Patents by Inventor Yuichi Tajima

Yuichi Tajima 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: 20240085105
    Abstract: A dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies includes drying a plurality of ceramic formed bodies placed side by side in an arrangement direction Y perpendicular to a conveying direction X on an upper surface of a drying table by conveying the ceramic formed bodies between electrodes of an upper electrode and a lower electrode, and applying a high frequency between the electrodes. The drying table is conveyed by a conveyor having at least one conveyor belt for supporting a portion of the drying table in the arrangement direction Y. At least one electric field adjusting member is arranged below the drying table that is not supported by the conveyor belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa FUMA, Yuichi TAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20230131763
    Abstract: A particle adhesion device includes: a holder; a chamber; a nozzle; an intake port; and a flow control member. The holder holds a filter substrate having a first end face and a second end face. The chamber is in communication with the holder and is arranged so that the first end face of the filter substrate faces a space in the chamber. The nozzle is arranged on an opposite surface of the chamber opposing to the first end face of the filter substrate, and can inject an aerosol containing particles toward the first end face of the filter substrate. The intake port is provided on the opposite surface of the chamber and can incorporate an ambient gas. The flow control member is arranged on the opposite surface provided with the intake port, and can control the flow of the ambient gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Seiya NAKANO, Yuichi TAJIMA
  • Patent number: 11612844
    Abstract: A pillar-shaped honeycomb structure including a plurality of first cells extending from an inlet side end surface to an outlet side end surface, and a plurality of second cells extending from the inlet side end surface to the outlet side end surface, with a porous partition wall interposed therebetween, wherein a porous film having a porosity higher than that of the partition walls is provided on a surface of each of the first cells, and at a cross-section orthogonal to the direction in which the first cells of the pillar-shaped honeycomb structure filter extend, the average thickness of the porous film in the central portion is larger than the average thickness of the porous film in the outer peripheral portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Sato, Shuji Ueda, Koichi Sendo, Yutaka Ishii, Yuichi Tajima, Seiya Nakano, Ken Itazu
  • Patent number: 11578006
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a ceramic formed body, including: a mixing step in which a raw material for forming a ceramic formed body is dryly mixed, and then, a liquid is added to the obtained dry mixture to wetly mix the mixture; a kneading step in which a mixture obtained in the mixing step is kneaded; an injection step in which supercritical carbon dioxide in the state of supercritical fluid is injected into a kneaded product obtained in the kneading step; and a forming step in which a forming raw material containing the supercritical carbon dioxide obtained in the kneading step and the injection step is extruded to form the ceramic formed body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Tajima, Ryuji Yamaguti
  • Publication number: 20220404261
    Abstract: An inspection device for a pillar shaped honeycomb filter includes: a housing portion that can house a pillar shaped honeycomb filter; an introduction pipe and a discharge pipe through which a gas can flow, each of the introduction pipe and the discharge pipe being connected to the housing portion; a particle generation portion for generating particles; a particle introduction portion for introducing the particles generated by the particle generation portion into the introduction pipe; a gas stirring portion arranged in the introduction pipe on an upstream side of the particle introduction portion in a gas flow direction; and particle counters for measuring the number of particles, the particle counters being arranged in the introduction pipe and the discharge pipe on a downstream side of the particle introduction portion in the gas flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yohei KAJIURA, Yuji WATANABE, Yoshihiro SATO, Yuichi TAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20220314154
    Abstract: A pillar-shaped honeycomb structure including a plurality of first cells extending from an inlet side end surface to an outlet side end surface, and a plurality of second cells extending from the inlet side end surface to the outlet side end surface, with a porous partition wall interposed therebetween, wherein a porous film having a porosity higher than that of the partition walls is provided on a surface of each of the first cells, and at a cross-section orthogonal to the direction in which the first cells of the pillar-shaped honeycomb structure filter extend, the average thickness of the porous film in the central portion is larger than the average thickness of the porous film in the outer peripheral portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro SATO, Shuji UEDA, Koichi SENDO, Yutaka ISHII, Yuichi TAJIMA, Seiya NAKANO, Ken ITAZU
  • Publication number: 20220314250
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure filter including; attaching ceramic particles to a surface of the first cells by ejecting an aerosol including the ceramic particles toward the inlet side end surface from a direction perpendicular to the inlet side end surface while applying a suction force to the outlet side end surface to suck the ejected aerosol from the inlet side end surface, wherein the ejection of the aerosol is carried out using an aerosol generator including a drive gas flow path for flowing a pressurized drive gas, a supply port provided on the way of the drive gas flow path and capable of sucking the ceramic particles from an outer peripheral side of the drive gas flow path toward an inside of the drive gas flow path, and a nozzle attached to a tip of the drive gas flow path and capable of ejecting the aerosol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro SATO, Shuji UEDA, Yuichi TAJIMA, Seiya NAKANO, Ken ITAZU, Koichi SENDO, Yutaka ISHII
  • Publication number: 20220234964
    Abstract: A dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies includes drying a plurality of ceramic formed bodies placed side by side in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction on upper surfaces of drying tables by conveying the ceramic formed bodies between electrodes of an upper electrode and a lower electrode, and applying a high frequency between the electrodes. In the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the ceramic formed body, a distance between the electrodes in two end regions between which a central region is interposed is shorter than a distance between the electrodes in the central region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa FUMA, Yuichi TAJIMA, Yoshimasa KONDO, Kensuke OKUMURA
  • Publication number: 20220219368
    Abstract: An extrusion molding die includes a pair of die bodies, the die bodies have: a pair of lip portions arranged so as to face each other to form a slit port; and a pair of introduction portions arranged so as to face each other to form an introduction port. One die body is a coat hanger die having at least one thickness adjustment mechanism, and the other die body is a fishtail die.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kosuke IWATA, Ryuji YAMAGUCHI, Yuichi TAJIMA
  • Patent number: 11383405
    Abstract: A method for producing a ceramic molded body, the method including: a molding step of subjecting a ceramic molding material to extrusion molding using an extrusion molding machine equipped with a temperature control portion to provide a ceramic molded body; a cutting step of cutting the ceramic molded body to have a predetermined length; and a dimension measuring step of measure a dimension of the cut ceramic molded body. A relationship between a temperature of the temperature control portion and the dimension of the cut ceramic molded body is previously obtained, and based on the relationship, an appropriate temperature of the temperature control portion is calculated from the dimension of the ceramic molded body measured in the dimension measuring step, and the temperature control portion is controlled to the appropriate temperature in the molding step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keita Ito, Yuichi Tajima, Yoshimasa Kondo
  • Publication number: 20220111558
    Abstract: An extrusion molding machine includes: a molding portion having one end and other end, the one end having a die, the other end being connected to an extrusion port of an extrusion portion, the molding portion also including a screen arranged therein. The molding portion includes: at least one first temperature controlling member between the screen and the die, the first temperature controlling member including a plurality of first zones divided in a circumferential direction. Temperatures of the plurality of first zones can be individually controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keita ITO, Yuichi TAJIMA, Yoshimasa KONDO
  • Publication number: 20220111555
    Abstract: An extrusion molding machine includes a molding portion having one end and other end, the one end having a die, the other end being connected to an extrusion port of an extrusion portion, the molding portion also including a screen arranged therein. The molding portion includes: two or more temperature controlling members between the screen and the die; and a heat insulating member arranged between the two or more temperature controlling members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keita ITO, Yuichi TAJIMA, Yoshimasa KONDO
  • Publication number: 20220074658
    Abstract: A dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies includes drying a plurality of ceramic formed bodies placed side by side in an arrangement direction Y perpendicular to a conveying direction X on an upper surface of a drying table by conveying the ceramic formed bodies between electrodes of an upper electrode and a lower electrode, and applying a high frequency between the electrodes. The upper electrode includes: a central region; and two end regions between which the central region is located, in the arrangement direction Y. The central region has a flat surface portion parallel to an upper end surface of the ceramic formed body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimasa FUMA, Yuichi TAJIMA, Yoshimasa KONDO, Kensuke OKUMURA
  • Publication number: 20210388868
    Abstract: A wear-resistant member that is slidingly contacted with a hard member, wherein the wear-resistant member is formed of an alloy in which hard particles having an average particle size of 10 to 150 ?m are bonded by a bonding portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi TAJIMA, Yoshimasa KONDO
  • Publication number: 20210291401
    Abstract: A method for producing a ceramic molded body, the method including: a molding step of subjecting a ceramic molding material to extrusion molding using an extrusion molding machine equipped with a temperature control portion to provide a ceramic molded body; a cutting step of cutting the ceramic molded body to have a predetermined length; and a dimension measuring step of measure a dimension of the cut ceramic molded body. A relationship between a temperature of the temperature control portion and the dimension of the cut ceramic molded body is previously obtained, and based on the relationship, an appropriate temperature of the temperature control portion is calculated from the dimension of the ceramic molded body measured in the dimension measuring step, and the temperature control portion is controlled to the appropriate temperature in the molding step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keita ITO, Yuichi TAJIMA, Yoshimasa KONDO
  • Publication number: 20210107178
    Abstract: An extrusion molding machine 1, including: an extruding portion 10 having a screw 11 and a barrel 12 capable of housing the screw; a molding portion 20 having one end and other end, the one end having a die 21, and the other end being connected to an extruding port 13 of the extruding portion 10; and a rectifier 30 arranged between the extruding portion 10 and the molding portion 20. A heat insulating member 40 is further arranged between the molding portion 20 and the rectifier 30.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keita ITO, Yuichi TAJIMA, Yoshimasa KONDO
  • Patent number: 10540775
    Abstract: In a porous body, a surface layer thickness Ts takes a relatively small value satisfying P?0.54 Ts (formula (1)), the surface layer thickness Ts being derived by a microstructure analysis using the porous-body data that is prepared through three-dimensional scanning of a region including a surface (inflow plane 61) of the porous body. Here, P denotes a porosity [%] of the porous body, and 0%<P<100% and 0 ?m<Ts are assumed. The surface layer thickness Ts is derived as a distance in a thickness direction (X direction) between a surface-layer region start plane 92 in which a straight-pore opening ratio becomes 98% or less for the first time and a surface-layer region end plane 93 in which the straight-pore opening ratio becomes 1% or less for the first time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayaka Sakai, Satoshi Sakashita, Shingo Sokawa, Yuichi Tajima
  • Patent number: 10259139
    Abstract: An extrusion forming apparatus includes an extruding section, a chamber drum, and a forming section. The extruding section kneads a material including a ceramic raw material and extrudes a kneaded material. The chamber drum has a first space portion having a first extruding direction extending portion through which the kneaded material is allowed to flow in an extruding direction, and a second space portion which has a second extruding direction extending portion extending in the extruding direction and a direction changing portion bending from the extruding direction to a downward direction, to allow the kneaded material to flow in the downward direction changed from the extruding direction. The second space portion has a cross section obtained by isotropically decreasing a cross section of the first space portion perpendicular to a flow-through direction of the kneaded material. The forming section has a die to extrude a ceramic formed body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Tajima, Ryuji Yamaguti
  • Patent number: 10252442
    Abstract: A manufacturing method includes: a dry mixing step of dry mixing a raw material by batch processing; a wet mixing step of adding liquid to a dry mixture obtained at the dry mixing step, the liquid including at least one type of water, surfactant, lubricant and plasticizer, while wet mixing; a kneading step of kneading a wet mixture obtained at the wet mixing step; and a forming step of extruding a kneaded mixture (forming raw material) obtained at the kneading step to make a ceramic formed body. In the kneading step, the liquid is further added during kneading of the wet mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Tajima, Kensuke Okumura, Seiichiro Hayashi
  • Patent number: 10207442
    Abstract: An apparatus of the present invention is a continuous extrusion forming apparatus comprising: a screw which carries a forming raw material in the horizontal direction, the screw being built in the screw part; and a mouth piece structure for extrusion forming, which is provided on the downstream side of a screw part, wherein the mouth piece structure has a horizontal channel for extruding the forming raw material flowing in from the screw part in the horizontal direction, an extrusion channel orthogonal to the horizontal channel, and an extrusion port provided at a tip end of the extrusion channel, and wherein a mouth piece structure holder which holds the mouth piece structure is provided with a turning means which freely changes the opening direction of the extrusion port between the horizontal direction and a floor facing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Ito, Yuji Ueda, Yuichi Tajima