Patents by Inventor Yoshihiro Sakai

Yoshihiro Sakai 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: 11891911
    Abstract: Provided is a corrosive environment monitoring device capable of monitoring the condition of a turbine for a long period of time without corrosion damage to a sensor caused by turbine steam. A corrosive environment monitoring device 10 includes: a steam extraction part 11 that extracts steam from inside of a casing 21 of a steam turbine 22 to outside thereof; a condensed water storage part 12 that stores therein condensed water produced by condensation of steam passing through the steam extraction part; and a corrosion factor sensor part 13 that detects properties of the condensed water. The condensed water storage part 12 includes a gap simulation part that simulates a gap inside the turbine and has a predetermined gap capable of storing the condensed water therein, and an annular channel formed on an outer periphery side of the gap simulation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yohsuke Abe, Sakae Izumi, Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20220356817
    Abstract: Provided is a corrosive environment monitoring device capable of monitoring the condition of a turbine for a long period of time without corrosion damage to a sensor caused by turbine steam. A corrosive environment monitoring device 10 includes: a steam extraction part 11 that extracts steam from inside of a casing 21 of a steam turbine 22 to outside thereof; a condensed water storage part 12 that stores therein condensed water produced by condensation of steam passing through the steam extraction part; and a corrosion factor sensor part 13 that detects properties of the condensed water. The condensed water storage part 12 includes a gap simulation part that simulates a gap inside the turbine and has a predetermined gap capable of storing the condensed water therein, and an annular channel formed on an outer periphery side of the gap simulation part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yohsuke ABE, Sakae IZUMI, Yoshihiro SAKAI
  • Patent number: 11162199
    Abstract: A needle plate attaching/detaching mechanism includes: a needle plate fixing portion rotatably provided below a needle plate mounted on a sewing machine main body, and movable between a fixed position fixing the needle plate to the sewing machine main body and a non-fixed position where the fixing is released; a driving gear jointly rotatably coupled to the needle plate fixing portion; a transmission mechanism switchable between a transmission state transmitting driving force from a motor to the driving gear and a disconnection state disconnecting the transmission; and an operating member including a manual gear transmitting manual operating force to the driving gear. When the operating member is non-operating, the transmission mechanism is set to the transmission state, and the manual gear is disconnected from the driving gear. In the operating state, the operating member switches the transmission mechanism from transmission to disconnection, and the manual and driving gears are coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: JANOME SEWING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Saki Yasumoto, Shuichi Sato, Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20200399807
    Abstract: A needle plate attaching/detaching mechanism includes: a needle plate fixing portion rotatably provided below a needle plate mounted on a sewing machine main body, and movable between a fixed position fixing the needle plate to the sewing machine main body and a non-fixed position where the fixing is released; a driving gear jointly rotatably coupled to the needle plate fixing portion; a transmission mechanism switchable between a transmission state transmitting driving force from a motor to the driving gear and a disconnection state disconnecting the transmission; and an operating member including a manual gear transmitting manual operating force to the driving gear. When the operating member is non-operating, the transmission mechanism is set to the transmission state, and the manual gear is disconnected from the driving gear. In the operating state, the operating member switches the transmission mechanism from transmission to disconnection, and the manual and driving gears are coupled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Saki YASUMOTO, Shuichi SATO, Yoshihiro SAKAI
  • Patent number: 10260187
    Abstract: A foot controller includes: a pedal portion that is to be depressed by a foot thereon; a pedal stand on which one end of the pedal portion is supported so that the pedal portion freely pivots about a pivot portion; a speed control member that controls an operation speed of a sewing machine; and a depression suppression member that regulates and controls a depressing operation of the pedal portion in accordance with the depression speed of the pedal portion. In response to a depressing operation which does not involve an abrupt speed change of the pedal portion, the depression suppression member is not operated and the operation speed of the sewing machine is controlled according to an amount of depression of the pedal portion. In response to a depressing operation which involves an abrupt speed change of the pedal portion, the depression suppression member is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: JANOME SEWING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20180163331
    Abstract: A foot controller includes: a pedal portion that is to be depressed by a foot thereon; a pedal stand on which one end of the pedal portion is supported so that the pedal portion freely pivots about a pivot portion; a speed control member that controls an operation speed of a sewing machine; and a depression suppression member that regulates and controls a depressing operation of the pedal portion in accordance with the depression speed of the pedal portion. In response to a depressing operation which does not involve an abrupt speed change of the pedal portion, the depression suppression member is not operated and the operation speed of the sewing machine is controlled according to an amount of depression of the pedal portion. In response to a depressing operation which involves an abrupt speed change of the pedal portion, the depression suppression member is operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventor: Yoshihiro SAKAI
  • Patent number: 9033649
    Abstract: Provided are corrosive environment monitoring systems and methods whereby corrosive factors are measured in a steam turbine and a corrosive environment is correctly monitored. A corrosive environment monitoring system measures corrosive factors having a part in damaging and deteriorating structural members in a steam turbine and is configured in such a way that steam in the steam turbine is permitted to flow into the corrosive environment monitoring system. Furthermore, in the steam turbine, a condensing mechanism condenses steam that has flowed in and a corrosive factor measuring device is equipped with corrosive factor sensors that measure corrosive factors in condensed water generated by the condensing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Kato, Yoshihiro Sakai, Kenji Nakamura, Mitsuo Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8485582
    Abstract: A storage device for a vehicle includes a storage section which has a space and has an engagement hole provided on the back side in a mounting direction and in which an article is put in and taken out through an opening portion, and a detachable separator which partitions the space in the storage section, is formed in a substantially L shape having two plate sections intersecting one another when viewed from the mounting direction into the storage section, has a projecting portion which protrudes toward the front in the mounting direction and is engaged with the engagement hole, and is mounted in the engagement hole at a partitioning position to divide the space into two compartments and a compartment expanding position to form a single compartment larger than either of the two compartments in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Sakai, Yuji Saitoh, Junpei Okuno
  • Publication number: 20120128469
    Abstract: Provided are corrosive environment monitoring systems and methods whereby corrosive factors are measured in a steam turbine and a corrosive environment is correctly monitored. More specifically, provided is a corrosive environment monitoring system which measures corrosive factors having a part in damaging and deteriorating structural members in a steam turbine and which is configured in such a way that steam in the steam turbine is permitted to flow into the corrosive environment monitoring system. Furthermore, in the steam turbine, there are provided a condensing mechanism which condenses steam that has flowed in and a corrosive factor measuring device which is equipped with corrosive factor sensors that measure corrosive factors in condensed water generated by the condensing mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hideo Kato, Yoshihiro Sakai, Kenji Nakamura, Mitsuo Yamashita
  • Patent number: 7696713
    Abstract: Driving of a pulse motor is controlled in such a manner that a rotating body driven by the pulse motor rotates at a uniform angular velocity. Angular displacement of the rotating body is detected, a difference between a detection value of the angular displacement and a target value of angular displacement set in advance is calculated, and a drive pulse frequency of a drive pulse signal to be used for driving the pulse motor is calculated based on the difference and a reference drive pulse frequency. Whether the difference is added to the reference drive pulse can be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Komatsu, Toshiyuki Andoh, Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 7637045
    Abstract: There are provided a surface light source having uniform and high brightness independently whether the light source is small or large while using semiconductor light emitting devices (LEDs), and an electrically illuminated signboard using the surface light source, which is thin and capable of uniform display and which operates with low electricity consumption. LEDs (12) of a dome type are arranged on four corners at a bottom surface of a box body (11) of a tray shape whose bottom surface is quadrilateral, whose upper side is open, on an inner surface of which a light reflection member (11b) is provided, and whose side walls (11c) are inclined outward. The LEDs (12) are arranged so as to mainly irradiate a region between a vertical plane on a diagonal line (N) of the bottom surface and one side wall (11c), and the region irradiated by each of the LEDs (12) of the dome type arranged on the four corners rotates individually and sequentially in a specific direction (same direction) in the box body (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignees: Asagicreate Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 7636540
    Abstract: A belt driving unit includes a rotary belt on which a scale is formed, a sensor that reads the scale, a normal-position control loop that detects an actual position of the rotary belt based on information of the scale read by the sensor, and corrects a position of the rotary belt based on the actual belt position detected, an abnormal-condition control loop for a situation when an abnormality occurs in the normal-position control loop, and a loop-switchover timing controller that controls a switchover timing of a control loop between the normal-position control loop and the abnormal-condition control loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 7606514
    Abstract: A belt driving apparatus is disclosed, that uses feedback signals for executing feedback control of a motor that drives the rotation of a belt. The belt driving apparatus includes a first sensor for detecting an index of a scale formed along a peripheral direction of the belt, a second sensor for detecting a detection target cooperatively moving with the rotation of the belt, and a sensor switching part for selectively switching the feedback signals used for executing the feedback control of the motor. The feedback signals include first signals output from the first sensor and second signals output from the second sensor. The sensor switching part selects the first or second signals accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 7576509
    Abstract: Driving of a pulse motor is controlled in such a manner that a rotating body driven by the pulse motor rotates at a uniform angular velocity. Angular displacement of the rotating body is detected, a difference between a detection value of the angular displacement and a target value of angular displacement set in advance is calculated, and a drive pulse frequency of a drive pulse signal to be used for driving the pulse motor is calculated based on the difference and a reference drive pulse frequency. Whether the difference is added to the reference drive pulse can be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Komatsu, Toshiyuki Andoh, Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 7532370
    Abstract: An optical encoder includes a light emitting unit that emits parallel light onto a plurality of marks that are arranged on an object such as a rotor or a belt, at a predetermined interval in a moving direction of the object, and a light receiving unit that receives light modulated by the marks. The parallel light is generated by a collimating lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Kudo, Takuroh Kamiya, Katsuya Kawagoe, Ryuuichi Mimbu, Junya Takigawa, Toshiyuki Andoh, Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 7517105
    Abstract: LEDs (7) are arranged on at least opposite two corners of a bottom surface of a box body (11) of a tray shape whose bottom surface is quadrilateral, whose upper side is open, on an inner surface of which a light reflection member (11b) is provided, and whose side walls (11c) are inclined outward, so as to irradiate inside of the box body, wherein a plurality of LEDs (71) are arranged so that a region irradiated by each of the LEDs (71) rotates sequentially in a specific direction (same direction). As a result, there can be obtained a surface light source having high brightness and uniformity in an arbitrary size whether the light source is small or large while using semiconductor light emitting devices (LEDs), and an electrically illuminated signboard using the surface light source, which is thin and capable of uniform display and which operates with low electricity consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignees: Asagicreate Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 7424255
    Abstract: A scale including equally spaced marks is attached to a belt in a direction of movement of the belt such that a gap is formed between a first end and a second end of the scale. A first sensor and a second sensor detect the marks on the scale and output first signals and second signals respectively upon detecting the marks. The first sensor and the second sensor are located at different positions along the direction. A controlling unit controls the speed based on any one of the first signals and the second signals according to a position of the gap detected by the first sensor and the second sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20080047181
    Abstract: There are provided a surface light source having uniform and high brightness independently whether the light source is small or large while using semiconductor light emitting devices (LEDs), and an electrically illuminated signboard using the surface light source, which is thin and capable of uniform display and which operates with low electricity consumption. LEDs (12) of a dome type are arranged on four corners at a bottom surface of a box body (11) of a tray shape whose bottom surface is quadrilateral, whose upper side is open, on an inner surface of which a light reflection member (11b) is provided, and whose side walls (11c) are inclined outward. The LEDs (12) are arranged so as to mainly irradiate a region between a vertical plane on a diagonal line (N) of the bottom surface and one side wall (11c), and the region irradiated by each of the LEDs (12) of the dome type arranged on the four corners rotates individually and sequentially in a specific direction (same direction) in the box body (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 7303808
    Abstract: A bulky sheet material having three-dimensional protrusions 10 is disclosed. The sheet material comprises a first layer 1 and a second layer 2 adjacent to the first layer 1. The first layer 1 and the second layer 2 is partly joined together at joints 3 in a prescribed pattern. The first layer 1 has a number of raised portions which are located among the joints 3. The second layer 2 comprises a material which exhibits elastomeric behavior. The bulky sheet material 10 exhibits elastomeric behavior as a whole and breathability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: KAO Corporation
    Inventors: Shoichi Taneichi, Manabu Kaneta, Yasuhiro Komori, Takanobu Miyamoto, Wataru Saka, Yoshihiro Sakai
  • Patent number: D1026046
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kushita, Masayuki Nishimura, Hiroyuki Sakai