Patents by Inventor Yasuyuki Okimura

Yasuyuki Okimura 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: 10883192
    Abstract: A sintered electrically conductive oxide for an oxygen sensor electrode includes a crystal phase formed of a perovskite-type electrically conductive oxide containing at least La, Fe and Ni. The oxide has an absolute value of thermoelectromotive force at 770° C. of 21.0 ?V/K or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi Kozuka, Yasuyuki Okimura, Kazushige Ohbayashi
  • Patent number: 10629322
    Abstract: An electrically conductive oxide sintered compact according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a crystal phase that has a perovskite oxide crystal structure represented by the composition formula: REaCobCucNidOx where RE is a rare-earth element; a+b+c+d=1; and 1.25?x?1.75, wherein the values of a, b, c and d respectively satisfy the following conditions: 0.474?a?0.512; 0.050?b?0.350; 0?c?0.250; and 0.050?d?0.350.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi Kozuka, Yasuyuki Okimura, Kazushige Ohbayashi
  • Patent number: 10379076
    Abstract: A gas sensor, characterized by having an electrode formed of a conductive oxide sintered body which contains a primary phase formed of a perovskite oxide containing at least La, Fe, and Ni; and a secondary phase formed of an La4M3O10 phase or an La3M2O7 phase (M=Co, Fe, Ni), wherein the conductive oxide sintered body has a conductivity of 300 S/cm or higher at room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi Kozuka, Mina Sato, Yasuyuki Okimura, Kazushige Ohbayashi
  • Patent number: 10347817
    Abstract: A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composition including an alkali niobate/tantalate perovskite oxide main phase having piezoelectric properties and a different metal oxide. The mole ratio (Na/K) between Na (sodium) and K (potassium) in the main phase is 0.40<(Na/K)<3.0. The main phase has a crystal structure in which (i) first spots corresponding to a primitive lattice period and (ii) second spots corresponding to the lattice period two times the primitive lattice period and being weaker than the first spots appear in an electron beam diffraction image entering from the <100> direction with the main phase represented as a pseudo-cubic crystal system. Also, the area ratio of a crystal phase reflecting the second spots in the main phase is 33% or less, and the maximum grain size of crystals reflecting the second spots in the main phase is 25 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi Kozuka, Hideto Yamada, Takayuki Matsuoka, Kazuaki Kitamura, Masato Yamazaki, Toshiaki Kurahashi, Takashi Kasashima, Yasuyuki Okimura, Kazushige Ohbayashi
  • Patent number: 10340441
    Abstract: A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composition including an alkali niobate/tantalate perovskite oxide main phase having piezoelectric properties and a different metal oxide subphase. The mole ratio (Na/K) between Na (sodium) and K (potassium) in the main phase assumes a value in a range represented by 0.40<(Na/K)<3.0. The main phase has a crystal structure in which (i) first spots corresponding to a primitive lattice period and (ii) second spots corresponding to the lattice period two times the primitive lattice period and being weaker than the first spots appear in an electron beam diffraction image entering from the <100> direction with the main phase represented as a pseudo-cubic crystal system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi Kozuka, Hideto Yamada, Takayuki Matsuoka, Kazuaki Kitamura, Masato Yamazaki, Toshiaki Kurahashi, Takashi Kasashima, Yasuyuki Okimura, Kazushige Ohbayashi
  • Patent number: 10302589
    Abstract: A gas sensor including a conductive oxide sintered body, the sintered body including a crystal phase having a perovskite-type oxide crystal structure represented by a compositional formula: REaCubFecNidOx wherein RE represents a rare earth element, wherein the following conditions: a+b+c+d=1 and 1.25?x?1.75 are satisfied, and wherein a, b, c, and d satisfy the following conditions: 0.375?a?0.524; 0.050<b?0.200; 0.025?c?0.250; and 0.150?d?0.350. Also disclosed is a conductive oxide sintered body, a wiring board including a conductor layer formed of the conductive oxide sintered body and a gas sensor including an electrode formed of the conductive oxide sintered body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mina Sato, Yoshinobu Hirose, Akira Seike, Hisashi Kozuka, Yasuyuki Okimura, Kazushige Ohbayashi
  • Patent number: 10186355
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method for a thermistor element (3) including: a thermistor portion (49) which is a sintered body formed from a thermistor material; and a pair of electrode wires (25) which are embedded in the thermistor portion (49) and at least one end portion of each of the electrode wires projects at an outer side of the thermistor portion (49), the resistance value of the thermistor element (3) is adjusted by performing a removal processing of removing a part of the thermistor portion (49).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoki Yamaguchi, Shinji Ban, Hiroshi Watanabe, Yasuyuki Okimura, Hiroaki Nakanishi, Seiji Oya, Seiya Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20180330843
    Abstract: An electrically conductive oxide sintered compact according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a crystal phase that has a perovskite oxide crystal structure represented by the composition formula: REaCobCucNidOx where RE is a rare-earth element; a+b+c+d=1; and 1.25?x?1.75, wherein the values of a, b, c and d respectively satisfy the following conditions: 0.474?a?0.512; 0.050?b?0.350; 0?c?0.250; and 0.050?d?0.350.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi KOZUKA, Yasuyuki OKIMURA, Kazushige OHBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20180106754
    Abstract: A gas sensor, characterized by having an electrode formed of a conductive oxide sintered body which contains a primary phase formed of a perovskite oxide containing at least La, Fe, and Ni; and a secondary phase formed of an La4M3O10 phase or an La3M2O7 phase (M=Co, Fe, Ni), wherein the conductive oxide sintered body has a conductivity of 300 S/cm or higher at room temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi KOZUKA, Mina SATO, Yasuyuki OKIMURA, Kazushige OHBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9938197
    Abstract: A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composition includes a first crystal phase made of an alkali niobate/tantalate type perovskite oxide having piezoelectric properties, and a second crystal phase made of an M-Ti—O spinel compound (where the element M is a monovalent to quadrivalent element).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Yamazaki, Takayuki Matsuoka, Kazuaki Kitamura, Hisashi Kozuka, Hideto Yamada, Toshiaki Kurahashi, Yasuyuki Okimura, Kazushige Ohbayashi, Takashi Kasashima
  • Publication number: 20180045673
    Abstract: A gas sensor including a conductive oxide sintered body, the sintered body including a crystal phase having a perovskite-type oxide crystal structure represented by a compositional formula: REaCubFecNidOx wherein RE represents a rare earth element, wherein the following conditions: a+b+c+d=1 and 1.25?x?1.75 are satisfied, and wherein a, b, c, and d satisfy the following conditions: 0.375?a?0.524; 0.050<b?0.200; 0.025?c?0.250; and 0.150?d?0.350. Also disclosed is a conductive oxide sintered body, a wiring board including a conductor layer formed of the conductive oxide sintered body and a gas sensor including an electrode formed of the conductive oxide sintered body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mina SATO, Yoshinobu HIROSE, Akira SEIKE, Hisashi KOZUKA, Yasuyuki OKIMURA, Kazushige OHBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9871187
    Abstract: A lead-free piezo-electric porcelain composition which contains a main phase having voids and which is formed of a first crystal phase composed of an alkali niobate/tantalate-based perovskite oxide having piezo-electric characteristics; and a sub-phase containing a second crystal phase composed of an A2B6O13-based compound (where the element A is a monovalent element and the element B is one or more divalent to hexavalent elements). The sub-phase fills voids present in the main phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato Yamazaki, Takayuki Matsuoka, Yoshiteru Honda, Kazuaki Kitamura, Hisashi Kozuka, Toshiaki Kurahashi, Yasuyuki Okimura, Hideto Yamada, Kazushige Ohbayashi
  • Publication number: 20170301437
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method for a thermistor element (3) including: a thermistor portion (49) which is a sintered body formed from a thermistor material; and a pair of electrode wires (25) which are embedded in the thermistor portion (49) and at least one end portion of each of the electrode wires projects at an outer side of the thermistor portion (49), the resistance value of the thermistor element (3) is adjusted by performing a removal processing of removing a part of the thermistor portion (49).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoki YAMAGUCHI, Shinji BAN, Hiroshi WATANABE, Yasuyuki OKIMURA, Hiroaki NAKANISHI, Seiji OYA, Seiya MATSUDA
  • Patent number: 9790098
    Abstract: A sintered electroconductive oxide having a perovskite oxide type crystal structure represented by a compositional formula: M1aM2bMncAldCreOf wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from group 3 elements; and M2 represents at least one element selected from among Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba, wherein element M1 predominantly includes at least one element selected from Nd, Pr and Sm, and a, b, c, d, e and f satisfy the following relationships: 0.6005?a<1.000, 0<b?0.400, 0?c<0.150, 0.400?d<0.950, 0.050<e?0.600, 0.50<e/(c+e)?1.00, and 2.80?f?3.30. Also disclosed is a thermistor element including a thermistor portion which is formed of the sintered electroconductive oxide as well as a temperature sensor employing the thermistor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Watanabe, Shinji Ban, Tomoki Yamaguchi, Yasuyuki Okimura, Tomohiro Nishi
  • Publication number: 20170141293
    Abstract: A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composition including an alkali niobate/tantalate perovskite oxide main phase having piezoelectric properties and a different metal oxide. The mole ratio (Na/K) between Na (sodium) and K (potassium) in the main phase is 0.40<(Na/K)<3.0. The main phase has a crystal structure in which (i) first spots corresponding to a primitive lattice period and (ii) second spots corresponding to the lattice period two times the primitive lattice period and being weaker than the first spots appear in an electron beam diffraction image entering from the <100> direction with the main phase represented as a pseudo-cubic crystal system. Also, the area ratio of a crystal phase reflecting the second spots in the main phase is 33% or less, and the maximum grain size of crystals reflecting the second spots in the main phase is 25 nm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi KOZUKA, Hideto YAMADA, Takayuki MATSUOKA, Kazuaki KITAMURA, Masato YAMAZAKI, Toshiaki KURAHASHI, Takashi KASASHIMA, Yasuyuki OKIMURA, Kazushige OHBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20170141292
    Abstract: A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composition including an alkali niobate/tantalate perovskite oxide main phase having piezoelectric properties and a different metal oxide subphase. The mole ratio (Na/K) between Na (sodium) and K (potassium) in the main phase assumes a value in a range represented by 0.40<(Na/K)<3.0. The main phase has a crystal structure in which (i) first spots corresponding to a primitive lattice period and (ii) second spots corresponding to the lattice period two times the primitive lattice period and being weaker than the first spots appear in an electron beam diffraction image entering from the <100> direction with the main phase represented as a pseudo-cubic crystal system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi KOZUKA, Hideto YAMADA, Takayuki MATSUOKA, Kazuaki KITAMURA, Masato YAMAZAKI, Toshiaki KURAHASHI, Takashi KASASHIMA, Yasuyuki OKIMURA, Kazushige OHBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160334361
    Abstract: A sintered electrically conductive oxide for an oxygen sensor electrode includes a crystal phase formed of a perovskite-type electrically conductive oxide containing at least La, Fe and Ni. The oxide has an absolute value of thermoelectromotive force at 770° C. of 21.0 ?V/K or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi KOZUKA, Yasuyuki OKIMURA, Kazushige OHBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20160289083
    Abstract: A sintered electroconductive oxide having a perovskite oxide type crystal structure represented by a compositional formula: M1aM2bMncAldCreOf wherein M1 represents at least one element selected from group 3 elements; and M2 represents at least one element selected from among Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba, wherein element M1 predominantly includes at least one element selected from Nd, Pr and Sm, and a, b, c, d, e and f satisfy the following relationships: 0.6005?a<1.000, 0<b?0.400, 0?c<0.150, 0.400?d<0.950, 0.050<e?0.600, 0.50<e/(c+e)?1.00, and 2.80?f?3.30. Also disclosed is a thermistor element including a thermistor portion which is formed of the sintered electroconductive oxide as well as a temperature sensor employing the thermistor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi WATANABE, Shinji BAN, Tomoki YAMAGUCHI, Yasuyuki OKIMURA, Tomohiro NISHI
  • Patent number: 9312054
    Abstract: A thermistor element includes a thermistor main body having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a first covering layer having reduction resistance and covering the periphery of the thermistor main body. At least a portion (exposed outer surface) of the outer surface of the first covering layer is exposed to the outside. When the shortest distance in a straight line in the first covering layer extending from a starting point on the thermistor main body to the exposed outer surface is defined as an exposed layer thickness at the starting point, the first covering layer is formed such that an exposed layer thickness measured by using any vertex of the rectangular parallelepiped thermistor main body as a starting point is equal to or greater than the smallest one of exposed layer thicknesses measured by using points on three sides and three flat surfaces which form the vertex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Watanabe, Yasuyuki Okimura
  • Publication number: 20160052826
    Abstract: A lead-free piezoelectric ceramic composition includes a first crystal phase made of an alkali niobate/tantalate type perovskite oxide having piezoelectric properties, and a second crystal phase made of an M-Ti—O spinel compound (where the element M is a monovalent to quadrivalent element).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masato YAMAZAKI, Takayuki MATSUOKA, Kazuaki KITAMURA, Hisashi KOZUKA, Hideto YAMADA, Toshiaki KURAHASHI, Yasuyuki OKIMURA, Kazushige OHBAYASHI, Takashi KASASHIMA