Patents by Inventor Takahiro MINATANI
Takahiro MINATANI 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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Patent number: 11566723Abstract: A flow path switching valve includes (a) a valve body in a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a predetermined surface and an opposite surface, the valve body including an open flow passage having an opening on the predetermined surface, (b) a main body including a plurality of ports having a respective opening on a facing surface thereof facing the predetermined surface, and a plurality of connection flow passages each connected to respective one of the plurality of ports, (c) a pair of plate springs attached to opposite ends of the valve body to support the valve body with a predetermined gap formed between the predetermined surface and the facing surface, the plate springs applying elastic force to the valve body in accordance with an amount of movement of the valve body in a predetermined direction, and (d) an actuator for reciprocating the valve body in the predetermined direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: CKD CorporationInventors: Akihiro Ito, Masayuki Kouketsu, Keiichi Nishikawa, Yasuhisa Hirose, Takahiro Minatani
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Publication number: 20220187027Abstract: A heat exchange system is arranged between a chiller device and a temperature control member, and is provided with: supply line for supplying a refrigerant from the chiller device to the temperature control member; a return line for returning the refrigerant from the temperature control member to the chiller device; a bypass line for bypassing the supply line and the return line; a latent heat storage member arranged closer to the chiller device relative to a first connection point connecting the return line and the bypass line; and a flow distribution unit that is arranged at a second connection point connecting the outgoing line and the bypass line, and that is for adjusting a ratio for distributing refrigerant to the temperature control member and the bypass line.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2020Publication date: June 16, 2022Applicant: CKD CORPORATIONInventors: Akihiro ITO, Takahiro MINATANI, Shinichi NITTA
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Patent number: 11125342Abstract: A spool valve includes: a cylindrical tubular sleeve that extends in an axial direction and comprises a first port and a second port separated from each other in the axial direction, and a cylindrical columnar spool that extends in the axial direction and comprises a diameter reduced portion. The cylindrical columnar spool moves in the axial direction through the sleeve and opens and closes the first port to cause the first port to or not to communicate with the second port, and the first port has a first through hole having a first width in a circumferential direction of the sleeve, and a second through hole having a second width different from the first width in the circumferential direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: CKD CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhisa Hirose, Takahiro Minatani, Keiichi Nishikawa, Yoshinori Tanaka, Naofumi Yoshida
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Publication number: 20210108737Abstract: A flow path switching valve includes (a) a valve body in a shape of a rectangular parallelepiped having a predetermined surface and an opposite surface, the valve body including an open flow passage having an opening on the predetermined surface, (b) a main body including a plurality of ports having a respective opening on a facing surface thereof facing the predetermined surface, and a plurality of connection flow passages each connected to respective one of the plurality of ports, (c) a pair of plate springs attached to opposite ends of the valve body to support the valve body with a predetermined gap formed between the predetermined surface and the facing surface, the plate springs applying elastic force to the valve body in accordance with an amount of movement of the valve body in a predetermined direction, and (d) an actuator for reciprocating the valve body in the predetermined direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2020Publication date: April 15, 2021Inventors: Akihiro ITO, Masayuki KOUKETSU, Keiichi NISHIKAWA, Yasuhisa HIROSE, Takahiro MINATANI
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Patent number: 10907748Abstract: The flow path switching valve includes (a) a valve body having an open flow path which opens on a predetermined surface over a predetermined length in a predetermined direction, (b) a main body having a plurality of ports which open on a facing surface facing the predetermined surface at an interval shorter than the predetermined length in the predetermined direction, and a plurality of connection flow paths connected to the plurality of ports, (c) plate springs attached on both ends of the valve body in the predetermined direction so as to support the valve body such that a predetermined gap is formed between the predetermined surface and the facing surface, the plate springs applying elastic force onto the valve body according to a movement amount of the valve body in the predetermined direction, and (d) an actuator which drives the valve body back and forth in the predetermined direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: CKD CorporationInventors: Akihiro Ito, Masayuki Kouketsu, Keiichi Nishikawa, Yasuhisa Hirose, Takahiro Minatani
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Publication number: 20200208745Abstract: A spool valve includes: a cylindrical tubular sleeve that extends in an axial direction and comprises a first port and a second port separated from each other in the axial direction, and a cylindrical columnar spool that extends in the axial direction and comprises a diameter reduced portion. The cylindrical columnar spool moves in the axial direction through the sleeve and opens and closes the first port to cause the first port to or not to communicate with the second port, and the first port has a first through hole having a first width in a circumferential direction of the sleeve, and a second through hole having a second width different from the first width in the circumferential direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2019Publication date: July 2, 2020Applicant: CKD CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhisa Hirose, Takahiro Minatani, Keiichi Nishikawa, Yoshinori Tanaka, Naofumi Yoshida
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Patent number: 10553463Abstract: A temperature control system includes a first temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a first temperature; a second temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; a low-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the first temperature adjustment unit; a high-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the second temperature adjustment unit; a bypass flow path for circulating fluid; a combination flow path for passing fluid from the low-temperature flow path, the high-temperature flow path, and the bypass flow path merged at a merging part; a temperature adjustment part that passes fluid from the combination flow path and cools/heats a member of a semiconductor manufacturing device; and a control device that controls valve positions of variable valves attached to the three flow paths upstream of the merging part and adjusts the flow rate distribution ratio for the three flow paths.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2018Date of Patent: February 4, 2020Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, CKD CorporationInventors: Atsushi Kobayashi, Atsuhiko Tabuchi, Hideki Wakai, Kazutoshi Itoh, Yasuhisa Hirose, Keiichi Nishikawa, Takahiro Minatani
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Publication number: 20190011052Abstract: The flow path switching valve includes (a) a valve body having an open flow path which opens on a predetermined surface over a predetermined length in a predetermined direction, (b) a main body having a plurality of ports which open on a facing surface facing the predetermined surface at an interval shorter than the predetermined length in the predetermined direction, and a plurality of connection flow paths connected to the plurality of ports, (c) plate springs attached on both ends of the valve body in the predetermined direction so as to support the valve body such that a predetermined gap is formed between the predetermined surface and the facing surface, the plate springs applying elastic force onto the valve body according to a movement amount of the valve body in the predetermined direction, and (d) an actuator which drives the valve body back and forth in the predetermined direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Inventors: Akihiro ITO, Masayuki KOUKETSU, Keiichi NISHIKAWA, Yasuhisa HIROSE, Takahiro MINATANI
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Publication number: 20180269090Abstract: A temperature control system includes a first temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a first temperature; a second temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; a low-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the first temperature adjustment unit; a high-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the second temperature adjustment unit; a bypass flow path for circulating fluid; a combination flow path for passing fluid from the low-temperature flow path, the high-temperature flow path, and the bypass flow path merged at a merging part; a temperature adjustment part that passes fluid from the combination flow path and cools/heats a member of a semiconductor manufacturing device; and a control device that controls valve positions of variable valves attached to the three flow paths upstream of the merging part and adjusts the flow rate distribution ratio for the three flow paths.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Inventors: Atsushi KOBAYASHI, Atsuhiko TABUCHI, Hideki WAKAI, Kazutoshi ITOH, Yasuhisa HIROSE, Keiichi NISHIKAWA, Takahiro MINATANI
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Patent number: 9984908Abstract: A temperature control system includes a first temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a first temperature; a second temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; a low-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the first temperature adjustment unit; a high-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the second temperature adjustment unit; a bypass flow path for circulating fluid; a combination flow path for passing fluid from the low-temperature flow path, the high-temperature flow path, and the bypass flow path merged at a merging part; a temperature adjustment part that passes fluid from the combination flow path and cools/heats a member of a semiconductor manufacturing device; and a control device that controls valve positions of variable valves attached to the three flow paths upstream of the merging part and adjusts the flow rate distribution ratio for the three flow paths.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2012Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, CKD CorporationInventors: Atsushi Kobayashi, Atsuhiko Tabuchi, Hideki Wakai, Kazutoshi Itoh, Yasuhisa Hirose, Keiichi Nishikawa, Takahiro Minatani
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Publication number: 20140262199Abstract: A temperature control system includes a first temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a first temperature; a second temperature adjustment unit storing fluid at a second temperature higher than the first temperature; a low-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the first temperature adjustment unit; a high-temperature flow path for passing fluid supplied from the second temperature adjustment unit; a bypass flow path for circulating fluid; a combination flow path for passing fluid from the low-temperature flow path, the high-temperature flow path, and the bypass flow path merged at a merging part; a temperature adjustment part that passes fluid from the combination flow path and cools/heats a member of a semiconductor manufacturing device; and a control device that controls valve positions of variable valves attached to the three flow paths upstream of the merging part and adjusts the flow rate distribution ratio for the three flow paths.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2012Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicants: Tokyo Electron Limited, CKD CorporationInventors: Atsushi Kobayashi, Atsuhiko Tabuchi, Hideki Wakai, Kazutoshi Itoh, Yasuhisa Hirose, Keiichi Nishikawa, Takahiro Minatani
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Publication number: 20100116484Abstract: The temperature control device comprises a heating pathway that heats and circulates the fluid in the temperature adjustment unit, a cooling pathway that cools and circulates the fluid in the temperature adjustment unit, a bypass pathway that circulates the fluid in the temperature adjustment unit without passing the fluid through the heating pathway and the cooling pathway, an adjustment means that adjusts a flow ratio of the fluid that is supplied from the heating pathway, cooling pathway, and bypass pathway to the temperature adjustment unit, and a flow means that flows the fluid in order to circulate the fluid, and wherein a heating unit for heating the fluid is arranged in the heating pathway, and the flow means is disposed downstream from the heating unit along at least one of the pathways for circulating the fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2009Publication date: May 13, 2010Applicants: CKD CORPORATION, TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Norio KOKUBO, Yasuhisa HIROSE, Kazuhiko KUSAKA, Keiichi NISHIKAWA, Takahiro MINATANI