Patents by Inventor Tsuyoshi Nagano

Tsuyoshi Nagano 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: 20240113367
    Abstract: A method for producing a power storage device includes placing a lid assembly that includes a lid and a terminal member integrated therewith via a resin member to close an opening portion of a case body with the lid, and laser-welding the opening portion of the case body and the peripheral portion of the lid over an entire circumference. In placing the lid assembly, a peripheral high-level region, in which a peripheral outer surface of the peripheral portion of the lid is located on the outer side relative to an opening end surface of the opening portion of the case body is provided in proximate long-side opening portions, close of the opening portion and proximate long-side peripheral portions of the peripheral portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Yuki SATO, Yozo UCHIDA, Tsuyoshi EHARA, Syoichi TSUCHIYA, Masataka ASAI, Tsuyoshi ASANO, Masahiro UCHIMURA, Shigeru MATSUMOTO, Yasuaki NAGANO
  • Publication number: 20240113366
    Abstract: A method for producing a power storage device includes forming a lid, forming a lid assembly, closing, and welding. In forming a lid, there is included forming, by forging, a protruding portion between a peripheral portion and an insertion-hole surrounding portion of the lid to block scattered light of a laser beam from being irradiated to a resin member, with a distance D from an end surface of the peripheral portion to a side surface of the protruding portion falling within 0.5t (D?0.5t) relative to a thickness t of the lid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Yuki SATO, Yozo UCHIDA, Tsuyoshi EHARA, Syoichi TSUCHIYA, Masataka ASAI, Tsuyoshi ASANO, Masahiro UCHIMURA, Shigeru MATSUMOTO, Yasuaki NAGANO
  • Publication number: 20240113368
    Abstract: A method for producing a power storage device includes closing an opening portion of a case body with a lid of a lid assembly, and laser-welding the opening portion of the case body and a peripheral portion of the lid over their entire circumference. A resin member has an outer surface including a scattered light-reached surface to which scattered light of a laser beam directly reaches, at least a part of the scattered light-reached surface including a smoothed region having a surface roughness of 0.6 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Yuki SATO, Yozo UCHIDA, Tsuyoshi EHARA, Syoichi TSUCHIYA, Masataka ASAI, Tsuyoshi ASANO, Masahiro UCHIMURA, Shigeru MATSUMOTO, Yasuaki NAGANO
  • Patent number: 11329644
    Abstract: A gate drive apparatus is provided. The gate drive apparatus includes a gate drive unit configured to drive a gate of a switching device; a parameter measuring unit configured to measure a parameter corresponding to current flowing through the switching device; a discrepancy detection unit configured to detect discrepancy between current flowing through the switching device during an on-state of the switching device and a reference value, based on the parameter; and a control unit that, if the discrepancy is not detected, switches a change speed of a gate voltage of the switching device at a timing when a reference time has elapsed since a turn-off start of the switching device during a next turn-off time period of the switching device, and if the discrepancy is detected, keeps the change speed of the gate voltage during the next turn-off time period of the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nagano, Kunio Matsubara
  • Patent number: 11271560
    Abstract: Provided is a gate drive device, including: a gate drive unit for driving a gate of a switching element; a measurement unit for measuring a parameter that changes according to a current flowing through the switching element; and a switching unit for switching a changing speed of a gate voltage of the switching element by the gate driving unit after a first reference period from a start of turning off the switching element based on the parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunio Matsubara, Tsuyoshi Nagano
  • Patent number: 11205948
    Abstract: A gate driver includes: a timing determination unit configured to measure an on-time of a switching element and configured to determine, based on the on-time, a certain timing during a turn-off period of the switching element as an intermediate timing; and a driving condition changing unit configured to change a gate driving condition of the switching element at the intermediate timing determined by the timing determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nagano, Kunio Matsubara
  • Patent number: 11196336
    Abstract: A gate drive apparatus including a gate drive unit configured to drive a gate of a switching device, a peak detection unit configured to detect that a voltage across main terminals applied between the main terminals of the switching device during a turn-off period of the switching device is at a peak, and a driving condition changing unit configured to increase a change speed of a gate voltage of the switching device caused by the gate drive unit, in response to a detection that the voltage across main terminals is at a peak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nagano, Kunio Matsubara
  • Patent number: 11115017
    Abstract: Provided is a driving apparatus that includes a gate driving circuit that turns off a first semiconductor element upon receiving a turn-off signal, a measuring circuit that measures a parameter according to a voltage applied to the second semiconductor element, a timing generating circuit that generates a timing signal if the parameter satisfies a first condition during a time period in which the first semiconductor element is tuned off; and a driving condition change circuit that, in response to the timing signal, further decreases a changing speed of a gate voltage of the first semiconductor element than a reference speed during the time period in which the first semiconductor element is tuned off, wherein the gate driving circuit turns off the first semiconductor element in response to that the parameter satisfies a second condition during a time period in which the first semiconductor element is tuned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunio Matsubara, Tsuyoshi Nagano
  • Patent number: 11056965
    Abstract: A gate driver for driving a gate of a switching element in accordance with an input signal is provided. The gate driver is configured to change a gate driving condition in accordance with a detected value of power supply voltage. Each time when the switching element is turned off, the gate driver stores a time width from a time when the input signal is switched to an off command to a time when switch-off surge occurs in the switching device. If it is determined that the gate driving condition should be changed during turn-off operation of the switching element, the gate driver switches the gate driving condition when a time corresponding to the time width stored at a previous turn-off is elapsed after a current turn-off of the switching element is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunio Matsubara, Tsuyoshi Nagano
  • Publication number: 20210184670
    Abstract: Provided is a gate drive device, including: a gate drive unit for driving a gate of a switching element; a measurement unit for measuring a parameter that changes according to a current flowing through the switching element; and a switching unit for switching a changing speed of a gate voltage of the switching element by the gate driving unit after a first reference period from a start of turning off the switching element based on the parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Kunio MATSUBARA, Tsuyoshi NAGANO
  • Publication number: 20210152171
    Abstract: A gate drive apparatus including a gate drive unit configured to drive a gate of a switching device, a peak detection unit configured to detect that a voltage across main terminals applied between the main terminals of the switching device during a turn-off period of the switching device is at a peak, and a driving condition changing unit configured to increase a change speed of a gate voltage of the switching device caused by the gate drive unit, in response to a detection that the voltage across main terminals is at a peak.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi NAGANO, Kunio MATSUBARA
  • Publication number: 20210083663
    Abstract: A gate drive apparatus is provided. The gate drive apparatus includes a gate drive unit configured to drive a gate of a switching device; a parameter measuring unit configured to measure a parameter corresponding to current flowing through the switching device; a discrepancy detection unit configured to detect discrepancy between current flowing through the switching device during an on-state of the switching device and a reference value, based on the parameter; and a control unit that, if the discrepancy is not detected, switches a change speed of a gate voltage of the switching device at a timing when a reference time has elapsed since a turn-off start of the switching device during a next turn-off time period of the switching device, and if the discrepancy is detected, keeps the change speed of the gate voltage during the next turn-off time period of the switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi NAGANO, Kunio MATSUBARA
  • Publication number: 20210013792
    Abstract: A gate driver for driving a gate of a switching element in accordance with an input signal is provided. The gate driver is configured to change a gate driving condition in accordance with a detected value of power supply voltage. Each time when the switching element is turned off, the gate driver stores a time width from a time when the input signal is switched to an off command to a time when switch-off surge occurs in the switching device. If it is determined that the gate driving condition should be changed during turn-off operation of the switching element, the gate driver switches the gate driving condition when a time corresponding to the time width stored at a previous turn-off is elapsed after a current turn-off of the switching element is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Kunio MATSUBARA, Tsuyoshi NAGANO
  • Publication number: 20210006146
    Abstract: A gate driver includes: a timing determination unit configured to measure an on-time of a switching element and configured to determine, based on the on-time, a certain timing during a turn-off period of the switching element as an intermediate timing; and a driving condition changing unit configured to change a gate driving condition of the switching element at the intermediate timing determined by the timing determination unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi NAGANO, Kunio MATSUBARA
  • Publication number: 20200389167
    Abstract: A gate drive apparatus is provided. The gate drive apparatus includes a gate drive unit configured to drive a gate of a switching device; a parameter measuring unit configured to measure a parameter corresponding to current flowing through the switching device; a discrepancy detection unit configured to detect discrepancy between current flowing through the switching device during an on-state of the switching device and a reference value, based on the parameter; and a control unit that, if the discrepancy is not detected, switches a change speed of a gate voltage of the switching device at a timing when a reference time has elapsed since a turn-off start of the switching device during a next turn-off time period of the switching device, and if the discrepancy is detected, keeps the change speed of the gate voltage during the next turn-off time period of the switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi NAGANO, Kunio MATSUBARA
  • Publication number: 20200389164
    Abstract: Provided is a driving apparatus that includes a gate driving circuit that turns off a first semiconductor element upon receiving a turn-off signal, a measuring circuit that measures a parameter according to a voltage applied to the second semiconductor element, a timing generating circuit that generates a timing signal if the parameter satisfies a first condition during a time period in which the first semiconductor element is tuned off; and a driving condition change circuit that, in response to the timing signal, further decreases a changing speed of a gate voltage of the first semiconductor element than a reference speed during the time period in which the first semiconductor element is tuned off, wherein the gate driving circuit turns off the first semiconductor element in response to that the parameter satisfies a second condition during a time period in which the first semiconductor element is tuned on.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Kunio MATSUBARA, Tsuyoshi NAGANO
  • Patent number: 10855272
    Abstract: A gate drive apparatus is provided. The gate drive apparatus includes a gate drive unit configured to drive a gate of a switching device; a parameter measuring unit configured to measure a parameter corresponding to current flowing through the switching device; a discrepancy detection unit configured to detect discrepancy between current flowing through the switching device during an on-state of the switching device and a reference value, based on the parameter; and a control unit that, if the discrepancy is not detected, switches a change speed of a gate voltage of the switching device at a timing when a reference time has elapsed since a turn-off start of the switching device during a next turn-off time period of the switching device, and if the discrepancy is detected, keeps the change speed of the gate voltage during the next turn-off time period of the switching device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nagano, Kunio Matsubara
  • Patent number: 10819212
    Abstract: A gate driver includes: a gate drive unit configured to drive a gate of a switching element in accordance with an input signal that commands to turn on or to turn off the switching element; a timing determination unit configured to measure an on-time width from when the input signal is switched to an on-command to when the input signal is switched to an off-command, and configured to determine, based on the measured on-time width, an intermediate timing that is before switch-off surge voltage of the switching element reaches a peak; and a driving condition changing unit configured to change a gate driving condition of the switching element at the intermediate timing determined by the timing determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Nagano, Kunio Matsubara
  • Patent number: 10637465
    Abstract: In recent years, it has been desired to further shorten the dead time. Provided is a driving device that drives on/off a main switching element to which a free wheeling diode is anti-parallel connected, wherein the driving device includes a determination unit configured to output a determination signal indicating whether free wheeling current is flowing from a source terminal to a drain terminal of the main switching element; and a drive control unit configured to reduce a switching speed when the main switching element is driven from an on-state to an off-state on condition that the determination signal indicating that the free wheeling current is flowing is output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunio Matsubara, Tsuyoshi Nagano
  • Patent number: 10608626
    Abstract: A driving apparatus is provided, the driving apparatus including: a gate driving unit that drives a semiconductor element; a sampling unit that samples, in an on-period of the semiconductor element, an observation value that changes according to an on-current flowing through the semiconductor element; and a changing unit that changes a driving condition under which the gate driving unit drives a gate of the semiconductor element when the semiconductor element is turned off according to the observation value sampled in an on-period of the semiconductor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunio Matsubara, Tsuyoshi Nagano