Patents by Inventor Shinji Aso

Shinji Aso 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: 20090068514
    Abstract: A fuel cell system that can continue a stable operation of a fuel cell and perform uninterrupted operation of the system even upon the occurrence of an abnormality in a voltage converter, and a mobile body. A fuel cell system where an accumulator device is connected to a load via a voltage converter in parallel with a fuel cell includes an auxiliary equipment connected nearer the fuel cell than the voltage converter, and a control device for controlling the voltage converter and the auxiliary equipment. The control device changes the operational point of the auxiliary equipment when an abnormality has occurred in the voltage converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2006
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Shinji Aso, Tomohiro Saito
  • Publication number: 20080285311
    Abstract: In a DC-DC converter of the present invention, a converting circuit converts a DC-DC voltage outputted from a DC power supply into an AC voltage, and to output to a series circuit in which a primary winding of a first transformer, a first reactor, and a current resonance capacitor are connected to one another in series. A primary winding of a second transformer, a primary winding of a third transformer, and a second reactor constitute a closed loop. A secondary winding of the second transformer and a secondary winding of the third transformer are connected in series to both ends of a secondary winding of the first transformer. A first rectifying/smoothing circuit rectifies and smoothes a voltage of the secondary winding of the second transformer. A second rectifying/smoothing circuit rectifies and smoothes a voltage of the secondary winding of the third transformer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji ASO
  • Publication number: 20080239768
    Abstract: A direct-current converter includes a high-frequency converting circuit converting voltage of a direct-current power source to alternating-current voltage, a transformer having primary and secondary windings P, S and a rectification smoothing circuit rectifying and smoothing voltage induced in the secondary winding. This converting circuit includes other transformer having first and second windings n1, n2, switching element Q1 having a source connected to a negative pole of the power source and a drain connected to a positive pole thereof through winding n1, and switching element Q2 having a source connected to the negative pole of the power source and a drain connected to the positive pole thereof through winding n2, element Q2 being turned on/off alternately to element Q1 being turned on/off. Winding P is connected to a point between winding n1 and the drain of element Q1 and another point between winding n2 and the drain of element Q2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji ASO
  • Patent number: 7382633
    Abstract: A DC converter includes a time difference detector to detect a time difference between a point around which a main switch provides a minimum voltage after an auxiliary switch turns off and a point at which the main switch turns on, an integrator to integrate the output of the time difference detector, and a first delay circuit to control a turn-on point of the main switch according to the output of the integrator and the output of the time difference detector. The first delay circuit operates to minimize the output of the time difference detector according to the output of the integrator and controls a turn-on point of the main switch in a pulse-by-pulse manner according to a pulse-by-pulse control signal based on the output of the time difference detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Aso, Ryuichi Furukoshi, Osamu Ohtake
  • Patent number: 7304868
    Abstract: A DC converter has a transformer with loosely coupled primary and secondary windings, a main switch connected in series with the primary winding of the transformer, and a series circuit connected to ends of one of the primary winding and main switch. The series circuit includes a clamp capacitor and an auxiliary switch. The main and auxiliary switches are alternately turned on/off so that a voltage of the secondary winding of the transformer is synchronously rectified with synchronous rectifiers and is smoothed with smoothing elements, to provide a DC output. The DC converter also includes a tertiary winding tightly coupled with the primary winding of the transformer, a voltage source to supply a voltage lower than a voltage generated by the tertiary winding of the transformer, and clamp diodes to clamp the voltage generated by the tertiary winding with the use of the voltage source. The clamp diodes provide voltage-clamped signals to drive the synchronous rectifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Aso, Mamoru Tsuruya, Makoto Sato
  • Publication number: 20070246295
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a fuel cell vehicle capable of generating running noise that does not feel unnatural based on the driving situation by noting and effectively utilizing the fact that a muffling section is provided on a gas piping line of a fuel cell system. In a fuel cell vehicle (1) in which a fuel cell system (3) equipped with a muffling section (20) on a gas piping line (5) is mounted, the muffling capability of the muffling section (20) is variable based on the driving situation of the fuel cell vehicle (1). In a low-speed driving situation, the muffling capability of the muffling section (20) is lowered. For example, the muffling section (20) has a direction control valve (24) that changes over between a muffler (21) and a bypass passage (23), based on the driving situation. The direction control valve (24) may be mechanically operated based on the gas flow speed, or its changeover operation may be controlled by means of a control device (51).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventor: Shinji Aso
  • Patent number: 7251146
    Abstract: Provided is a direct-current converter which can reduce power consumption at light load by reducing switching losses of a main switch. The direct-current converter is provided with: a first serial circuit which is connected to both ends of a direct current power supply Vdc1 and in which a primary winding P of a transformer T and a main switch Q1 are serially connected to each other; a second serial circuit which is connected both ends of the primary winding P of the transformer T and in which an auxiliary switch Q2 and a snubber capacitor C2 are serially connected to each other; rectifying/smoothing circuits D5, D6, L1 and C5 which rectify and smooth a voltage generated in a secondary winding S of the transformer T by energy supplied from the primary winding P of the transformer T when the main switch Q1 is turned on; and a control circuit 10 which turns on/off the main switch Q1 and the auxiliary switch Q2 alternately using a signal with predetermined switching frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Aso
  • Patent number: 7203080
    Abstract: A DC converter has a main switch connected in series to a primary winding of a transformer, and a series circuit of a capacitor and an auxiliary switch that is connected to both ends of the primary winding of the transformer or to both ends of the main switch, and also rectifies and smoothes a voltage of a secondary winding of the transformer to provide a DC output by alternate ON/OFF operations of the main switch and the auxiliary switch. This DC converter includes an error detector that detects an error by comparing the DC output to a reference voltage, a control circuit that controls ON/OFF of the main switch and the auxiliary switch based on the error detected by the error detector, and an activator that activates the control circuit by supplying, as power, an output of a joint of the auxiliary switch and a capacitor to the control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Aso, Ryuichi Furukoshi
  • Patent number: 7196913
    Abstract: A DC conversion apparatus includes a switch converting a DC voltage of a DC power source to a high-frequency voltage by being turned ON/OFF via a primary winding of a transformer, a series circuit of a switch and a clamp capacitor being connected to both ends of the primary winding, a synchronous rectifying circuit performing synchronous rectification of a high-frequency voltage generated at a secondary winding, a smoothing circuit smoothing a rectified output of the synchronous rectifying circuit by a smoothing reactor and a smoothing capacitor, a capacitor storing energy stored in the smoothing reactor due to a current backflow of the synchronous rectifying circuit caused under light load condition, a switch being turned ON in synchronization with the switch and returning the energy stored in the capacitor to the clamp capacitor on the primary side via the transformer, and a control circuit turning the switch and the switch ON/OFF states alternately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Tsuruya, Shinji Aso, Makoto Sato
  • Patent number: 7193867
    Abstract: A DC converter alternately turns on and off a main switch Q1 connected in series with a primary winding P1 of a transformer T and a sub-switch Q2 contained in a series circuit connected to each end of the primary winding P1 of the transformer T or to each end of the main switch Q1, rectifies and smoothes a voltage of a secondary winding S1 of the transformer T, and provides a DC output. The DC converter includes a time difference detection circuit 13 to detect an interval between when the main switch Q1 reaches a minimum voltage after the sub-switch Q2 is turned off and when the main switch Q1 is turned on and a first delay circuit 14 to delay the ON timing of the main switch Q1 according to an output from the time difference detection circuit 13 so that the main switch Q1 is turned on at around the minimum voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Aso
  • Publication number: 20060215424
    Abstract: A DC converter includes a time difference detector to detect a time difference between a point around which a main switch provides a minimum voltage after an auxiliary switch turns off and a point at which the main switch turns on, an integrator to integrate the output of the time difference detector, and a first delay circuit to control a turn-on point of the main switch according to the output of the integrator and the output of the time difference detector. The first delay circuit operates to minimize the output of the time difference detector according to the output of the integrator and controls a turn-on point of the main switch in a pulse-by-pulse manner according to a pulse-by-pulse control signal based on the output of the time difference detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Aso, Ryuichi Furukoshi, Osamu Ohtake
  • Publication number: 20060209571
    Abstract: A DC converter has a transformer with loosely coupled primary and secondary windings, a main switch connected in series with the primary winding of the transformer, and a series circuit connected to ends of one of the primary winding and main switch. The series circuit includes a clamp capacitor and an auxiliary switch. The main and auxiliary switches are alternately turned on/off so that a voltage of the secondary winding of the transformer is synchronously rectified with synchronous rectifiers and is smoothed with smoothing elements, to provide a DC output. The DC converter also includes a tertiary winding provided for the transformer, tightly coupled with the primary winding, and configured to generate a voltage that drives the synchronous rectifiers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Aso, Mamoru Tsuruya, Makoto Sato
  • Publication number: 20060193155
    Abstract: A DC converter has a transformer with loosely coupled primary and secondary windings, a main switch connected in series with the primary winding of the transformer, and a series circuit connected to ends of one of the primary winding and main switch. The series circuit includes a clamp capacitor and an auxiliary switch. The main and auxiliary switches are alternately turned on/off so that a voltage of the secondary winding of the transformer is synchronously rectified with synchronous rectifiers and is smoothed with smoothing elements, to provide a DC output. The DC converter also includes a tertiary winding tightly coupled with the primary winding of the transformer, a voltage source to supply a voltage lower than a voltage generated by the tertiary winding of the transformer, and clamp diodes to clamp the voltage generated by the tertiary winding with the use of the voltage source. The clamp diodes provide voltage-clamped signals to drive the synchronous rectifiers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2006
    Publication date: August 31, 2006
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Aso, Mamoru Tsuruya, Makoto Sato
  • Patent number: 7075801
    Abstract: What is provided is a direct-current converter which improves unstableness of operations owing to an error of a bottom detection circuit and fluctuations of a detection point which are caused by disturbance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Aso
  • Publication number: 20060146584
    Abstract: A DC converter has a main switch connected in series to a primary winding of a transformer, and a series circuit of a capacitor and an auxiliary switch that is connected to both ends of the primary winding of the transformer or to both ends of the main switch, and also rectifies and smoothes a voltage of a secondary winding of the transformer to provide a DC output by alternate ON/OFF operations of the main switch and the auxiliary switch. This DC converter includes an error detector that detects an error by comparing the DC output to a reference voltage, a control circuit that controls ON/OFF of the main switch and the auxiliary switch based on the error detected by the error detector, and an activator that activates the control circuit by supplying, as power, an output of a joint of the auxiliary switch and a capacitor to the control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Aso, Ryuichi Furukoshi
  • Publication number: 20060139968
    Abstract: A DC conversion apparatus includes a switch converting a DC voltage of a DC power source to a high-frequency voltage by being turned ON/OFF via a primary winding of a transformer, a series circuit of a switch and a clamp capacitor being connected to both ends of the primary winding, a synchronous rectifying circuit performing synchronous rectification of a high-frequency voltage generated at a secondary winding, a smoothing circuit smoothing a rectified output of the synchronous rectifying circuit by a smoothing reactor and a smoothing capacitor, a capacitor storing energy stored in the smoothing reactor due to a current backflow of the synchronous rectifying circuit caused under light load condition, a switch being turned ON in synchronization with the switch and returning the energy stored in the capacitor to the clamp capacitor on the primary side via the transformer, and a control circuit turning the switch and the switch ON/OFF states alternately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Tsuruya, Shinji Aso, Makoto Sato
  • Publication number: 20060013021
    Abstract: Provided is a direct-current converter which can reduce power consumption at light load by reducing switching losses of a main switch. The direct-current converter is provided with: a first serial circuit which is connected to both ends of a direct current power supply Vdc1 and in which a primary winding P of a transformer T and a main switch Q1 are serially connected to each other; a second serial circuit which is connected both ends of the primary winding P of the transformer T and in which an auxiliary switch Q2 and a snubber capacitor C2 are serially connected to each other; rectifying/smoothing circuits D5, D6, L1 and C5 which rectify and smooth a voltage generated in a secondary winding S of the transformer T by energy supplied from the primary winding P of the transformer T when the main switch Q1 is turned on; and a control circuit 10 which turns on/off the main switch Q1 and the auxiliary switch Q2 alternately using a signal with predetermined switching frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinji Aso
  • Publication number: 20060013020
    Abstract: What is provided is a direct-current converter which improves unstableness of operations owing to an error of a bottom detection circuit and fluctuations of a detection point which are caused by disturbance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Publication date: January 19, 2006
    Inventor: Shinji Aso
  • Patent number: 6897169
    Abstract: A fire-resistant heat insulating material excellent in resistance to heat, resistance to slag, resistance to molten iron, resistance to wear, and resistance to mechanical impulse is provided. A highly endurable heat insulating material characterized by being provided on the surface of a layer of inorganic heat insulating fibers through the medium of a coating film of surface hardening material with a flame sprayed film of a fire-resistant ceramic substance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Taijiro Matsui, Hiroshi Imagawa, Tsuneo Kayama, Shinji Aso
  • Publication number: 20030017299
    Abstract: A fire-resistant heat insulating material excellent in resistance to heat, resistance to slag, resistance to molten iron, resistance to wear, and resistance to mechanical impulse is provided. A highly endurable heat insulating material characterized by being provided on the surface of a layer of inorganic heat insulating fibers through the medium of a coating film of surface hardening material with a flame sprayed film of a fire-resistant ceramic substance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Publication date: January 23, 2003
    Inventors: Taijiro Matsui, Hiroshi Imagawa, Tsuneo Kayama, Shinji Aso