Patents by Inventor Tomo KITAGAWA

Tomo KITAGAWA 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: 20230344039
    Abstract: As a method of manufacturing a metal-air battery, a first step is included of stacking an exterior body (e.g., first resin film 11), a water-repellent film (14), and a positive electrode (e.g., air electrode 15) in the stated order. The first step includes: a fusing step of fusing the exterior body and the water-repellent film (14); and a compression step of compressing the water-repellent film (14) and the positive electrode. The fusing step fuses the exterior body and the water-repellent film (14). After the first step, a portion of the exterior body is removed from inside the fusing portion (141) formed in the fusing step, to form an opening (e.g., air inlet 111) in the exterior body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: TOMO KITAGAWA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, SHUNSUKE SATA, KEIGO MITAMURA, AKIHITO YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230080100
    Abstract: A metal-air battery from which leakage of an electrolytic solution is reduced is provided. The metal-air battery includes: a positive electrode including: a current collector; and a catalyst layer formed on the current collector and capable of reducing oxygen; a negative electrode disposed to face the positive electrode; an exterior body housing a stacked portion including the positive electrode and the negative electrode, and having an opening formed to open to the positive electrode; an electrolyte disposed inside the exterior body; and a water-repellent film covering the opening, including a joint portion joined to the exterior body, and transparent to oxygen. The catalyst layer includes a portion positioned between the joint portion and the current collector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: TOMO KITAGAWA, AKIHITO YOSHIDA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, SHUNSUKE SATA
  • Publication number: 20220416332
    Abstract: Provided is a laminate battery in which a short circuit between a negative electrode active material and a positive electrode due to expansion of the negative electrode active material during discharging is prevented. A laminate battery includes a battery case that serves as an outer case. The laminate battery includes an inner case within a battery case 11, and the inner case is formed of a positive electrode storage case and a separator. An inside of the inner case serves as a positive electrode storage portion that stores a positive electrode. An outside of the inner case serves as a negative electrode storage portion that stores a negative electrode. The negative electrode uses a particulate negative electrode active material (e.g., zinc or zinc oxide).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: TOMO KITAGAWA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, SHUNSUKE SATA, AKIHITO YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 11522173
    Abstract: In a battery casing a metal negative electrode that contains metal serving as a negative electrode active material and an air electrode are arranged so as to face each other in a state where at least a part of the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is immersed in an electrolytic solution inside a casing. The metal negative electrode is housed in a negative electrode housing in the casing. A separator separating the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is arranged at a side surface of the negative electrode housing. An opening through which inside of the negative electrode housing and outside of the negative electrode housing communicate with each other is provided on an upper surface of the negative electrode housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomo Kitagawa, Shinobu Takenaka, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Masaki Kaga, Toyoka Aimoto
  • Publication number: 20220384852
    Abstract: Provided are a laminated battery capable of suppressing a level drop of an electrolyte caused by expansion of a negative electrode active material during discharge, and a manufacturing method for the laminated battery. An enclosure member of the laminated battery is constituted by affixing a first resin film and a second resin film to each other, and a separator is arranged inside the enclosure member between a positive electrode (for example, a first electrode) and a negative electrode (for example, a second electrode). A peripheral edge portion of the separator is fixed to a peripheral edge portion of the enclosure member (the first resin film or the second resin film).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: SHUNSUKE SATA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, TOMO KITAGAWA, AKIHITO YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20220247016
    Abstract: Provided is a metal-air cell whose electrolytic solution is kept from leaking from an outer pouch housing an electrode. Hence, the metal-air cell excels in reliability and safety. The metal-air cell includes a negative electrode and a positive electrode each including a lead. The lead includes a sealing member provided to an outer face of the lead. The outer pouch includes a fusing portion in which the sealing member and the lead are held and fused together. The fusing portion seals the outer pouch. The sealing member includes an adhesive layer covering the lead inside the outer pouch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: SHUNSUKE SATA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, TOMO KITAGAWA, TOYOKA AIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11296374
    Abstract: A metal-air battery includes a metal negative electrode (12), an oxygen-generating electrode placed on a surface of the metal negative electrode, and an air electrode placed on another surface of the metal negative electrode. The metal negative electrode includes at least a negative electrode active material layer facing the oxygen-generating electrode. A first separator placed in contact with the negative electrode active material layer is placed between the negative electrode active material layer and the oxygen-generating electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinobu Takenaka, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Shunsuke Sata, Tomo Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20210313660
    Abstract: A metal-air battery module includes a unit assembly having a plurality of battery units coupled using first couplers. Each battery unit has a metal-air battery cell held by a sheet. In the unit assembly, two of the metal-air battery cells adjacent to each other are arranged in such a manner that a negative-electrode terminal and an air-electrode terminal face each other, and the facing terminals are connected together to form a pair of connected terminals. In the pair of connected terminals, the negative-electrode terminal and the air-electrode terminal are connected through welding or other methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, TOMO KITAGAWA, TOYOKA AIMOTO, AKIHITO YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 10971775
    Abstract: A method for producing an air electrode includes a kneading step of kneading an oxygen reduction catalyst, a conductive auxiliary agent, and a water-repellent resin (binder) in a water solvent; and a rolling step of rolling with a roller the kneaded product produced in the kneading step. The rolling step includes rolling the kneaded product with the roller several times in many directions (at least two or more different rolling directions). In the formed air electrode, the water-repellent resin is fiberized in the air electrode, and the fibers thereof are oriented in many directions to form a netlike shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomo Kitagawa, Hirotaka Mizuhata, Keigo Mitamura, Shinobu Takenaka, Shunsuke Sata
  • Publication number: 20210098843
    Abstract: A metal-air battery comprises a casing including a first surface having breathability and second surface different from the first surface; and a positive electrode housed in the casing, a negative electrode housed in the casing, a positive-electrode terminal electrically connected to the positive electrode and exposed from the casing, a negative-electrode terminal electrically connected to the negative electrode and exposed from the casing, and an adhesive layer containing an adhesive and provided on a portion of the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, AKIHITO YOSHIDA, TOMO KITAGAWA, TOMOHISA YOSHIE, ATSUSHI FUKUI
  • Publication number: 20200266423
    Abstract: In a battery casing a metal negative electrode that contains metal serving as a negative electrode active material and an air electrode are arranged so as to face each other in a state where at least a part of the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is immersed in an electrolytic solution inside a casing. The metal negative electrode is housed in a negative electrode housing in the casing. A separator separating the metal negative electrode and the air electrode is arranged at a side surface of the negative electrode housing. An opening through which inside of the negative electrode housing and outside of the negative electrode housing communicate with each other is provided on an upper surface of the negative electrode housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: TOMO KITAGAWA, SHINOBU TAKENAKA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, MASAKI KAGA, TOYOKA AIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20200006829
    Abstract: A method for producing an air electrode includes a kneading step of kneading an oxygen reduction catalyst, a conductive auxiliary agent, and a water-repellent resin (binder) in a water solvent; and a rolling step of rolling with a roller the kneaded product produced in the kneading step. The rolling step includes rolling the kneaded product with the roller several times in many directions (at least two or more different rolling directions). In the formed air electrode, the water-repellent resin is fiberized in the air electrode, and the fibers thereof are oriented in many directions to form a netlike shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: TOMO KITAGAWA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, KEIGO MITAMURA, SHINOBU TAKENAKA, SHUNSUKE SATA
  • Publication number: 20190356031
    Abstract: A metal-air battery includes a metal negative electrode (12), an oxygen-generating electrode placed on a surface of the metal negative electrode, and an air electrode placed on another surface of the metal negative electrode. The metal negative electrode includes at least a negative electrode active material layer facing the oxygen-generating electrode. A first separator placed in contact with the negative electrode active material layer is placed between the negative electrode active material layer and the oxygen-generating electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: SHINOBU TAKENAKA, HIROTAKA MIZUHATA, SHUNSUKE SATA, TOMO KITAGAWA
  • Patent number: 8918036
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller supplying toner to the photoreceptor and a toner layer regulatory member regulating the layer thickness of toner supported on the surface of the developing roller. The toner layer regulatory member has flexible sheets abutting the developing roller and a holder holding the flexible sheets. The multiple flexible sheets are formed along the axial direction of the developing roller and arranged side by side across the circumferential direction of the developing roller. Each flexible sheet has a projected end as a free end which spreads across the length of the developing roller and projects toward the developing roller while the other end side is held as a supported end by the holder. The sheet holder has depressions for holding the flexible sheets in a movable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomo Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20130108330
    Abstract: A developing device includes a developing roller supplying toner to the photoreceptor and a toner layer regulatory member regulating the layer thickness of toner supported on the surface of the developing roller. The toner layer regulatory member has flexible sheets abutting the developing roller and a holder holding the flexible sheets. The multiple flexible sheets are formed along the axial direction of the developing roller and arranged side by side across the circumferential direction of the developing roller. Each flexible sheet has a projected end as a free end which spreads across the length of the developing roller and projects toward the developing roller while the other end side is held as a supported end by the holder. The sheet holder has depressions for holding the flexible sheets in a movable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventor: Tomo KITAGAWA