Patents by Inventor Tohru Hirai

Tohru Hirai 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).

  • Publication number: 20240253769
    Abstract: A leading-edge high-lift device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a leading-edge high-lift device that is deployable and retractable from/into a fixed leading edge of a main wing of an aircraft and includes a slat main body and a buffering portion. The slat main body includes a leading edge portion, a trailing edge portion that forms a gap between a trailing edge portion and the main wing during deployment, a cusp portion formed at a lower edge of the leading edge portion, a cove portion formed between the cusp portion and the trailing edge portion, and an inboard end surface that is formed between the leading edge portion and the cove portion and is positioned on a fuselage side of the aircraft. The buffering portion is provided at an inboard end portion of the slat main body including the inboard end surface and an inboard-side surface of the cove portion and reduces pressure fluctuations in airflow on the inboard end surface or the inboard-side surface of the cove portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro MURAYAMA, Tohru HIRAI, Kazuomi YAMAMOTO, Masataka KOHZAI, Yosuke UENO, Kazuhide ISOTANI, Kenji HAYAMA, Kensuke HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 11577823
    Abstract: A noise reduction apparatus, an aircraft, and a noise reduction method capable of increasing the amount of noise reduction are provided. The noise reduction apparatus 1 includes a porous plate 2 disposed to face a fluid flow, the porous plate 2 including a bend region 5 bent toward an upstream side of the fluid flow. The bend region 5 is provided at the end portion 6 of the porous plate 2, and has a concave R-shape on an upstream side of the fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Tohru Hirai, Mitsuhiro Murayama, Kazuomi Yamamoto, Yasushi Ito, Kentaro Tanaka, Takehisa Takaishi, Yuzuru Yokokawa
  • Publication number: 20210039773
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a noise reduction apparatus, an aircraft, and a noise reduction method capable of increasing the amount of noise reduction. [Solving Means] The noise reduction apparatus 1 includes a porous plate 2 disposed to face a fluid flow, the porous plate 2 including a bend region 5 bent toward an upstream side of the fluid flow. The bend region 5 is provided at the end portion 6 of the porous plate 2, and has a concave R-shape on an upstream side of the fluid flow. Although the direction of the fluid flow is typically deflected toward the outside from the center of the porous plate 2 due to the porous plate 2, the deflected fluid easily passes through the porous plate 2 since the porous plate has the bend region 5. Thus, the shear layer of the fluid flow is weakened, the noise induced by the vortex is reduced, and it is possible to increase the reduction amount of noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Tohru HIRAI, Mitsuhiro MURAYAMA, Kazuomi YAMAMOTO, Yasushi ITO, Kentaro TANAKA, Takehisa TAKAISHI, Yuzuru YOKOKAWA
  • Patent number: 8034247
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a silicon nozzle plate, having; a film forming process to provide the film representing an etching mask for etching the silicon substrate on a surface of the silicon substrate; a pattern film forming to form a pattern film by partially removing the film based on a nozzle hole forming pattern and an outer shape forming pattern; a silicon substrate etching process to form nozzle holes based on the nozzle hole forming pattern representing the etching mask, and to form a half etching portion at least in a part of the silicon substrate based on the outer shape forming pattern; and a silicon substrate separating process to separate the silicon substrate by splitting along the half etching portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Tsuboi, Tohru Hirai
  • Publication number: 20070278181
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a silicon nozzle plate, having; a film forming process to provide the film representing an etching mask for etching the silicon substrate on a surface of the silicon substrate; a pattern film forming to form a pattern film by partially removing the film based on a nozzle hole forming patter and an outer shape forming pattern; a silicon substrate etching process to form nozzle holes based on the nozzle hole forming pattern representing the etching mask, and to form a half etching portion at least in a part of the silicon substrate based on the outer shape forming patter; and a silicon substrate separating process to separate the silicon substrate by splitting along the half etching portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Tsuboi, Tohru Hirai