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).

  • Pump apparatus
    Patent number: 7758321
    Abstract: A pump apparatus comprises a piston, which is provided displaceably along a first chamber formed in a body under the action of a pilot pressure, an indirect medium composed of a non-compressive fluid and which is to be pressed by the piston, and a diaphragm that is flexibly bendable in cooperation with the indirect medium. When the fluid is discharged from a discharge port, a change in volume caused by the displacement of the piston in the axial direction is identical to the change in volume caused by the displacement of the diaphragm in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Takamitsu Suzuki
  • Silencer
    Patent number: 7753167
    Abstract: A silencer includes a cylindrical member held between a body connected to an exhaust side of a fluid pressure device and a disk-shaped retaining member. A net-shaped sound absorber is disposed around an outer circumference of the cylindrical member. A pressure fluid flows from the body into the interior of the cylindrical member and is discharged toward the sound absorber through a plurality of first through fifth exhaust holes formed in the cylindrical member. Accordingly, dust in the pressure fluid is removed by the sound absorber, which is formed of a plurality of stacked filters, and further, the pressure fluid is discharged to the outside after exhaust noises have been absorbed by the sound absorber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado
  • Paint selector valve
    Patent number: 7712484
    Abstract: A piston, which is displaceable by pilot air, is provided in a main body. A valve plug, which is composed of a resin material, is connected to an end of a shaft connected to the piston. The valve plug is seated on a valve seat section of a sub-body connected to the main body, and thus the flow of the paint to a flow passage is cut off. A seating section of the valve plug, which is to be seated on the valve seat section, is formed to be substantially spherical. Further, the surface of the valve seat section is recessed and substantially spherical corresponding to the seating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado
  • BALL SCREW MECHANISM
    Publication number: 20100043583
    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: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Toru Sugiyama, Masaki Imamura
  • Drain separator
    Patent number: 7662220
    Abstract: A driving section is provided for a housing. A fan is rotated in the housing by the driving section. Saturated steam, which is supplied to the housing, is separated into a liquid component and a gas component by applying the centrifugal force to the saturated steam by the fan to make the saturated steam pass through a cylindrical separating wall. The liquid component is discharged from an outlet port of the housing by the separating wall and a shielding section. On the other hand, the gas component is discharged from a discharge port formed at an upper portion of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Takayuki Murai
  • Vacuum suction apparatus having negative pressure actuated vacuum generator switching mechanism
    Patent number: 7637548
    Abstract: A switching valve is disposed between a pressure fluid supply source and an ejector in a vacuum suction apparatus. A supply port of the switching valve is connected to the pressure fluid supply source, and an outlet port of the switching valve is connected to the ejector. In addition, when suction pads attract a workpiece under suction and a negative pressure becomes constant, a valve body is displaced by a negative pressure supplied through a vacuum port to the switching valve, whereupon communication between the supply port and the outlet port is blocked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado
  • Suck back valve
    Patent number: 7637440
    Abstract: A suck back valve comprises a suction amount-adjusting mechanism including a screw member which regulates a displacement amount of a second piston integrally displaceable with a second diaphragm in accordance with abutment of a disk-shaped member, a rotary driving section which allows the screw member to move toward or away from the disk-shaped member, and a detecting section which detects a displacement amount of the screw member. Accordingly, it is possible to appropriately adjust the flow rate of the pressure fluid to be sucked under the negative pressure action of the second diaphragm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Tadashi Uchino
  • AUTOMATIC SPEED REDUCTION RATIO SWITCHING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20090270220
    Abstract: An automatic speed reduction ratio switching apparatus is equipped with a sun gear connected to an input shaft, first and second carriers connected to a feed screw shaft, planetary gears meshed with the sun gear and which are mounted rotatably in the first and second carriers, and an internal gear meshed with the planetary gears and which is capable of movement in an axial direction. A packing member is arranged between the internal gear and the second carrier, for regulating movement in the axial direction of the internal gear, while enabling movement of the internal gear in the axial direction when a thrust force is applied at or above a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro FUKANO, Toru Sugiyama, Masaki Imamura
  • Silencer
    Publication number: 20090266643
    Abstract: A silencer includes a cylindrical member held between a body connected to an exhaust side of a fluid pressure device and a disk-shaped retaining member. A net-shaped sound absorber is disposed around an outer circumference of the cylindrical member. A pressure fluid flows from the body into the interior of the cylindrical member and is discharged toward the sound absorber through a plurality of first through fifth exhaust holes formed in the cylindrical member. Accordingly, dust in the pressure fluid is removed by the sound absorber, which is formed of a plurality of stacked filters, and further, the pressure fluid is discharged to the outside after exhaust noises have been absorbed by the sound absorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: SMC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado
  • ELECTRIC ACTUATOR
    Publication number: 20090260463
    Abstract: In an electric actuator, a connector is coupled to one end of a screw shaft that makes up a displacement mechanism, the screw shaft being rotatably supported by first and second bearings. Further, on the other end of the screw shaft, a support ring is disposed through a holder, wherein the support ring is slidable along an inner circumferential surface of a piston rod. On the outer circumferential surface of a piston, a rotation-stopping member is provided, which includes projections thereon that project in a radial direction from the outer circumferential surface, the projections being inserted into grooves of said body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro FUKANO, Toru Sugiyama, Masaki Miyahara
  • Controller of electrical actuator
    Patent number: D601963
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Takeshi Hirose
  • Controller of electrical actuator
    Patent number: D607821
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Takeshi Hirose
  • Electric gripper
    Patent number: D609546
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado
  • Electric actuator
    Patent number: D611514
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado, Junichi Saitoh
  • Electric actuator
    Patent number: D621860
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Toru Sugiyama, Masaki Miyahara
  • Vacuum control valve
    Patent number: D623269
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Koji Sugano, Akira Sasaki
  • Vacuum control valve
    Patent number: D623270
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Koji Sugano, Akira Sasaki
  • Electric actuator
    Patent number: D624098
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Toru Sugiyama, Masaki Miyahara
  • Electric actuator
    Patent number: D624099
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado, Yasuhiro Ushijima
  • Electric actuator
    Patent number: D624100
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Fukano, Shoichi Makado, Yasuhiro Ushijima