Patents by Inventor Suguru HIRAYAMA

Suguru HIRAYAMA 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: 11684070
    Abstract: A bending mechanism, a bending method and a food manufacturing method which are capable of bending a sheet-shaped flexible food material, such as a skin, with high accuracy and high speed are provided. A conveyance unit 11 conveys a flexible food material 81. A support unit 12 supports a bending reference portion 85 being a part of the flexible food material 81 in at least a part of a section while the flexible food material 81 is conveyed from a first conveyance area A1 to a second conveyance area A2. The conveyance unit 11 includes a first component part 21 and a second component part 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: NICHIREI FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Itou, Masahiko Honda, Suguru Hirayama, Toru Iwasa, Minoru Mamiya
  • Publication number: 20220411198
    Abstract: A conveyance apparatus, a conveyance method and a food production method that enable to accurately place a conveyance object on a conveyance body while enabling the conveyance object to be conveyed at high speed by the conveyance body are provided. A catcher is moved to be arranged in a raised position where a placement surface is located above a conveyance surface, and in a lowered position where the placement surface is located at a same height as the conveyance surface or where the placement surface is located below the conveyance surface. A conveyance object supply unit places a first conveyance object onto the placement surface in such a manner that the first conveyance object is received by the placement surface above the conveyance surface. The catcher is moved from the raised position toward the lowered position so that the first conveyance object is conveyed downstream by the conveyance body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: NICHIREI FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Ryuichi ITOU, Minoru MAMIYA, Suguru HIRAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20220295802
    Abstract: A food production apparatus, a rotation method and a food production method which stably and accurately rotate a foodstuff workpiece by a desired angle are provided. At least any one of a first rotation unit (31) and a second rotation unit (32) is moved in such a manner that a foodstuff workpiece (W) is nipped and held by the first rotation unit (31) and the second rotation unit (32). The first rotation unit (31) and the second rotation unit (32) which nip and hold the foodstuff workpiece (W) are actively rotated in synchronization with each other. At least any one of the first rotation unit (31) and the second rotation unit (32) is moved in such a manner that the foodstuff workpiece (W) is released from the first rotation unit (31) and the second rotation unit (32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: NICHIREI FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Ryuichi ITOU, Suguru HIRAYAMA, Toru IWASA, Minoru MAMIYA
  • Patent number: 11213060
    Abstract: To provide a rolled food product manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method capable of improving productivity. A rolled food product manufacturing apparatus includes an outlet from which an air stream flows, a conveyor section having a loading member provided with openings through which the air stream flowing from the outlet toward a loading surface passes and conveying a sheet-like base material put on the loading surface in one direction, and a holding part holding one part of the base material floated from the loading surface by the air stream in a floated state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: NICHIREI FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Itou, Suguru Hirayama, Masahiko Honda
  • Publication number: 20210345624
    Abstract: A food material processing mechanism, a food material processing method and a food manufacturing method which enable highly accurate bending of a sheet-shaped flexible food material such as a skin are provided. A food material processing mechanism includes a conveyance unit and a processing unit. A conveyance unit conveys a sheet-shaped flexible food material in a conveyance direction. A processing unit forms a bending reference portion being a reference portion for bending, in the flexible food material being conveyed by the conveyance unit. The processing unit includes a reference formation unit and a pressing unit. The reference formation unit locally applies a force to the flexible food material to form the bending reference portion. The pressing unit presses the flexible food material against the conveyance unit at least temporarily while the reference formation unit forms the bending reference portion in the flexible food material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: NICHIREI FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Ryuichi ITOU, Suguru HIRAYAMA, Toru IWASA, Minoru MAMIYA
  • Publication number: 20210329961
    Abstract: A food material processing mechanism (71) includes: a conveyance unit (11) that conveys a soft food material (81) in a conveyance direction (D1); a support unit (30) that is provided rotatably with respect to a rotation shaft extending in a width direction (D2) orthogonal to the conveyance direction (D1), to support the soft food material (81) conveyed by the conveyance unit (11); and a pressing unit (40) that presses a part of a folded portion (81a) of the soft food material (81) supported by the support unit (30) by jetting air thereto, to form a bending reference portion (85) serving as a reference portion for bending.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: NICHIREI FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Ryuichi ITOU, Toru IWASA, Minoru MAMIYA, Suguru HIRAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20210315217
    Abstract: A bending mechanism, a bending method and a food manufacturing method which are capable of bending a sheet-shaped flexible food material, such as a skin, with high accuracy and high speed are provided. A conveyance unit 11 conveys a flexible food material 81. A support unit 12 supports a bending reference portion 85 being a part of the flexible food material 81 in at least a part of a section while the flexible food material 81 is conveyed from a first conveyance area A1 to a second conveyance area A2. The conveyance unit 11 includes a first component part 21 and a second component part 22.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: NICHIREI FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Ryuichi ITOU, Masahiko HONDA, Suguru HIRAYAMA, Toru IWASA, Minoru MAMIYA
  • Publication number: 20210259258
    Abstract: Provided are a quantitative division unit, a quantitative division method, and a food production method capable of accurately quantitatively dividing a paste ingredient while preventing the damage of the ingredient. A first plunger and a second plunger are shifted from a first driving state to a second driving state in such a manner that the paste ingredient is introduced between the first plunger and the second plunger via a first port due to a negative pressure generated in the area of an internal space between the first plunger and the second plunger. The first plunger and the second plunger are shifted from the second driving state to a third driving state where at least a part of the paste ingredient between the first plunger and the second plunger is disposed so as to face the second port. The first plunger and the second plunger are then shifted from the third driving state to a fourth driving state so as to feed the paste ingredient to the outside via the second port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Applicant: NICHIREI FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Minoru MAMIYA, Ryuichi ITOU, Suguru HIRAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20200236985
    Abstract: To provide a rolled food product manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method capable of improving productivity. A rolled food product manufacturing apparatus includes an outlet from which an air stream flows, a conveyor section having a loading member provided with openings through which the air stream flowing from the outlet toward a loading surface passes and conveying a sheet-like base material put on the loading surface in one direction, and a holding part holding one part of the base material floated from the loading surface by the air stream in a floated state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Publication date: July 30, 2020
    Applicant: NICHIREI FOODS INC.
    Inventors: Ryuichi ITOU, Suguru HIRAYAMA, Masahiko HONDA