; subjecting the magnetic-field molded body to pressure sintering to obtain a sintered body; and subjecting the sintered body to heat treatment. A content proportion of the metallic zinc in the reforming material powder is 10 to 30% by mass with respect to the mixed powder. When a temperature and time in conditions for the heat treatment are defined as x° C. and y hours, respectively, the formulas y??0.32x+136 and 350?x?410 are met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaaki ITO, Daisuke ICHIGOZAKI, Noritsugu SAKUMA, Akihito KINOSHITA, Michiya KUME, Hisashi MAEHARA
  • Publication number: 20220139601
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a rare earth magnet having a main phase and a grain boundary phase and a manufacturing method therefor. In the rare earth magnet of the present disclosure, the overall composition is represented by a formula (R1(1-x-y)LaxCey)u(Fe(1-z)Coz)(100-u-w-v)BwM1v. (R1 is a predetermined rare earth element, M1 is a predetermined element, and the followings are satisfied, 0.05?x?0.25, 0.5?y/(x+y)?0.50, 13.5?u?20.0, 0?z?0.100, 5.0?w?10.0, and 0?v?2.00). The main phase has an R2Fe14B-type crystal structure, and the average grain size and the volume fraction of the main phase are respectively 1.0 ?m to 20.0 ?m and 80.0% to 90.0%. The main phase and the grain boundary phase satisfy, (the existence proportion of La in the grain boundary phase)/(the existence proportion of La in the main phase)>1.30.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noritsugu SAKUMA, Tetsuya SHOJI, Akihito KINOSHITA, Katsunori DANNO, Daisuke ICHIGOZAKI, Masaaki ITO, Reimi SAKAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20220130580
    Abstract: To provide an R—Fe—B-based rare earth magnet excellent in the squareness and magnetic properties at high temperatures, and method for producing thereof. The present disclosure relates to a rare earth magnet including a main phase 10 and a grain boundary phase 20 present around the main phase 10, and a method for producing thereof. In the rare earth magnet of the present disclosure, the overall composition is represented, in terms of molar ratio, by the formula: (R1(1-x)Lax)y(Fe(1-z)Coz)(100-y-w-v)BwM1v, wherein R1 is a predetermined rare earth element, M1 is a predetermined element, 0?x?0.1, 12.0?y?20.0, 0.1?z?0.3, 5.0?w?20.0, and 0?v?2.0. The main phase 10 has an R2Fe14B-type crystal structure, the average particle diameter of the main phase 10 is less than 1 ?m, and the volume ratio of a phase having an RFe2-type crystal structure in the grain boundary phase 20 is 0.40 or less relative to the grain boundary phase 20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noritsugu SAKUMA, Tetsuya SHOJI, Akihito KINOSHITA, Akira KATO
  • Publication number: 20220102033
    Abstract: A magnetic material according to the present disclosure includes a main phase having an R2T14B type crystal structure (R is a rare earth element and T is a transition metal element). The main phase has a composition represented by ((Nd, Pr)(1-x-y)LaxR1y))2((Fe(1-z-w)(Co, Ni)zMw))14B (where, R1 is a rare earth element other than Nd, Pr, and La, M is an element other than Fe, Co, Ni, and a rare earth element, and the like, and 0.25?x?1.00, 0?y?0.10, 0.15?z?0.40, and 0?w?0.1 are satisfied). A manufacturing method of the magnetic material according to the present disclosure includes melting a raw material containing the elements constituting the main phase and solidifying the melted raw material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: NORITSUGU SAKUMA, Tetsuya SHOJI, Akihito KINOSHITA, Akira KATO
  • Publication number: 20220093298
    Abstract: An Sm—Fe—N-based magnetic material according to the present disclosure includes a main phase having a predetermined crystal structure. The main phase has a composition represented by a molar ratio formula (Sm(1-x-y-z)LaxCeyR1z)2(Fe(1-p-q-s)CopNiqMs)17Nh (where, R1 is a predetermined rare earth element, M is a predetermined element, and 0?x+y<0.04, 0?z?0.10, 0<p+q?0.10, 0?s?0.10, and 2.9?h?3.1 are satisfied). A lattice volume of the main phase is 0.830 nm3 to 0.840 nm3, and a density of the main phase is 7.70 g/cm3 to 8.00 g/cm3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Ichigozaki, Tetsuya Shoji, Noritsugu Sakuma, Akihito Kinoshita, Masaaki Ito
  • Publication number: 20220093297
    Abstract: An Sm-Fe-N-based magnetic material according to the present disclosure includes a main phase having a predetermined crystal structure. The main phase has a composition represented by (Sm(1-x-y-z)LaxCeyR1z)2(Fe(1-p-q-s)CopNiqMs)17Nh (where, R1 is predetermined rare earth elements and the like, M is predetermined elements and the like, and 0.04?x+y?0.50, 0?z?0.10, 0?p+q?0.10, 0?s?0.10, and 2.9?h?3.1 are satisfied). A crystal volume of the main phase is 0.833 nm3 to 0.840 nm3. A manufacturing method of the Sm-Fe-N-based magnetic material according to the present disclosure includes nitriding a magnetic material precursor including a crystal phase having a composition represented by (Sm(1-x-y-z)LaxCeyR1z)2(Fe(1-p-q-s)CopNiqMs)17.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke ICHIGOZAKI, Tetsuya SHOJI, Noritsugu SAKUMA, Akihito KINOSHITA, Masaaki ITO
  • Publication number: 20210375515
    Abstract: To provide an R—Fe—B-based rare earth magnet excellent in the squareness and magnetic properties at high temperatures, and a production method thereof. The present disclosure provides a rare earth magnet including a main phase 10 and a grain boundary phase 20 present. The overall composition of the rare earth magnet of the present disclosure is represented, in terms of molar ratio, by the formula: (R1(1-x)Lax)y(Fe(1-z)Coz)(100-y-w-v)BwM1v, wherein R1 is one or more predetermined rare earth elements, and M1 is one or more predetermined elements, and wherein 0.02?x?0.1, 12.0?y?20.0, 0.1?z?0.3, 5.0?w?20.0, and 0?v?2.0. The main phase 10 has an R2Fe14B-type crystal structure, the average particle diameter of the main phase 10 is from 1 to 10 ?m, and the volume ratio of a phase having an RFe2-type crystal structure in the grain boundary phase 20 is 0.60 or less relative to the grain boundary phase 20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noritsugu SAKUMA, Tetsuya SHOJI, Yukio TAKADA
  • Publication number: 20210327620
    Abstract: A rare earth magnet includes a main phase and a particle boundary phase and in which an overall composition is represented by a formula, (R2(1-x)R1x)yFe(100-y-w-z-v)CowBzM1v.(R3(1-p)M2p)q.(R4(1-s)M3s)t, where R1 is a light rare earth element, R2 and R3 are a medium rare earth element, R4 is a heavy rare earth element, M1, M2, M3 are a predetermined metal element. The main phase includes a core portion, a first shell portion, and a second shell portion. The content proportion of medium rare earth element is higher in the first shell portion than in the core portion, the content proportion of medium rare earth element is lower in the second shell portion than in the first shell portion. The second shell portion contains heavy rare earth elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noritsugu SAKUMA, Tetsuya SHOJI, Akihito KINOSHITA
  • Publication number: 20210272751
    Abstract: The production method of a rare earth magnet of the present disclosure includes a coated magnetic powder preparation step, a mixed powder preparation step, and a pressure sintering step. In the coated magnetic preparation step, a zinc-containing coating 12 is formed on the particle surface of a samarium-iron-nitrogen-based magnetic powder to obtain a coated magnetic powder 14. In the mixed powder preparation step, a binder powder 20 having a melting point not higher than the melting point of the coating 12 and the coated magnetic powder 14 are mixed to obtain a mixed powder. In the pressure sintering step, denoting as T1° C. the temperature at which the peak disappears in an X-ray diffraction pattern of the binder powder 20 and as T2° C. the temperature at which the magnetic phase in the samarium-iron-nitrogen-based magnetic powder 10 decomposes, the mixed powder is pressure-sintered at T1° C. or more and (T2?50)° C. or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke ICHIGOZAKI, Tatsuhiko HIRANO, Noritsugu SAKUMA, Akihito KINOSHITA, Masaaki ITO
  • Patent number: 11087922
    Abstract: A method for producing a rare earth magnet, including preparing a melt of a first alloy having a composition represented by (R1vR2wR3x)yTzBsM1t (wherein R1 is a light rare earth element, R2 is an intermediate rare earth element, R3 is a heavy rare earth element, T is an iron group element, and M1 is an impurity element, etc.), cooling the melt of the first alloy at a rate of from 100 to 102 K/sec to obtain a first alloy ingot, pulverizing the first alloy ingot to obtain a first alloy powder having a particle diameter of 1 to 20 ?m, preparing a melt of a second alloy having a composition represented by (R4pR5q)100-uM2u (wherein R4 is a light rare earth element, R5 is an intermediate or heavy rare earth element, M2 is an alloy element, etc.), and putting the first alloy powder into contact with the melt of the second alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Ito, Noritsugu Sakuma, Masao Yano, Hidefumi Kishimoto, Tetsuya Shoji