Patents by Inventor Toshio Hiraoka

Toshio Hiraoka 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: 20190169795
    Abstract: A method is provided for recovering pulp fibers having little damage from a used absorbent article that contains pulp fibers and a superabsorbent polymer. The used absorbent article is treated at a temperature of greater than or equal to 80° C. with an organic acid aqueous solution having a pH no greater than 2.5, and the superabsorbent polymer is deactivated. Preferably, the pulp fibers and the deactivated superabsorbent polymer are separated from the used absorbent article after treatment with the organic acid aqueous solution, and further, a mixture including the separated pulp fibers and deactivated superabsorbent polymer is treated with an oxidizing agent, the deactivated superabsorbent polymer is decomposed, reduced in molecular weight and solubilized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA, Koichi YAMAKI, Noritomo KAMEDA
  • Publication number: 20190118233
    Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently recovering pulp fibers with a high degree of safety and without detriment to the performance of the pulp fibers, from used absorbent articles such as disposable diapers containing pulp fibers and a super absorbent polymer. This method comprises: a step for extracting a mixture of pulp fibers, super absorbent polymer and water from used absorbent articles; a step of using a pair of electrodes to apply a voltage to the mixture of pulp fibers, super absorbent polymer and water to deactivate the super absorbent polymer; and a step for separating pulp fibers from the mixture of pulp fibers, deactivated super polymer and water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Koichi Yamaki, Noritomo Kameda
  • Patent number: 10260199
    Abstract: Pulp fiber containing little ash is effectively recovered from a used sanitary product containing the pulp fiber and a polymer absorbent. The method according to the present invention comprises: a step for treating the used sanitary product with an ozone-containing gas and thus decomposing and removing at least a portion of the polymer absorbent in the used sanitary product; and a step for stirring the used sanitary product, that has been treated with the ozone-containing gas, in water or an aqueous solution containing an antiseptic and thus decomposing the used sanitary product into constituents. If required, the method may further comprise a step for separating the pulp fiber from the decomposition product obtained by the decomposition step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Noritomo Kameda, Hideaki Ichiura, Hiroko Nakaoka
  • Publication number: 20190000698
    Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently recovering pulp fiber from used hygiene products that include pulp fiber and a polymer absorbent. This method is characterized by including a step for introducing the used hygiene product into a treatment tank in which an aqueous solution with ozone dissolved therein has been introduced, and a step for treating the used hygiene product while infusing water into the treatment tank at a first flow rate, extracting the aqueous solution from the treatment tank at a second flow rate and introducing a gas containing ozone into the aqueous solution in the treatment tank, thereby decomposing the polymer absorbent, lowering the molecular weight thereof, and making the same dissolvable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA, Noritomo KAMEDA, Hideaki ICHIURA
  • Publication number: 20180096783
    Abstract: One object is to provide a new type of coil element capable of reducing leakage magnetic flux. A coil element according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided with an insulator body made of a magnetic material and having a mounting surface and an upper surface opposed to said mounting surface, a coil conductor embedded in the insulator body, an external electrode electrically connected to the coil conductor, a shield layer provided on the upper surface of the insulator body and having a larger magnetic permeability than the insulator body, and a plating layer formed to cover the mounting surface of the external electrode and having a larger magnetic permeability than the insulator body. The plating layer is formed to be thicker than the shield layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Kentaro FUKUDA, Toshio HIRAOKA
  • Publication number: 20170305037
    Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of efficiently manufacturing a recycled pulp from a used sanitary article, said recycled pulp being reusable for sanitary articles and having an ash content and antibacterial properties both meeting the standards for sanitary articles. A method for manufacturing a recycled pulp reusable for sanitary articles by recovering a pulp fiber from a used sanitary article that contains the pulp fiber and a high water-absorbing polymer, said method comprising an ozone treatment step for immersing the used sanitary article or pulp fiber in an ozone-containing aqueous solution and thus disintegrating the high water-absorbing polymer contained in the used sanitary article or sticking to the pulp fiber, characterized in that the used sanitary article or pulp fiber is treated with a cationic antibacterial agent before, after or together with the ozone treatment step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Applicant: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA
  • Publication number: 20170284021
    Abstract: Pulp fiber containing little ash is effectively recovered from a used sanitary product containing the pulp fiber and a polymer absorbent. The method according to the present invention comprises: a step for treating the used sanitary product with an ozone-containing gas and thus decomposing and removing at least a portion of the polymer absorbent in the used sanitary product; and a step for stirring the used sanitary product, that has been treated with the ozone-containing gas, in water or an aqueous solution containing an antiseptic and thus decomposing the used sanitary product into constituents. If required, the method may further comprise a step for separating the pulp fiber from the decomposition product obtained by the decomposition step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA, Noritomo KAMEDA, Hideaki ICHIURA, Hiroko NAKAOKA
  • Publication number: 20170130400
    Abstract: The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a wet wipe which achieves both wet-strength and water-dissolvability. The wet wipe comprises the following configuration. This water-dissolving wet wipe comprises a multi-layer sheet provided with a first sheet and a second sheet, said wet wipe being characterized in that: the first sheet comprises a first hydrophilic fiber-containing layer and a first hydrophobic fiber-containing layer, and the second sheet comprises a second hydrophilic fiber-containing layer and a second hydrophobic fiber-containing layer; the multi-layer sheet has a plurality of junction parts at predetermined intervals; the plurality of junction parts occupy 0.5% to 12.0% of the surface area; the first sheet and the second sheet each have a separability of less than or equal to 100 seconds; the multi-layer sheet has a bending resistance of less than or equal to 150 mm; and the wet wipe has a tensile strength of greater than or equal to 1.0 N/25 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA
  • Publication number: 20170114503
    Abstract: A water-dissolving wet wipe includes a multi-layer sheet with first and second sheets each having hydrophilic fibers and hydrophobic fibers. The multi-layer sheet has junction parts. Intervals between the junction parts are greater than or equal to 0.6 times the average fiber length of the hydrophobic fibers of the first sheet and greater than or equal to 0.6 times the average fiber length of the hydrophobic fibers of the second sheet. The junction parts occupy 0.5% to 12.0% of the surface area of the multi-layer sheet. Each of the first and second sheets when separated from the multi-layer sheet has, in a separability test, has a separability of less than or equal to 100 seconds. The multi-layer sheet has a bending resistance of less than or equal to 150 mm. The wet wipe has a tensile strength of greater than or equal to 1.0 N per width of 25 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA
  • Publication number: 20170107667
    Abstract: A recycled pulp that is reusable sanitary products is efficiently manufactured by recovering pulp fiber from used sanitary products containing the pulp fiber and a polymer absorbent. The method of the present invention comprises: a step applying a mechanical force to the used sanitary products in an aqueous solution containing a polyvalent metal ion or an acidic aqueous solution with a pH of 2.5 or lower and thus degrading the used sanitary products into the pulp fiber and other materials; a step separating the pulp fiber from the mixture of the pulp fiber and other materials that has been formed in the degradation step; and a step treating the pulp fiber thus separated with an ozone-containing aqueous solution with a pH of 2.5 or lower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Takayoshi KONISHI, Toshio HIRAOKA
  • Patent number: 9487894
    Abstract: A nonwoven fabric comprising heat-expanding particles, having bulk and high strength, and a method for producing the nonwoven fabric. The method includes a step of supplying a first sheet-forming material comprising fiber and water onto a belt, spraying a high-pressure water jet onto the first sheet layer to form grooves, forming a second sheet-forming material comprising fibers, heat-expanding particles and water into a second sheet layer, layering the first sheet layer and the second sheet layer to form a third sheet layer, drying the third sheet layer, and spraying high-pressure steam onto the third sheet layer to expand the heat-expanding particles. The nonwoven fabric is provided with a first layer having a plurality of grooves extending in the longitudinal direction and aligned in the transverse direction, on the first surface, and is provided with a second layer comprising expanded heat-expanding particles and fibers, on the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 9287577
    Abstract: The biofuel cell has a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an external circuit electrically connecting the positive electrode and the negative electrode, a positive electrode region where the positive electrode is disposed, a negative electrode region where the negative electrode is disposed, and a proton permeable membrane disposed between the positive electrode region and the negative electrode region, and the negative electrode region houses a biocatalyst together with the crushed material. The negative electrode region is separated by a mesh into an electrode region and a crushed material region, the negative electrode is housed in the electrode region, and the crushed material is housed in the crushed material region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignees: Unicharm Corporation, Hiroshima University
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Toshihide Kakizono
  • Patent number: 9074323
    Abstract: A wet wipe includes a nonwoven fabric impregnated with a liquid. A surface layer in a first surface of the nonwoven fabric has an apparent density of 0.030-0.10 g/cm3 in a dry state. A surface layer in a second surface of the nonwoven fabric has an apparent density of 0.12-0.20 g/cm3 in a dry state. Fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric are raised on at least the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Takahiro Ueda, Ayami Suga, Hiromi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20150050567
    Abstract: The biofuel cell has a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an external circuit electrically connecting the positive electrode and the negative electrode, a positive electrode region where the positive electrode is disposed, a negative electrode region where the negative electrode is disposed, and a proton permeable membrane disposed between the positive electrode region and the negative electrode region, and the negative electrode region houses a biocatalyst together with the crushed material. The negative electrode region is separated by a mesh into an electrode region and a crushed material region, the negative electrode is housed in the electrode region, and the crushed material is housed in the crushed material region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Toshihide Kakizono
  • Publication number: 20150030811
    Abstract: A nonwoven fabric comprising heat-expanding particles, having bulk and high strength, and a method for producing the nonwoven fabric. The method of producing a nonwoven fabric according to the invention comprises a step of supplying a first sheet-forming material comprising fiber and water onto a belt, to form a first sheet layer on the belt, a step of spraying a high-pressure water jet onto the first sheet layer to form grooves extending in the machine direction on the surface, a step of forming a second sheet-forming material comprising fibers, heat-expanding particles and water into a sheet to form a second sheet layer, a step of layering the first sheet layer and the second sheet layer to form a third sheet layer, a step of drying the third sheet layer, and a step of spraying high-pressure steam onto the third sheet layer to expand the heat-expanding particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 8900411
    Abstract: There is provided a method for producing a nonwoven fabric that can produce a nonwoven fabric having high strength, high bulk and softness. The method for producing a nonwoven fabric according to the invention comprises a step of supplying a water-containing paper-making material onto a support to form a paper layer 21 on the support, a step of injecting a high-pressure water jet stream onto the paper layer 21 from a high-pressure water jet stream nozzle 12 provided above the support, a step of injecting high-pressure steam onto the paper layer 21 on which the high-pressure water jet stream has been injected, from a steam nozzle 14 provided above the support, and a step of drying the paper layer on which the high-pressure steam has been injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Masaki Yoshida, Toshifumi Hikosaka, Noritomo Kameda
  • Publication number: 20140246159
    Abstract: A wet wipe includes a nonwoven fabric impregnated with a liquid. A surface layer in a first surface of the nonwoven fabric has an apparent density of 0.030-0.10 g/cm3 in a dry state. A surface layer in a second surface of the nonwoven fabric has an apparent density of 0.12-0.20 g/cm3 in a dry state. Fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric are raised on at least the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: UNICHARM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Takahiro Ueda, Ayami Suga, Hiromi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20140014284
    Abstract: There is provided a method for producing a nonwoven fabric that can produce a nonwoven fabric having high strength, high bulk and softness. The method for producing a nonwoven fabric according to the invention comprises a step of supplying a water-containing paper-making material onto a support to form a paper layer 21 on the support, a step of injecting a high-pressure water jet stream onto the paper layer 21 from a high-pressure water jet stream nozzle 12 provided above the support, a step of injecting high-pressure steam onto the paper layer 21 on which the high-pressure water jet stream has been injected, from a steam nozzle 14 provided above the support, and a step of drying the paper layer on which the high-pressure steam has been injected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: Uni-Charm Corporation
    Inventors: Takayoshi Konishi, Toshio Hiraoka, Masaki Yoshida, Toshifumi Hikosaka, Noritomo Kameda