Patents by Inventor Shinobu Takenaka

Shinobu Takenaka 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: 11705594
    Abstract: A metal-air cell comprises a negative electrode, a negative electrode case housing the negative electrode, sealed while a lead of the negative electrode extends from the negative electrode case, including a separator that forms at least part of the negative electrode case, an air electrode facing the negative electrode across the separator, and a cell case housing the negative electrode case and the air electrode and sealed while the lead of the negative electrode expands from the cell case and a lead of the air electrode expands from the cell case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Kaga, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Shinobu Takenaka
  • Patent number: 11552301
    Abstract: In a metal negative electrode, a current collector includes a through-hole or a recess provided to extend from a front surface of a planar plate toward a back surface of the planar plate. A distance from a midpoint of a joining boundary to a point on a surface of the current collector is designated as a region dividing distance, the point defining a distance less than a maximum distance between the midpoint and a side or a surface of the current collector. In the current collector, a first region is a region defined by distances from the midpoint, the distances being a distance equal to the region dividing distance and distances greater than the region dividing distance, and, in the current collector, a second region is a region defined by distances from the midpoint that are less than the region dividing distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinobu Takenaka, Hirotaka Mizuhata
  • Patent number: 11522173
    Abstract: In a battery casing a metal negative electrode that contains metal serving as a negative electrode active material and an air electrode are arranged so as to face each other in a state where at least a part of the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is immersed in an electrolytic solution inside a casing. The metal negative electrode is housed in a negative electrode housing in the casing. A separator separating the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is arranged at a side surface of the negative electrode housing. An opening through which inside of the negative electrode housing and outside of the negative electrode housing communicate with each other is provided on an upper surface of the negative electrode housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomo Kitagawa, Shinobu Takenaka, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Masaki Kaga, Toyoka Aimoto
  • Patent number: 11296374
    Abstract: A metal-air battery includes a metal negative electrode (12), an oxygen-generating electrode placed on a surface of the metal negative electrode, and an air electrode placed on another surface of the metal negative electrode. The metal negative electrode includes at least a negative electrode active material layer facing the oxygen-generating electrode. A first separator placed in contact with the negative electrode active material layer is placed between the negative electrode active material layer and the oxygen-generating electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinobu Takenaka, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Shunsuke Sata, Tomo Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20220013864
    Abstract: A metal-air battery includes a metal electrode, a positive electrode, an electrolyte, and an outer housing for housing them. A spacer is disposed between the metal electrode and the positive electrode. The spacer has a frame-shaped portion constituting an outer periphery, and an opening portion penetrating in a thickness direction. The frame-shaped portion has a communication portion that communicates with an outer edge of the frame-shaped portion and the opening portion, so that the electrolyte can flow inside and outside the frame-shaped portion, and the electrolyte can be preserved in the opening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: FUMITOSHI SUGINO, SHINOBU TAKENAKA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA
  • Publication number: 20210376334
    Abstract: A metal-air battery 1 includes an air electrode and a negative electrode. The negative electrode includes a collector carrying an active material thereon. The collector is formed by bending a plate with through holes in a wavy way, and a bending height of the collector in a thickness direction of the negative electrode is larger than a thickness of the plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: HIROYUKI HIRAKAWA, HIROYUKI YAMAJI, MAI TAKASAKI, FUMITOSHI SUGINO, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, SHINOBU TAKENAKA
  • Patent number: 10971775
    Abstract: A method for producing an air electrode includes a kneading step of kneading an oxygen reduction catalyst, a conductive auxiliary agent, and a water-repellent resin (binder) in a water solvent; and a rolling step of rolling with a roller the kneaded product produced in the kneading step. The rolling step includes rolling the kneaded product with the roller several times in many directions (at least two or more different rolling directions). In the formed air electrode, the water-repellent resin is fiberized in the air electrode, and the fibers thereof are oriented in many directions to form a netlike shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomo Kitagawa, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Keigo Mitamura, Shinobu Takenaka, Shunsuke Sata
  • Publication number: 20210043942
    Abstract: In a metal negative electrode, a current collector includes a through-hole or a recess provided to extend from a front surface of a planar plate toward a back surface of the planar plate. A distance from a midpoint of a joining boundary to a point on a surface of the current collector is designated as a region dividing distance, the point defining a distance less than a maximum distance between the midpoint and a side or a surface of the current collector. In the current collector, a first region is a region defined by distances from the midpoint, the distances being a distance equal to the region dividing distance and distances greater than the region dividing distance, and, in the current collector, a second region is a region defined by distances from the midpoint that are less than the region dividing distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: SHINOBU TAKENAKA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA
  • Publication number: 20200266423
    Abstract: In a battery casing a metal negative electrode that contains metal serving as a negative electrode active material and an air electrode are arranged so as to face each other in a state where at least a part of the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is immersed in an electrolytic solution inside a casing. The metal negative electrode is housed in a negative electrode housing in the casing. A separator separating the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is arranged at a side surface of the negative electrode housing. An opening through which inside of the negative electrode housing and outside of the negative electrode housing communicate with each other is provided on an upper surface of the negative electrode housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: TOMO KITAGAWA, SHINOBU TAKENAKA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, MASAKI KAGA, TOYOKA AIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20200243937
    Abstract: A metal-air cell comprises a negative electrode, a negative electrode case housing the negative electrode, sealed while a lead of the negative electrode extends from the negative electrode case, including a separator that forms at least part of the negative electrode case, an air electrode facing the negative electrode across the separator, and a cell case housing the negative electrode case and the air electrode and sealed while the lead of the negative electrode expands from the cell case and a lead of the air electrode expands from the cell case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Inventors: MASAKI KAGA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, SHINOBU TAKENAKA
  • Publication number: 20200006829
    Abstract: A method for producing an air electrode includes a kneading step of kneading an oxygen reduction catalyst, a conductive auxiliary agent, and a water-repellent resin (binder) in a water solvent; and a rolling step of rolling with a roller the kneaded product produced in the kneading step. The rolling step includes rolling the kneaded product with the roller several times in many directions (at least two or more different rolling directions). In the formed air electrode, the water-repellent resin is fiberized in the air electrode, and the fibers thereof are oriented in many directions to form a netlike shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: TOMO KITAGAWA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, KEIGO MITAMURA, SHINOBU TAKENAKA, SHUNSUKE SATA
  • Publication number: 20190356031
    Abstract: A metal-air battery includes a metal negative electrode (12), an oxygen-generating electrode placed on a surface of the metal negative electrode, and an air electrode placed on another surface of the metal negative electrode. The metal negative electrode includes at least a negative electrode active material layer facing the oxygen-generating electrode. A first separator placed in contact with the negative electrode active material layer is placed between the negative electrode active material layer and the oxygen-generating electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: SHINOBU TAKENAKA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, SHUNSUKE SATA, TOMO KITAGAWA
  • Patent number: 10181624
    Abstract: The present invention provides a metal-air battery, wherein a failure in a wiring portion can be repaired easily. The present invention provides a metal electrode cartridge including a first operation portion and a first insertion portion extended from the first operation portion, wherein the first insertion portion includes a first fuel electrode containing a metal serving as an electrode active material, the first operation portion includes a first fuel electrode terminal electrically connected to the first fuel electrode and a first air electrode connection portion, and the first air electrode connection portion includes a first internal connection terminal and a first external connection terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Kaga, Akihito Yoshida, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Shinobu Takenaka, Masashi Muraoka, Shunsuke Sata, Tomoharu Arai
  • Patent number: 9705164
    Abstract: The present invention has been achieved to provide a metal-air battery that allows removal of a metallic compound without suspending power supply. The metal-air battery of the present invention includes: first and second electrolytic tanks for storing an electrolytic solution; a metallic electrode to serve as an anode provided in the first electrolytic tank; and an air electrode to serve as a cathode, wherein the metallic electrode is formed of a metal which becomes a metallic ion or composes a metallic compound in the electrolytic solution with progress of a battery reaction, the first and second electrolytic tanks are communicated with each other for allowing the electrolytic solution in the first electrolytic tank to move into the second electrolytic tank, and the metallic ion or the metallic compound in the electrolytic solution is precipitated as a metallic compound precipitate in the second electrolytic tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihito Yoshida, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Tomohisa Yoshie, Masaki Kaga, Shinobu Takenaka, Tomoharu Arai
  • Publication number: 20160172728
    Abstract: The present invention provides a metal-air battery, wherein a failure in a wiring portion can be repaired easily. The present invention provides a metal electrode cartridge including a first operation portion and a first insertion portion extended from the first operation portion, wherein the first insertion portion includes a first fuel electrode containing a metal serving as an electrode active material, the first operation portion includes a first fuel electrode terminal electrically connected to the first fuel electrode and a first air electrode connection portion, and the first air electrode connection portion includes a first internal connection terminal and a first external connection terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Masaki KAGA, Akihito YOSHIDA, Hirotaka MIZUHATA, Shinobu TAKENAKA, Masashi MURAOKA, Shunsuke SATA, Tomoharu ARAI
  • Publication number: 20160049674
    Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell stack, comprising: a first fuel cell including a first membrane electrode assembly, and a first fuel supply portion having a first in-cell fuel flow channel; a second fuel cell arranged on a main surface of the first fuel cell, and including a second membrane electrode assembly and a second fuel supply portion having a second in-cell fuel flow channel; and a fuel distribution portion including a liquid fuel inlet, a main flow channel connected thereto, and first and second branched flow channels connecting an end of the main flow channel with the first and second in-cell fuel flow channels, respectively, wherein a total length of the first branched flow channel and the first in-cell fuel flow channel is substantially identical to that of the second branched flow channel and the second in-cell fuel flow channel. Also provided is a fuel cell system using the stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Applicant: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohisa YOSHIE, Masashi MURAOKA, Takenori ONISHI, Hirotaka MIZUHATA, Mutsuko KOMODA, Shinobu TAKENAKA
  • Publication number: 20150295291
    Abstract: An electrode body for batteries of the invention includes a first metal portion configured to include metal as an electrode active material as a main component, a first structural member configured to cover a part of a surface of the first metal portion, and a coating member configured to cover the other part of the surface of the first metal portion. The first metal portion, the first structural member, and the coating member are provided such that the first metal portion is divided between the first structural member and the coating member or the coating member is separated from the first metal portion to expose the metal included in the first metal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicant: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke SATA, Akihito YOSHIDA, Tomohisa YOSHIE, Masaki KAGA, Shinobu TAKENAKA, Nobuhiko OKA, Kazuya SAKASHITA, Takahiro MATSUYAMA, Hisayuki UTSUMI, Yuichi KAMIMURA
  • Patent number: 8968966
    Abstract: Provided is a fuel battery including: a fuel battery cell assembly having at least two fuel battery cells coplanarly disposed, the fuel battery cell including a membrane electrode assembly having an anode, an electrolytic membrane, and a cathode stacked on one another in this order, and a flow channel plate provided on an anode side and having on an anode-side surface thereof an in-cell fuel flow channel through which liquid fuel flows; and a fuel distributor having an out-cell fuel flow channel connected to each of the in-cell fuel flow channels to distribute the liquid fuel to the fuel battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takenori Onishi, Tomohisa Yoshie, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Mutsuko Komoda, Shinobu Takenaka, Masashi Muraoka
  • Publication number: 20140134509
    Abstract: A direct alcohol fuel cell system including a fuel cell unit having a direct alcohol fuel cell including an anode electrode, an electrolyte membrane, and a cathode electrode in this order, a fuel supply unit for supplying alcohol fuel to the anode electrode, a detecting unit for detecting a current value I of a current flowing between the anode electrode and the cathode electrode of the direct alcohol fuel cell or an output voltage value V of the direct alcohol fuel cell, and a temperature T of the direct alcohol fuel cell, and a control unit for determining a supply quantity Q of alcohol fuel to the anode electrode based on detection results of the current value I or the output voltage value V, and the temperature T and controlling the fuel supply unit so that the supply quantity of the alcohol fuel is adjusted to the supply quantity Q.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: c/o Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirotaka Mizuhata, Tomohisa Yoshie, Mutsuko Yamamoto, Shinobu Takenaka, Takenori Onishi, Masashi Muraoka
  • Publication number: 20140106243
    Abstract: A fuel cell including a unit cell having an anode, an electrolyte membrane, and a cathode in this order, a liquid fuel accommodation portion composed of a space opening on an anode side and arranged on the anode side, for accommodating or allowing flow of liquid fuel, and a first moisture retention layer arranged between the unit cell and the liquid fuel accommodation portion is provided. This fuel cell may further include a second moisture retention layer arranged on the cathode. This fuel cell can be a direct alcohol fuel cell. For example, pure methanol or a methanol aqueous solution is adopted as the liquid fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: C/O SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinobu Takenaka, Mutsuko Komoda, Tomohisa Yoshie, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Takenori Onishi, Masashi Muraoka