Patents by Inventor Yozo Nagai

Yozo Nagai 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: 20120306115
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for production of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet, which is superior in productivity compared to conventional processes and can reduce the cost of production. Also disclosed is a process for production of a PTFE seal tape. The processes comprise the following steps (i) to (iii): (i) applying a force to a PTFE particle suspension comprising PTFE particles, a surfactant and water (a dispersion medium) so that the particles can come close to each other or contact with each other, thereby forming a PTFE-containing solid material having the water and the surfactant included therein; (ii) shaping the solid material into a sheet-like form; and (iii) reducing the water content in the sheet-like solid material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi WANO, Yozo NAGAI, Yuri HORIE, Atsushi TANAKA, Osamu TABEI
  • Patent number: 8283088
    Abstract: An object is to provide an electrolyte membrane that maintains excellent cell characteristics for a long time under high temperature and low water retention, as this is the most important point in fuel cells. A process for producing a polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cells is provided, which process comprises in sequence: forming graft molecular chains by graft-polymerization of a vinyl silane coupling agent on a polymer film substrate that has phenyl groups capable of holding sulfonic acid groups; introducing sulfonic acid groups into phenyl groups contained in the graft molecular chains; and hydrolyzing and condensing alkoxy groups contained in the graft molecular chains so that a silane crosslinked structure is introduced between the graft molecular chains. A polymer electrolyte membrane produced by the process is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yoshida, Masaharu Asano, Jinhua Chen, Yasunari Maekawa, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Yozo Nagai, Soji Nishiyama
  • Publication number: 20120247647
    Abstract: In the method for allowing a work object (15) to be sucked onto a suction unit (14) and the method for manufacturing a ceramic capacitor according to the present invention, a resin sheet (11) that has air permeability in a thickness direction is used as a suction sheet. In the resin sheet (11), air permeability is more enhanced than that of a conventional resin sheet while the diameter (opening diameter) of holes for ensuring air permeability serving as air passages is kept small. The resin sheet (11) is a non-porous sheet in which two or more through holes extending in a thickness direction of the non-porous sheet are formed. The through holes are straight holes extending linearly through the resin sheet. The through holes have a diameter of 20 ?m or less. The resin sheet has an air permeance, in the thickness direction, of 10 seconds/100 mL or less in terms of Gurley number measured in accordance with JIS P8117.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Moriyama, Satoru Furuyama, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Yozo Nagai
  • Patent number: 8268221
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for production of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet, which is superior in productivity compared to conventional processes and can reduce the cost of production. Also disclosed is a process for production of a PTFE seal tape. The processes comprise the following steps (i) to (iii): (i) applying a force to a PTFE particle suspension comprising PTFE particles, a surfactant and water (a dispersion medium) so that the particles can come close to each other or contact with each other, thereby forming a PTFE-containing solid material having the water and the surfactant included therein; (ii) shaping the solid material into a sheet-like form; and (iii) reducing the water content in the sheet-like solid material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Wano, Yozo Nagai, Yuri Horie, Atsushi Tanaka, Osamu Tabei
  • Patent number: 8241770
    Abstract: Polymer ion-exchange membranes having outstanding electrical conductivity, water retention and oxidation resistance are produced by the steps of uniformly mixing an organic high-molecular weight resin with functional inorganics having the abilities to promote graft polymerization of polymerizable monomers, adsorb water and conduct protons, irradiating the resulting functional inorganics/polymer membrane to initiate graft polymerization or graft copolymerization of polymerizable monomers having functional groups, and then introducing sulfonic acid groups into the graft chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yoshida, Tetsuya Yamaki, Masaharu Asano, Yousuke Morita, Soji Nishiyama, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Yozo Nagai
  • Publication number: 20120193285
    Abstract: The present invention provides a resin porous membrane with an adhesive layer that exhibits excellent bonding precision and can be bonded to an adherend while maintaining the gas permeability of the porous membrane even when the porous membrane is small, and a method for producing the resin porous membrane with the adhesive layer. The present invention also provides the filter member including the resin porous membrane with the adhesive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yozo NAGAI, Kouji FURUUCHI, Miho YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 8226864
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) product offering better productivity and a higher degree of flexibility in form of the product to be obtained than the conventional methods of manufacturing a PTFE product, and a method of manufacturing PTFE particle aggregate obtained as an intermediate while manufacturing a PTFE product. According to the manufacturing methods, aggregate of PTFE particles including water and a surfactant is obtained by applying force to a dispersion of PTFE particles containing PTFE particles, a surfactant and water as a dispersion medium, where the force makes the PTFE particles approach or contact with each other. Such a manufacturing method may be carried out, for example, with a chamber (1) shown in FIG. 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Wano, Yuri Horie, Atsushi Tanaka, Osamu Tabei, Yozo Nagai
  • Patent number: 8187511
    Abstract: The present invention provides a resin porous membrane with an adhesive layer that exhibits excellent bonding precision and can be bonded to an adherend while maintaining the gas permeability of the porous membrane even when the porous membrane is small, and a method for producing the resin porous membrane with the adhesive layer. The present invention also provides the filter member including the resin porous membrane with the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Yozo Nagai, Kouji Furuuchi, Miho Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20120101215
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) product offering better productivity and a higher degree of flexibility in form of the product to be obtained than the conventional methods of manufacturing a PTFE product, and a method of manufacturing PTFE particle aggregate obtained as an intermediate while manufacturing a PTFE product. According to the manufacturing methods, aggregate of PTFE particles including water and a surfactant is obtained by applying force to a dispersion of PTFE particles containing PTFE particles, a surfactant and water as a dispersion medium, where the force makes the PTFE particles approach or contact with each other. Such a manufacturing method may be carried out, for example, with a chamber (1) shown in FIG. 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi WANO, Yuri HORIE, Atsushi TANAKA, Osamu TABEI, Yozo NAGAI
  • Patent number: 8129074
    Abstract: A crosslinked nano-inorganic particle/polymer electrolyte membrane composed of a polymer film substrate, graft molecular chains bound to the backbone skeleton of the polymer film substrate and comprising a vinyl monomer graft-polymerized, sulfonic groups bound to the graft molecular chains, and an inorganic material as nano-scale particles uniformly dispersed within a crosslinked structure ascribed to the backbone skeleton of the polymer film substrate and the graft molecular chains, wherein the backbone skeleton of the polymer film substrate, the graft molecular chains, and the nano-inorganic particles mutually construct a crosslinked structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Jinhua Chen, Masaru Yoshida, Masaharu Asano, Tetsuya Yamaki, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Soji Nishiyama, Yozo Nagai
  • Patent number: 8105515
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) product offering better productivity and a higher degree of flexibility in form of the product to be obtained than the conventional methods of manufacturing a PTFE product, and a method of manufacturing PTFE particle aggregate obtained as an intermediate while manufacturing a PTFE product. According to the manufacturing methods, aggregate of PTFE particles including water and a surfactant is obtained by applying force to a dispersion of PTFE particles containing PTFE particles, a surfactant and water as a dispersion medium, where the force makes the PTFE particles approach or contact with each other. Such a manufacturing method may be carried out, for example, with a chamber (1) shown in FIG. 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Wano, Yuri Hori, Atsushi Tanaka, Osamu Tabei, Yozo Nagai
  • Patent number: 7993793
    Abstract: By performing photograft polymerization of functional monomers such that grafted chains will be introduced from the surface of a polymer base film into its interior without deteriorating its inherent characteristics and also by creating a multiplex crosslinked structure between the grafted chains and the base film under such conditions as to cause preferential radiation-induced crosslinking reaction, there is produced a polymer electrolyte membrane having high enough oxidation resistance and proton conductivity to be suitable for use in fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yoshida, Masaharu Asano, Jinhua Chen, Yasunari Maekawa, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Yozo Nagai, Soji Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 7919537
    Abstract: A method for producing a polymer electrolyte membrane for electrolyte fuel cells includes: irradiating gamma rays onto a polymer substrate to obtain a crosslinked polytetrafluoroetylene substrate, grafting a styrenic monomer and bis(vinylphenyl)ethane as monomers to the crosslinked polymer substrate, and introducing sulfonic acid groups into graft side chains formed by grafting. Fluoro polymer substrates such as polytetrafluoroethylene and ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Yozo Nagai, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Soji Nishiyama, Tetsuya Yamaki, Masaharu Asano, Masaru Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20100297529
    Abstract: Polymer ion-exchange membranes having outstanding electrical conductivity, water retention and oxidation resistance are produced by the steps of uniformly mixing an organic high-molecular weight resin with functional inorganics having the abilities to promote graft polymerization of polymerizable monomers, adsorb water and conduct protons, irradiating the resulting functional inorganics/polymer membrane to initiate graft polymerization or graft copolymerization of polymerizable monomers having functional groups, and then introducing sulfonic acid groups into the graft chains.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2010
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicants: JAPAN ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaru YOSHIDA, Tetsuya YAMAKI, Masaharu ASANO, Yousuke MORITA, Soji NISHIYAMA, Toshimitsu TACHIBANA, Yozo NAGAI
  • Patent number: 7803846
    Abstract: The objective of the invention is to solve the problems of conventional polymer electrolyte membranes, including small ion-exchange capacity and low oxidation and methanol resistance. A polymer film substrate is irradiated with ?-rays, electron beams or other radiations to perform multi-graft polymerization with functional monomers and then the polymer film substrate containing the grafted molecular chains or the graft molecular chains into which sulfonic acid groups have been introduced is crosslinked by irradiation to produce a polymer electrolyte membrane that has outstanding oxidation resistance, dimensional stability, electrical conductivity and methanol resistance and which can be controlled in ion-exchange capacity over a wide range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yoshida, Masaharu Asano, Tetsuya Yamaki, Soji Nishiyama, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Yozo Nagai
  • Patent number: 7785726
    Abstract: Polymer ion-exchange membranes having outstanding electrical conductivity, water retention and oxidation resistance are produced by the steps of uniformly mixing an organic high-molecular weight resin with functional inorganics having the abilities to promote graft polymerization of polymerizable monomers, adsorb water and conduct protons, irradiating the resulting functional inorganics/polymer membrane to initiate graft polymerization or graft copolymerization of polymerizable monomers having functional groups, and then introducing sulfonic acid groups into the graft chains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignees: Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yoshida, Tetsuya Yamaki, Masaharu Asano, Yousuke Morita, Soji Nishiyama, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Yozo Nagai
  • Publication number: 20100040927
    Abstract: An object is to provide an electrolyte membrane that maintains excellent cell characteristics for a long time under high temperature and low water retention, as this is the most important point in fuel cells. A process for producing a polymer electrolyte membrane for fuel cells is provided, which process comprises in sequence: forming graft molecular chains by graft-polymerization of a vinyl silane coupling agent on a polymer film substrate that has phenyl groups capable of holding sulfonic acid groups; introducing sulfonic acid groups into phenyl groups contained in the graft molecular chains; and hydrolyzing and condensing alkoxy groups contained in the graft molecular chains so that a silane crosslinked structure is introduced between the graft molecular chains. A polymer electrolyte membrane produced by the process is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2007
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Masaru Yoshida, Masaharu Asano, Jinhua Chen, Yasunari Maekawa, Toshimitsu Tachibana, Yozo Nagai, Soji Nishiyama
  • Publication number: 20100032368
    Abstract: The present invention provides a resin porous membrane with an adhesive layer that exhibits excellent bonding precision and can be bonded to an adherend while maintaining the gas permeability of the porous membrane even when the porous membrane is small, and a method for producing the resin porous membrane with the adhesive layer. The present invention also provides the filter member including the resin porous membrane with the adhesive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: Nittto Demlp Corporation
    Inventors: Yozo Nagai, Kouji Furuuchi, Miho Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20090166929
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for production of a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sheet, which is superior in productivity compared to conventional processes and can reduce the cost of production. Also disclosed is a process for production of a PTFE seal tape. The processes comprise the following steps (i) to (iii): (i) applying a force to a PTFE particle suspension comprising PTFE particles, a surfactant and water (a dispersion medium) so that the particles can come close to each other or contact with each other, thereby forming a PTFE-containing solid material having the water and the surfactant included therein; (ii) shaping the solid material into a sheet-like form; and (iii) reducing the water content in the sheet-like solid material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2007
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: Nitto Denko Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Wano, Yozo Nagai, Yuri Horie, Atsushi Tanaka, Osamu Tabei
  • Publication number: 20090121377
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) product offering better productivity and a higher degree of flexibility in form of the product to be obtained than the conventional methods of manufacturing a PTFE product, and a method of manufacturing PTFE particle aggregate obtained as an intermediate while manufacturing a PTFE product. According to the manufacturing methods, aggregate of PTFE particles including water and a surfactant is obtained by applying force to a dispersion of PTFE particles containing PTFE particles, a surfactant and water as a dispersion medium, where the force makes the PTFE particles approach or contact with each other. Such a manufacturing method may be carried out, for example, with a chamber (1) shown in FIG. 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2006
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Wano, Yuri Horie, Atsushi Tanaka, Osamu Tabei, Yozo Nagai