Patents by Inventor Yoshihiro Kurano

Yoshihiro Kurano 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: 10626993
    Abstract: The present invention improves the handling properties of a rubber-only gasket and the affixability thereof to an attachment position. To this end, the provided gasket is: obtained by combining a gasket body of the rubber-only type, and a carrier sheet that comprises a resin film and holds the gasket body in an un-adhered state; and characterized in that the gasket body is provided with an adhesive section or bonding section for adhering or bonding the gasket body to an attachment position when attaching the gasket body to the attachment position. The adhesive section or bonding section is prepared by providing the lateral surface of the gasket body with a projecting section, and coating the surface of the projecting section with an adhesive or bonding agent. The gasket body is to be used as a gasket for a fuel cell to be incorporated into a fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Saso, Yoshihiro Kurano, Takayuki Horimoto, Tetsuya Urakawa, Kenichi Oba, Takuro Nishimura, Hajime Yui
  • Patent number: 10513066
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to improve the handling and usability of rubber only-type gaskets. To achieve said purpose, a gasket molding is obtained by combining a rubber only-type gasket body with a film carrier obtained from a resin film that holds the gasket body in an unbonded state. The gasket molding is characterized in that: in addition to a gasket-holding section for holding the gasket body, the film carrier has temporary tacking sections that are surface-treated to temporarily tack the gasket body to said film carrier; the gasket body has temporary tack-receiving sections that are temporarily tacked to the temporary tacking sections; and the temporary tacking sections and temporary tack-receiving sections are removed from the film carrier and the gasket body when the film carrier and gasket body are punched into the product shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kurano, Toshihiro Shimazoe
  • Patent number: 10465798
    Abstract: The invention provides a gasket which improves a handling workability of a rubber only type gasket. The gasket of the invention is constructed by a combination of a rubber only type gasket main body, and a carrier sheet which is made of a resin film retaining the gasket main body in a non-bonded state, and the carrier sheet is provided with an air inflow port for making air flow into a portion between the carrier sheet and the gasket main body when the gasket main body is detached from the carrier sheet. A gasket retention portion having a three-dimensional shape which is deformed along an outer shape of the gasket main body is arranged at a position which laps over the gasket main body in a plane in the carrier sheet, and the gasket main body is partly accommodated within the gasket retention portion in a thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Saso, Yoshihiro Kurano, Takayuki Horimoto, Tetsuya Urakawa, Kenichi Oba, Takuro Nishimura, Hajime Yui
  • Patent number: 10350799
    Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to make it easy to handle all-rubber gaskets. To achieve this purpose, a gasket is characterized in that a gasket body of only rubber is combined with a carrier film that is made from a resin film to hold the gasket body in a non-adhesive state. A three-dimensional portion having a shape that is deformed along the external shape of the gasket body is provided at a position where the gasket body and a plane of the carrier film overlap, and a portion of the gasket body is contained in the three-dimensional section. The gasket body is used as a gasket for fuel cells incorporated into a fuel cell stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Saso, Yoshihiro Kurano, Takayuki Horimoto, Tetsuya Urakawa, Kenichi Oba, Takuro Nishimura, Hajime Yui, Takahiro Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20180163869
    Abstract: The present invention improves the handling properties of a rubber-only gasket and the affixability thereof to an attachment position. To this end, the provided gasket is: obtained by combining a gasket body of the rubber-only type, and a carrier sheet that comprises a resin film and holds the gasket body in an un-adhered state; and characterized in that the gasket body is provided with an adhesive section or bonding section for adhering or bonding the gasket body to an attachment position when attaching the gasket body to the attachment position. The adhesive section or bonding section is prepared by providing the lateral surface of the gasket body with a projecting section, and coating the surface of the projecting section with an adhesive or bonding agent. The gasket body is to be used as a gasket for a fuel cell to be incorporated into a fuel cell stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Hidetoshi SASO, Yoshihiro KURANO, Takayuki HORIMOTO, Tetsuya URAKAWA, Kenichi OBA, Takuro NISHIMURA, Hajime YUI
  • Publication number: 20180163870
    Abstract: The invention provides a gasket which improves a handling workability of a rubber only type gasket. The gasket of the invention is constructed by a combination of a rubber only type gasket main body, and a carrier sheet which is made of a resin film retaining the gasket main body in a non-bonded state, and the carrier sheet is provided with an air inflow port for making air flow into a portion between the carrier sheet and the gasket main body when the gasket main body is detached from the carrier sheet. A gasket retention portion having a three-dimensional shape which is deformed along an outer shape of the gasket main body is arranged at a position which laps over the gasket main body in a plane in the carrier sheet, and the gasket main body is partly accommodated within the gasket retention portion in a thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Hidetoshi SASO, Yoshihiro KURANO, Takayuki HORIMOTO, Tetsuya URAKAWA, Kenichi OBA, Takuro NISHIMURA, Hajime YUI
  • Publication number: 20180104872
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to improve the handling and usability of rubber only-type gaskets. To achieve said purpose, a gasket molding is obtained by combining a rubber only-type gasket body with a film carrier obtained from a resin film that holds the gasket body in an unbonded state. The gasket molding is characterized in that: in addition to a gasket-holding section for holding the gasket body, the film carrier has temporary tacking sections that are surface-treated to temporarily tack the gasket body to said film carrier; the gasket body has temporary tack-receiving sections that are temporarily tacked to the temporary tacking sections; and the temporary tacking sections and temporary tack-receiving sections are removed from the film carrier and the gasket body when the film carrier and gasket body are punched into the product shapes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Yoshihiro KURANO, Toshihiro SHIMAZOE
  • Publication number: 20180099439
    Abstract: The purpose of this invention is to make it easy to handle all-rubber gaskets. To achieve this purpose, a gasket is characterized in that a gasket body of only rubber is combined with a carrier film that is made from a resin film to hold the gasket body in a non-adhesive state. A three-dimensional portion having a shape that is deformed along the external shape of the gasket body is provided at a position where the gasket body and a plane of the carrier film overlap, and a portion of the gasket body is contained in the three-dimensional section. The gasket body is used as a gasket for fuel cells incorporated into a fuel cell stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Hidetoshi SASO, Yoshihiro KURANO, Takayuki HORIMOTO, Tetsuya URAKAWA, Kenichi OBA, Takuro NISHIMURA, Hajime YUI, Takahiro HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9895835
    Abstract: In order to achieve lower costs in a molding apparatus using a mold by reducing mold cleaning steps following releasing of the product from the mold and shortening the molding cycle, the apparatus is equipped with a plurality of fixed molds and movable molds which are heated to the temperature necessary to harden a molding material and come together by means of clamping to form a cavity, and a non-heated cold runner which supplies the molding material from an injection device to the interior of the cavity via a gate opened in the movable mold, the fixed molds and movable molds being movable between an injection stage where the injection device and cold runner (32) are present and an opening stage near the injection stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Koga, Tetsuya Urakawa, Takeshi Masaka, Yoshihiro Kurano, Shigeru Watanabe, Toshihiro Shimazoe
  • Publication number: 20160288390
    Abstract: In order to achieve lower costs in a molding apparatus using a mold by reducing mold cleaning steps following releasing of the product from the mold and shortening the molding cycle, the apparatus is equipped with a plurality of fixed molds and movable molds which are heated to the temperature necessary to harden a molding material and come together by means of clamping to form a cavity, and a non-heated cold runner which supplies the molding material from an injection device to the interior of the cavity via a gate opened in the movable mold, the fixed molds and movable molds being movable between an injection stage where the injection device and cold runner (32) are present and an opening stage near the injection stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shotaro KOGA, Tetsuya URAKAWA, Takeshi MASAKA, Yoshihiro KURANO, Shigeru WATANABE, Toshihiro SHIMAZOE
  • Patent number: 9269967
    Abstract: Provided is a gasket which can improve a handling property of the gasket by enhancing a rigidity of a carrier, can secure a space saving without increasing a thickness of the gasket, and can improve a yield ratio of a resin material, in the gasket of a type that a gasket body is integrated with the resin carrier. A planar gasket used by being pinched between two members superposed with each other has a gasket body achieving a seal action, and a carrier retaining the gasket body, the carrier is formed as a predetermined planar shape by a metal mold with a resin material, and is formed as a stepped shape by setting a partial portion which is superposed with the gasket body on a plane to a thin portion, and setting the other portion which is not superposed with the gasket body on the plane to a thick portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Masaka, Yoshihiro Kurano, Shotaro Koga
  • Patent number: 9178226
    Abstract: A fuel cell sealing structure has a power generating body, and first and second separators arranged in both sides in a thickness direction of the power generating body. On a surface in one side in a thickness direction of the first separator, formed integrally first and second sealing protrusions respectively brought into close contact with an outer peripheral portion of the power generating body and the second separator in an outer peripheral side of the first sealing protrusion, and a short circuit prevention rib protruding in line with the first and second sealing protrusions by an electrically insulating rubber-like elastic material. On a surface in another side thereof, formed integrally a third sealing protrusion brought into close contact with a surface in an opposite side to the power generating body in the second separator, by the electrically insulating rubber-like elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Masaka, Yoshihiro Kurano, Shinichiro Taguchi, Kenichi Kikuchi, Tetsuya Urakawa
  • Patent number: 8628894
    Abstract: To effectively prevent deformation of an MEA and shift of GDLs, first GDLs, second GDLs, and separators are layered in order at both sides of the MEA in the thickness direction thereof, the gaskets which sandwich an end portion of the MEA outside the first GDLs and the second GDLs are made from rubber or a synthetic resin material having rubber-like elasticity and integrally provided on the separators respectively, the first GDLs have end portions which are formed so as to protrude beyond outer peripheries of the second GDLs, and the gaskets have support step portions which can position and support the end portions of the first GDLs at the same height as the support height by the second GDLs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: NOK Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Shimazoe, Yoshihiro Kurano, Shigeru Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20130241158
    Abstract: A seal structure of the invention has a membrane electrode assembly provided with electrode layers in both surfaces of an electrolyte membrane, and separators sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly, plane dimensions of a pair of electrode layers are set to be equal to each other, a plane dimension of the electrolyte membrane is set to be larger than the electrode layer, and a plane dimension of the separator is set to be further larger than the electrolyte membrane. There are provided a first gasket retained to one separator and coming into close contact with the other separator, and a second gasket retained to the one separator and coming into close contact with the electrolyte membrane, and a reinforcing member separated from the electrode layer is provided for reinforcing the electrolyte membrane with which the second gasket comes into close contact, from a back surface side of the electrolyte membrane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shotaro Koga, Yoshihiro Kurano
  • Publication number: 20130065158
    Abstract: Provided is a gasket which can improve a handling property of the gasket by enhancing a rigidity of a carrier, can secure a space saving without increasing a thickness of the gasket, and can improve a yield ratio of a resin material, in the gasket of a type that a gasket body is integrated with the resin carrier. A planar gasket used by being pinched between two members superposed with each other has a gasket body achieving a seal action, and a carrier retaining the gasket body, the carrier is formed as a predetermined planar shape by a metal mold with a resin material, and is formed as a stepped shape by setting a partial portion which is superposed with the gasket body on a plane to a thin portion, and setting the other portion which is not superposed with the gasket body on the plane to a thick portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Masaka, Yoshihiro Kurano, Shotaro Koga
  • Patent number: 8304119
    Abstract: In order to inhibit a gasket (1) adhered to a plate body such as a separator (3) of a fuel battery or the like from being adversely affected by an elution component from an adhesion means, the gasket has a main lip (11), a back surface seal portion (12) formed in a back surface of the main lip and closely contacted with a separator (a plate body to be adhered) (3), an adhesion portion (14) arranged in a position in an opposite side to a space (S) to be sealed with respect to the back surface seal portion (12) and adhered to a bottom portion (31a) of a gasket installation groove (31) of the separator (3) via an adhesive agent (2), and an adhesive agent sump (15) formed between the back surface seal portion (12) and the adhesion portion (14) and holding an excess adhesive agent (2a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Nok Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kurano, Takashi Mashimo
  • Publication number: 20120107718
    Abstract: A fuel cell sealing structure has a power generating body, and first and second separators arranged in both sides in a thickness direction of the power generating body. On a surface in one side in a thickness direction of the first separator, formed integrally first and second sealing protrusions respectively brought into close contact with an outer peripheral portion of the power generating body and the second separator in an outer peripheral side of the first sealing protrusion, and a short circuit prevention rib protruding in line with the first and second sealing protrusions by an electrically insulating rubber-like elastic material. On a surface in another side thereof, formed integrally a third sealing protrusion brought into close contact with a surface in an opposite side to the power generating body in the second separator, by the electrically insulating rubber-like elastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Masaka, Yoshihiro Kurano, Shinichiro Taguchi, Kenichi Kikuchi, Tetsuya Urakawa
  • Publication number: 20110200911
    Abstract: To effectively prevent deformation of an MEA and shift of GDLs, first GDLs, second GDLs, and separators are layered in order at both sides of the MEA in the thickness direction thereof, the gaskets which sandwich an end portion of the MEA outside the first GDLs and the second GDLs are made from rubber or a synthetic resin material having rubber-like elasticity and integrally provided on the separators respectively, the first GDLs have end portions which are formed so as to protrude beyond outer peripheries of the second GDLs, and the gaskets have support step portions which can position and support the end portions of the first GDLs at the same height as the support height by the second GDLs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: NOK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiro Shimazoe, Yoshihiro Kurano, Shigeru Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20110136037
    Abstract: In order to prevent an electrolyte membrane from being broken, and make an assembling steps of a cell easy, in a fuel cell provided with a membrane electrode complex in which catalyst layers are respectively arranged on both surfaces of a electrolyte membrane, first and second gas diffusion layers which are arranged on both surfaces of the electrode complex, separators for respectively supplying reaction gas to the first and second gas diffusion layers, and a gasket for sealing the reaction gas, the gasket is formed on a surface of the gas diffusion layer so as to oppose to the separator, at least the gasket forming portion of the gas diffusion layer has a lower void content than the portion in contact with the catalyst layer, and the gasket arranged in the first and second gas diffusion layers is integrally formed at least via a through hole passing through the first and second gas diffusion layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Yuichi Kuroki, Yoshihiro Kurano, Tomohiro Inoue, Atsushi Oma, Yasuji Ogami, Kazuo Saito
  • Patent number: 7829238
    Abstract: In order to prevent an electrolyte membrane from being broken, and make an assembling steps of a cell easy, in a fuel cell provided with a membrane electrode complex in which catalyst layers are respectively arranged on both surfaces of a electrolyte membrane, first and second gas diffusion layers which are arranged on both surfaces of the electrode complex, separators for respectively supplying reaction gas to the first and second gas diffusion layers, and a gasket for sealing the reaction gas, the gasket is formed on a surface of the gas diffusion layer so as to oppose to the separator, at least the gasket forming portion of the gas diffusion layer has a lower void content than the portion in contact with the catalyst layer, and the gasket arranged in the first and second gas diffusion layers is integrally formed at least via a through hole passing through the first and second gas diffusion layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignees: Nok Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yuichi Kuroki, Yoshihiro Kurano, Tomohiro Inoue, Atsushi Oma, Yasuji Ogami, Kazuo Saito