Patents by Inventor Toshiaki Hodozuka

Toshiaki Hodozuka 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: 6932852
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into a crucible and heated to 1250 ° C. by an upper heater in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10?4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of an inner tube and drips to be recovered into a liquid reservoir in the lower part of a tubular member, whereas impurity elements having a lower vapor pressure than indium stay within the crucible. The recovered indium mass in the liquid reservoir is heated to 1100° C. by a lower heater and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having a higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates in an upper part of the tubular member to be discharged from the system, whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with the diffuser plates and returns to the liquid reservoir, yielding 99.9999% pure indium, while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka
  • Patent number: 6805833
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into crucible 8 and heated to 1250° C. by upper heater 6 in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of inner tube 3 and drips to be recovered into liquid reservoir 9 in the lower part of tubular member 11 whereas impurity elements having lower vapor pressure than indium stay within crucible 8. The recovered indium mass in liquid reservoir 9 is heated to 1100° C. by lower heater 7 and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates 12 in the upper part of tubular member 11 to be discharged from the system whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with diffuser plates 12 and returns to liquid reservoir 9, yielding 99.9999% pure indium while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Dowa Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka
  • Publication number: 20040083854
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into a crucible and heated to 1250 ° C. by an upper heater in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of an inner tube and drips to be recovered into a liquid reservoir in the lower part of a tubular member, whereas impurity elements having a lower vapor pressure than indium stay within the crucible. The recovered indium mass in the liquid reservoir is heated to 1100° C. by a lower heater and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having a higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates in an upper part of the tubular member to be discharged from the system, whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with the diffuser plates and returns to the liquid reservoir, yielding 99.9999% pure indium, while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka
  • Publication number: 20030150293
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into crucible 8 and heated to 1250° C. by upper heater 6 in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of inner tube 3 and drips to be recovered into liquid reservoir 9 in the lower part of tubular member 11 whereas impurity elements having lower vapor pressure than indium stay within crucible 8. The recovered indium mass in liquid reservoir 9 is heated to 1100° C. by lower heater 7 and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates 12 in the upper part of tubular member 11 to be discharged from the system whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with diffuser plates 12 and returns to liquid reservoir 9, yielding 99.9999% pure indium while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Applicant: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka
  • Publication number: 20030145683
    Abstract: A 99.99% pure indium feed is charged into crucible 8 and heated to 1250° C. by upper heater 6 in a vacuum atmosphere at 1×10−4 Torr, whereupon indium evaporates, condenses on the inner surfaces of inner tube 3 and drips to be recovered into liquid reservoir 9 in the lower part of tubular member 11 whereas impurity elements having lower vapor pressure than indium stay within crucible 8. The recovered indium mass in liquid reservoir 9 is heated to 1100° C. by lower heater 7 and the resulting vapors of impurity elements having higher vapor pressure than indium pass through diffuser plates 12 in the upper part of tubular member 11 to be discharged from the system whereas the indium vapor recondenses upon contact with diffuser plates 12 and returns to liquid reservoir 9, yielding 99.9999% pure indium while preventing the loss of indium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2002
    Publication date: August 7, 2003
    Applicant: DOWA MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kishio Tayama, Toshiaki Hodozuka