Patents by Inventor Toshiharu Hirai

Toshiharu 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: 20150147469
    Abstract: A method of producing silica-based particles includes, when a dispersion liquid of composite oxide particles is prepared by simultaneously adding an aqueous silicate solution and/or an acidic silicic acid solution and an aqueous solution of an alkali-soluble inorganic compound in an alkali aqueous solution or in an alkali aqueous solution with seed particles dispersed therein, if required, the aqueous silicate solution and/or the acidic silicic acid solution and the aqueous solution of alkali-soluble inorganic compound are added so that the molar ratio of MOx/SiO2 are in a range from 0.01 to 2, herein MOx denoting an inorganic oxide other than silica and SiO2 denoting silica to prepare the dispersion liquid of composite oxide particles with an average diameter (Dp1) in a range from 3 to 300 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Ryo MURAGUCHI, Mitsuaki KUMAZAWA, Toshiharu HIRAI
  • Patent number: 8974592
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a coating composition containing metal oxide particles with a high refractive index and low photocatalytic activity and a coating film obtained by applying the coating composition onto a substrate. The coating composition contains metal oxide particles with a high refractive index obtained by coating the specific fine particles of the titanium-based oxide on their surfaces with at least a silica-based oxide or a silica-based composite oxide, and the coating film is obtained by applying the coating composition onto a substrate. The metal oxide particles with not only a high refractive index but also low photocatalytic activity, and therefore a coating film with excellent weathering resistance and light resistance can be formed on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: JGC Catalysts and Chemicals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ishihara, Sachio Murai, Toshiharu Hirai, Michio Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20140316046
    Abstract: Provided are surface-treated fine particles which, when added to coatings for the production of films, exhibit excellent reactivity with respect to organosilicon compounds and resins that are matrix components of the coating films, and thereby allow the films to exhibit excellent performance. Oligomer-modified fine particles include inorganic oxide fine particles having a surface modified with an oligomer, the oligomer being derived from a metal alkoxide represented by Formula (1): RnM1(OR?)z-n (1) wherein M1: one or more elements selected from Si, Ti, Zr and Al; R and R?: one or more groups selected from alkyl groups of 1 to 8 carbon atoms, aryl groups and vinyl groups; n: an integer of from 0 to (z?2); and z: the valence of M1. The oligomer has a polymerization degree of 3 or more. The oligomer has a weight average molecular weight in the range of 1000 to 10000.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd
    Inventors: Yoichi Ishihara, Toshiharu Hirai
  • Patent number: 8748001
    Abstract: Modified zirconia fine particles which are stable in an acidic region as well as in an alkaline region, and which may be readily adjusted in refractive index in a predetermined range are disclosed. Also disclosed is a substrate with a hard coat film excellent in adhesiveness with the substrate, abrasion resistance, scratch strength, pencil hardness and the like without interference fringes and a coating solution which may form the hard coat film. The substrate with a hard coat film is composed of composite oxide particles formed on at least one surface of the substrate and a matrix component, wherein the composite oxide particles are composite oxide particles having a core-shell structure composed of a core formed from zirconium oxide and a shell formed from antimony pentoxide and/or silica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryo Muraguchi, Mitsuaki Kumazawa, Wataru Futagami, Yuji Tawarazako, Masayuki Matsuda, Toshiharu Hirai
  • Publication number: 20120132108
    Abstract: Core-shell type composite oxide fine particles are described in which the core particles are oxide fine particles or composite oxide fine particles that do not contain silicon and/or aluminum as main components, and the surface of the core particles is covered with a shell including a composite oxide that contains silicon and aluminum as main components, the shell containing silicon and aluminum in a weight ratio in terms of oxides, SiO2/Al2O3, in the range of 2.0 to 30.0. A dispersion liquid of the core-shell type composite oxide fine particles exhibits very high stability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: JGC CATALYSTS AND CHEMICALS LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ishihara, Toshiharu Hirai, Michio Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20120111231
    Abstract: A method of producing hollow silica microparticles that suppress whitening of a transparent coating film and show excellent abrasion resistance and adhesiveness. The method includes preparation of an organosol in which hollow silica microparticles are dispersed with the silica concentration of 1 to 70 W % and addition of a silane compound and an alkali catalyst to the organosol at a temperature in the range from 30° C. to 300° C. to react the silane compound to the hollow silica microparticles under the condition where a quantity of water against the added silica (the hollow silica microparticles) is in the range from 0.1 to 50 W %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: CATALYSTS & CHEMICALS INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryota SUEYOSHI, Ryo MARUGUCHI, Masayuki MATSUDA, Mitsuaki KUMAZAWA, Toshiharu HIRAI
  • Publication number: 20120065312
    Abstract: A dispersion liquid contains fine particles of core-shell type inorganic oxide that have high dispersion stability and transparency and allow for excellent light resistance and weather resistance by being mixed in a coating film. The fine particles are produced by treating the surfaces of (a) fine particles of titanium-containing metal oxide serving as core particles with a hydrate and/or an oxide of a metal element such as zirconium to provide surface-treated particles or fine particles of titanium-containing metal oxide having (b) an intermediate layer and by covering the surfaces of the surface-treated particles to form (c) a shell layer with a composite oxide of silicon and at least one metal element selected from aluminum, zirconium, and antimony.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: JGC CATALYSTS AND CHEMICALS LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ishihara, Toshiharu Hirai
  • Publication number: 20110257298
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a coating composition containing metal oxide particles with a high refractive index and low photocatalytic activity and a coating film obtained by applying the coating composition onto a substrate. The coating composition contains metal oxide particles with a high refractive index obtained by coating the specific fine particles of the titanium-based oxide on their surfaces with at least a silica-based oxide or a silica-based composite oxide, and the coating film is obtained by applying the coating composition onto a substrate. The metal oxide particles with not only a high refractive index but also low photocatalytic activity, and therefore a coating film with excellent weathering resistance and light resistance can be formed on a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2009
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: JGC CATALYSTS AND CHEMICALS LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ishihara, Sachio Murai, Toshiharu Hirai, Michio Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8029898
    Abstract: Inorganic compound particles constituted of a shell, a porous matter or a cavity enclosed therein, and the porous matter or the cavity being kept unchanged in a subsequently formed transparent coating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Hirai, Hiroyasu Nishida, Michio Komatsu
  • Patent number: 7753821
    Abstract: A composite gear member of the power transmission device is divided into an annular first member and a second member. The annular first member is formed with an output gear. The second member is formed with internal teeth and spline-coupled to an inner portion of the first member. Therefore, the influence of the engagement reaction force generated from the output gear of the first member is decreased by the spline-coupling, and the vibration is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Ueda, Toshiharu Hirai, Atsushi Kawamoto
  • Patent number: 7625635
    Abstract: A transparent film-forming coating liquid is provided which is capable of forming a transparent film that is excellent not only in scratch resistance, film hardness, scratch strength and adhesion to a substrate but also in haze and anti-glare properties. Also provided is a display device having a front panel constituted of a substrate with such a transparent film applied thereto. The transparent film-forming coating liquid comprises inorganic oxide particle groups, in each of which 2 to 10 inorganic oxide particles on an average are linked in the form of a chain, and a polar solvent. In the transparent film-forming coating liquid, the inorganic oxide particles have an average particle diameter of 4 to 200 nm. The inorganic oxide particles are silica particles, and the silica particles are porous particles and/or hollow particles each having a cavity inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2009
    Assignee: JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuaki Kumazawa, Masayuki Matsuda, Toshiharu Hirai
  • Publication number: 20090286070
    Abstract: Hollow silica microparticles suppress whitening of a transparent coating film and show excellent abrasion resistance and adhesiveness. The microparticles having the average particle diameter of 5 to 300 nm and the specific surface area of 50 to 1500 m2/g, and also having an outer shell in which cavities are formed. The microparticles lose the weight by 1.0 W % or more at a temperature range from 200° C. to 500° C. when measured by the thermogravimetry (TG), and the microparticles have a positive DTA peak at the temperature range when measured by the differential thermogravimetric analysis (DTA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2006
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Inventors: Ryota Sueyoshi, Ryo Muraguchi, Masayuki Matsuda, Mitsuaki Kumazawa, Toshiharu Hirai
  • Patent number: 7575803
    Abstract: Inorganic compound particles constituted of a shell, a porous matter or a cavity enclosed therein, and the porous matter or the cavity being kept unchanged in a subsequently formed transparent coating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Hirai, Hiroyasu Nishida, Michio Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20090202834
    Abstract: Inorganic compound particles constituted of a shell, a porous matter or a cavity enclosed therein, and the porous matter or the cavity being kept unchanged in a subsequently formed transparent coating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiharu HIRAI, Hiroyasu NISHIDA, Michio KOMATSU
  • Publication number: 20090061183
    Abstract: The present invention provides modified zirconia fine particles which are stable in an acidic region as well as in an alkaline region, and which may be readily adjusted in refractive index in a predetermined range. The present invention further provides a substrate with a hard coat film excellent in adhesiveness with the substrate, abrasion resistance, scratch strength, pencil hardness and the like without interference fringes and a coating solution which may form the hard coat film. The substrate with a hard coat film is composed of composite oxide particles formed on at least one surface of the substrate and a matrix component, wherein the composite oxide particles are composite oxide particles having a core-shell structure composed of a core formed from zirconium oxide and a shell formed from antimony pentoxide and/or silica.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: JGC CATALYSTS AND CHEMICALS LTD.
    Inventors: Ryo Muraguchi, Mitsuaki Kumazawa, Wataru Futagami, Yuji Tawarazako, Masayuki Matsuda, Toshiharu Hirai
  • Patent number: 7494710
    Abstract: Fine metal particles are provided having surface resistance as low as about 102 to l04 ?/?, with excellent antistatic properties, anti-reflection properties, and electromagnetic shielding properties, and suitable for use in forming a transparent conductive coating film excellent in reliability and durability, and a process for producing the fine metal particles. The fine metal particles include iron and noniron metal having an average particle diameter in the range of from 1 to 200 nm and an iron content in the range of from 0.1 to 3.0% by weight. The noniron metal preferably is one or more metals selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Cu, Ni, Co, Sn, Ti, In, Al, Ta, and Sb. Part of the surface of the fine metal particles may be in the form of an oxide and/or a hydroxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ishihara, Toshiharu Hirai
  • Patent number: 7479469
    Abstract: Provided is a process for producing electrode catalyst fine particles capable of affording formed catalysts such as membranes excellent in uniformity and strength and also employable as catalyst to exhibit high catalytic activity over long periods because fine metal particles are highly distributed on carriers to make particle growth or the like less likely to occur. Electrode catalyst fine particles comprise fine particles which have an average particle diameter of 10 nm to 10 ?m and in which fine metal particles are supported on carrier particles, wherein a potential difference (absolute value of (II) minus (I)) between a flow potential (I) of a water dispersion of the fine metal particles at 1 wt % concentration and a pH of 3 to 8 and a flow potential (II) of a water dispersion of the carrier particles at 1 wt % concentration and a pH of 4 to 10, is in the range of 10 to 3000 mV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Ishihara, Toshiharu Hirai, Michio Komatsu
  • Publication number: 20080217867
    Abstract: A sealing structure of a casing includes a housing having a flow path, a case having a flow path communicating with the flow path when combined with the housing, a tubular knock pin provided to fit to both of the housing and the case and surround the flow path in a joint portion between the housing and the case, and an FIPG holding portion provided on an outer circumferential side of the knock pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yosuke Kato, Yota Mizuno, Kenji Tanabe, Hiroshi Hata, Toshiharu Hirai, Toshihiko Ishida
  • Publication number: 20080090070
    Abstract: Hollow silica-based particles having cavities inside the outer shell having a low refractive index. The method of producing the silica-based particles comprises the following steps (a) and (b): (a) a step in which, when an aqueous silicate solution and/or an acidic silicic acid solution and an aqueous solution of an alkali-soluble inorganic compound are simultaneously added in an alkali aqueous solution to prepare a dispersion liquid of composite oxide particles, an electrolytic salt is added at the molar ratio of a mole number of the electrolytic salt (ME) versus that of SiO2 (MS) [(ME)/(MS)] in the range from 0.1 to 10, and (b) a step of furthermore adding an electrolytic salt, if necessary, to the dispersion liquid of composite oxide particles and then removing at least a portion of elements constituting the composite oxide other than silicon by adding an acid to prepare a dispersion liquid of silica-based particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2004
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: Catalysts & chemicals Industries Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ryo Muraguchi, Mitsuaki Kumazawa, Toshiharu Hirai, Masafumi Hirai
  • Publication number: 20080057228
    Abstract: An anti-glare film comprises an anti-glare layer, and a low-refraction-index layer formed on at least one surface thereof and comprising a low-refraction-index resin and a hollow silica particle. The film has an internal haze of 0 to 1%, a haze of 5 to 6.5%, a transmitted image clarity of 20 to 30%, and a reflected light of the film has a* of 0.5 to 1.3 and b* of ?2.3 to ?0.5. The particle may have a mean particle diameter of about 50 to 70 nm and a refraction index of about 1.2 to 1.25. The film may have an uneven surface, and the average inclination angle of the surface may be about 0.7 to 1°. The anti-glare layer may comprise plural polymers and have a domain formed by a phase separation, and a difference in refraction index between the polymers may be about 0 to 0.04.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Wataru Horie, Toshiharu Hirai, Masayuki Matsuda, Mitsuaki Kumazawa, Hiroshi Takahashi, Shinji Kikuchi