Patents by Inventor Osamu Sakai

Osamu Sakai 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: 10712320
    Abstract: A flow channel structure includes a substrate including a supply flow channel that guides a measurement target liquid toward inside; a separation element accommodating unit that accommodates a separation element that separates components included in the measurement target liquid; and a detection unit that guides the measurement target liquid passing through the separation element accommodating unit, wherein measuring light for measuring information about the components is to be irradiated onto the measurement target liquid. The detection unit includes a measurement flow channel part that guides the measurement target liquid, an incident part that is provided at an end of the measurement flow channel part and that guides the measuring light toward inside the measurement flow channel part, and an emission part that is provided at the other end of the measurement flow channel part and that derives the measuring light from the measurement flow channel part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Sakai, Yoshihiro Taguchi, Kenichiro Sameshima, Yoshimune Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10629926
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes: an igniting portion configured to ignite a raw material when starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system; a raw material supply portion configured to supply the raw material; a reforming air supply portion configured to supply reforming air; and an electric power generation air supply portion configured to supply electric power generation air. When starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system, the raw material supply portion supplies the raw material, and the electric power generation air supply portion supplies the electric power generation air. The igniting portion ignites the raw material. After the ignition, the reforming air supply portion supplies the reforming air. With this, the safety can be increased in consideration of characteristics in respective phases from the start-up of the solid oxide fuel cell system until the electric power generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Sakai, Tatsuo Fujita, Kunihiro Ukai, Takashi Kakuwa, Taiichiro Sakamoto, Toshiharu Ooe
  • Publication number: 20200049198
    Abstract: The oil-impregnated sintered bearing of the present invention is an oil-impregnated sintered bearing having a Fe—Cu-based sintered body being impregnated with, a bearing hole being formed in the Fe—Cu-based sintered body and configured to be penetrated by and support a rotating shaft, in which an inner circumferential surface of the bearing hole includes a first region forming a central portion in a shaft direction, a second region from a first end portion of the first region to a first opening of the bearing hole, and a third region from a second end portion of the first region to a second opening of the bearing hole, and an area ratio of the Cu phase of the second region in a center along the shaft direction is 80% or more and 100% or less of an area ratio of the Cu phase of the third region in a center along the shaft direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: Diamet Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiki TAMURA, Hideo SAKAI, Osamu SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20190383283
    Abstract: An electrochemical hydrogen pump includes at least one hydrogen pump unit including an electrolyte membrane, an anode on one main surface of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode on the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane, an anode separator on the anode, and a cathode separator on the cathode, the at least one hydrogen pump unit transferring, to the cathode, hydrogen supplied to the anode and pressurizing the hydrogen, a first fixing member for preventing movement of the cathode separator in a direction in which the cathode separator is stacked, a first end plate on the anode separator at one end in the stacking direction, a second end plate on the cathode separator at the other end in the stacking direction, and a first gas flow channel through which hydrogen in the cathode is supplied to a first space between the second end plate and the cathode separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: KUNIHIRO UKAI, NORIHIKO KAWABATA, OSAMU SAKAI, HIDENOBU WAKITA, JIN ZHANG, YUKIMUNE KANI
  • Publication number: 20190368483
    Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes: an electrochemical hydrogen pump including a proton-conductive electrolyte membrane, an anode provided to a first and second main surfaces of the proton-conductive electrolyte membrane, respectively, an anode flow path and cathode flow path through which hydrogen flows, and a voltage applicator applying a voltage between the anode and cathode, pressurizing and sending hydrogen supplied to the anode to the cathode by applying a voltage by the voltage applicator, and supplying the pressurized hydrogen in the cathode flow path to a hydrogen reservoir; a humidity adjuster adjusting humidity of at least one of the anode and cathode flow paths; and a controller controlling the humidity adjuster to increase the humidity of at least one of the anode and cathode flow paths in supplying hydrogen with relative humidity of less than 100% to the anode flow path and driving the electrochemical hydrogen pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: HIDENOBU WAKITA, KUNIHIRO UKAI, OSAMU SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20190363386
    Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes: an electrochemical hydrogen pump including an electrolyte membrane, an anode and a cathode provided to a first and second main surfaces of the electrolyte membrane, respectively, an anode flow path and cathode flow path through which hydrogen flows, and a voltage applicator applying a voltage between the anode and cathode, pressurizing and sending hydrogen supplied to the anode via the anode flow path to the cathode by applying a voltage by the voltage applicator, and supplying the pressurized hydrogen in the cathode flow path to a hydrogen reservoir; a pressure adjuster adjusting a cathode flow path pressure; and a controller controlling the pressure adjuster and making the cathode flow path pressure higher than an anode flow path pressure before starting a hydrogen pressurization action for pressurizing and supplying hydrogen supplied to the anode flow path to the cathode flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: HIDENOBU WAKITA, KUNIHIRO UKAI, OSAMU SAKAI, YOICHIRO TSUJI
  • Publication number: 20190348683
    Abstract: In a flow path chip including a first plate, a second plate joined to the first plate, and a porous body disposed between the first plate and the second plate, the flow path chip having a flow path formed by the first plate and the second plate, wherein the flow path includes a storage portion storing the porous body, the storage portion is defined by a first surface formed by part of a surface of the first plate and a second surface formed by part of a surface of the second plate, at least part of the first surface and at least part of the second surface are each a surface of an easily-deformable layer, and the porous body is sandwiched between the first plate and the second plate in a state that at least part of the easily-deformable layer is deformed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Yoshimune SUZUKI, Osamu SAKAI, Setsuo ISHIBASHI, Shingo HIGUCHI, Yoshihiro TAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10320016
    Abstract: A high-temperature fuel cell system includes a fuel cell that includes an anode and a cathode and that generates power by using a fuel gas and an oxidant gas, a fuel-gas path along which the fuel gas flows, an oxidant-gas path along which the oxidant gas flows, an anode-off-gas path along which an anode off-gas flows, a cathode-off-gas path along which a cathode off-gas flows, a combustion space in communication with the anode-off-gas path and the cathode-off-gas path and in which the anode off-gas and the cathode off-gas are burned, a flue-gas path along which a flue gas flows, a cathode-off-gas branch portion disposed on the cathode-off-gas path between the combustion space and the cathode and at which some of the cathode off-gas is branched from the cathode-off-gas path, and a first heat exchanger that enables heat exchange between the oxidant gas, the flue gas, and the cathode off-gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Sakai, Kunihiro Ukai, Yasushi Kaneko, Shigenori Onuma, Takashi Kakuwa
  • Publication number: 20190173114
    Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes an electrochemical hydrogen pump which includes: an electrolyte membrane; an anode provided on a first surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode provided on a second surface of the electrolyte membrane opposite to the first surface; and a current adjuster adjusting a current amount flowing between the anode and the cathode, and which performs a hydrogen supply operation by allowing a current to flow between the anode and the cathode using the current adjuster so as to boost the pressure of hydrogen which is supplied to an anode side at a cathode side and to supply the pressure-boosted hydrogen to a hydrogen demander; and a dew point adjuster adjusting a dew point of a mixed gas in which a hydrogen-containing gas which is discharged from the anode side and a hydrogen-containing gas which is supplied from an outside are mixed together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: OSAMU SAKAI, KUNIHIRO UKAI, HIDENOBU WAKITA
  • Patent number: 10301179
    Abstract: An apparatus includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode catalyst layer provided to one main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer provided to the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the cathode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a separator including a recess through which cathode gas flows; an anode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the anode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a voltage applicator applying a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer; and a fastener fastening a laminated body. The cathode gas diffusion layer is accommodated in the recess, projects from the recess in a thickness direction before fastening of the laminated body, and includes an elastic member between side surfaces of the cathode gas diffusion layer and of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Sakai, Kunihiro Ukai, Hidenobu Wakita, Yukimune Kani, Yuuichi Yakumaru, Takashi Sotoku
  • Publication number: 20190088964
    Abstract: A hydrogen purifier includes an electrolyte membrane including a proton conductive polymer, an anode having an anode catalyst layer disposed on one side of the electrolyte membrane, a cathode having a cathode catalyst layer disposed on the other side of the electrolyte membrane, a separator which has a fluid channel and through which carbon monoxide, hydrogen and oxygen are supplied to the anode, and a power supply that energizes the anode and the cathode, the anode catalyst layer including Pt, the cathode catalyst layer including Pt and Ru.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Hidenobu WAKITA, Yasuhiko ITOH, Atsuo OKAICHI, Osamu SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20190009209
    Abstract: A hydrogen supply system includes: a controller; and an electrochemical hydrogen pump including: an electrolyte membrane; a pair of electrodes provided on two surfaces of the electrolyte membrane; and a current adjuster adjusting a current flowing between the electrodes, the electrochemical hydrogen pump performs a hydrogen supply operation supplying pressure-boosted hydrogen to a hydrogen demander by allowing a current to flow between the electrodes by the current adjuster; and when a cumulative hydrogen supply amount which is supplied to the hydrogen demander from start to completion of the hydrogen supply operation to the hydrogen demander from the electrochemical hydrogen pump is smaller than a cumulative hydrogen supply amount in another hydrogen supply operation, the controller controls the current adjuster so that the current flowing between the electrodes is decreased to be smaller than that in the another hydrogen supply operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: KUNIHIRO UKAI, OSAMU SAKAI, ATSUO OKAICHI
  • Publication number: 20180375126
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes: an igniting portion configured to ignite a raw material when starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system; a raw material supply portion configured to supply the raw material; a reforming air supply portion configured to supply reforming air; and an electric power generation air supply portion configured to supply electric power generation air. When starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system, the raw material supply portion supplies the raw material, and the electric power generation air supply portion supplies the electric power generation air. The igniting portion ignites the raw material. After the ignition, the reforming air supply portion supplies the reforming air. With this, the safety can be increased in consideration of characteristics in respective phases from the start-up of the solid oxide fuel cell system until the electric power generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Osamu SAKAI, Tatsuo FUJITA, Kunihiro UKAI, Takashi KAKUWA, Taiichiro SAKAMOTO, Toshiharu OOE
  • Patent number: 10096849
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell system includes: an igniting portion configured to ignite a raw material when starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system; a raw material supply portion configured to supply the raw material; a reforming air supply portion configured to supply reforming air; and an electric power generation air supply portion configured to supply electric power generation air. When starting up the solid oxide fuel cell system, the raw material supply portion supplies the raw material, and the electric power generation air supply portion supplies the electric power generation air. The igniting portion ignites the raw material. After the ignition, the reforming air supply portion supplies the reforming air. With this, the safety can be increased in consideration of characteristics in respective phases from the start-up of the solid oxide fuel cell system until the electric power generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Sakai, Tatsuo Fujita, Kunihiro Ukai, Takashi Kakuwa, Taiichiro Sakamoto, Toshiharu Ooe
  • Publication number: 20180224408
    Abstract: A flow channel structure includes a substrate including a supply flow channel that guides a measurement target liquid toward inside; a separation element accommodating unit that accommodates a separation element that separates components included in the measurement target liquid; and a detection unit that guides the measurement target liquid passing through the separation element accommodating unit, wherein measuring light for measuring information about the components is to be irradiated onto the measurement target liquid. The detection unit includes a measurement flow channel part that guides the measurement target liquid, an incident part that is provided at an end of the measurement flow channel part and that guides the measuring light toward inside the measurement flow channel part, and an emission part that is provided at the other end of the measurement flow channel part and that derives the measuring light from the measurement flow channel part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Inventors: Osamu SAKAI, Yoshihiro TAGUCHI, Kenichiro SAMESHIMA, Yoshimune SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 10014536
    Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a reformer generating a reformed gas using a raw material; a fuel cell generating electric power; a raw material supply passage; a hydro-desulfurizer operative to remove sulfur component in the raw material; a recycle passage through which the reformed gas is supplied to the raw material supply passage provided upstream of the hydro-desulfurizer; a temperature detector detecting a temperature of the hydro-desulfurizer; and a controller, wherein: when the temperature of the hydro-desulfurizer reaches a predetermined temperature, the controller increases a flow rate of the raw material from a predetermined flow rate by a flow rate corresponding to a flow rate of the recycled gas, and then, the controller starts supplying the recycled gas to the recycle passage; and after the recycled gas reaches an upstream end of the recycle passage, the controller returns the flow rate of the raw material to the predetermined flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignees: Panasonic Corporation, TOTO LTD.
    Inventors: Shigenori Onuma, Noboru Taniguchi, Yasushi Kaneko, Toru Sukawa, Osamu Sakai, Yuichi Mikami, Hiroshi Shirahama, Toshiharu Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20180155193
    Abstract: An apparatus includes: an electrolyte membrane; a cathode catalyst layer provided to one main surface of the electrolyte membrane; an anode catalyst layer provided to the other main surface of the electrolyte membrane; a cathode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the cathode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a separator including a recess through which cathode gas flows; an anode gas diffusion layer provided on a main surface of the anode catalyst layer not facing the electrolyte membrane; a voltage applicator applying a voltage between the cathode catalyst layer and the anode catalyst layer; and a fastener fastening a laminated body. The cathode gas diffusion layer is accommodated in the recess, projects from the recess in a thickness direction before fastening of the laminated body, and includes an elastic member between side surfaces of the cathode gas diffusion layer and of the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: OSAMU SAKAI, KUNIHIRO UKAI, HIDENOBU WAKITA, YUKIMUNE KANI, YUUICHI YAKUMARU, TAKASHI SOTOKU
  • Publication number: 20180111793
    Abstract: An exemplary building traffic analyzer for an elevator includes: a video camera arranged in an elevator car; a traffic analyzer unit for collecting traffic data of passengers through the video camera; and a data storage unit for storing the traffic data of passengers collected by the traffic analyzer unit. The traffic analyzer unit is configured to identify and track each passenger for collecting the traffic data of each passenger including a boarding floor with boarding time and a destination floor with exiting time. The building traffic analyzer is configured to be temporarily attachable in the elevator car, such as on the ceiling or proximity to the elevator control panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Miyajima, Atsushi Yamada, Hideyuki Honma, Kenichi Ohmura, Osamu Sakai
  • Publication number: 20170338505
    Abstract: A high-temperature fuel cell system includes a fuel cell that includes an anode and a cathode and that generates power by using a fuel gas and an oxidant gas, a fuel-gas path along which the fuel gas flows, an oxidant-gas path along which the oxidant gas flows, an anode-off-gas path along which an anode off-gas flows, a cathode-off-gas path along which a cathode off-gas flows, a combustion space in communication with the anode-off-gas path and the cathode-off-gas path and in which the anode off-gas and the cathode off-gas are burned, a flue-gas path along which a flue gas flows, a cathode-off-gas branch portion disposed on the cathode-off-gas path between the combustion space and the cathode and at which some of the cathode off-gas is branched from the cathode-off-gas path, and a first heat exchanger that enables heat exchange between the oxidant gas, the flue gas, and the cathode off-gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: OSAMU SAKAI, KUNIHIRO UKAI, YASUSHI KANEKO, SHIGENORI ONUMA, TAKASHI KAKUWA
  • Publication number: 20170089997
    Abstract: In a first aspect this invention provides methods comprising administering an aqueous contrast agent to the vascular system of a subject, and performing a magnetic resonance scan to detect the MR signal enhancement effects of the aqueous contrast agent. In embodiments the magnetic resonance scan comprises applying at least one pulse sequence selected from a PD-weighted pulse sequence, a T1-weighted pulse sequence, a T2-weighted pulse sequence, and a D-weighted pulse sequence. In embodiments the magnetic resonance scan comprises applying a T1-weighted pulse sequence. A system for performing perfusion MRI comprising an aqueous contrast solution and an injection apparatus configured to provide a maximum injection rate of the aqueous contrast solution to a subject vascular system of at least about 5 ml/s. is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hernan JARA, Asim MIAN, Stephan ANDERSON, Osamu SAKAI, Alex NORBASH, Jorge SOTO