Patents by Inventor Sze Keat Chee

Sze Keat Chee 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: 11959559
    Abstract: To provide a valve control device, a drive control device, and a fluid control device, which are suitable for adjusting a valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sze Keat Chee, Takeshi Yano, Akio Yano
  • Publication number: 20240019040
    Abstract: A piezoelectric valve including actuators that are respectively adapted to drive valve elements, and a valve body including a gas inlet port, and a plurality of gas outlet ports, the piezoelectric valve is attachable to and detachable from a fluid device via a connector unit including an inlet passage that is communicable at one end with the gas inlet port, and is communicable at another end with an air supply passage of the fluid device, and a plurality of discharge passages that are respectively communicable at one end with the plurality of gas outlet ports, and are respectively communicable at another end with a plurality of gas outlet passages of the fluid device, and a pitch of openings of the plurality of discharge passages on the other end side is greater than a pitch of openings of the plurality of discharge passages on the one end side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2021
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicants: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Sze Keat CHEE
  • Publication number: 20240011573
    Abstract: A piezoelectric valve including an actuator that drives a valve body; a valve seat plate including a valve seat that is adapted to be positioned in contact with and away from the valve body, and a discharge passage; and a body case that houses the valve seat plate, in which the actuator includes a proximal portion fixed to the valve seat plate, a piezoelectric element having one end portion connected to an attachment face of the proximal portion and extending in a first longitudinal direction, a support portion integrally formed with the proximal portion, the support portion being arranged side-by-side with the piezoelectric element and extending in a second longitudinal direction crossing the first longitudinal direction, an operating portion connected to another end portion of the piezoelectric element and to a distal end portion of the support portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicants: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Sze Keat CHEE
  • Patent number: 11808373
    Abstract: A piezoelectric valve includes: a valve main part including a gas pressure chamber receiving compressed gas supplied from outside; a plate inside the valve main part, and an actuator fixed to the plate and inside the valve main part, which is a case with an opening on a front surface. The plate includes a gas discharge path and a valve seat coming into contact with a valve element of the actuator opening and closing the gas discharge path. A lid member that closes the opening of the case has a gas discharge opening communicating with the gas discharge path of the plate; is welded and fixed to a front surface of the plate, where the gas discharge path opens, on an annular welded part surrounding the gas discharge opening; and is welded and fixed to an end surface of the case on an annular welded part on the outer peripheral part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignees: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Ito, Tadashi Matsushita, Toshiro Higuchi, Sze Keat Chee, Yoshinobu Mizuno, Toshitada Hirata
  • Publication number: 20230043346
    Abstract: A displacement magnifying mechanism, polishing device, actuator, electronic component processing apparatus, dispenser, and air valve which can easily control a drive system. The displacement magnifying mechanism includes a base; a piezoelectric element of which an end is attached to a mounting surface of the base, the piezoelectric element extending along a first longitudinal direction; a support member of which an end is attached to the mounting surface side by side with the piezoelectric element, the support member extending along a second longitudinal direction which intersects with the first longitudinal direction; an operating portion attached to each of other ends of the piezoelectric element and the support member to allow the operating portion to be displaced, in response to an expansion/contraction of the piezoelectric element, along a displacement direction; and a compression member attached to the base and the operating portion so as to compress the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2021
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Sze Keat Chee, Takeshi Yano, Akio Yano
  • Publication number: 20220356958
    Abstract: A piezoelectric valve includes: a valve main part including a gas pressure chamber receiving compressed gas supplied from outside; a plate inside the valve main part, and an actuator fixed to the plate and inside the valve main part, which is a case with an opening on a front surface. The plate includes a gas discharge path and a valve seat coming into contact with a valve element of the actuator opening and closing the gas discharge path. A lid member that closes the opening of the case has a gas discharge opening communicating with the gas discharge path of the plate; is welded and fixed to a front surface of the plate, where the gas discharge path opens, on an annular welded part surrounding the gas discharge opening; and is welded and fixed to an end surface of the case on an annular welded part on the outer peripheral part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicants: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Tadashi MATSUSHITA, Toshiro HIGUCHI, Sze Keat CHEE, Yoshinobu MIZUNO, Toshitada HIRATA
  • Patent number: 11471074
    Abstract: A middle ear sound transmission characteristics evaluation system includes a probe; a measuring probe that includes an actuator that vibrates the probe and a force sensor that outputs a voltage in accordance with a reaction force exerted to the actuator when a tip of the probe is brought into contact with ossicles; an electrode that is installed on or near a round window and detects a potential value of a cochlear microphonic when vibration is applied to the ossicles by the probe; a database that stores a sensor voltage value output by the force sensor before surgical treatment, the potential value detected by the electrode, and surgical details; and a surgical details proposing unit that proposes selected surgical details on the basis of the magnitude of at least one of the sensor voltage value and the potential value measured before surgery with reference to the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: The University of Electro-Communications, Keio University, Mechano Transformer Corporation, Daiichi Medical, Leadance Corporation
    Inventors: Takuji Koike, Yuuka Irie, Sho Kanzaki, Sze Keat Chee, Takenobu Higo, Masaaki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20220316617
    Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric actuator that can reduce a risk of air leakage due to weakening of pressing force of a valve element against a valve seat surface and airtightness. The piezoelectric actuator is used for a piezoelectric valve that opens and closes a valve utilizing displacement of a laminated piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric actuator includes: a valve element; a laminated piezoelectric element that generates a driving force, required for operation of the valve element, as a displacement; and a displacement enlargement mechanism that enlarges a displacement of a laminated piezoelectric element and causes the enlarged displacement to act on the valve element. In the piezoelectric actuator, a surface of the valve element to be in contact with a valve seat of the piezoelectric valve is made flat and smooth in a state in which a tensile load is applied to the laminated piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicants: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Tadashi MATSUSHITA, Toshiro HIGUCHI, Sze Keat CHEE, Kunio EBIHARA, Toshitada HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20220213973
    Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric valve in which the valve is opened/closed utilizing a displacement of a laminated piezoelectric element, including: a valve main body having a gas pressure chamber that receives compressed gas supplied externally; and an actuator having a valving element, the laminated piezoelectric element that generates a driving force required for operating the valving element as the displacement, and a displacement enlarging mechanism that enlarges the displacement of the laminated piezoelectric element to be acted on the valving element, the actuator being disposed in the valve main body, in which a surface of the laminated piezoelectric element is coated with silicone in a state in which the laminated piezoelectric element is integrated into the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Applicants: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Tadashi MATSUSHITA, Toshiro HIGUCHI, Sze Keat CHEE, Yoshinobu MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20220057011
    Abstract: To provide a valve control device, a drive control device, and a fluid control device, which are suitable for adjusting a valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Inventors: Sze Keat Chee, Takeshi Yano, Akio Yano
  • Patent number: 10738905
    Abstract: A piezoelectric valve, having superior responsiveness during valve opening and capability to stabilize gas supply at an early stage, includes a gas pressure chamber receiving compressed gas and an exhaust path discharging the compressed gas from the gas pressure chamber; a valve disc placed in the gas pressure chamber to open and close the exhaust path; a piezoelectric element generating a driving force for operation of the valve disc, as a displacement; a displacement magnifying mechanism magnifying the displacement of the piezoelectric element and applying the magnified displacement to the valve disc; and driving means including a signal generator generating a signal including a first prepulse, a second prepulse, and a main pulse, applies a drive voltage to the piezoelectric element using the signal generated by the signal generator, as an input signal to a drive circuit, and drives and opens the valve disc by expanding the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignees: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Ito, Hironori Arii, Tadashi Matsushita, Sze Keat Chee, Takeshi Yano, Toshiro Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20200144477
    Abstract: A displacement magnifying mechanism includes a base portion serving as a substrate; a first attachment portion and a second attachment portion which are provided on a surface on one side of the base portion; a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element of which one ends are attached to the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion; an operating portion which is connected to the other ends of the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element and generates a displacement due to expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element; and a link portion which is disposed at the center between the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element, links the operating portion and the base portion, and is made of a material having a higher Young's modulus than that of the first piezoelectric element and the second piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Sze Keat CHEE, Takeshi YANO, Akio YANO
  • Publication number: 20200029865
    Abstract: A middle ear sound transmission characteristics evaluation system includes a probe; a measuring probe that includes an actuator that vibrates the probe and a force sensor that outputs a voltage in accordance with a reaction force exerted to the actuator when a tip of the probe is brought into contact with ossicles; an electrode that is installed on a round window or near a round window and detects a potential value of a cochlear microphone when vibration is applied to the ossicles by the probe; a database that stores a sensor voltage value output by the force sensor before surgical treatment, the potential value detected by the electrode, and surgical details; and a surgical details proposing unit that proposes selected surgical details on the basis of the magnitude of at least one of the sensor voltage value and the potential value measured before surgery with reference to the sensor voltage values, potential values, and surgical details stored in the database.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Takuji Koike, Yuuka Irie, Sho Kanzaki, Sze Keat Chee, Takenobu Higo, Masaaki Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10525508
    Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a blowing apparatus wherein a piezoelectric element is unlikely to cause insulation deterioration leading to burnout during use of the blowing apparatus. The blowing apparatus of the present invention blows compressed gas supplied from a compressed gas supply unit through a nozzle hole of a nozzle unit by opening a piezoelectric valve. The blowing apparatus comprises a humidity sensor detecting a humidity of the compressed gas inside a flow path unit, and a humidity control unit comparing a detected value of the humidity detected by the humidity sensor with a set value. If the humidity of the compressed gas inside the flow path unit detected by the humidity sensor is equal to or greater than the set value, the humidity control unit replaces the compressed gas inside the flow path unit with the compressed gas whose humidity is less than the set value and which is supplied from the compressed gas supply unit, before starting to use the blowing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SATAKE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Ito, Sze Keat Chee
  • Publication number: 20190353276
    Abstract: The piezoelectric actuator includes a piezoelectric element; a power supply applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element; a drive circuit that applies a voltage from the power supply to the piezoelectric element by a pulse charge signal and a discharge signal to charge, and discharges the charge charged in the piezoelectric element to drive the piezoelectric element; an abnormality detection circuit that detects an abnormality due to insulation failure of the piezoelectric element, and a control unit that determines whether or not the piezoelectric element is normal based on an abnormality detection signal. The abnormality detection circuit outputs the abnormality detection signal that detects a time corresponding to a period from when a current starts to flow to the piezoelectric element during charging to when a current stops to flow, and it is determined that the piezoelectric element is abnormal when the time is equal to or more than a set time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2017
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicants: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Hironori ARII, Tadashi MATSUSHITA, Sze Keat CHEE, Takeshi YANO
  • Publication number: 20190093784
    Abstract: A piezoelectric valve, having superior responsiveness during valve opening and capability to stabilize gas supply at an early stage, includes a gas pressure chamber receiving compressed gas and an exhaust path discharging the compressed gas from the gas pressure chamber; a valve disc placed in the gas pressure chamber to open and close the exhaust path; a piezoelectric element generating a driving force for operation of the valve disc, as a displacement; a displacement magnifying mechanism magnifying the displacement of the piezoelectric element and applying the magnified displacement to the valve disc; and driving means including a signal generator generating a signal including a first prepulse, a second prepulse, and a main pulse, applies a drive voltage to the piezoelectric element using the signal generated by the signal generator, as an input signal to a drive circuit, and drives and opens the valve disc by expanding the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicants: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Hironori ARII, Tadashi MATSUSHITA, Sze Keat CHEE, Takeshi YANO, Toshiro HIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20180250714
    Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a blowing apparatus wherein a piezoelectric element is unlikely to cause insulation deterioration leading to burnout during use of the blowing apparatus. The blowing apparatus of the present invention blows compressed gas supplied from a compressed gas supply unit through a nozzle hole of a nozzle unit by opening a piezoelectric valve. The blowing apparatus comprises a humidity sensor detecting a humidity of the compressed gas inside a flow path unit, and a humidity control unit comparing a detected value of the humidity detected by the humidity sensor with a set value. If the humidity of the compressed gas inside the flow path unit detected by the humidity sensor is equal to or greater than the set value, the humidity control unit replaces the compressed gas inside the flow path unit with the compressed gas whose humidity is less than the set value and which is supplied from the compressed gas supply unit, before starting to use the blowing apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: SATAKE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Sze Keat CHEE
  • Patent number: 9816638
    Abstract: A protruding section formed at the one side end of a connector section provided in a valve is inserted into a recessed section formed as part of a valve placement section of a fluid apparatus. The valve is caused to pivot with the inserted portion that serves as a supporting point, and an engaging section formed at the front end of a lever of a hook section formed at the other side end of the connector section is allowed to engage with an engaging protruding section formed as part of the valve placement section of the fluid apparatus. The valve is thus attached to the fluid apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignees: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takafumi Ito, Yoichi Kawamura, Tadashi Matsushita, Sze Keat Chee, Toshitada Hirata, Yoshinori Kawawa
  • Publication number: 20170312790
    Abstract: An ejector for a granular matter color sorter reducing burdens such as cleaning and maintenance in particular associated with a nozzle unit is to be provided. The ejector 10 comprises a nozzle unit 15, a solenoid valve unit 13, and a manifold unit 14. The nozzle unit 15 is constituted by a plurality of nozzle devices 16 that are independent from each other. The solenoid valve unit 13 is constituted by a plurality of solenoid valve devices 19. The respective nozzle devices 16 and the respective solenoid valve devices 19 correspond to each other on a one-on-one basis so that air flow passages of them are connected by an air flow passage of a manifold. The nozzle device 16 and the manifold 29 are detachably connected and made integral in a state where a surface of the nozzle device 16 in which the air flow passage opens and a surface of the manifold 29 in which the air flow passage opens are brought into abutment with each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicants: SATAKE CORPORATION, MECHANO TRANSFORMER CORPORATION, KURODA PNEUMATICS LTD.
    Inventors: Takafumi ITO, Hidehiko MIZUKAMI, Toshitada HIRATA, Sze Keat CHEE, Toshiro HIGUCHI
  • Patent number: D788266
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignees: Satake Corporation, Mechano Transformer Corporation, Kuroda Pneumatics Ltd.
    Inventors: Takafumi Ito, Sze Keat Chee, Toshitada Hirata, Toshiro Higuchi