Patents by Inventor Shigeru Shirai

Shigeru Shirai 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: 8769729
    Abstract: A linear heater is formed of an enamel wire composed of a heating wire and an enamel layer. The heating wire is made of a copper alloy containing silver, for example. The enamel layer is made of polyester imide (PEI), polyimide (PI) or polyamide imide (PAI), for example. The enamel layer is coated with an insulating coating layer. The insulating coating layer is made of fluororesin such as perfluoroalkoxy mixture (PFA), polyimide (PI), or polyamide imide (PAI). The linear heater is bonded to the lower surface of an upper toilet seat casing such that it is sandwiched between a metal foil and a metal foil made of aluminum, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Nishimura, Shigeru Shirai, Hideki Ohno, Yoshiharu Shimada
  • Patent number: 8418272
    Abstract: A linear heater is formed of an enamel wire composed of a heating wire and an enamel layer. The heating wire is made of a copper alloy containing silver, for example. The enamel layer is made of polyester imide (PEI), polyimide (PI) or polyamide imide (PAI), for example. The enamel layer is coated with an insulating coating layer. The insulating coating layer is made of fluororesin such as perfluoroalkoxy mixture (PFA), polyimide (PI), or polyamide imide (PAI). The linear heater is bonded to the lower surface of an upper toilet seat casing such that it is sandwiched between a metal foil and a metal foil made of aluminum, for example.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Nishimura, Shigeru Shirai, Hideki Ohno, Yoshiharu Shimada, Tomoko Ishida, Yuji Yamamoto, Shinji Fujii, Yoshiko Kurimoto, Kazuya Kondoh, Masahiro Inoue, Toru Ueno
  • Patent number: 8180207
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a substantially pillar sheathed heater, a substantially cylindrical case, and a spiral spring. The sheathed heater is accommodated in the case. The spring is provided so as to be wound around an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater. Thus, a spiral flow path is formed among an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater, an inner peripheral surface of the case, and the spring. The spring functions as a flow velocity conversion mechanism, a turbulent flow generation mechanism, a flow direction conversion mechanism, and an impurity removal mechanism. A water inlet and a water outlet are respectively arranged at positions eccentric from a central axis of the case on a side surface of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Shirai, Yasuhiro Umekage, Kazushige Nakamura, Mitsuyuki Furubayashi, Keiko Yasui
  • Patent number: 7920779
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a substantially pillar sheathed heater, a substantially cylindrical case, and a spiral spring. The sheathed heater is accommodated in the case. The spring is provided so as to be wound around an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater. Thus, a spiral flow path is formed among an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater, an inner peripheral surface of the case, and the spring. The spring functions as a flow velocity conversion mechanism, a turbulent flow generation mechanism, a flow direction conversion mechanism, and an impurity removal mechanism. A water inlet and a water outlet are respectively arranged at positions eccentric from a central axis of the case on a side surface of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Shirai, Yasuhiro Umekage, Kazushige Nakamura, Mitsuyuki Furubayashi, Keiko Yasui, Koji Oka
  • Publication number: 20110036544
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a substantially pillar sheathed heater, a substantially cylindrical case, and a spiral spring. The sheathed heater is accommodated in the case. The spring is provided so as to be wound around an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater. Thus, a spiral flow path is formed among an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater, an inner peripheral surface of the case, and the spring. The spring functions as a flow velocity conversion mechanism, a turbulent flow generation mechanism, a flow direction conversion mechanism, and an impurity removal mechanism. A water inlet and a water outlet are respectively arranged at positions eccentric from a central axis of the case on a side surface of the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Publication date: February 17, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeru SHIRAI, Yasuhiro UMEKAGE, Kazushige NAKAMURA, Mitsuyuki FURUBAYASHI, Keiko YASUI
  • Patent number: 7834294
    Abstract: Linear-type sheathed heaters are arranged substantially in parallel with each other in a case body. Regions near the ends of the outer peripheral surface of each of the sheathed heaters are held by elastic holding members so as to move in the axial direction. A cylindrical space is formed between the outer peripheral surface of each of the sheathed heater and the case body. A space is provided that communicates the cylindrical spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Shirai, Tomohide Matsumoto, Kazushige Nakamura, Mitsuyuki Furubayashi, Takemi Oketa
  • Patent number: 7737384
    Abstract: Linear-type sheathed heaters are arranged substantially in parallel with each other in a case body. Regions near the ends of the outer peripheral surface of each of the sheathed heaters are held by elastic holding members so as to move in the axial direction. A cylindrical space is formed between the outer peripheral surface of each of the sheathed heater and the case body. A space is provided that communicates the cylindrical spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Shirai, Tomohide Matsumoto, Kazushige Nakamura, Mitsuyuki Furubayashi, Takemi Oketa
  • Publication number: 20100095443
    Abstract: A linear heater is formed of an enamel wire composed of a heating wire and an enamel layer. The heating wire is made of a copper alloy containing silver, for example. The enamel layer is made of polyester imide (PEI), polyimide (PI) or polyamide imide (PAI), for example. The enamel layer is coated with an insulating coating layer. The insulating coating layer is made of fluororesin such as perfluoroalkoxy mixture (PFA), polyimide (PI), or polyamide imide (PAI). The linear heater is bonded to the lower surface of an upper toilet seat casing such that it is sandwiched between a metal foil and a metal foil made of aluminum, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto Nishimura, Shigeru Shirai, Hideki Ohno, Yoshiharu Shimada, Tomoko Ishida, Yuji Yamamoto, Shinji Fujii, Yoshiko Kurimoto, Kazuya Kondoh, Masahiro Inoue, Toru Ueno
  • Publication number: 20090313752
    Abstract: A drying device in accordance with the invention is characterized by including: an air blowing portion for blowing pressurized air so as to dry a surface to be dried by a jet of pressurized air whose abutment area to the surface to be dried is narrower than the surface to be dried; and a moving unit for moving the air blowing portion while the jet is being blown such that the jet blown from the air blowing portion sequentially sweeps a substantially entire surface of the surface to be dried, wherein the moving unit includes a first moving device for moving the air blowing portion in a state in which a blowing direction of the jet is being maintained so as to form a predetermined angle with respect to a moving direction of the air blowing portion and a second moving device for moving the air blowing portion in a direction different from that of the moving direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keijirou Kunimoto, Hideki Ohno, Shigeru Shirai, Yoshiharu Shimada
  • Publication number: 20090021112
    Abstract: As a switch for detecting operation of a door handle, a contact joint switch, a capacitance type sensor, etc., is available, but involves problems of a contact failure caused by secular change and a malfunction caused by rain and is not excellent in a multifunctional property used for other applications. A contact detector of the invention includes support means (8) having a moving part displacing upon reception of contact; a cable-like piezoelectric sensor (4) having a part supported by the support means (8) and becoming deformed in conjunction with displacement of the moving part (8c); and signal processing means for performing signal processing of output of the cable-like piezoelectric sensor (8), wherein the cable-like piezoelectric sensor (8) has a bend part (4a) to form a plurality of simultaneous deformation parts and the simultaneous deformation parts become deformed in conjunction with the moving part (8c), whereby contact is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryuta Kondou, Yukio Abe, Hiroyuki Ogino, Shigeru Shirai, Noriyuki Yoneno, Miyuki Kawai, HIrofumi Inui
  • Patent number: 7372002
    Abstract: A washing water inlet for receiving washing water is provided on an upper surface at one end of a case main body in a fluid heating device, and a washing water outlet for feeding heated washing water to a pump is provided on an upper surface at the other end of the case main body. A linear sheathed heater is arranged so as to penetrate the case main body. A spring is spirally wound around an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater. An outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater, the spring, and an inner peripheral surface of the case main body form a flow path. The flow path is formed in a spiral shape with the length of the case main body used as its axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushige Nakamura, Shigeru Shirai, Yasuhiro Umekage, Mitsuyuki Furubayashi, Koji Oka
  • Publication number: 20070171057
    Abstract: While there are contact joining and capacitance type switches for detecting an operation of a door handle, a problem that is to be solved by the invention is to solve problems of contact failure due to aging and a malfunction triggered by rain drops. According to the invention, a piezoelectric sensor (4) has such flexibility as to be annexed to a door handle (3), whereby a minute displacement of the door handle (3) can be detected with high sensitivity. Consequently, a sufficient signal output can be obtained only through a simple touch to the door handle (3), whereby a touch or contact to the door handle (3) can be detected. In addition, since electrodes are not exposed to the outside, the piezoelectric sensor (4) is made difficult to be affected by disturbance, and dust, rain, snow and the like which come to adhere thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ogino, Yukio Abe, Hirofumi Inui, Shigeki Ueda, Noriyuki Yoneno, Shigeru Shirai, Ryuta Kondou, Miyuki Kawai
  • Publication number: 20070143914
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a substantially pillar sheathed heater, a substantially cylindrical case, and a spiral spring. The sheathed heater is accommodated in the case. The spring is provided so as to be wound around an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater. Thus, a spiral flow path is formed among an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater, an inner peripheral surface of the case, and the spring. The spring functions as a flow velocity conversion mechanism, a turbulent flow generation mechanism, a flow direction conversion mechanism, and an impurity removal mechanism. A water inlet and a water outlet are respectively arranged at positions eccentric from a central axis of the case on a side surface of the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2004
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Shirai, Yasuhiro Umekage, Kazushige Nakamura, Mitsuyuki Furubayashi, Keiko Yasui, Koji Oka
  • Patent number: 7191473
    Abstract: When a user sets water power using a water power adjustment switch in a remote control device, a controller controls the period of pressure fluctuations, the width of pressure fluctuations, and the central pressure of the discharge pressure of a pump on the basis of a signal transmitted by radio from the remote control device. When the user sets the divergent angle of washing water using a washing area adjustment switch in the remote control device, the controller controls the divergent angle of the washing water sprayed from a posterior nozzle on the basis of the signal transmitted by radio from the remote control device. Consequently, the washing water supplied to a side surface of a cylindrical swirl chamber from a first flow path in the posterior nozzle is sprayed from a spray hole as dispersed spiral flow, and the washing water supplied to a lower part of the cylindrical swirl chamber from a second flow path in the posterior nozzle is sprayed from the spray hole as linear flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohide Matsumoto, Hideki Ohno, Kazushige Nakamura, Shigeru Shirai, Hiroaki Fujii, Shinichi Maruyama, Muneo Tao
  • Publication number: 20060289455
    Abstract: A washing water inlet for receiving washing water is provided on an upper surface at one end of a case main body in a fluid heating device, and a washing water outlet for feeding heated washing water to a pump is provided on an upper surface at the other end of the case main body. A linear sheathed heater is arranged so as to penetrate the case main body. A spring is spirally wound around an outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater. An outer peripheral surface of the sheathed heater, the spring, and an inner peripheral surface of the case main body form a flow path. The flow path is formed in a spiral shape with the length of the case main body used as its axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazushige Nakamura, Shigeru Shirai, Yasuhiro Umekage, Mitsuyuki Furubayashi, Koji Oka
  • Publication number: 20060151458
    Abstract: Linear-type sheathed heaters are arranged substantially in parallel with each other in a case body. Regions near the ends of the outer peripheral surface of each of the sheathed heaters are held by elastic holding members so as to move in the axial direction. A cylindrical space is formed between the outer peripheral surface of each of the sheathed heater and the case body. A space is provided that communicates the cylindrical spaces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2004
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Shigeru Shirai, Tomohide Matsumoto, Kazushige nakamura, Mitsuyuki Furubayashi, Takemi Oketa
  • Publication number: 20050246828
    Abstract: When the human body is washed, washing water is sprayed on a surface to be washed of the human body from a posterior nozzle and a bidet nozzle. On the other hand, when the human body is not washed, the posterior nozzle and the bidet nozzle are subjected to high-temperature cleaning by a nozzle cleaning nozzle. When it is detected that a sanitary washing apparatus has not been employed yet, the posterior nozzle and the bidet nozzle are allowed to be cleaned by the nozzle cleaning nozzle by a controller. After a cleaning operation is terminated, a user is notified that the cleaning operation is terminated by a notification lamp and a speaker. A scale inhibiting material supply device is interposed in a pipe on the upstream side of an instantaneous heating device by the nozzle cleaning nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventors: Shigeru Shirai, Tomohide Matsumoto, Hideki Ohno, Kazushige Nakamura, Toshinari Matsumoto, Mitsuyuki Furubayashi, Takemi Oketa
  • Patent number: 6950766
    Abstract: A plant monitoring apparatus and a storage medium which allow engineering efficiency and data reliability to be improved are provided. There are disposed TAG databases 11a and 11b which store, according to an identifier, fixed parameters which are shared by a monitoring device 2 and a controlling device 3 composing the plant monitoring apparatus 1 and which are correlated with each input point. A distributing means 8 distributes fixed parameters edited by a database editing means 7 to both the monitoring device 2 and the controlling device 3 at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masami Okamoto, Shigeru Shirai
  • Patent number: 6920654
    Abstract: The water shower apparatus according to the present invention is constructed in a way to produce cold air intercepting screen having warming effects around the bather. In this water shower apparatus, the shower sprayed from the wide-angle spray nozzle of the shower system forms a shower curtain. That water shower of thin cold air intercepting screen is sprayed toward about the neck and the shoulders to the flanks of the bather. And, the shower curtain formed this way wraps about the horizontal face under the neck of the bather, the vertical face about in the vertical direction on the left and the right sides of the bather's body, and the front face centering on the lower half portion of the bather's body. This enables to intercept cold air from outside and enclose the hot air inside. Production of “cold feeling” at the time of entry of the bather into the chilled bathroom can be prevented. The entire body of the bather can be warmed with bathing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Noguchi, Akihiko Nakashima, Shigeru Shirai, Masaaki Kawaguri, Satoshi Furuta
  • Patent number: RE38841
    Abstract: A shower bath apparatus which enables hot water bathing in a relaxed condition and provides a warm feeling over the whole body, equivalent to bathing in a bath tub. The shower bath apparatus comprises a shower bath apparatus body, a seat, on which a bathing person is seated, a spray nozzle for jetting hot water to the bathing person, and an arm provided with at least one spray nozzle. Sprayed hot water envelops the whole body of a user in a seated position to give the user a warm feeling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Yoshida, Shigeru Shirai, Masaaki Kawaguri, Kazushige Kawahara, Masaaki Inagi, Masaki Yamamoto, Hirofumi Gyokusen