Patents by Inventor Tadahiro Yasuda
Tadahiro Yasuda 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).
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Publication number: 20240085930Abstract: A hybrid flow ratio controller system is provided, which includes an inlet configured to receive a total inlet fluid flow and three or more distribution channels. Each of the three or more distribution channels has a respective variable flow control valve and carries a respective portion of the total inlet fluid flow. The hybrid flow ratio controller further includes a controller operatively coupled to the respective variable flow control valves. The controller is configured to control a flow rate of at least a first distribution channel according to a predetermined flow ratio of the inlet fluid flow in accordance with a flow ratio control mode, to control a flow of at least a second distribution channel in either a flow rate control mode or a pressure control mode, and to control a third distribution channel in an overflow mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2022Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Maximilian Martin Gundlach, Patrick Lowery, Tadahiro Yasuda
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Publication number: 20240060803Abstract: In order to allow a fluid resistance element to be fixed to the channel while enjoying various benefits of a channel delineating member made from a ceramic, the fluid resistance element includes: a channel delineating member made from a ceramic and having one or a plurality of resistance channels; and a covering member made from a metal and covering an outer peripheral surface of the channel delineating member. The covering member has a bulged portion on an inner peripheral surface of the covering member, the bulged portion bulging toward the outer peripheral surface of the channel delineating member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Inventors: Masaki KOBAYASHI, Tadahiro YASUDA
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Patent number: 11867308Abstract: In order to provide a piezoelectric actuator and a fluid control valve that can vaporize a liquid material more effectively than a conventional arrangement, the piezoelectric actuator comprises a piezoelectric stack wherein a piezoelectric ceramic layer and an electrode layer are alternately laminated, a DC voltage application circuit that displaces the piezoelectric stack by applying a DC voltage to at least a part or whole of the piezoelectric stack, and a vibration voltage application circuit that vibrates the piezoelectric stack by applying a voltage having a predetermined frequency or above to at least a part or whole of the piezoelectric stack.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2019Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeyuki Hayashi, Tadahiro Yasuda
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Publication number: 20230274966Abstract: An electrostatic chuck device for adsorbing an object by electrostatic force comprises an adsorption plate that has an adsorption surface to adsorb the object, a gas supplying line that supplies a thermally conductive gas to a gap between the adsorption surface and an adsorbed surface of the object and a pressure calculation section that calculates the pressure of the thermally conductive gas in the gap. The gas supplying line is provided with a flow rate resistive element that serves as a resistance when the thermally conductive gas flows. The pressure calculation section calculates the pressure of the thermally conductive gas in the gap based on the primary side pressure of the flow rate resistive element, the flow rate of the thermally conductive gas passing through the flow rate resistive element and the flow characteristic of the flow rate resistive element.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2021Publication date: August 31, 2023Inventors: Lei MA, Andrew PRICE, Tadahiro YASUDA
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Patent number: 11686603Abstract: A pressure type flowmeter includes a fluid resistance element provided in a flow path through which fluid flows, and in which a resistance flow path communicating with the flow path is formed, an upstream-side pressure sensor that detects upstream-side pressure of the fluid resistance element, and a downstream-side pressure sensor that detects downstream-side pressure of the fluid resistance element, in which the fluid resistance element is sandwiched and fixed by a pair of sandwiching components sealing components having a sheet-like shape are provided between the fluid resistance element and the sandwiching components and protrusions that partially press the sealing components are formed on at least one of the fluid resistance element and the sandwiching components.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2021Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Horiguchi, Tadahiro Yasuda, Kentaro Nagai
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Publication number: 20220413522Abstract: To make it possible to incorporate a fluid resistance element into a flow path through which a fluid flows without difficulty while enjoying advantages from forming a resistance flow path using ceramic, provided is a fluid resistance element including: a ceramic flow path forming member having one or a plurality of resistance flow paths; and a metal covering member covering an outer peripheral face of the flow path forming member.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2020Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Tadahiro YASUDA, Andrew PRICE, Lei MA
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Publication number: 20220082416Abstract: A pressure type flowmeter includes a fluid resistance element provided in a flow path through which fluid flows, and in which a resistance flow path communicating with the flow path is formed, an upstream-side pressure sensor that detects upstream-side pressure of the fluid resistance element, and a downstream-side pressure sensor that detects downstream-side pressure of the fluid resistance element, in which the fluid resistance element is sandwiched and fixed by a pair of sandwiching components sealing components having a sheet-like shape are provided between the fluid resistance element and the sandwiching components and protrusions that partially press the sealing components are formed on at least one of the fluid resistance element and the sandwiching components.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Inventors: Hiroshi HORIGUCHI, Tadahiro YASUDA, Kentaro NAGAI
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Patent number: 11193509Abstract: The fluid control valve comprises: a valve seat constituting a part of a valve chamber; a valve body that is installed in the valve chamber and moves in a contacting/separating direction with respect to the valve seat; an actuator configured to move the valve body; and a plunger that transfers power of the actuator to the valve body. The valve body and the plunger are in contact with each other via an inclination suppressing protrusion configured to suppress an inclination of the plunger, the inclination being caused by contact between the valve body and the valve seat.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tadahiro Yasuda, John Dick
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Patent number: 11187343Abstract: The present invention intends to make it hard to distort a diaphragm at the time of assembling in a fluid control valve structured to screw a screw member to a plunger. The fluid control valve that makes an actuator move a valve body installed movably in a contacting/separating direction with respect to a valve seat includes: the plunger that is interposed between the valve body and the actuator to transfer the power of the actuator to the valve body; and the diaphragm connected to the circumferential surface of the plunger. In addition, the plunger includes: a first division body connected to the diaphragm; and a second division body that is arranged on an actuator side of the first division body and to which the screw member is screwed. Further, the second division body is configured to be rotatable with respect to the first division body in its circumferential direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2019Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tadahiro Yasuda
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Patent number: 11162176Abstract: Provided is a fluid control apparatus that without enhancing temporal control performance, every time, can stabilize a fluid flow rate achieved by, for example, pulse control, and eliminate fluid wasted at the time of supplying the fluid by including one flow path. A control mechanism includes a first feedback controller adapted to control a first valve on the basis of first pressure measured by a first pressure sensor. In addition, when a second valve is closed, the first pressure feedback controller controls the first valve so that the first pressure measured by the first pressure sensor reaches target burst pressure, and when and after the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure and the second valve is opened, the control mechanism is configured to control the first valve so that the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the flow path reaches a target constant flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2018Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tadahiro Yasuda, Thomas Hoke
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Patent number: 11036242Abstract: A calibration data generation apparatus includes a flow rate sensor that measures the flow rate of a fluid flowing through a fluid control valve; a differential pressure control mechanism; a temperature control mechanism; and a control unit that when the fluid passing has sound velocity, uses the temperature control mechanism to change the temperature from a reference temperature to comparative temperature. In addition, the control unit includes a valve opening control part that controls the fluid control valve so that at the comparative temperature, an output value outputted from one of the position sensor and the flow rate sensor becomes equal to the reference output value of the one; and a calibration data generation part that generates the calibration data on the basis of a calibration data generation output value outputted from the other one of the position sensor and the flow rate sensor.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2018Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Thomas Hoke, Patrick Lowery, Bill White, John Dick, Tadahiro Yasuda, Tomohiro Yoshida
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Patent number: 10996689Abstract: A flow rate ratio control device is provided with a main flow path, a plurality of branch flow paths that branch off from a terminus of the main flow path, a plurality of fluid control devices that are provided respectively on each branch flow path, and that are each equipped with a valve and a pressure-based flow rate sensor that is disposed downstream of the valve, and an operation setting unit that establishes settings such that, based on the target flow rate ratio, any one fluid control device from among the plurality of fluid control devices is made to operate in a flow velocity control mode in which the flow velocity of a fluid is controlled upstream of each valve, and the remaining fluid control devices are made to operate in a flow rate control mode in which the flow rate is controlled based on the target flow rates.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2017Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tadahiro Yasuda, Patrick Allen Lowery, William Wylie White, Brian James Ebert, Maximilian Martin Gundlach, John Thomas Dick
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Patent number: 10969019Abstract: Provided is a fluid control device that achieves high sealing performance at full closure, and can suppress damage to a valve body or a valve seat surface even without mechanical accuracy improvements. The fluid control device includes: a fluid control valve provided in a flow path through which fluid flows: and a control mechanism that controls the fluid control valve. The fluid control valve includes: a valve seat surface; a valve body that contacts and separates from the valve seat surface; and an actuator that drives the valve body. Further, the control mechanism includes a speed adjustment part that when the valve body is brought close to the valve seat surface in order to fully close the fluid control valve, and the valve seat surface and the valve body reach a predetermined distance apart, reduces the moving speed of the valve body more than before reaching the predetermined distance.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2018Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tadahiro Yasuda, Thomas Hoke, Ryan Owens, Maximilian Gundlach, Patrick Lowery, John Dick, Tomohiro Yoshida
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Patent number: 10704936Abstract: To provide a flow rate characteristic function identification method, flow rate sensor, and flow rate characteristic function identification program that can set a flow rate characteristic function reflecting not only the type or shape of a fluid resistance but also the effects of states such as an attachment state of the fluid resistance, and calculate a flow rate with higher accuracy. An actual flow rate characteristic function, which is a flow rate characteristic function when an actual fluid resistance is provided in a flow path, is identified on the basis of multiple flow rate characteristic functions including a first reference flow rate characteristic function and a second reference flow rate characteristic function, and predetermined weighting.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2017Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Daniel Thomas Mudd, William Wylie White, Michael Kramer, Tadahiro Yasuda
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Publication number: 20200208656Abstract: There is provided a fluid control device that enables accurate control of a fluid flowing through a flow path. This fluid control device includes a block body having an internal flow path, a resistor provided within the flow path, a first pressure sensor upstream of the resistor, a second pressure sensor downstream of the resistor, and fluid control valves that control the fluid based on detection values from the pressure sensors. The block body further has an internal housing portion forming a portion of the flow path and housing the resistor. Additionally, a downstream-side flow path downstream of the housing portion has a base end connected to a downstream-side area through which flows the fluid that has already passed through the resistor. Moreover, the second pressure sensor is connected to the downstream-side area or to a vicinity of the base end.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2019Publication date: July 2, 2020Inventors: Hiroshi Horiguchi, Tadahiro Yasuda, Kazuya Imai
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Publication number: 20200185588Abstract: In order to provide a piezoelectric actuator and a fluid control valve that can vaporize a liquid material more effectively than a conventional arrangement, the piezoelectric actuator comprises a piezoelectric stack wherein a piezoelectric ceramic layer and an electrode layer are alternately laminated, a DC voltage application circuit that displaces the piezoelectric stack by applying a DC voltage to at least a part or whole of the piezoelectric stack, and a vibration voltage application circuit that vibrates the piezoelectric stack by applying a voltage having a predetermined frequency or above to at least a part or whole of the piezoelectric stack.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2019Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Shigeyuki Hayashi, Tadahiro Yasuda
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Patent number: 10545514Abstract: Provided is a flow rate control apparatus that includes a flow restrictor, a downstream side valve, a downstream side pressure sensor, first and second flow rate calculators, and a flow rate controller. The downstream side valve is disposed downstream of the flow restrictor in a flow path. The downstream side pressure sensor measures a pressure between the flow restrictor and the downstream side valve. The first flow rate calculator calculates a first flow rate of fluid flowing through the flow restrictor. The second flow rate calculator calculates a second flow rate of fluid flowing out of the downstream side valve on the basis of the first flow rate and the temporal variation in downstream side pressure measured by the downstream side pressure sensor. The flow rate controller controls the downstream side valve on the basis of a set flow rate and the second flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2018Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tadahiro Yasuda, Bill White, Patrick Lowery, Maximilian Gundlach, Ryan Owens
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Publication number: 20190271403Abstract: The present invention intends to make it hard to distort a diaphragm at the time of assembling in a fluid control valve structured to screw a screw member to a plunger. The fluid control valve that makes an actuator move a valve body installed movably in a contacting/separating direction with respect to a valve seat includes: the plunger that is interposed between the valve body and the actuator to transfer the power of the actuator to the valve body; and the diaphragm connected to the circumferential surface of the plunger. In addition, the plunger includes: a first division body connected to the diaphragm; and a second division body that is arranged on an actuator side of the first division body and to which the screw member is screwed. Further, the second division body is configured to be rotatable with respect to the first division body in its circumferential direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2019Publication date: September 5, 2019Inventor: Tadahiro Yasuda
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Publication number: 20190271335Abstract: The fluid control valve comprises: a valve seat constituting a part of a valve chamber; a valve body that is installed in the valve chamber and moves in a contacting/separating direction with respect to the valve seat; an actuator configured to move the valve body; and a plunger that transfers power of the actuator to the valve body. The valve body and the plunger are in contact with each other via an inclination suppressing protrusion configured to suppress an inclination of the plunger, the inclination being caused by contact between the valve body and the valve seat.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2019Publication date: September 5, 2019Inventors: Tadahiro Yasuda, John Dick
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Publication number: 20190204857Abstract: A flow rate ratio control device is provided with a main flow path, a plurality of branch flow paths that branch off from a terminus of the main flow path, a plurality of fluid control devices that are provided respectively on each branch flow path, and that are each equipped with a valve and a pressure-based flow rate sensor that is disposed downstream of the valve, and an operation setting unit that establishes settings such that, based on the target flow rate ratio, any one fluid control device from among the plurality of fluid control devices is made to operate in a flow velocity control mode in which the flow velocity of a fluid is controlled upstream of each valve, and the remaining fluid control devices are made to operate in a flow rate control mode in which the flow rate is controlled based on the target flow rates.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2017Publication date: July 4, 2019Inventors: Tadahiro Yasuda, Patrick Allen Lowery, William Wylie White, Brian James Ebert, Maximilian Martin Gundlach, John Thomas Dick