Patents by Inventor Yoshihiro Fukano

Yoshihiro Fukano 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: 20140299799
    Abstract: A spool valve is equipped with a valve body, a spool arranged in a valve chamber such that the spool can be displaced between a first position, which allows communication between an inlet port and an outlet port, and a second position, which blocks communication between the inlet port and the outlet port, a pilot valve mechanism disposed in the valve body and which causes displacement of the spool along an axial direction under the pressure of a pilot fluid that acts on one end surface of the spool, and a spring that biases the spool toward one side in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: SMC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Takayuki Murai
  • Patent number: 8833132
    Abstract: A pipe expanding tool includes levers rotatably connected to each other through a rotary shaft, grips disposed on ends of the levers, jaws disposed on other ends of the levers, and mandrels disposed on the jaws. An adjustment screw for adjusting an angle of rotation of the levers, a lock nut for fixing the adjustment screw, and a stopper that restricts rotation of the levers are further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Tadashi Uchino
  • Publication number: 20140131597
    Abstract: A valve mechanism, which constitutes a solenoid valve as one example of a valve, includes a valve plug that is displaced in an axial direction under an excitation action of a solenoid unit, and is equipped with a flexible diaphragm disposed between a valve body and an annular groove formed on an outer circumferential surface of the valve plug. The diaphragm is flexible accompanying displacement of the valve plug and includes first through third projections on an inner edge portion thereof. In addition, the first through third projections are capable of coming into abutment, respectively, against an inner circumferential surface, a first wall surface, and a second wall surface of the annular groove. Further, the inner edge portion is inserted in the interior of the annular groove while being movable slightly in the direction of displacement of the valve plug.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro FUKANO, Yasunori SHIRAGA
  • Patent number: 8720318
    Abstract: An actuator is equipped with a cylinder body in the interior of which a piston is disposed for displacement therein. A piston rod connected to the piston projects outwardly to the exterior from an end of the cylinder body. A guide unit, having a guide body that is attached to the cylinder body, and a pair of guide rods, which are disposed displaceably with respect to the guide body, are disposed detachably on the cylinder body. Additionally, by mutually interconnecting the guide rods of the guide unit and the piston rod through a connecting plate, when the piston rod is displaced in an axial direction, the piston rod is guided by the pair of guide rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Toru Sugiyama, Masaki Miyahara
  • Patent number: 8708131
    Abstract: A stopper cylinder is equipped with a body having a drive unit, a piston mechanism being displaceable along an axial direction in the interior of a tube connected to the body, and a stopper lever connected to the piston mechanism for stopping conveyance of a workpiece. Displacement of the piston mechanism is restricted by an electromagnetic lock mechanism, which is disposed on the body and is excited by supply of electric power. After approaching the workpiece, by releasing a locked state of the electromagnetic lock mechanism, the piston mechanism is displaced to a position facing the workpiece by an elastic force of a spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado, Masaki Miyahara
  • Publication number: 20140110615
    Abstract: A flow path opening/closing valve is equipped with a main body having a valve chamber housing therein a rotatable valve body, and a sleeve that abuts without gaps against an inner circumferential surface of the valve chamber, such that the inner circumferential surface of the valve chamber and an inner circumferential surface of the sleeve slide without gaps against an outer circumferential surface of the valve body, for thereby shielding the valve chamber by the valve body and the sleeve. First and second seat members, and first and second o-rings that urge the first and second seat members toward the side of the valve body are arranged inside first and second annular grooves, which are provided on the inner circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro FUKANO, Tadashi UCHINO, Taiyou HATTA
  • Publication number: 20140041434
    Abstract: A pipe expanding tool includes levers rotatably connected to each other through a rotary shaft, grips disposed on ends of the levers, jaws disposed on other ends of the levers, and mandrels disposed on the jaws. An adjustment screw for adjusting an angle of rotation of the levers, a lock nut for fixing the adjustment screw, and a stopper that restricts rotation of the levers are further provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro FUKANO, Tadashi Uchino
  • Patent number: 8622365
    Abstract: A pinch valve includes a spring disposed between a movable iron core of a solenoid and an end cover thereof, and which urges the movable iron core toward the side of a tube provided in a body. An elastic force of the spring is set to be smaller than a reactive force of the tube that is applied to a valve plug. In a non-excited state of the solenoid, the valve plug is pressed toward the solenoid by the reactive force of the tube, so as to enable a fluid to flow through a flow passage of the tube. Conversely, in an excited state of the solenoid, since an attractive force of the movable iron core toward the tube is added to the elastic force of the spring, the valve plug is pressed in opposition to the reactive force of the tube for thereby blocking the flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado, Yasuhiro Ushijima
  • Publication number: 20130341550
    Abstract: A two-way valve includes a valve body made of a resilient member and connected to a lower end of a shaft. The valve body is made up from a main body portion having an axial member connected to the shaft, and a thin film skirt portion formed on an outer circumferential side of the main body portion. An outer edge of the skirt portion is sandwiched and gripped between a small diameter part of a housing and a connector of a body. Further, lips that project in a downward direction are formed in a central portion of the main body portion. The lips are seated on a top portion of a partition wall in the body, so that the two-way valve is placed in a valve-closed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro FUKANO, Tadashi Uchino, Yasunori Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8584546
    Abstract: A ball screw mechanism is equipped with a ball screw shaft formed from a metallic material, a displacement nut inserted over an outer circumferential side of the ball screw shaft, steel balls installed between a first screw groove formed on the ball screw shaft and a second screw groove formed in the displacement nut, and a pair of first and second return members, through which the steel balls are circulated between one end side and another end side of the displacement nut. The first and second return members include main body parts mounted respectively onto one end and another end of the displacement nut, and cylindrical parts that project outwardly with respect to the main body parts. A return passage, through which the steel balls are circulated, is formed inside of the main body parts and the cylindrical parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Toru Sugiyama, Masaki Imamura
  • Patent number: 8561491
    Abstract: In an electric actuator, a first bore portion in which a driving section is accommodated, and a second bore portion that extends in parallel with the first bore portion and in which a feed screw of a drive force transmission mechanism is inserted, are provided in the interior of an elongate body. Further, a rotary drive source of the driving section and the feed screw are connected through the drive force transmission mechanism. In addition, a drive force of the rotary drive source is transmitted to the feed screw through the drive force transmission mechanism for displacing a slider disposed on an upper portion of the body along an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Ryuichi Masui
  • Patent number: D692096
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Koji Sugano, Masayoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: D692097
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Koji Sugano, Masayoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: D692098
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Koji Sugano, Masayoshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: D694085
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Noriyuki Miyazaki, Takeshi Seo
  • Patent number: D695685
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado, Takeshi Hirose
  • Patent number: D695686
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Kazuyuki Oguma
  • Patent number: D695687
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Kazuyuki Oguma
  • Patent number: D704238
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Toru Sugiyama, Masaki Miyahara
  • Patent number: D705171
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Kazuyuki Oguma