Patents by Inventor Osamu Okamoto
Osamu Okamoto 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).
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Publication number: 20210296023Abstract: A cable including a plurality of internal insulated cores, each of which is formed by covering a conductor including a twisted wire with an insulator. The insulators have a tensile elastic modulus higher than that of a vinyl chloride resin for an electric wire and has a friction coefficient lower than that of the vinyl chloride resin for an electric wire. The cable may be a cab tire cable or a cab tire cord of a home appliance, a standard charger, or an on-board charger, for example, and is able to withstand long use without buckling breakage of the conductors.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2017Publication date: September 23, 2021Applicant: SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD.Inventors: Toshirou NAKAO, Kenta FURUJOU, Atsushi IKEDA, Junichirou TSUJI, Nobuyuki ISAMOTO, Yuuta INOUE, Osamu OKAMOTO, Kenta KOBAYASHI
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Patent number: 10046344Abstract: A composite structure formation method includes the steps of storing a plurality of pre-formed controlled particles in a storage mechanism, supplying the controlled particles from the storage mechanism to an aerosolation mechanism constantly, disaggregating the supplied controlled particles into a plurality of the fine particles in the aerosolation mechanism to form an aerosol in which an entire contents of the controlled particles including the fine particles are dispersed in the gas; and spraying all of the fine particles in the aerosol toward the substrate to form a composite structure of the structure and the substrate. The controlled particles are controlled so that bonding strength between the fine particles includes a mean compressive fracture strength sufficient to substantially avoid disaggregation during the supply step, but which permits the controlled particles to be substantially completely disaggregated in the disaggregation step.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2017Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Hironori Hatono, Masahiro Mizukane, Osamu Okamoto
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Patent number: 10044049Abstract: To provide SOFC and method for manufacturing same, capable of preventing breakage of fuel cell electrodes, and of securing an electrical connection between fuel cells and a current collector. SOFC 1 comprising a cell array composed of fuel cells 16, and current collector 82 connected to electrodes formed on fuel cells 16, wherein current collector 82 is a metal plate on which attaching holes 84 are formed; elastic pieces 84a are provided on each attaching hole 84; current collector 82 is attached to the cell array using elastic pieces 84a, by the insertion of fuel cell 16 into attaching holes 84; and elastic pieces 84a are affixed to fuel cells 16 by electrode protective layer 152 so that the positions of elastic pieces 84a are not displaced relative to the electrodes on fuel cells 16.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Shuhei Tanaka, Naoki Watanabe, Nobuo Isaka, Masaki Sato, Takuya Hoshiko, Osamu Okamoto, Shigeru Ando, Seiki Furuya, Yutaka Momiyama, Yasuo Kakinuma, Kiyoshi Hayama
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Patent number: 10003088Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell stack includes a support, a plurality of power generation elements provided on a surface of the support, the plurality of power generation elements connected in series, each including at least a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte, and an air electrode stacked in that order, and an interconnector that electrically connects an air electrode in one of adjacent power generation elements to a fuel electrode in the other power generation element. A solid electrolyte in adjacent one power generation element is provided between a fuel electrode in the adjacent one power generation element and the fuel electrode in the adjacent other power generation element, and an insulating member is provided at a position that is on the solid electrolyte in the adjacent one power generation element and between the air electrode in the adjacent one power generation element and the solid electrolyte therein.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Yasuo Kakinuma, Osamu Okamoto, Shigeru Ando, Hironobu Murakami, Seiki Furuya, Yutaka Momiyama, Kiyoshi Hayama, Naoki Watanabe, Shuhei Tanaka, Nobuo Isaka, Takuya Hoshiko, Masaki Sato
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Patent number: 9871265Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing SOFC, capable of preventing breakage of fuel cell electrodes, and of securing an electrical connection between fuel cells and a current collector. Step for forming electrode protective layers 152 on electrodes formed on fuel cells 16, modularization step for forming a cell array, and attaching step for attaching a current collector 82 to the cell array, wherein current collector 82 is a metal plate on which attaching holes 84 are formed for the insertion of fuel cells 16, elastic pieces 84a are formed at each attaching hole 84, fuel cells 16 are inserted into attaching holes 84, and current collector 82 is attached to the cell array by the elastic force; and protective layer 152 is constituted to prevent damage to electrodes caused by contact with elastic pieces.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2015Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Shuhei Tanaka, Naoki Watanabe, Nobuo Isaka, Masaki Sato, Takuya Hoshiko, Yutaka Momiyama, Shigeru Ando, Osamu Okamoto, Kiyoshi Hayama, Seiki Furuya, Yasuo Kakinuma
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Patent number: 9755249Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell stack includes a support, a plurality of power generation elements connected in series, each including a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte, and an air electrode stacked in that order on the support, and an interconnector electrically connecting an air electrode in one of the two adjacent power generation elements to a fuel electrode in the other power generation element. A solid electrolyte for one of the power generation elements is provided on the downside of the interconnector provided on the downside of the air electrode in the one power generation element so that the solid electrolyte is joined to the interconnector, and a solid electrolyte for the other power generation element is provided on the upper side of the interconnector provided on the upper side of the fuel electrode for the other power generation element so that the solid electrolyte is joined to the interconnector.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Yasuo Kakinuma, Osamu Okamoto, Shigeru Ando, Hironobu Murakami, Seiki Furuya, Yutaka Momiyama, Kiyoshi Hayama, Naoki Watanabe, Shuhei Tanaka, Nobuo Isaka, Takuya Hoshiko, Masaki Sato
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Publication number: 20170113235Abstract: A composite structure formation method includes the steps of storing a plurality of pre-formed controlled particles in a storage mechanism, supplying the controlled particles from the storage mechanism to an aerosolation mechanism constantly, disaggregating the supplied controlled particles into a plurality of the fine particles in the aerosolation mechanism to form an aerosol in which an entire contents of the controlled particles including the fine particles are dispersed in the gas; and spraying all of the fine particles in the aerosol toward the substrate to form a composite structure of the structure and the substrate. The controlled particles are controlled so that bonding strength between the fine particles includes a mean compressive fracture strength sufficient to substantially avoid disaggregation during the supply step, but which permits the controlled particles to be substantially completely disaggregated in the disaggregation step.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2017Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Hironori HATONO, Masahiro MIZUKANE, Osamu OKAMOTO
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Patent number: 9583773Abstract: Provided is a solid oxide fuel cell unit comprising an insulating support, and a power generation element comprising, at least, a fuel electrode, an electrolyte and an air electrode, which are sequentially laminated one another, the power generation element being provided on the insulating support, wherein an exposed insulating support portion, an exposed fuel electrode portion, and an exposed electrolyte portion are provided in an fuel electrode cell end portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2014Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Shigeru Ando, Naoki Watanabe, Takuya Hoshiko, Shuhei Tanaka, Masaki Sato, Nobuo Isaka, Yutaka Momiyama, Seiki Furuya, Kiyoshi Hayama, Yasuo Kakinuma, Osamu Okamoto
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Patent number: 9573149Abstract: A composite structure formation method includes the steps of storing a plurality of pre-formed controlled particles in a storage mechanism, supplying the controlled particles from the storage mechanism to an aerosolation mechanism constantly, disaggregating the supplied controlled particles into a plurality of the fine particles in the aerosolation mechanism to form an aerosol in which an entire contents of the controlled particles including the fine particles are dispersed in the gas; and spraying all of the fine particles in the aerosol toward the substrate to form a composite structure of the structure and the substrate. The controlled particles are controlled so that bonding strength between the fine particles includes a mean compressive fracture strength sufficient to substantially avoid disaggregation during the supply step, but which permits the controlled particles to be substantially completely disaggregated in the disaggregation step.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2016Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Hironori Hatono, Masahiro Mizukane, Osamu Okamoto
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Publication number: 20170012312Abstract: The solid oxide fuel cell apparatus of the present invention comprises: multiple fuel cells mutually electrically connected to each other; an outside cylindrical member for housing the multiple fuel cells; an oxidant gas supply flow path for supplying oxidant gas to the fuel cells; a fuel gas supply flow path for supplying fuel gas to the fuel cells; a reforming portion for producing fuel gas by reforming raw fuel gas using steam; an evaporating portion for producing steam supplied to the reforming portion; and a fuel gas supply pipe for supplying water evaporated by the evaporating portion; wherein the evaporating portion comprises a sloped plate for dispersing water supplied from the fuel gas supply pipe over the entire evaporating portion using capillary action.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2015Publication date: January 12, 2017Inventors: Naoki WATANABE, Nobuo ISAKA, Masaki SATO, Shuhei TANAKA, Shigeru ANDO, Osamu OKAMOTO, Yasuo KAKINUMA, Kiyoshi HAYAMA, Seiki FURUYA, Yutaka MOMIYAMA
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Patent number: 9543608Abstract: The present invention provides a novel manufacturing method for a solid oxide fuel cell apparatus in which members of the apparatus are joined together with an adhesive, such as a ceramic adhesive. The method implements first and second types of drying and hardening steps. The first type of step may be called a workable hardening step and gives an assembly of members in the solid oxide fuel cell apparatus structural rigidity to go through assembling of the solid oxide fuel cell apparatus. The second type of step may be called a solvent elimination and hardening step and gives the assembled members property to withstand the operation temperature of the solid fuel oxide cell apparatus. The first type of step is performed at a first temperature lower than a second temperature at which the second type of step is performed. The second type of step is performed only after the first type of step is performed at multiple times.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2014Date of Patent: January 10, 2017Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Nobuo Isaka, Naoki Watanabe, Shuhei Tanaka, Takuya Hoshiko, Masaki Sato, Osamu Okamoto, Shigeru Ando, Seiki Furuya, Yutaka Momiyama, Kiyoshi Hayama
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Patent number: 9517552Abstract: A filter remover removes a cylindrical filter element housed in a housing through an opening provided in the housing. The filter remover includes: an attachment portion provided with a screw to be screwed onto the opening; an insert portion that includes a base end integrated with the attachment portion and a tip end in a form of a free end, that is elastically deformable in a radial direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the filter element in conjunction with a movement in the axial direction caused when the attachment portion is screwed, and that is inserted through the opening into a center hole provided in the filter element as the attachment portion is screwed; and an engaging portion that is provided at the tip end and that is engaged with the filter element after the attachment portion is moved for a predetermined amount when the attachment portion is screwed.Type: GrantFiled: December 25, 2013Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.Inventors: Minato Tomuro, Shinya Furuhata, Shouhei Nagasaka, Kozo Okuda, Osamu Okamoto, Yukinori Maeda
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Patent number: 9478811Abstract: Provided is a solid oxide fuel cell which includes a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte, and an air electrode, each being sequentially laminated on the surface of a porous support. The porous support comprises forsterite and a nickel element. Ni and/or NiO fine particles are exposed on a surface of a sintered compact of the forsterite constituting the porous support.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Shigeru Ando, Osamu Okamoto, Kiyoshi Hayama, Seiki Furuya, Yutaka Momiyama, Nobuo Isaka, Masaki Sato, Shuhei Tanaka, Takuya Hoshiko, Naoki Watanabe, Yasuo Kakinuma
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Publication number: 20160303593Abstract: A composite structure formation method includes the steps of storing a plurality of pre-formed controlled particles in a storage mechanism, supplying the controlled particles from the storage mechanism to an aerosolation mechanism constantly, disaggregating the supplied controlled particles into a plurality of the fine particles in the aerosolation mechanism to form an aerosol in which an entire contents of the controlled particles including the fine particles are dispersed in the gas; and spraying all of the fine particles in the aerosol toward the substrate to form a composite structure of the structure and the substrate. The controlled particles are controlled so that bonding strength between the fine particles includes a mean compressive fracture strength sufficient to substantially avoid disaggregation during the supply step, but which permits the controlled particles to be substantially completely disaggregated in the disaggregation step.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2016Publication date: October 20, 2016Inventors: Hironori HATONO, Masahiro MIZUKANE, Osamu OKAMOTO
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Patent number: 9461327Abstract: Disclosed is a solid oxide fuel cell which includes an inner electrode, a solid electrolyte, and an outer electrode, each being sequentially laminated on the surface of a porous support. The porous support contains forsterite, and further has a strontium element concentration of 0.02 mass % to 1 mass % both inclusive in terms of SrO based on the mass of the forsterite.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2014Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: TOTO LTD.Inventors: Shigeru Ando, Osamu Okamoto, Kiyoshi Hayama, Seiki Furuya, Yutaka Momiyama, Nobuo Isaka, Masaki Sato, Shuhei Tanaka, Takuya Hoshiko, Naoki Watanabe, Yasuo Kakinuma
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Patent number: 9404186Abstract: A plurality of pre-formed controlled particles for use in an aerosol deposition method by which an aerosol with brittle material fine particles dispersed in a gas is sprayed toward a substrate to form a structure made of the brittle material fine particles. Each of the controlled particles includes an assembly packed with a plurality of fine particles which are not chemically bonded together, which include the brittle material fine particles, and have a mean primary particle diameter of 0.1 ?m or more and 5 ?m or less. The controlled particles have a mean circle-equivalent diameter of 20 ?m or more.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2012Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: Toto Ltd.Inventors: Hironori Hatono, Masahiro Mizukane, Osamu Okamoto
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Publication number: 20160133977Abstract: To provide a solid oxide fuel cell with improved durability while obtaining sufficient electricity generating performance. The present invention is a method for manufacturing solid oxide fuel cells (16) in which electricity generating elements (16a) are connected by an interconnector (102), including: a support body forming step (S1); surface deposition steps (S4, S9) for forming in sequence a first and second functional layer on a porous support body; an outermost layer deposition step (S13) for forming an outermost functional layer (101) in which slurry in liquid droplet form is continuously jetted to form dots, and an outermost functional layer is formed by the agglomeration of dots to be thicker than a first functional layer (98); and a sintering step (S14) for sintering functional layers; wherein in the outermost functional layer, traces of agglomerated dots remain and ring-shaped cracks surrounding each dot trace are formed by the sintering process.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Inventors: Seiki FURUYA, Shigeru ANDO, Yutaka MOMIYAMA, Kiyoshi HAYAMA, Osamu OKAMOTO, Naoki WATANABE, Nobuo ISAKA, Masaki SATO, Yasuo KAKINUMA, Shuhei TANAKA, Hironobu MURAKAMI, Takuya HOSHIKO
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Publication number: 20160133980Abstract: To provide a method of manufacturing a solid oxide fuel cell, capable of obtaining a uniform film thickness. The present invention is a method of manufacturing fuel cells (16), including a support body-forming step (S1) for forming a porous support body (97), a film deposition step for laminating functional layers constituting electricity generating elements on a support body; and a sintering step (S14, S16) for sintering the support body on which functional layers are formed; whereby the film deposition step includes surface deposition steps (S5, S11), in which a masking layer is formed in parts not requiring film deposition, and electricity generating elements first functional layers are simultaneously formed, and a dot deposition step (S15), in which slurry dots are formed by placing a slurry into a liquid droplet state and jetting it, and a second functional layer is formed by the agglomeration of these dots.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 10, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Inventors: Seiki FURUYA, Shigeru ANDO, Yutaka MOMIYAMA, Kiyoshi HAYAMA, Osamu OKAMOTO, Naoki WATANABE, Nobuo ISAKA, Masaki SATO, Yasuo KAKINUMA, Shuhei TANAKA, Hironobu MURAKAMI, Takuya HOSHIKO, Masaru KUBOTA, Shinji SHINOHARA
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Publication number: 20160093909Abstract: There is provided a solid oxide fuel cell stack including an interconnector that has excellent electrical conductivity, gas sealing property, and adhesion to a solid electrolyte. The solid oxide fuel cell stack includes a plurality of power generation elements, each of which including at least a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte, and an air electrode stacked in that order; and an interconnector that electrically connects the air electrode in one of adjacent power generation elements in the plurality of the power generation elements to the fuel electrode in the other power generation element, the plurality of power generation elements being connected in series to each other, wherein an intermediate layer having a porosity of not more than 1% and an electrical conductivity of not less than 0.05 S/cm is provided between the interconnector and the fuel electrode in the other power generation element.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2015Publication date: March 31, 2016Inventors: Yasuo KAKINUMA, Osamu OKAMOTO, Shigeru ANDO, Hironobu MURAKAMI, Seiki FURUYA, Yutaka MOMIYAMA, Kiyoshi HAYAMA, Naoki WATANABE, Shuhei TANAKA, Nobuo ISAKA, Takuya HOSHIKO, Masaki SATO
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Publication number: 20160093910Abstract: There is provided a solid oxide fuel cell stack including a ceramic interconnector that has good electrical conductivity and oxide ion insulating property, that is, power generation efficiency. The solid oxide fuel cell stack includes at least: a plurality of power generation elements, each of which including a fuel electrode, a solid electrolyte, and an air electrode stacked in that order; and an interconnector that electrically connects the air electrode in one of adjacent power generation elements in the plurality of power generation elements to the fuel electrode in the other power generation element, the plurality of power generation elements being connected in series, wherein the interconnector is formed of formula (1): SraLabTi1-c-dNbcFedO3-???formula (1) wherein a, b, c, and d are a positive real number that satisfies 0.1?a?0.8, 0.1?b?0.8, 0.05?c?0.2, and 0.2?d?0.5.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2015Publication date: March 31, 2016Inventors: Yasuo KAKINUMA, Osamu OKAMOTO, Shigeru ANDO, Hironobu MURAKAMI, Seiki FURUYA, Yutaka MOMIYAMA, Kiyoshi HAYAMA, Naoki WATANABE, Shuhei TANAKA, Nobuo ISAKA, Takuya HOSHIKO, Masaki SATO