Patents by Inventor Toshihiro Kodama

Toshihiro Kodama 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: 10315854
    Abstract: A board conveyance device and conveyance belt inspection method that enable easy detection of a problem with conveyance belts. The board conveyance device includes: endless conveyance belts on which is set a conveyance path for conveying a board; a board sensor configured to detect the presence of the board at a specified detection position on the conveyance path; and a control section configured to, in a case in which the board is not being conveyed on the conveyance path, move the conveyance belts and determine a problem with the conveyance belts based on a detection result of the board sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Toshihiro Kodama
  • Patent number: 10242759
    Abstract: A control rod drive mechanism includes an outer tube and a guide tube which is arranged in the outer tube and is held by the outer tube. Furthermore, the control rod drive mechanism includes a spool piece with an inner magnet coupling and a rotary shaft connected to the inner magnet coupling arranged internally. The lower end portion of the outer tube is supported by the spool piece in the spool piece. The outside diameter of the outer tube, through the length of the outer tube, is smaller than the inside diameter of the spool piece and the outer tube, in the radial direction of the outer tube, is not projected outside the inner surface of the spool piece. Therefore, the installation places of the O-rings which are a seal member are reduced and the time required for maintenance of the control rod drive mechanism can be shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Tsuchiya, Toshihiro Kodama, Hirokazu Akatsuka
  • Patent number: 9822859
    Abstract: A control rod drive mechanism includes an outer tube, a guide tube disposed inside the outer tube, a ball tube, a hollow piston, and an electric motor. A gap between a ball traveling side of the screw shaft and the traveling balls and a gap between the traveling balls and a ball traveling side of the ball nut, having the gap coefficient (A) is given by: A=((2×R?L)?D)÷(2×R?L). The diameter of the traveling balls is determined to satisfy the expression given by A, in which A has the value of more than 0.03 and less than 0.17.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Matsushita, Toshihiro Kodama, Kiyoshi Harada, Hirokazu Akatsuka, Takahiro Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20170285545
    Abstract: A board conveyance device and conveyance belt inspection method that enable easy detection of a problem with conveyance belts. The board conveyance device includes: endless conveyance belts on which is set a conveyance path for conveying a board; a board sensor configured to detect the presence of the board at a specified detection position on the conveyance path; and a control section configured to, in a case in which the board is not being conveyed on the conveyance path, move the conveyance belts and determine a problem with the conveyance belts based on a detection result of the board sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: FUJI MACHINE MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Toshihiro KODAMA
  • Publication number: 20170268642
    Abstract: A control rod drive mechanism includes an outer tube, a guide tube disposed inside the outer tube, a ball tube, a hollow piston, and an electric motor. A gap between a ball traveling side of the screw shaft and the traveling balls and a gap between the traveling balls and a ball traveling side of the ball nut, having the gap coefficient (A) is given by: A=((2×R?L)?D)÷(2×R?L). The diameter of the traveling balls is determined to satisfy the expression given by A, in which A has the value of more than 0.03 and less than 0.17.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Yuuichi MATSUSHITA, Toshihiro KODAMA, Kiyoshi HARADA, Hirokazu Akatsuka, Takahiro TSUCHIYA
  • Patent number: 9695918
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a gap expanding method of a ball screw for preventing an increase in torque relative to an electric motor due to a protruding bulge caused by generation of a scar on the traveling side of the screw shaft of the ball screw, and to provide a control rod drive mechanism incorporating the gap expanded ball screw. In a ball screw disposed in a control rod drive mechanism, the ball screw has a screw shaft and a ball nut engaged with the screw shaft via travelling balls, and the balls are each configured to have a diameter smaller than that of the existing ball, thereby expanding a gap between a ball traveling side of the screw shaft and the ball and a gap between the ball and a ball traveling side of the ball nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Matsushita, Toshihiro Kodama, Kiyoshi Harada, Hirokazu Akatsuka, Takahiro Tsuchiya
  • Publication number: 20160358677
    Abstract: A control rod drive mechanism (CRD) capable of more securely preventing outflow of water when a scram piping is broken is provided. In a CRD, a ball check valve is provided in a flange provided in a lower end portion of an outer tube. The ball check valve includes a ball, a retainer, and a ball support mechanism, and the retainer has a valve flow channel. The ball support mechanism for supporting the ball is provided in a lower opening portion. A height of an upper end of the ball support mechanism is set so as not to bring the ball into contact with an upper corner portion of the lower opening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Yasuhiko FURUTA, Hirokazu AKATSUKA, Toshihiro KODAMA
  • Publication number: 20150255178
    Abstract: A control rod drive mechanism includes an outer tube and a guide tube which is arranged in the outer tube and is held by the outer tube. Furthermore, the control rod drive mechanism includes a spool piece with an inner magnet coupling and a rotary shaft connected to the inner magnet coupling arranged internally. The lower end portion of the outer tube is supported by the spool piece in the spool piece. The outside diameter of the outer tube, through the length of the outer tube, is smaller than the inside diameter of the spool piece and the outer tube, in the radial direction of the outer tube, is not projected outside the inner surface of the spool piece. Therefore, the installation places of the O-rings which are a seal member are reduced and the time required for maintenance of the control rod drive mechanism can be shortened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Takahiro TSUCHIYA, Toshihiro KODAMA, Hirokazu AKATSUKA
  • Patent number: 8915161
    Abstract: A fine motion control rod drive mechanism handling apparatus attaches a fine motion control rod drive mechanism having a control rod drive mechanism body, a spool piece, a motor bracket and a motor unit to a reactor pressure vessel, and detaches it from the reactor pressure vessel. The fine motion control rod drive mechanism handling apparatus is provided with a bolt wrench assembly, a motor unit attachment mounted to the bolt wrench assembly, for meshing a first gear of a first gear coupling on a spool piece side with a second gear of a second gear coupling on a motor unit side, and a rotation mechanism mounted to the bolt wrench assembly, for rotating the motor unit attachment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Akatsuka, Toshihiro Kodama, Takeaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8842795
    Abstract: A control rod grasped by a hook of a grasping equipment is moved down and is positioned at an upper end of a hollow piston of a control rod drive mechanism (CRD) in a state that the control rod is fully withdrawn from a core. Furthermore, the hook is inserted into an opening of a handle of the control rod. The hook is lifted up so as to make contact with the handle. The control rod grasped by the grasping equipment is rotated by a grasping equipment rotation apparatus. A state that gaps formed between joint convexities in a coupling socket of the control rod are positioned right above coupling spud convexities of the hollow piston occurs. At this time, the control rod falls by its own weight and the coupling spud convexities pass through the gaps. A grasping equipment movement apparatus suppresses the falling speed of the control rod. The control rod is rotated at 90° and the control rod and CRD are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Akatsuka, Toshihiro Kodama
  • Publication number: 20140230585
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a gap expanding method of a ball screw for preventing an increase in torque relative to an electric motor due to a protruding bulge caused by generation of a scar on the traveling side of the screw shaft of the ball screw, and to provide a control rod drive mechanism incorporating the gap expanded ball screw. In a ball screw disposed in a control rod drive mechanism, the ball screw has a screw shaft and a ball nut engaged with the screw shaft via travelling balls, and the balls are each configured to have a diameter smaller than that of the existing ball, thereby expanding a gap between a ball traveling side of the screw shaft and the ball and a gap between the ball and a ball traveling side of the ball nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi MATSUSHITA, Toshihiro KODAMA, Kiyoshi HARADA, Hirokazu Akatsuka, Takahiro TSUCHIYA
  • Publication number: 20110239797
    Abstract: A fine motion control rod drive mechanism handling apparatus attaches a fine motion control rod drive mechanism having a control rod drive mechanism body, a spool piece, a motor bracket and a motor unit to a reactor pressure vessel, and detaches it from the reactor pressure vessel. The fine motion control rod drive mechanism handling apparatus is provided with a bolt wrench assembly, a motor unit attachment mounted to the bolt wrench assembly, for meshing a first gear of a first gear coupling on a spool piece side with a second gear of a second gear coupling on a motor unit side, and a rotation mechanism mounted to the bolt wrench assembly, for rotating the motor unit attachment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Inventors: Hirokazu AKATSUKA, Toshihiro Kodama, Takeaki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20110064180
    Abstract: A control rod grasped by a hook of a grasping equipment is moved down and is positioned at an upper end of a hollow piston of a control rod drive mechanism (CRD) in a state that the control rod is fully withdrawn from a core. Furthermore, the hook is inserted into an opening of a handle of the control rod. The hook is lifted up so as to make contact with the handle. The control rod grasped by the grasping equipment is rotated by a grasping equipment rotation apparatus. A state that gaps formed between joint convexities in a coupling socket of the control rod are positioned right above coupling spud convexities of the hollow piston occurs. At this time, the control rod falls by its own weight and the coupling spud convexities pass through the gaps. A grasping equipment movement apparatus suppresses the falling speed of the control rod. The control rod is rotated at 90° and the control rod and CRD are connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Inventors: Hirokazu AKATSUKA, Toshihiro Kodama
  • Publication number: 20090185651
    Abstract: A control rod position detector for detecting position of a control rod being linked to a control rod drive mechanism, comprising: a first rotational axis rotated by a motor in the control rod drive mechanism; a gear mechanism engaging with the first rotational axis; and first and second position detectors attached to a second rotational axis of the second gear mechanism and outputting position signals of the control rod by rotation of the second rotational axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Inventors: Hirokazu Akatsuka, Toshihiro Kodama
  • Patent number: 5331675
    Abstract: A control rod handling apparatus and method for exchanging a control rod connected to a control rod drive mechanism by a bayonet coupling. The control rod handling apparatus comprises a member or connection to a fuel exchange apparatus, a fixing part having guides to be seated at the top face of an upper grid plate in a reactor vessel and to e supported by the upper rid plate, a body provided at the lower part of the fixing part, a control rod handling part having a control rod grasping instrument provided at the bottom part of the body, a fuel support piece handling part having a fuel support piece grasping instrument and means for positioning the fuel support piece grasping instrument, which is provided outside the control rod handling part, means for vertically moving the fuel support piece handling part along with the outside of the control rod handling part, and means for rotating the control rod handling part, the fuel support piece handling part, and the means for vertical motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kiyokazu Hosoya, Toshihiro Kodama, Takahiro Konno
  • Patent number: 4728484
    Abstract: An apparatus for handling a control rod driving mechanism (CRD) of a nuclear reactor. The apparatus has a turn carriage provided in a space within a reactor container where a pedestal is provided, and is adapted to turn on a rail provided on the inner peripheral wall of the container. The turn carriage carries a truck adapted to run along a rail on the turn carriage. A mast is provided on the truck and is driven by a mast driving means between an upright position and a horizontal position. The mast is designed for accommodating a CRD cart. The apparatus also has a CRD mounting/demounting means secured to the mast and adapted to be moved up and down by the CRD cart such as to mount and demount the CRD in and from a CRD housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1988
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kodama, Yoshimi Ishii, Isao Kouga, Noriaki Mase, Noriaki Hattori