Patents by Inventor Seiichi Kohara

Seiichi Kohara 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: 6779995
    Abstract: In a rare earth metal-based alloy powder supplying apparatus, a rare earth metal-based alloy powder is supplied from a feeder box having an opening in its bottom surface into a cavity by moving the feeder box to above the cavity. The apparatus includes a bar-shaped member which is moved horizontally and in parallel in the bottom of the feeder box. A plurality of the bar-shaped members may be provided horizontally at distances. The apparatus further includes a powder replenishing device for sequentially replenishing the alloy powder into the feeder box in an amount corresponding to a decrement in amount resulting from the supplying of the alloy powder from the feeder box to the cavity, an inert gas supply device for filling an inert gas into said powder feeder box, and a plate member made of a fluorine-contained resin and mounted on the bottom surface of the feeder box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Neomax Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shuhei Okumura, Akira Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6755883
    Abstract: A powder pressing apparatus comprises a die having a through hole, an upper punch and a lower punch. At least one of the upper and lower punches has a punching surface having an edge portion provided with a projection. The projection has a tip chamfered by a width not greater than 0.5 mm. The punching surface has a slope having a surface roughness Ra not greater than 1.0 &mgr;m. A rare-earth alloy powder is fed into a cavity formed in the through hole of the die. The rare-earth alloy powder in the cavity is oriented by magnetic field, and pressed by using the upper and lower punches. The upper punch and the lower punch are brought closest to each other at a minimum distance not smaller than 1.7 mm during the pressing. An obtained compact is used for manufacture of a sintered body and a voice coil motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shinji Kidowaki
  • Patent number: 6656417
    Abstract: A powder pressing apparatus comprises a die having a through hole, an upper punch and a lower punch. At least one of the upper and lower punches has a punching surface having an edge portion provided with a projection. The projection has a tip chamfered by a width not greater than 0.5 mm. The punching surface has a slope having a surface roughness Ra not greater than 1.0 &mgr;m. A rare-earth alloy powder is fed into a cavity formed in the through hole of the die. The rare-earth alloy powder in the cavity is oriented by magnetic field, and pressed by using the upper and lower punches. The upper punch and the lower punch are brought closest to each other at a minimum distance not smaller than 1.7 mm during the pressing. An obtained compact is used for manufacture of a sintered body and a voice coil motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shinji Kidowaki
  • Patent number: 6649124
    Abstract: A powder pressing apparatus comprises a die formed with a plurality of cavities. None of the cavities overlap with another in the direction of pushing the compacts. The magnetic field generator includes a pair of yokes sandwiching the die. The yokes and the die have their respective upper surfaces generally in a same plane. A die lubricant is applied to the die but not to a region on which the compacts are to be slid. A rare-earth alloy powder in a feeder box is supplied into each of the cavities. The powder in the cavities is oriented, pressed, and the formed compacts and the yokes are demagnetized. The compacts are pushed and slid off the die on an anti-wear layer, by a flexible pushing member provided in a front portion of the feeder box. The compacts are sintered into rare-earth magnets, which are suitable for a coreless motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shinji Kidowaki, Tsutomu Harada
  • Publication number: 20020192484
    Abstract: A powder pressing apparatus comprises a die having a through hole, an upper punch and a lower punch. At least one of the upper and lower punches has a punching surface having an edge portion provided with a projection. The projection has a tip chamfered by a width not greater than 0.5 mm. The punching surface has a slope having a surface roughness Ra not greater than 1.0 &mgr;m. A rare-earth alloy powder is fed into a cavity formed in the through hole of the die. The rare-earth alloy powder in the cavity is oriented by magnetic field, and pressed by using the upper and lower punches. The upper punch and the lower punch are brought closest to each other at a minimum distance not smaller than 1.7 mm during the pressing. An obtained compact is used for manufacture of a sintered body and a voice coil motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: Sumitomo Special Metals Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shinji Kidowaki
  • Publication number: 20020185793
    Abstract: In a rare earth metal-based alloy powder supplying apparatus, a rare earth metal-based alloy powder is supplied from a feeder box having an opening in its bottom surface into a cavity by moving the feeder box to above the cavity. The apparatus includes a bar-shaped member which is moved horizontally and in parallel in the bottom of the feeder box. A plurality of the bar-shaped members may be provided horizontally at distances. The apparatus further includes a powder replenishing device for sequentially replenishing the alloy powder into the feeder box in an amount corresponding to a decrement in amount resulting from the supplying of the alloy powder from the feeder box to the cavity, an inert gas supply device for filling an inert gas into said powder feeder box, and a plate member made of a fluorine-contained resin and mounted on the bottom surface of the feeder box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SPECIAL METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shuhei Okumura, Akira Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20020175439
    Abstract: A powder pressing apparatus comprises an upper punch and a lower punch for compression of a powder in a cavity formed in a through hole of a die. A gap between a side surface of the lower punch and a side surface of the through hole of the die is sealed by a sealing member. A lubricant is supplied with a gas from a nozzle in the side surface of the lower punch to the side surface of the through hole, and the lubricant applied to the side surface of the through hole is spread by an absorbing member. The cavity is filled with the powder while the cavity is under suction by a reduced pressure provided from the nozzle in the side surface of the lower punch. During the suction, a filtering member provides filtration for the lower punch not to draw the powder in.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Publication date: November 28, 2002
    Applicant: Sumitomo Special Metals Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Tsutomu Harada
  • Patent number: 6482349
    Abstract: A powder pressing apparatus comprises an upper punch and a lower punch for compression of a powder in a cavity formed in a through hole of a die. A gap between a side surface of the lower punch and a side surface of the through hole of the die is sealed by a sealing member. A lubricant is supplied with a gas from a nozzle in the side surface of the lower punch to the side surface of the through hole, and the lubricant applied to the side surface of the through hole is spread by an absorbing member. The cavity is filled with the powder while the cavity is under suction by a reduced pressure provided from the nozzle in the side surface of the lower punch. During the suction, a filtering member provides filtration for the lower punch not to draw the powder in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Tsutomu Harada
  • Patent number: 6481993
    Abstract: In a rare earth metal-based alloy powder supplying apparatus, a rare earth metal-based alloy powder is supplied from a feeder box having an opening in its bottom surface into a cavity by moving the feeder box to above the cavity. The apparatus includes a bar-shaped member which is moved horizontally and in parallel in the bottom of the feeder box. A plurality of the bar-shaped members may be provided horizontally at distances. The apparatus further includes a powder replenishing device for sequentially replenishing the alloy powder into the feeder box in an amount corresponding to a decrement in amount resulting from the supplying of the alloy powder from the feeder box to the cavity, an inert gas supply device for filling an inert gas into said powder feeder box, and a plate member made of a fluorine-contained resin and mounted on the bottom surface of the feeder box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shuhei Okumura, Akira Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20020006348
    Abstract: A powder pressing apparatus comprises a die formed with a plurality of cavities. None of the cavities overlap with another in the direction of pushing the compacts. The magnetic field generator includes a pair of yokes sandwiching the die. The yokes and the die have their respective upper surfaces generally in a same plane. A die lubricant is applied to the die but not to a region on which the compacts are to be slid. A rare-earth alloy powder in a feeder box is supplied into each of the cavities. The powder in the cavities is oriented, pressed, and the formed compacts and the yokes are demagnetized. The compacts are pushed and slid off the die on an anti-wear layer, by a flexible pushing member provided in a front portion of the feeder box. The compacts are sintered into rare-earth magnets, which are suitable for a coreless motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Applicant: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shinji Kidowaki, Tsutomu Harada
  • Patent number: 6332932
    Abstract: A powder pressing apparatus comprises a die having a through hole, an upper punch and a lower punch. At least one of the upper and lower punches has a punching surface having an edge portion provided with a projection. The projection has a tip chamfered by a width not greater than 0.5 mm. The punching surface has a slope having a surface roughness Ra not greater than 1.0 &mgr;m. A rare-earth alloy powder is fed into a cavity formed in the through hole of the die. The rare-earth alloy powder in the cavity is oriented by magnetic field, and pressed by using the upper and lower punches. The upper punch and the lower punch are brought closest to each other at a minimum distance not smaller than 1.7 mm during the pressing. An obtained compact is used for manufacture of a sintered body and a voice coil motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2001
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shinji Kidowaki
  • Publication number: 20010031216
    Abstract: A powder pressing apparatus comprises a die having a through hole, an upper punch and a lower punch. At least one of the upper and lower punches has a punching surface having an edge portion provided with a projection. The projection has a tip chamfered by a width not greater than 0.5 mm. The punching surface has a slope having a surface roughness Ra not greater than 1.0 &mgr;m. A rare-earth alloy powder is fed into a cavity formed in the through hole of the die. The rare-earth alloy powder in the cavity is oriented by magnetic field, and pressed by using the upper and lower punches. The upper punch and the lower punch are brought closest to each other at a minimum distance not smaller than 1.7 mm during the pressing. An obtained compact is used for manufacture of a sintered body and a voice coil motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Applicant: SUMITOMO SPECIAL METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shinji Kidowaki
  • Patent number: 6299832
    Abstract: In a rare earth metal-based alloy powder supplying apparatus, a rare earth metal-based alloy powder is supplied from a feeder box having an opening in its bottom surface into a cavity by moving the feeder box to above the cavity. The apparatus includes a bar-shaped member which is moved horizontally and in parallel in the bottom of the feeder box. A plurality of the bar-shaped members may be provided horizontally at distances. The apparatus further includes a powder replenishing device for sequentially replenishing the alloy powder into the feeder box in an amount corresponding to a decrement in amount resulting from the supplying of the alloy powder from the feeder box to the cavity, an inert gas supply device for filling an inert gas into said powder feeder box, and a plate member made of a fluorine-contained resin and mounted on the bottom surface of the feeder box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Kohara, Shuhei Okumura, Akira Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5662943
    Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to present fabrication methods and equipment for granulated powders whereby, the reaction between the R--Fe--B-type or R--Co-type rare earth containing alloy powders and the binder is controlled, the residual oxygen and carbon content of the sintered products after sintering is reduced, and whereby it is possible to obtain isotropic or anisotropic granulated powders having good powder flowability and lubrication properties when molding. After stirring a slurry of rare earth containing alloy powders formed by adding a binder consisting of water and at least one of either methyl cellulose, polyacryl amide or polyvinyl alcohol, and mixing, oriented liquid droplets are formed by applying a magnetic field to the slurry to orientate the said powder particles and spraying within the chamber of a spray dryer apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Company Limited
    Inventors: Osamu Yamashita, Tsunekazu Saigo, Seiichi Kohara, Hirokazu Kitayama, Hiroshi Hashikawa
  • Patent number: 5575830
    Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to present fabrication methods and equipment for granulated powders whereby, the reaction between the R-Fe-B-type or R-Co-type rare earth containing alloy powders and the binder is controlled, the residual oxygen and carbon content of the sintered products after sintering is reduced, and whereby it is possible to obtain isotropic or anisotropic granulated powders having good powder flowability and lubrication properties when molding. After stirring a slurry of rare earth containing alloy powders formed by adding a binder consisting of water and at least one of either methyl cellulose, polyacryl amide or polyvinyl alcohol, and mixing, oriented liquid droplets are formed by applying a magnetic field to the slurry to orientate the said powder particles and spraying within the chamber of a spray dryer apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Special Metals Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Yamashita, Tsunekazu Saigo, Seiichi Kohara, Hirokazu Kitayama, Hiroshi Hashikawa