Patents by Inventor Shusaku Tomoi

Shusaku Tomoi 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: 9540510
    Abstract: A stabilized, dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising dispersed dynamically vulcanized particles of at least one first elastomer or rubber comprising halogenated isobutylene-containing elastomer and dispersed particles of at least one second elastomer or rubber comprising at least one functional group capable of reacting with and grafting to a polyamide, the particles of the at least one first and at least one second elastomers dispersed in a continuous thermoplastic polyamide or nylon resin matrix comprising at least one nylon homopolymer, nylon copolymer or mixture thereof, the composition or the at least one first elastomer further comprising at least one stabilizer against degradation induced by exposure to actinic, particularly ultraviolet, radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd, ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Edward John Blok, Bruce Alan Harrington, Yuichi Hara, Shusaku Tomoi
  • Publication number: 20160263868
    Abstract: A laminate of a film and a rubber composition, the film being formed from a thermoplastic elastomer composition in which rubber particles are dispersed in a thermoplastic resin, wherein the Sdr value of the film in contact with the rubber composition is 0.042 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Shusaku TOMOI, Hirokazu SHIBATA, Shun SATO, Yuichi HARA
  • Publication number: 20160136999
    Abstract: A laminate comprising at least one layer of a first thermoplastic resin composition alternately stacked with at least two layers of a second thermoplastic resin composition so that the outermost layers are the layers of the second thermoplastic resin composition, wherein the first thermoplastic resin composition comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and modified ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and the second thermoplastic resin composition has a different composition from the first thermoplastic resin composition, and wherein, in any adjacent pair of the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition, the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition have a specific tensile modulus ratio and a specific thickness ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Shusaku Tomoi, Yuichi Hara
  • Patent number: 9272491
    Abstract: A laminate comprising at least one layer of a first thermoplastic resin composition alternately stacked with at least two layers of a second thermoplastic resin composition, so that the outermost layers are the layers of the second thermoplastic resin composition, wherein the first thermoplastic resin composition, comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and modified ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and the second thermoplastic resin composition has a different composition from the first thermoplastic resin composition, and wherein, in any adjacent pair of the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition, the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition have a specific tensile modulus ratio and a specific thickness ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Tomoi, Yuichi Hara
  • Patent number: 9267025
    Abstract: A method for producing a thermoplastic elastomer composition including a thermoplastic resin composition as a continuous phase and also including a modified elastomer dispersed into the continuous phase as a dispersed phase, wherein the method comprises, in the stated order: (1) a step for reacting a polyamide resin and an epoxy group-containing polymer together to generate an end-capped polyamide resin; (2) a step for adding EVOH and a modified elastomer to the product obtained in step (1); (3) a step for dispersing the EVOH into the product obtained in step (1); (4) a step for adding a cross-linking agent for cross-linking the modified elastomer to the dispersion obtained in step (3); and (5) a step for cross-linking the modified elastomer using the cross-linking agent; and wherein the thermoplastic resin composition comprises EVOH and an end-capped polyamide resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi
  • Publication number: 20150057414
    Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition which comprises (A) a thermoplastic resin, (B) a halogenated isoolefin/para-alkylstyrene copolymer rubber, and (C) a thermoplastic elastomer, wherein the thermoplastic resin (A) forms a continuous phase, the halogenated isoolefin/para-alkylstyrene copolymer rubber (B) and the thermoplastic elastomer (C) have been separately dispersed in the continuous phase, the halogenated isoolefin/para-alkylstyrene copolymer (B) has been crosslinked, the thermoplastic elastomer (C) has not been crosslinked, and the amount of the thermoplastic elastomer (C) is 20-50 mass % with respect to the total amount of the halogenated isoolefin/para-alkylstyrene copolymer rubber (B) and the thermoplastic elastomer (C).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi
  • Patent number: 8960250
    Abstract: An article having a fluid permeation prevention layer, such as a pneumatic tire or hose. A tire for example includes an outer tread layer, intermediate sidewall and carcass layers and an innermost air permeation prevention layer: (i) the air permeation prevention (APP) layer having an upper and a lower surface, the layer having a polymer composition exhibiting an air permeation coefficient (APC) of about 25×10?12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30° C.) or less and a Young's modulus of about 1 MPa to about 500 MPa, the polymer composition comprising: (A) at least 10 wt % of at least one. thermoplastic resin component having an APC of about 25×10?12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30° C.) or less and a Young's modulus of more than 500 MPa, which is preferably a polyamide resin or mixture, and (B) at least 10 wt % of at least one elastomer component having an APC of more than about 25×10?12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: Andy Haishung Tsou, Stephan Bertil Ohlsson, Yoshihiro Soeda, Shusaku Tomoi, Yuichi Hara
  • Publication number: 20150045511
    Abstract: A method for producing a thermoplastic elastomer composition including a thermoplastic resin composition as a continuous phase and also including a modified elastomer dispersed into the continuous phase as a dispersed phase, wherein the method comprises, in the stated order: (1) a step for reacting a polyamide resin and an epoxy group-containing polymer together to generate an end-capped polyamide resin; (2) a step for adding EVOH and a modified elastomer to the product obtained in step (1); (3) a step for dispersing the EVOH into the product obtained in step (1); (4) a step for adding a cross-linking agent for cross-linking the modified elastomer to the dispersion obtained in step (3); and (5) a step for cross-linking the modified elastomer using the cross-linking agent; and wherein the thermoplastic resin composition comprises EVOH and an end-capped polyamide resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi
  • Publication number: 20150034227
    Abstract: An article having a fluid permeation prevention layer, such as a pneumatic tire or hose. A tire for example includes an outer tread layer, intermediate sidewall and carcass layers and an innermost air permeation prevention layer: (i) the air permeation prevention (APP) layer having an upper and a lower surface, the layer having a polymer composition exhibiting an air permeation coefficient (APC) of about 25×10?12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30° C.) or less and a Young's modulus of about 1 MPa to about 500 MPa, the polymer composition comprising: (A) at least 10 wt % of at least one thermoplastic resin component having an APC of about 25×10?12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30° C.) or less and a Young's modulus of more than 500 MPa, which is preferably a polyamide resin or mixture, and (B) at least 10 wt % of at least one elastomer component having an APC of more than about 25×10?12 cc cm/cm2 sec cmHg (at 30° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Andy Haishung Tsou, Stephan Bertil Ohlsson, Yoshihiro Soeda, Shusaku Tomoi, Yuichi Hara
  • Patent number: 8940835
    Abstract: Provided is a thermoplastic elastomer composition that can be suitably used for the inner liners of pneumatic tires and exhibits high air barrier properties and high fatigue durability. The present invention is a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a thermoplastic resin composition and a rubber composition dispersed in the thermoplastic resin composition, wherein the thermoplastic resin composition comprises a polyamide and an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or a poly(vinyl alcohol), the rubber composition comprises a halogenated isoolefin-p-alkylstyrene copolymer and is cross inked. The thermoplastic resin composition preferably comprises 1 to 25% by weight of the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or the poly(vinyl alcohol). The thermoplastic elastomer composition preferably comprises 100 parts by weight of the thermoplastic resin composition and 80 to 200 parts by weight of the halogenated isoolefin-p-alkylstyrene copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Tomoi, Koichi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8933172
    Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition having a continuous phase and a dispersed phase, wherein the continuous phase comprising (A) an epoxy-modified polyamide resin, and the dispersed phase comprising (B) a halogenated isoolefin-paraalkylstyrene copolymer rubber, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer composition is obtained by melt-kneading (B) halogenated isoolefin-paraalkylstyrene copolymer rubber, (C) a polyamide resin, and (D) a polyfunctional epoxy compound having two or more epoxy groups per molecule in an amount of 0.05 parts by weight or more and less than 3 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of polyamide resin (C), at a temperature which is equal to or more than the melting point of polyamide resin (C), and epoxy-modified polyamide resin (A) is produced by the reaction of polyamide resin (C) with polyfunctional epoxy compound (D) during the melt-kneading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi
  • Patent number: 8921483
    Abstract: In order to improve fatigue durability of a thermoplastic elastomer composition composed of a matrix phase of a thermoplastic resin and dispersed phases of a rubber, the thermoplastic elastomer composition comprises (A) 100 parts by weight of a halogenated poly(isoolefin-co-p-alkylstyrene) rubber, (B) 40 to 120 parts by weight of a polyamide resin, and (C) 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of an amine having at least one hydroxyl group. The amine (C) having at least one hydroxyl group is preferably a compound represented by formula (1): where R1 is a C1-30 alkyl; R2 is —(C2H4O)n—H, where n is an integer of 1 to 30; and R3 is —(C2H4O)m—H, where m is an integer of 1 to 30, a C1-30 alkyl, or hydrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi
  • Publication number: 20140311644
    Abstract: Provided is an adhesive composition that provides excellent adhesion between a thermoplastic resin or a thermoplastic elastomer in which an elastomer component is dispersed in the thermoplastic resin and a tire by a combination of general-purpose materials, without using any special polymer. The adhesive composition comprises 100 parts by weight of a base polymer and 20 to 50 parts by weight of a resol-type phenolic resin-based resin crosslinking agent, wherein 100 parts by weight of the base polymer comprises 80 to 99 parts by weight of a thermoplastic elastomer and 1 to 20 parts by weight of a halogenated rubber. The resol-type phenolic resin-based resin crosslinking agent is preferably an alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin. Examples of the thermoplastic elastomer can include styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, and examples of the halogenated rubber can include chloroprene rubber and chlorosulfonated polyethylene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi
  • Publication number: 20140041781
    Abstract: In order to improve fatigue durability of a thermoplastic elastomer composition composed of a matrix phase of a thermoplastic resin and dispersed phases of a rubber, the thermoplastic elastomer composition comprises (A) 100 parts by weight of a halogenated poly(isoolefin-co-p-alkylstyrene) rubber, (B) 40 to 120 parts by weight of a polyamide resin, and (C) 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of an amine having at least one hydroxyl group. The amine (C) having at least one hydroxyl group is preferably a compound represented by formula (1): where R1 is a C1-30 alkyl; R2 is —(C2H4O)n—H, where n is an integer of 1 to 30; and R3 is —(C2H4O)m—H, where m is an integer of 1 to 30, a C1-30 alkyl, or hydrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi
  • Patent number: 8546478
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a thermoplastic elastomer composition having a phase structure comprising a continuous phase comprising at least one thermoplastic resin and a disperse phase comprising dynamically crosslinked elastomer particles finely dispersed in the continuous phase, the method being characterized by dispersing in at least one crosslinkable elastomer component furnace carbon black having a BET nitrogen adsorption specific surface area of from 100 to 260 m2/g and a primary particle average particle diameter of from 10 to 25 nm in an amount of 1 to 15 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the at least one crosslinkable elastomer component, prior to or during dynamic crosslinking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Tomoi, Kouichi Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20130112330
    Abstract: A laminate comprising at least one layer of a first thermoplastic resin composition alternately stacked with at least two layers of a second thermoplastic resin composition, so that the outermost layers are the layers of the second thermoplastic resin composition, wherein the first thermoplastic resin composition, comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer and modified ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers, and the second thermoplastic resin composition has a different composition from the first thermoplastic resin composition, and wherein, in any adjacent pair of the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition, the layer of the first thermoplastic resin composition and the layer of the second thermoplastic resin composition have a specific tensile modulus ratio and a specific thickness ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Tomoi, Yuichi Hara
  • Publication number: 20130056123
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing a thermoplastic elastomer composition having a phase structure comprising a continuous phase comprising at least one thermoplastic resin and a disperse phase comprising dynamically crosslinked elastomer particles finely dispersed in the continuous phase, the method being characterized by dispersing in at least one crosslinkable elastomer component furnace carbon black having a BET nitrogen adsorption specific surface area of from 100 to 260 m2/g and a primary particle average particle diameter of from 10 to 25 nm in an amount of 1 to 15 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of the at least one crosslinkable elastomer component, prior to or during dynamic crosslinking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shusaku Tomoi, Kouichi Kawaguchi
  • Publication number: 20130030124
    Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition having a continuous phase and a dispersed phase, wherein the continuous phase comprising (A) an epoxy-modified polyamide resin, and the dispersed phase comprising (B) a halogenated isoolefin-paraalkylstyrene copolymer rubber, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer composition is obtained by melt-kneading (B) halogenated isoolefin-paraalkylstyrene copolymer rubber, (C) a polyamide resin, and (D) a polyfunctional epoxy compound having two or more epoxy groups per molecule in an amount of 0.05 parts by weight or more and less than 3 parts by weight with respect to 100 parts by weight of polyamide resin (C), at a temperature which is equal to or more than the melting point of polyamide resin (C), and epoxy-modified polyamide resin (A) is produced by the reaction of polyamide resin (C) with polyfunctional epoxy compound (D) during the melt-kneading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi
  • Publication number: 20130025757
    Abstract: Provided is a thermoplastic elastomer composition that can be suitably used for the inner liners of pneumatic tires and exhibits high air barrier properties and high fatigue durability. The present invention is a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising a thermoplastic resin composition and a rubber composition dispersed in the thermoplastic resin composition, wherein the thermoplastic resin composition comprises a polyamide and an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or a poly(vinyl alcohol), the rubber composition comprises a halogenated isoolefin-p-alkylstyrene copolymer and is cross inked. The thermoplastic resin composition preferably comprises 1 to 25% by weight of the ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer or the poly(vinyl alcohol). The thermoplastic elastomer composition preferably comprises 100 parts by weight of the thermoplastic resin composition and 80 to 200 parts by weight of the halogenated isoolefin-p-alkylstyrene copolymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shusaku Tomoi, Koichi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8302648
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire comprising an air permeation preventive layer comprising a film of a thermoplastic resin composition containing a polyvinyl alcohol or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer, to which a protective film of a rubber composition containing an ethylene propylene rubber (EPM) or ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) is, directly or via an adhesive, placed adjacent thereto, as one layer in at least one side thereof, whereby both a further reduction in the air leakage rate of the pneumatic tire and a good durability can be achieved and furthermore a reduction in the weight of the tire can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shusaku Tomoi