Patents by Inventor Yoshiaki Higuchi

Yoshiaki Higuchi 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: 20130333756
    Abstract: A backsheet (10) for use in a photovoltaic cell module (22) comprises a fluororesin (12) and a plurality of encapsulated particles (14) dispersed in the fluororesin (12). Each of the encapsulated particles (14) dispersed in the fluororesin (12) comprises a core particle (16), which comprises titanium dioxide (TiO2). Each of the encapsulated particles (14) further comprises a metal oxide layer (18) disposed about the core particle (16). Further, each of encapsulated particles (14) also comprises an organic protective layer (20) disposed about the metal oxide layer (18). A photovoltaic cell module (22) comprising the backsheet (10) is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Richard A. DeLucca, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Evan D. Laganis, Yasumasa Yukawa
  • Patent number: 8268218
    Abstract: A process of sealing a semiconductor substrate by contacting the semiconductor substrate with a surface of a release layer (I) of a gas barrier release film that is in the form of a mold, which includes vacuum suction; injecting a sealing resin between the semiconductor substrate and the mold; and releasing said mold from said semiconductor substrate having said sealing resin present thereon, where the gas barrier release film has a release layer (I), which has excellent releasability; a plastic support layer (II) supporting the release layer; and a metal or a metal oxide gas restraint layer (III), present between the release layer and the support layer, where the gas barrier release film exhibits a xylene gas permeability of at most 5×10?15 (kmol m/(s·m2·kPa)) at 170° C., and a surface of said release layer (I) has an arithmetic surface roughness of from 0.15 to 3.5 ?m, exhibiting a satin-finish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tamao Okuya, Hiroshi Aruga, Yoshiaki Higuchi
  • Patent number: 8173557
    Abstract: A laminated sheet comprising a woven or nonwoven fabric comprising glass fibers fixed by a binder, and a fluororesin film laminated on each other, wherein the binder contains a copolymer (A) having repeating units (a1) based on at least one fluoromonomer selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene, and repeating units (a2) based on at least one non-fluoromonomer selected from the group consisting of a vinyl ether, a vinyl ester, an isopropenyl ether, an isopropenyl ester, an allyl ether and an allyl ester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Higuchi, Takuya Nakao, Sho Masuda
  • Publication number: 20110254201
    Abstract: Provided is a release film for producing a light emitting diode having desired concaves and convexes accurately transferred directly to the surface of a resin-sealed portion, at a low cost and in high yield, and a process for producing a light emitting diode. A release film 10 having a plurality of convex portions (convex stripes 12) and/or concave portions (grooves 14) formed on the surface is used as a release film to be placed in a cavity of a mold for forming a resin-sealed portion to seal a light emitting element of a light emitting diode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Higuchi, Yasumasa Yukawa
  • Patent number: 7820774
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer composition having a high melt flowability while maintaining satisfactory mechanical properties in the obtainable molded product are maintained. The ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer composition (C) has a melt viscosity of from 80 to 500 Pa·s, preferably from 100 to 300 Pa·s and a tensile elongation of from 200 to 500%, preferably from 350 to 450%. The copolymer composition (C) is may be obtained by melt kneading an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (A) having a low melt viscosity of from 60 to 400 Pa·s, preferably from 80 to 300 Pa·s and an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (B) having a melt viscosity higher than this i.e. from 600 to 10,000 Pa·s, preferably from 1,000 to 7,000 Pa·s in a mass ratio of (A)/(B)=50/50 to 99/1, preferably (A)/(B)=60/40 to 97/3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shigeru Aida, Takashi Sato, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Hiroki Kamiya
  • Patent number: 7749629
    Abstract: An electrolyte membrane characterized by comprising a porous body formed from a melt-moldable fluororesin and having interconnected pores and an ion exchange resin with which the interconnected pores are filled, is provided. Specifically, the porous body is formed, for example, from an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene/[CF2?CF—(OCF2CFY)a—Oc—(CF2)b—SO3H] copolymer (wherein Y is a fluorine atom or a trifluoromethyl group, a is an integer of 0 to 3, b is an integer of from 0 to 12, and c is 0 or 1, provided that when b=0, C=0), or the like. An electrolyte membrane reinforced by such a porous body has high mechanical strength even if it is thin, and is excellent in dimensional stability when hydrated, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a membrane-electrode assembly having the electrolyte membrane provides a high output and is excellent in durability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Satoru Hommura, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Hiromitsu Kusano
  • Publication number: 20100096772
    Abstract: A process of sealing a semiconductor substrate by contacting the semiconductor substrate with a surface of a release layer (I) of a gas barrier release film that is in the form of a mold, which includes vacuum suction; injecting a sealing resin between the semiconductor substrate and the mold; and releasing said mold from said semiconductor substrate having said sealing resin present thereon, where the gas barrier release film has a release layer (I), which has excellent releasability; a plastic support layer (II) supporting the release layer; and a metal or a metal oxide gas restraint layer (III), present between the release layer and the support layer, where the gas barrier release film exhibits a xylene gas permeability of at most 5×10?15 (kmol m/(s·m2·kPa)) at 170° C., and a surface of said release layer (I) has an arithmetic surface roughness of from 0.15 to 3.5 ?m, exhibiting a satin-finish.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tamao Okuya, Hiroshi Aruga, Yoshiaki Higuchi
  • Patent number: 7687142
    Abstract: A laminate for a printed wiring board having a laminate structure comprising an electrical insulator layer (A) and an electrical conductor layer (B) bonded directly to each other, wherein the electrical insulator layer (A) is formed of a fluorocopolymer comprising repeating units (a) based on tetrafluoroethylene and/or chlorotrifluoroethylene, repeating units (b) based on a fluoromonomer excluding tetrafluoroethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene, and repeating units (c) based on a monomer having an acid anhydride residue and a polymerizable unsaturated bond in amounts of (a) being from 50 to 99.89 mol %, (b) being from 0.1 to 49.99 mol % and (c) being from 0.01 to 5 mol %, based on ((a)+(b)+(c)), and the electrical conductor layer (B) has a surface roughness of at most 10 ?m on the side being in contact with the electrical insulator layer (A). The laminate for a printed wiring board is excellent in signal response in a high frequency region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Iwasa, Atsushi Funaki, Yoshiaki Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20090297815
    Abstract: To provide a laminated sheet which has high transparency and withstands long outdoor use, comprising a glass fiber cloth which is free from deformation of the cloth even in a step of bonding the cloth to a fluororesin film. A laminated sheet comprising a woven or nonwoven fabric comprising glass fibers fixed by a binder, and a fluororesin film laminated on each other, wherein the binder contains a copolymer (A) having repeating units (a1) based on at least one fluoromonomer selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylene, chlorotrifluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene, and repeating units (a2) based on at least one non-fluoromonomer selected from the group consisting of a vinyl ether, a vinyl ester, an isopropenyl ether, an isopropenyl ester, an allyl ether and an allyl ester.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Yoshiaki HIGUCHI, Takuya NAKAO, Sho MASUDA
  • Publication number: 20090053528
    Abstract: To provide a release film which has an extremely low gas permeability, an enormously small mold contamination by a mold resin and a high releasability. A gas barrier release film for semiconductor resin molds, comprising a release layer (I) having excellent releasability, a plastic support layer (II) supporting the release layer, and a gas restraint layer (III) made of a metal or a metal oxide, formed between the release layer and the support layer, and having a xylene gas permeability of at most 10?15 (kmol m/(s·m2·kPa)) at 170° C. The release layer (I) is preferably formed from a fluororesin such as an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, and a metal oxide layer is preferably a layer of an oxide such as an aluminum oxide, a silicon oxide or a magnesium oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tamao OKUYA, Hiroshi Aruga, Yoshiaki Higuchi
  • Patent number: 7476434
    Abstract: To provide a laminate for a flexible printed wiring board excellent in signal response in the high frequency region. A laminate for a flexible printed wiring board having a three-layer laminated structure where a reinforcing layer (A), an electrical insulator layer (B) and an electrical conductor layer (C) are laminated in this order, wherein the electrical insulator layer (B) is made of a fluorocopolymer comprising repeating units (a) based on tetrafluoroethylene and/or chlorotrifluoroethylene, repeating units (b) based on a fluoromonomer excluding tetrafluoroethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene, and repeating units (c) based on a monomer having an acid anhydride residue and the electrical conductor layer (C) has a surface roughness of at most 10 ?m on the side being in contact with the electrical insulator layer (B). The laminate for a flexible printed wiring board is excellent in signal response in the high frequency region and excellent in flex resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Iwasa, Atsushi Funaki, Yoshiaki Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20080107866
    Abstract: To provide a laminate for a flexible printed wiring board excellent in signal response in the high frequency region. A laminate for a flexible printed wiring board having a three-layer laminated structure where a reinforcing layer (A), an electrical insulator layer (B) and an electrical conductor layer (C) are laminated in this order, wherein the electrical insulator layer (B) is made of a fluorocopolymer comprising repeating units (a) based on tetrafluoroethylene and/or chlorotrifluoroethylene, repeating units (b) based on a fluoromonomer excluding tetrafluoroethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene, and repeating units (c) based on a monomer having an acid anhydride residue and the electrical conductor layer (C) has a surface roughness of at most 10 ?m on the side being in contact with the electrical insulator layer (B). The laminate for a flexible printed wiring board is excellent in signal response in the high frequency region and excellent in flex resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi IWASA, Atsushi Funaki, Yoshiaki Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20070246255
    Abstract: A laminate for a printed wiring board having a laminate structure comprising an electrical insulator layer (A) and an electrical conductor layer (B) bonded directly to each other, wherein the electrical insulator layer (A) is formed of a fluorocopolymer comprising repeating units (a) based on tetrafluoroethylene and/or chlorotrifluoroethylene, repeating units (b) based on a fluoromonomer excluding tetrafluoroethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene, and repeating units (c) based on a monomer having an acid anhydride residue and a polymerizable unsaturated bond in amounts of (a) being from 50 to 99.89 mol %, (b) being from 0.1 to 49.99 mol % and (c) being from 0.01 to 5 mol %, based on ((a)+(b)+(c)), and the electrical conductor layer (B) has a surface roughness of at most 10 ?m on the side being in contact with the electrical insulator layer (A) The laminate for a printed wiring board is excellent in signal response in a high frequency region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Iwasa, Atsushi Funaki, Yoshiaki Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20070232754
    Abstract: To provide an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer composition having a high melt flowability while the mechanical properties of the obtainable molded product are maintained. The ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer composition (C) has a melt viscosity of from 80 to 500 Pa·s, preferably from 100 to 300 Pa·s and a tensile elongation of from 200 to 500%, preferably from 350 to 450%. The copolymer composition (C) is obtainable by melt kneading an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (A) having a low melt viscosity of from 60 to 400 Pa·s, preferably from 80 to 300 Pa·s and an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (B) having a melt viscosity higher than this i.e. from 600 to 10,000 Pa·s, preferably from 1,000 to 7,000 Pa·s in a mass ratio of (A)/(B)=50/50 to 99/1, preferably (A)/(B)=60/40 to 97/3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: Asahi Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Shigeru AIDA, Takashi Sato, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Hiroki Kamiya
  • Patent number: 7249453
    Abstract: Prior to failure determination of a three-way catalyst, which is carried out on the basis of a reverse frequency ratio of upstream and downstream O2 sensors, deterioration determination is performed at the point when the reverse frequency ratio of the O2 sensors starts to increase, and low NOx control is then implemented. The implement of the low NOx control makes it possible to compensate for the deterioration of the three-way catalyst with respect to NOx purification and to keep NOx emissions from the three-way catalyst equal to or less than the regulation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Hitoshi Kamura
  • Publication number: 20060137326
    Abstract: Prior to failure determination of a three-way catalyst, which is carried out on the basis of a reverse frequency ratio of upstream and downstream O2 sensors, deterioration determination is performed at the point when the reverse frequency ratio of the O2 sensors starts to increase, and low NOx control is then implemented. The implement of the low NOx control makes it possible to compensate for the deterioration of the three-way catalyst with respect to NOx purification and to keep NOx emissions from the three-way catalyst equal to or less than the regulation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Hitoshi Kamura
  • Publication number: 20050186461
    Abstract: An electrolyte membrane characterized by comprising a porous body formed from a melt-moldable fluororesin and having interconnected pores and an ion exchange resin with which the interconnected pores are filled, is provided. Specifically, the porous body is formed, for example, from an ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, a tetrafluoroethylene/[CF2?CF—(OCF2CFY)a—Oc—(CF2)b—SO3H] copolymer (wherein Y is a fluorine atom or a trifluoromethyl group, a is an integer of 0 to 3, b is an integer of from 0 to 12, and c is 0 or 1, provided that when b=0, C=0), or the like. An electrolyte membrane reinforced by such a porous body has high mechanical strength even if it is thin, and is excellent in dimensional stability when hydrated, and a polymer electrolyte fuel cell with a membrane-electrode assembly having the electrolyte membrane provides a high output and is excellent in durability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Applicant: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoru Hommura, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Hiromitsu Kusano
  • Patent number: 6898067
    Abstract: An electric double layer capacitor which has a low internal resistance and a large capacitance per unit volume and which is excellent in the voltage retention property, is provided. In a non-aqueous type electric double layer capacitor having a separator disposed between a positive electrode and a negative electrode made of carbonaceous electrodes, the separator comprises a sheet having a thickness of from 10 to 100 ?m and a porosity of from 50 to 90% and a netted spacer having a thickness of from 10 to 100 mm, a numerical aperture of from 30 to 85% and an opening of from 50 to 350 mesh, laminated one on the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuya Hiratsuka, Manabu Suhara, Takeshi Kawasato, Naruaki Tomita, Naoki Yoshida, Yoshiaki Higuchi
  • Patent number: 6752011
    Abstract: In a thermostat failure diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which a failure diagnosis of a thermostat can be effectively made, in the case where, after starting of the engine, an intake air quantity of the engine or a parameter related to the intake air quantity is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and a cooling water temperature is equal to or higher than an intake air temperature (outside air temperature), on the basis of a time in which a rising quantity in the cooling water temperature at an upstream side of the thermostat reaches a predetermined value, or a time in which the cooling water temperature rises to a predetermined temperature, the failure of the thermostat is judged. By this, the failure diagnosis of the thermostat can be rationally made only when the engine generating heat quantity is large to some degree to prevent erroneous diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Matsumoto, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Tateo Kume, Hidetsugu Kanao, Tomonobu Sakagami
  • Patent number: 6728095
    Abstract: An electric double layer capacitor including a positive electrode assembly and a negative electrode assembly, each electrode assembly having a porous layer including a carbonaceous powder and a fluorine-containing polymer formed on at least one side of an aluminum foil current collector, the positive electrode and the negative electrode being disposed so that the porous layer of the positive electrode assembly and the porous layer of the negative electrode assembly face each other with a separator interposed therebetween to form an element, the element being impregnated with a non-aqueous electrolyte and accommodated in a sealed container, wherein the thickness of the porous layer is from 80 to 200 &mgr;m, the thickness of the aluminum foil current collector is from 20 to 80 &mgr;m, the thickness of the separator is from 30 to 170 &mgr;m, and the density of the porous layer is from 0.50 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Asahi Glass Company Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Suhara, Kazuya Hiratsuka, Katsuji Ikeda, Takeshi Kawasato, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Takamichi Ishikawa, Satoru Kuroki, Sadao Kanetoku, Naoki Yoshida, Naruaki Tomita