Patents by Inventor Takao Kinouchi

Takao Kinouchi 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: 6826932
    Abstract: A washing machine 10 of the drum type comprises a drum 20 rotatable about a horizontal or inclined center of rotation, a drive motor 50 for rotating the drum, liquid holding chambers 36 for holding a liquid therein centrifugally, means for detecting an eccentric load of laundry in the drum, and control means 72 for adjusting the amounts of liquid in the chambers in accordance with the detected eccentric load. The amounts of liquid in the chambers are adjustable by braking the drum in rotation. The machine has moment of inertia measuring means 60 for detecting the rotation of the drum. The control means calculates the moment of inertia acting on the drum based on the rotation of the drum detected by the moment of inertia measuring means, and adjusts the magnitude of braking force to be applied to the drum in accordance with the calculated moment of inertia so as to decelerate the drum at a constant rate in adjusting the amounts of liquid in the chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Sonoda, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yasuhiko Yokoi, Takao Kinouchi
  • Patent number: 6782722
    Abstract: A drum washing machine according to the present invention restrains vibration and noise at the time of spin-drying. For this purpose, a drum 4 is supported so as to be rotatable by rotating shafts 51L and 51R respectively extending in an approximately horizontal direction outward from its end surface walls 41L and 41R. Water storage balancers G are respectively attached to the end surface walls 41L and 41R of the drum 4, and a fluid balancer 9 is further attached to the end surface wall 41L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Yokoi, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yasuaki Sonoda, Takao Kinouchi
  • Publication number: 20040083774
    Abstract: The invention provides a washing machine (10) operable even in the presence of a great eccentric load and exhibiting an outstanding vibration attenuating effect by suppressing eccentricity even if laundry in a drum (30) is in an unbalanced position. The washing machine (10) comprises an inner drum (30) having a rotatably supported axis and a closed wall at at least one end thereof, and a plurality of liquid holding boxes (35) provided on the closed wall of the inner drum (30) externally thereof and each having an opening facing toward the axis. The periphery of the inner drum (30) is provided with hollow liquid holding tubes (37) communicating with the respective liquid holding boxes (35).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventors: Takao Kinouchi, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yasuhiko Yokoi, Yasuaki Sonoda
  • Publication number: 20030140427
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drum-type washing machine which features suppression of vibrations and noises during dehydration. To this end, an unbalanced load occurring around a rotation axis of the drum due to uneven distribution of laundry is canceled. More specifically, a plurality of water tanks (20) each having an opening on the inner periphery thereof are provided around the rotation axis on the back side of the drum (3). Where an eccentric load occurring due to the uneven distribution of the laundry is greater than an allowable level, a water supply valve (14) is opened to introduce water into the respective water tanks (20) with the drum 3 kept rotated, and the water is kept retained in the water tanks by a centrifugal force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yamamoto, Takao Kinouchi, Yasuhiko Yokoi, Yoshiaki Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20030056555
    Abstract: A drum washing machine according to the present invention restrains vibration and noise at the time of spin-drying. For this purpose, a drum 4 is supported so as to be rotatable by rotating shafts 51L and 51R respectively extending in an approximately horizontal direction outward from its end surface walls 41L and 41R. Water storage balancers G are respectively attached to the end surface walls 41L and 41R of the drum 4, and a fluid balancer 9 is further attached to the end surface wall 41L.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Yokoi, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yasuaki Sonoda, Takao Kinouchi
  • Publication number: 20030046962
    Abstract: A washing machine 10 of the drum type comprises a drum 20 rotatable about a horizontal or inclined center of rotation, a drive motor 50 for rotating the drum, liquid holding chambers 36 for holding a liquid therein centrifugally, means for detecting an eccentric load of laundry in the drum, and control means 72 for adjusting the amounts of liquid in the chambers in accordance with the detected eccentric load. The amounts of liquid in the chambers are adjustable by braking the drum in rotation. The machine has moment of inertia measuring means 60 for detecting the rotation of the drum. The control means calculates the moment of inertia acting on the drum based on the rotation of the drum detected by the moment of inertia measuring means, and adjusts the magnitude of braking force to be applied to the drum in accordance with the calculated moment of inertia so as to decelerate the drum at a constant rate in adjusting the amounts of liquid in the chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Applicant: SANYO ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Sonoda, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yasuhiko Yokoi, Takao Kinouchi