Patents by Inventor Tomoya Hirano

Tomoya Hirano 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: 8591352
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises: a hollow structure having an insertion-opening in the outer surface of the golf club head; a quick-release lid of the insertion-opening; a tubular part disposed in a hollow of the hollow structure and having a bottomed hole with which the insertion-opening communicates; and a gravity point adjuster. The gravity point adjuster comprises: a heavy-weight member having a specific gravity and a length L2; a light-weight member having a specific gravity less than that of the heavy-weight member and a length L1 more than the length L2; and an elastic member having a specific gravity less than that of the heavy-weight member, and an elastic modulus lower than those of the heavy-weight member and light-weight member. The heavy-weight member, light-weight member and elastic member are inserted in the bottomed hole by the use of the insertion-opening so that their relative positions relative to the bottomed hole can be changed easily by the golfer himself or herself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Patent number: 8574095
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises has an inner surface including a back surface of the face portion that is provided with a crown-side thick-walled rib and a sole-side thick-walled rib. The crown-side thick-walled rib includes an upper face rib disposed in the face portion and extending from the central thick-walled part to a peripheral edge of the back surface of the face portion on a crown portion side, and a crown rib disposed in the crown portion and extending backwardly of the head from the upper face rib. The sole-side thick-walled rib includes a lower face rib disposed in the face portion and extending from the central thick-walled part to a peripheral edge of the back surface of the face portion on a sole portion side, and a sole rib disposed in the sole portion and extending backwardly of the head from the lower face rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Publication number: 20130277034
    Abstract: A heat dissipation device includes an insulating substrate, a metal layer connected to the insulating substrate via a first brazing filler material, a stress relaxation member connected to the insulating substrate via a second brazing filler material, and a cooler connected to the stress relaxation member via a third brazing filler material. The stress relaxation member has one or more stress relaxation spaces each including an opening that is open to at least one of a face side and a back side of the stress relaxation member. At least one of the second and third brazing filler materials has one or more through-holes. Each through-hole includes an opening overlapped with the opening of the stress relaxation space or with the opening of a corresponding one of the stress relaxation spaces, and an edge of each through-hole opening is located externally to an edge of the corresponding stress relaxation space opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicants: SHOWA DENKO K.K., KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yoshitaka IWATA, Shogo MORI, Kazuhiko MINAMI, Tomoya HIRANO
  • Patent number: 8506419
    Abstract: A golf club head having a club face for hitting a ball comprises a hollow main body provided with a front opening, and a face member disposed at the front of the main body so that a front surface thereof forms at least a major part of the club face, and a rear surface thereof faces a hollow of the main body. The peripheral edge of the face member is welded to the main body so as to form a weld bead, and the width of the weld bead is changed so that a difference (Wmax?Wmin) between the maximum width Wmax and minimum width Wmin is not less than 1 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Patent number: 8435137
    Abstract: A hollow golf club head is disclosed, wherein a front member including a face portion and a hosel portion of the club head is made of a material having a specific gravity ?1; a rear member forming a backmost point of the club head is made of a material having a specific gravity ?2; and an intermediate member extending annularly through in a crown portion, a sole portion and a sidewall portion of the head is made of a material having a specific gravity ?3; and the specific gravity ?3 is more than the specific gravity ?1 which is more than the specific gravity ?2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Patent number: 8403377
    Abstract: A locking device includes a lock body that includes an engagement groove with or from which the closing-side and opening-side lock receivers are engaged or disengaged, the lock body being variable between a neutral posture in which the closing-side and opening-side lock receivers are allowed to be engaged with or disengaged from the engagement groove; a closing-side locking posture in which the closing-side lock receiver that is engaged with the engagement groove is regulated so as not to be disengaged from the engagement groove; or an opening-side locking posture in which the opening-side lock receiver that is engaged with the engagement groove is regulated so as not to be disengaged from the engagement groove; a holding member and a release operation lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Japan Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Akahane, Teruyuki Yamada, Tomoya Hirano, Yusuke Harayama
  • Publication number: 20130053173
    Abstract: This head 2 includes a head body h1 as a first member and a face plate p1 as a second member. A boundary k1 of the first member and the second member exists on a surface of the head. A deposition layer is formed in a region including the boundary k1 on the surface of the head. A temperature Tp in a deposition process is equal to or less than 150° C. Preferably, the deposition layer is formed by PVD. Preferably, the first member and the second member are stuck with an adhesive. Preferably, the deposition layer has a surface layer and a lower layer. Preferably, the exposed deposition layer is a TiC layer. Preferably, a total thickness Tt of the deposition layer is 0.5 ?m or greater and 3.0 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Yuki MOTOKAWA, Tomoya HIRANO
  • Patent number: 8342985
    Abstract: An iron-type golf club head 1 having excellent durability and weight distribution design and comprising a metallic head body 1A having a face 2 for hitting a golf ball and a recess portion 13, and a metallic weight member 1B having a larger specific gravity than the head body 1A, the member 1B being fitted to and welded to the recess portion to form a part of the outer surface of the head body 1A, wherein at least one closed space 14 surrounded by the weight member 1B and the surface of the recess portion 13 is formed inside the head body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Publication number: 20120262883
    Abstract: A back metal layer (16, 31) has a plurality of stress relaxation spaces (17). Each stress relaxation space (17) is formed to open at least at one of the front surface and the back surface of the back metal layer (16, 31). A region in the back metal layer (16, 31) that is directly below a semiconductor device (12) is defined as a directly-below region (A1), and a region outside the directly-below region (A1) that corresponds to and has the same dimensions as the directly-below region (A1) is defined as a comparison region (A21). The volume of the stress relaxation spaces (17) in the range of the directly-below region (A1) is less than the volume of the stress relaxation spaces (17) formed in the range of the comparison region (A21).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicants: SHOWA DENKO K. K., KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Iwata, Shogo Mori, Tomoya Hirano, Kazuhiko Minami
  • Publication number: 20120247741
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a first plate and a second plate. A coolant flow passage is formed by brazing the first plate and the second plate by use of a first brazing filler metal. A pipe is brazed between a first groove portion provided in the first plate and a second groove portion provided in the second plate by use of a second brazing filler metal. A pair of first flanges provided contiguously with the first groove portion. Each of the first flanges includes an inner surface. A pair of second flanges provided contiguously with the second groove portion. Each of the second flanges includes an inner surface. At least one of the inner surfaces of the first flanges and the inner surfaces of the second flanges is covered with the second brazing filler metal. The first and second flanges are held by jigs upon brazing of the pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicants: SHOWA DENKO K.K., KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Takashi OKAMOTO, Tomoya HIRANO
  • Patent number: 8277336
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a golf club head having a hollow structure composed of a main body-member and a metal face member welded thereto, comprises the steps of: (a) preparing a rolled material having a constant thickness; (b) cutting out a face member part or blank from the rolled material; (c) making the face member by forming the turnback through press working on the face member part; and (d) reducing the thickness of a corresponding-to-turnback region by machining prior to the step (c), wherein the corresponding-to-turnback region is a region of the cutout face member part corresponding to the turnback, or a region of the rolled material corresponding to the turnback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Patent number: 8267467
    Abstract: A cab in a construction machine, the cab including frame members including a hollow first frame member connected to a second frame member in order to form a corner portion, the first frame member including a pass-through portion formed at a first side surface portion of the first frame member; a reinforcing member that is installed at the corner portion, wherein at least one of two sides of the reinforcing member passes through the pass-through portion and abuts against an inner surface of a second side surface portion of the first frame member that is at an opposite side of the first side surface portion; and a reinforcing plate that abuts against an outer surface of the second side surface portion, wherein the at least one of two sides of the reinforcing member is supported and reinforced by the reinforcing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignees: Caterpillar Japan Ltd., Press Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuji Takaoka, Eiji Akahane, Kazushige Tasaki, Masayoshi Nakajima, Teruyuki Yamada, Yusuke Harayama, Tomoya Hirano
  • Patent number: 8214992
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a golf club head composed of a metal main body and a non-flat metal face member which are welded each other is disclosed. In order to make the non-flat metal face member, an in-process face material is cut out from a rolled metal plate having a constant thickness. And a turnback is formed around the in-process face material by press working. Before making the press working, the region of the in-process face material corresponding to the turnback is decreased in the thickness by a cutting work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Publication number: 20120125073
    Abstract: A golf club head has a hollow structure comprising a head main body provided with a opening and a cover covering the opening. The head main body is made of a metal material and provided in the opening with a supporting part for supporting a peripheral edge part of the cover fitted in the opening. The cover is made of a low specific gravity material. A method for producing the golf club head comprises a step of preparing a first workpiece having an opening, which step comprises forming the supporting part through a press working of a sheet metal having a uniform thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: Tomoya HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20120129627
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises has an inner surface including a back surface of the face portion that is provided with a crown-side thick-walled rib and a sole-side thick-walled rib. The crown-side thick-walled rib includes an upper face rib disposed in the face portion and extending from the central thick-walled part to a peripheral edge of the back surface of the face portion on a crown portion side, and a crown rib disposed in the crown portion and extending backwardly of the head from the upper face rib. The sole-side thick-walled rib includes a lower face rib disposed in the face portion and extending from the central thick-walled part to a peripheral edge of the back surface of the face portion on a sole portion side, and a sole rib disposed in the sole portion and extending backwardly of the head from the lower face rib.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: Tomoya HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20120038186
    Abstract: A cab in a construction machine, the cab including frame members including a hollow first frame member connected to a second frame member in order to form a corner portion, the first frame member including a pass-through portion formed at a first side surface portion of the first frame member; a reinforcing member that is installed at the corner portion, wherein at least one of two sides of the reinforcing member passes through the pass-through portion and abuts against an inner surface of a second side surface portion of the first frame member that is at an opposite side of the first side surface portion; and a reinforcing plate that abuts against an outer surface of the second side surface portion, wherein the at least one of two sides of the reinforcing member is supported and reinforced by the reinforcing plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicants: PRESS KOGYO CO., LTD., CATERPILLAR JAPAN LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuji Takaoka, Eiji Akahane, Kazushige Tasaki, Masayoshi Nakajima, Teruyuki Yamada, Yusuke Harayama, Tomoya Hirano
  • Publication number: 20110312439
    Abstract: A golf club head 2 comprises: a porous part Ps including a porous metal and integrally formed; and a non-porous part NPs. The porous part Ps constitutes at least a part of a sole 8. The porous part Ps has a whole thickness part Pt occupying a whole thickness of the sole 8. Preferably, a rate Ra of an area occupied by the whole thickness part Pt among an area of the sole is equal to or greater than 15%. Preferably, the porous part Ps and the non-porous part NPs are welded mutually. In the disposal of the porous part Ps in the head 2, preferably, a substituted head obtained by substituting the porous part Ps with the same material as that of the non-porous part NPs adjacent to the porous part Ps is considered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Seiji HAYASE, Masahide ONUKI, Tomoya HIRANO
  • Patent number: 8075421
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises a face portion of which front face defines a club face, wherein at least a part of the face portion is formed by a unidirectionally rolled plate of a titanium alloy having alpha phase such as alpha titanium alloys and alpha+beta titanium alloys, and the unidirectional rolled direction of the plate is oriented in the toe-heel direction of the head. At least 50% in area of the face portion is formed by the unidirectionally rolled plate. The angle (theta) between the rolled direction and the toe-heel direction is not more than 15 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Patent number: 7993214
    Abstract: A golf club head is provided with a face portion comprising: a central thick part having a thickness Tc; a crown-side thick part having a thicknesses Tr; a sole-side thick part having a thicknesses Tr; a toe-side thinner part having a thickness TT; and a heel-side thinner part having a thickness TH, wherein: (1) Tc>=Tr>TT and (2) Tr>TH are satisfied; and the centroid of the central thick part is positioned on the toe-side of an extension of a widthwise center line of the crown-side thick part towards the sole and further positioned on the heel-side of an extension of a widthwise center line of the sole-side thick part towards the crown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: SRI Sports Limited
    Inventor: Tomoya Hirano
  • Publication number: 20110152001
    Abstract: A golf club head comprises: a hollow structure having an insertion-opening in the outer surface of the golf club head; a quick-release lid of the insertion-opening; a tubular part disposed in a hollow of the hollow structure and having a bottomed hole with which the insertion-opening communicates; and a gravity point adjuster. The gravity point adjuster comprises: a heavy-weight member having a specific gravity and a length L2; a light-weight member having a specific gravity less than that of the heavy-weight member and a length L1 more than the length L2; and an elastic member having a specific gravity less than that of the heavy-weight member, and an elastic modulus lower than those of the heavy-weight member and light-weight member. The heavy-weight member, light-weight member and elastic member are inserted in the bottomed hole by the use of the insertion-opening so that their relative positions relative to the bottomed hole can be changed easily by the golfer himself or herself.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventor: Tomoya HIRANO