Patents by Inventor Youji Takakuwa
Youji Takakuwa 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).
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Patent number: 11959500Abstract: The present invention pertains to an air cylinder (10) in which flow rate controllers (24, 24A) are built into a head cover (14) and a rod cover (16), said flow rate controllers (24, 24A) being provided with a first flow rate adjustment part (28) connected between a port (14a, 16a) and a cylinder chamber (12c), a second flow rate adjustment part (32) provided adjacent to the first flow rate adjustment part (28), and a pilot check valve (38) connected in series to the second flow rate adjustment part (32). In response to the pressure of pilot air, the pilot check valve (38) switches between a state in which the passage of exhaust air from the cylinder chamber (12c) is permitted and a state in which the passage of exhaust air is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2020Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Akihiro Kazama, Hiroyuki Asahara, Kengo Monden
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Patent number: 11946493Abstract: A flow rate controller and a drive device are provided with a first flow passage connected between an operation switching valve and an air cylinder, and that supplies air to and discharges air from a cylinder chamber of the air cylinder; a first flow rate adjustment part provided in the first flow passage; a second flow passage adjacent to the first flow passage; a pilot check valve provided at a point along the second flow passage; a second flow rate adjustment part connected in series to the pilot check valve at a point along the second flow passage; a pilot air flow passage, one end of which communicates with the operation switching valve and the other end of which is connected to a pilot port of the pilot check valve; and a third flow rate adjustment part provided in the pilot air flow passage.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2020Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Akihiro Kazama, Hiroyuki Asahara, Kengo Monden
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Patent number: 11846306Abstract: An air cylinder in which a flow rate controller is built in, has a head cover and a rod cover. A pilot air adjustment unit guides exhaust air to a switch valve of the flow rate controller as pilot air, and the switch valve is switched by an increase in the pressure of the pilot air.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2020Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Akihiro Kazama, Hiroyuki Asahara, Kengo Monden
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Patent number: 11773879Abstract: In a flow rate controller and a drive device, a housing is provided therein with a first flow passage, a second flow passage adjacent to the first flow passage, a first throttle valve provided to the first flow passage, and a second throttle valve provided to the second flow passage. A pilot check valve is provided to the second flow passage and is connected in series to the second throttle valve. A pilot air flow passage communicates with a pilot port of the pilot check valve for supplying and discharging pilot air, and a third throttle valve is provided to the pilot air flow passage. In response to the pressure of the pilot air, the pilot check valve switches between a state in which the passage of exhaust air discharged from an air cylinder is permitted and a state in which passage of the exhaust air is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2020Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Akihiro Kazama, Hiroyuki Asahara, Kengo Monden
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Patent number: 11661959Abstract: A pressure booster includes a pressure boosting unit and a bypass unit. The pressure boosting unit includes an input port connected to the side of a fluid supply source and an output port connected to the side of a tank. The pressure boosting unit boosts the pressure of a pressurized fluid supplied to the input port and outputs the pressure-boosted pressurized fluid from the output port. The bypass unit includes a bypass flow path having one end connected to the fluid supply source side and the other end connected to the output port side. The bypass flow path is provided with a bypass check valve configured to block the flow of the pressurized fluid from the output port side to the fluid supply source side.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Kengo Monden
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Patent number: 11661960Abstract: A pressure-booster output stabilizer includes: a first cylinder having therein a first chamber and a second chamber separated by a first piston; a second cylinder having therein a third chamber and a fourth chamber separated by a second piston; and a piston rod configured to couple the first piston and the second piston. The primary pressure of a pressure booster is supplied to the first chamber, the secondary pressure of the pressure booster is supplied to the fourth chamber, and the pressurized fluid is taken out from the fourth chamber.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Kazufumi Waki
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Patent number: 11519430Abstract: A main flow path that introduces high-pressure air to an air cylinder, or discharges exhaust air therefrom, includes a sub flow path provided alongside the main flow path; an exhaust flow rate adjustment unit that suppresses the operation speed of the air cylinder by adjusting the flow rate of the exhaust air flowing through the sub flow path; and a switching valve that is connected between the air cylinder, the main flow path and the sub flow path, and that connects the main flow path and the sub flow path to the air cylinder in a switching manner. The switching valve is constituted by a spool valve.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2019Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Akihiro Kazama, Hiroyuki Asahara, Kengo Monden
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Publication number: 20220349426Abstract: The present invention pertains to an air cylinder (10) in which flow rate controllers (24, 24A) are built into a head cover (14) and a rod cover (16), said flow rate controllers (24, 24A) being provided with a first flow rate adjustment part (28) connected between a port (14a, 16a) and a cylinder chamber (12c), a second flow rate adjustment part (32) provided adjacent to the first flow rate adjustment part (28), and a pilot check valve (38) connected in series to the second flow rate adjustment part (32). In response to the pressure of pilot air, the pilot check valve (38) switches between a state in which the passage of exhaust air from the cylinder chamber (12c) is permitted and a state in which the passage of exhaust air is prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2020Publication date: November 3, 2022Applicant: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji TAKAKUWA, Akihiro KAZAMA, Hiroyuki ASAHARA, Kengo MONDEN
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Publication number: 20220333619Abstract: A flow rate controller and a drive device are provided with a first flow passage connected between an operation switching valve and an air cylinder, and that supplies air to and discharges air from a cylinder chamber of the air cylinder; a first flow rate adjustment part provided in the first flow passage; a second flow passage adjacent to the first flow passage; a pilot check valve provided at a point along the second flow passage; a second flow rate adjustment part connected in series to the pilot check valve at a point along the second flow passage; a pilot air flow passage, one end of which communicates with the operation switching valve and the other end of which is connected to a pilot port of the pilot check valve; and a third flow rate adjustment part provided in the pilot air flow passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2020Publication date: October 20, 2022Applicant: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji TAKAKUWA, Akihiro KAZAMA, Hiroyuki ASAHARA, Kengo MONDEN
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Publication number: 20220333622Abstract: An air cylinder in which a flow rate controller is built in, has a head cover and a rod cover. A pilot air adjustment unit guides exhaust air to a switch valve of the flow rate controller as pilot air, and the switch valve is switched by an increase in the pressure of the pilot air.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2020Publication date: October 20, 2022Applicant: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji TAKAKUWA, Akihiro KAZAMA, Hiroyuki ASAHARA, Kengo MONDEN
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Publication number: 20220325728Abstract: A flow rate controller and a drive device are provided with a cylinder flow passage connected to an air cylinder; a main flow passage for supplying air to and discharging air from the air cylinder; an auxiliary flow passage that has a first throttle valve and through which exhaust air discharged from the air cylinder passes with a smaller flow rate than that of the main flow passage; a switch valve that switches between a first position in which the cylinder flow passage communicates with the main flow passage and a second position in which the cylinder flow passage communicates with the auxiliary flow passage; and a pilot air adjustment part that guides a portion of the exhaust air from the air cylinder as pilot air to the switch valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2020Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji TAKAKUWA, Akihiro KAZAMA, Hiroyuki ASAHARA, Kengo MONDEN
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Publication number: 20220316501Abstract: In a flow rate controller and a drive device, a housing is provided therein with a first flow passage, a second flow passage adjacent to the first flow passage, a first throttle valve provided to the first flow passage, and a second throttle valve provided to the second flow passage. A pilot check valve is provided to the second flow passage and is connected in series to the second throttle valve. A pilot air flow passage communicates with a pilot port of the pilot check valve for supplying and discharging pilot air, and a third throttle valve is provided to the pilot air flow passage. In response to the pressure of the pilot air, the pilot check valve switches between a state in which the passage of exhaust air discharged from an air cylinder is permitted and a state in which passage of the exhaust air is prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2020Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji TAKAKUWA, Akihiro KAZAMA, Hiroyuki ASAHARA, Kengo MONDEN
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Patent number: 11421716Abstract: A gas cylinder includes supply passages for supplying, to an accommodation chamber, a part of gas supplied to a second port. When the pressure in a first pressure chamber is equal to or lower than a prescribed pressure, a valve element closes a discharge flow passage by the biasing force of a spring member and the pressure in the accommodation chamber. When the pressure in the first pressure chamber exceeds the prescribed pressure, the valve element is moved by the pressure in the first pressure chamber, against the biasing force and the pressure in the accommodation chamber, to thereby open the discharge flow passage.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2021Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Naoki Shinjo, Akihiro Kazama
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Patent number: 11261885Abstract: A fluid pressure cylinder includes a first cylinder portion and a second cylinder portion disposed in parallel, and a supply-and-discharge port. The first cylinder portion is partitioned by a first piston into a head-side first accumulation chamber and a rod-side second accumulation chamber. The second cylinder portion is partitioned by a second piston into a head-side release chamber and a rod-side drive chamber. Pressurized fluid is supplied to and discharged from the second accumulation chamber and the drive chamber through the supply-and-discharge port. An end of a first piston rod connected to the first piston and an end of a second piston rod connected to the second piston are connected to each other. The first piston includes a communication switching valve switching communication between the first accumulation chamber and the second accumulation chamber, between enabled and disabled.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2021Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Hiroyuki Asahara, Seiichi Nagura
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Publication number: 20210404486Abstract: A main flow path that introduces high-pressure air to an air cylinder, or discharges exhaust air therefrom, includes a sub flow path provided alongside the main flow path; an exhaust flow rate adjustment unit that suppresses the operation speed of the air cylinder by adjusting the flow rate of the exhaust air flowing through the sub flow path; and a switching valve that is connected between the air cylinder, the main flow path and the sub flow path, and that connects the main flow path and the sub flow path to the air cylinder in a switching manner. The switching valve is constituted by a spool valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2019Publication date: December 30, 2021Applicant: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji TAKAKUWA, Akihiro KAZAMA, Hiroyuki ASAHARA, Kengo MONDEN
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Publication number: 20210388855Abstract: A gas cylinder includes supply passages for supplying, to an accommodation chamber, a part of gas supplied to a second port. When the pressure in a first pressure chamber is equal to or lower than a prescribed pressure, a valve element closes a discharge flow passage by the biasing force of a spring member and the pressure in the accommodation chamber. When the pressure in the first pressure chamber exceeds the prescribed pressure, the valve element is moved by the pressure in the first pressure chamber, against the biasing force and the pressure in the accommodation chamber, to thereby open the discharge flow passage.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2021Publication date: December 16, 2021Applicant: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji TAKAKUWA, Naoki SHINJO, Akihiro KAZAMA
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Publication number: 20210317850Abstract: A fluid pressure cylinder includes a first cylinder portion and a second cylinder portion disposed in parallel, and a supply-and-discharge port. The first cylinder portion is partitioned by a first piston into a head-side first accumulation chamber and a rod-side second accumulation chamber. The second cylinder portion is partitioned by a second piston into a head-side release chamber and a rod-side drive chamber. Pressurized fluid is supplied to and discharged from the second accumulation chamber and the drive chamber through the supply-and-discharge port. An end of a first piston rod connected to the first piston and an end of a second piston rod connected to the second piston are connected to each other. The first piston includes a communication switching valve switching communication between the first accumulation chamber and the second accumulation chamber, between enabled and disabled.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2021Publication date: October 14, 2021Applicant: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji TAKAKUWA, Hiroyuki ASAHARA, Seiichi NAGURA
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Publication number: 20210301838Abstract: A pressure booster includes a pressure boosting unit and a bypass unit. The pressure boosting unit includes an input port connected to the side of a fluid supply source and an output port connected to the side of a tank. The pressure boosting unit boosts the pressure of a pressurized fluid supplied to the input port and outputs the pressure-boosted pressurized fluid from the output port. The bypass unit includes a bypass flow path having one end connected to the fluid supply source side and the other end connected to the output port side. The bypass flow path is provided with a bypass check valve configured to block the flow of the pressurized fluid from the output port side to the fluid supply source side.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2021Publication date: September 30, 2021Applicant: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji TAKAKUWA, Kengo MONDEN
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Patent number: D986296Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Kengo Monden
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Patent number: D988368Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2020Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: SMC CORPORATIONInventors: Youji Takakuwa, Kengo Monden, Kazutaka Someya