Patents by Inventor Yuichi Yamada

Yuichi Yamada 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: 9612223
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sensor intermediate product includes: disposing a tubular holder and a tubular compact in a tubular metallic shell, and inserting a metallic pin into a first insertion hole of the holder and a second insertion hole of the compact; compressing the compact so as to form a filling member intermediate having a shape which brings the filling member intermediate into pressure contact with the inner wall surface of the metallic shell and allows removal of the metallic pin from the second insertion hole; pulling out the metallic pin from the first insertion hole and the second insertion hole; inserting a sensor element into the first insertion hole and the second insertion hole; and compressing the filling member intermediate to thereby form a filling member which fixes the sensor element inside of the metallic shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Tahira, Keiichi Noda, Shingo Ito, Atsunori Okada, Yuichi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20170059512
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a gas sensor includes: disposing a tubular holder and a tubular compact in a tubular metallic shell defining a through hole, the tubular holder defining a first insertion hole, and the tubular compact defining a second insertion hole; preparing a preliminary assembly in which a pin is inserted into the first insertion hole and the second insertion hole; pulling out the pin from the first insertion hole and the second insertion hole and inserting a sensor element into the first insertion hole and the second insertion hole such that a forward end of the pin will come into contact with an end of the sensor element; compressing the compact to thereby fix the sensor element inside of the metallic shell; welding a protection sleeve to the metallic shell to thereby form a semi-assembly; and combining the semi-assembly with another semi-assembly to thereby form the gas sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Daisuke TAHIRA, Keiichi NODA, Shingo ITO, Atsunori OKADA, Yuichi YAMADA
  • Patent number: 9581565
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gas sensor having a metal shell, a holder placed in the metal shell and a sensor element inserted through an axial insertion hole of the holder. The holder has a recessed portion recessed toward the rear from a front end face of the holder. The sensor element has, at a front end part thereof, a detection portion covered with a porous protection layer such that a rear end of the porous protection layer is situated within the recessed portion of the holder and is located at the rear side with respect to the front end face of the holder while maintaining a space between an inner circumferential surface of the recessed portion and an outer circumferential surface of the porous protection layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Kume, Nobuhiro Inoue, Daisuke Tahira, Shingo Ito, Yuichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 9548592
    Abstract: A sparkplug includes: an insulator with an axial hole extending along an axial line; a metal shell covering the insulator; and a shelf part inside the metal shell. The insulator includes a second column part formed in the front end side of a tapering part. When a volume surrounded by a first plane that passes through the front end of the shelf part of the metal shell and is orthogonal to the axial line, a curved surface extending from an outer circumference of the second column part, and an outer circumferential surface of the insulator is defined as A, and a volume surrounded by the first plane, the curved surface, a second plane that passes through the front end of the metal shell and is orthogonal to the axial line, and the axial hole of the insulator is defined as B, a relational expression 0.9?A/B?2.4 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadatoshi Fujino, Kenji Ban, Yuichi Yamada
  • Patent number: 9506899
    Abstract: A protector (160) is inserted into a metallic shell (110) such that at least a portion of each gas introduction hole (167) is located on the base end side with respect to the forward end (110b) of the metallic shell. The metallic shell has a gas introduction space S2 defined by a forward-end-side inner surface (113b) of the metallic shell and an outer surface (160d) of the protector and which guides a gas-to-be-detected (exhaust gas G) from a region on the forward end side of the metallic shell into the gas introduction holes of the protector. The base end of the forward end portion (121) of the detection element (120) is located on the base end side with respect to the forward end (167b) of each gas introduction hole, and the forward end of the forward end portion is located on the forward end side with respect to the base end (167c) of each gas introduction hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Kume, Shingo Ito, Daisuke Tahira, Takehiro Oba, Yuichi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20160343918
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a light emitting element; a sealing resin covering the light emitting element; and a light diffusing material contained in the sealing resin. When a difference in refractive index at 10° C. between the sealing resin and the light diffusing material is ?n1 and a difference in refractive index at 50° C. between the sealing resin and the light diffusing material is ?n2, a ratio of ?n2 to ?n1 is in a range of 95% to 105%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motokazu YAMADA, Tomonori OZAKI, Shinsaku IKUTA, Yuichi YAMADA
  • Patent number: 9482637
    Abstract: A sensor including: a detection element; terminal members; and a separator, wherein at least one specific first electrode terminal portion and an other first electrode terminal portion are formed on a first main surface of the detection element, wherein a second electrode terminal portion formed on a second main surface of the detection element is disposed so as to be offset from the specific first electrode terminal portion and to overlap with the other first electrode terminal portion in the axial direction, and in a thickness direction, a distance between the detection element and a specific first frame body portion brought into electrical connection with the specific first electrode terminal portion is larger than a distance between the detection element and the other first frame body portion brought into electrical connection with the other first electrode portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro Oba, Yuichi Yamada, Shingo Ito, Shogo Nagata
  • Publication number: 20160294163
    Abstract: An ignition plug having a ground electrode that includes a base material layer and an erosion-resistant layer having a thermal conductivity of 40 w/m·K or more. The erosion-resistant layer extends at least from the center-electrode-facing portion to a location closer to the fixed end than a front end of the center electrode and 0.2 mm?thickness t1 of the erosion-resistant layer?thickness T of the ground electrode 30?0.6 mm is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi YAMADA, Takuya KAWADE
  • Patent number: 9431731
    Abstract: A sensor includes a detection element; a plurality of terminal members, each of the terminal members including an elongated frame body portion extending along the axial direction, an element contact portion in elastic contact with an electrode terminal, and a folded portion connecting the frame body portion and the element contact portion; and a separator. The element contact portion of each of the terminal members has a turning portion which turns inward with respect to the width direction between the folded portion and a contact portion in contact with an electrode terminal. In those two of the terminal members which are adjacent to each other along the width direction, the distance along the width direction between the contact portions is smaller than the distance along the width direction between the frame body portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro Oba, Yuichi Yamada, Shingo Ito, Takeshi Nanbu, Hironari Furuta, Makoto Kume
  • Publication number: 20160223505
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a gas sensor element that extends in an axial direction and that includes a detector, which detects a specific gas in a mixed gas; a metal shell that surrounds a periphery of the gas sensor element to hold the gas sensor element; a base that is disposed on a rear side of the metal shell and that covers a rear end portion of the gas sensor element, the base being made of a polymer material; and a metal tube that connects the metal shell and the base to each other and that includes a rear portion and a front portion, the rear portion being integrated with the base, the front portion forming an exposed portion that is exposed from the base. A part of the exposed portion of the tube is connected to the metal shell, and the base is disposed apart from the metal shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: NGK Spark Plug Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunihiko YONEZU, Takehiro OBA, Hisaharu NISHIO, Ginjiro ITO, Yuichi YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20160218486
    Abstract: A spark plug includes an insulator having a through hole formed in the direction of an axis, a rod-shaped center electrode inserted in the through hole and extending in the direction of the axis, a metal shell disposed around an outer circumference of the insulator, and a ground electrode electrically conducted with the metal shell and adapted to define a gap between the ground electrode and the center electrode. A front end part of the insulator has a front end surface, an outer circumferential surface and a curved surface region formed between the front end surface and the outer circumferential surface. In a cross section including the axis, a front end of an inner circumferential surface of the metal shell faces the curved surface region in a direction perpendicular to the axis. The curved surface region has a curvature radius of 0.2 mm to 0.8 mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinya MITSUDA, Yuichi YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20160218578
    Abstract: A bus bar unit is configured to supply power to coils (16) of a plurality of phases, and includes phase bus bars (47U ), (47V), and (47W) which are provided for each phase and are connected to winding start ends of the coils, and a neutral point bus bar (81) which is connected to winding finish ends of the coils, the neutral point bus bar (81) being formed by bending an elongated plate-shaped member such that a width direction of the elongated plate-shaped member and a radial direction of the bus bar unit coincide with each other, and including a plurality of bus bar pieces (82) and a connection portion (83) which connects the bus bar pieces (82) and (82) adjacent to each other, and a width of a deformation portion (85) of the connection portion (83) being narrower than a width of the bus bar piece (82).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Yuichi Yamada, Yutaka Shimbo, Koji Nara, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Toshihiro Takeara, Atsushi Okamoto, Yuta Ozawa, Atsushi Katsuta, Satoshi Nishigori
  • Publication number: 20160201542
    Abstract: A sensor includes a detector element including a detecting portion and an element back portion on which two or more electrical connection terminal portions are formed; two or more connection terminals which each include an oblong frame main body that extends in an axial direction and an element contact portion that is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the electrical connection terminal portions; a separator that accommodates the connection terminals and the element back portion; and a base that surrounds an outer periphery of the separator. The separator includes a partition wall that is made of a resin material and partitions a plurality of accommodation spaces from each other. The accommodation spaces include an element accommodation space that accommodates portions of the element contact portions and the element back portion, and a plurality of terminal accommodation spaces which each accommodate one of the two or more frame main bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Kunihiko YONEZU, Takehiro OBA, Hisaharu NISHIO, Ginjiro ITO, Yuichi YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20160202226
    Abstract: A sensor includes a detector element, a connection terminal, and a separator. The contacting portion is in contact with a conductive member so as to overlap the conductive member in a thickness direction, which is a direction of thickness of the detector element between the principal surfaces. The separator includes an element accommodation space that accommodates a portion of an element contact portion and an element back portion, and a partition wall that separates the element accommodation space from a terminal accommodation space that accommodates the contacting portion and a portion of the conductive member and that is adjacent to the element accommodation space in the thickness direction. A frame main body is disposed in an element-side region, which is a region on an element-accommodation-space side in the thickness direction in a region obtained by extending the terminal accommodation space toward the front side in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunihiko YONEZU, Takehiro OBA, Hisaharu NISHIO, Ginjiro ITO, Yuichi YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20160202144
    Abstract: A sensor includes: a detection element; a separator including an insertion portion into which a rear side of the detection element is inserted, and a plurality of terminal housing portions that are disposed surrounding a circumference of the insertion portion around an axial direction, and extend in the axial direction; and a connection terminal that is electrically connected to an electrical connection terminal portion to form a current path. The connection terminal includes a frame body portion and an element contact portion. The sensor further includes a first regulation portion that is located at a position closer to the detection element relative to the frame body portion, in a direction in which a first main surface and a second main surface oppose each other, and regulates the movement of the frame body portion in a direction approaching the detection element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Applicant: NGK Spark Plug Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Takehiro OBA, Yuichi YAMADA, Kunihiko YONEZU
  • Publication number: 20160190405
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a base, at least one light emitting element, and a light transmissive sealing member. The base has a conductor wiring. The at least one light emitting element is mounted on the base. The at least one light emitting element is electrically connected to the conductor wiring. The light transmissive sealing member includes a light diffusion material. The light transmissive sealing member covers the at least one light emitting element. The light transmissive sealing member has a projection shape. The projection shape has a substantially circular bottom surface facing the base and a height in a light axis direction of the at least one light emitting element. The height is greater than a diameter of the substantially circular bottom surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motokazu YAMADA, Yuichi YAMADA
  • Patent number: 9354142
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gas sensor including a metal shell, a ceramic holder placed in an axial inner hole of the metal shell and a sensor element inserted through an insertion hole of the ceramic holder. The ceramic holder has a recessed hole recessed toward the rear from a front-facing surface of the ceramic holder. The sensor element has, at a front end part thereof, a detection portion covered with a porous protection layer such that a rear end part of the protection layer is accommodated in the recessed hole with a space left therebetween. Further, the ceramic holder has a front circumferential edge defined between an inner circumferential surface of the recessed hole and the front-facing surface of the ceramic holder such that the whole of the front circumferential edge is located radially inside of a radially innermost position of the axial hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Daisuke Tahira, Shingo Ito, Keiichi Noda, Yuichi Yamada, Makoto Kume
  • Patent number: 9201040
    Abstract: A gas sensor including coating layers (64) and (69) of fluorine or a fluorine compound formed on the surface of a separator (60), including a front separator (61) and a rear separator (66), disposed inside a sheath (30). The coating layers (64) and (69) have water impermeability and water repellency. Even in the case where moisture contained in the atmosphere within a sheath (30) forms dew on the surface of the separator (60), the coating layers (64) and (69) prevent soaking of moisture into the separator (60), to thereby secure the insulation property of the separator (60). Also, the coating layers (64) and (69) having water repellency prevent a water droplet from spreading on the surface of the separator (60) with resultant formation of a film of water, to thereby prevent flow of leakage current via a film of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Yamada, Takahiro Akiyama, Takuya Saito, Makoto Kume, Satoshi Teramoto, Noboru Matsui, Hiroshi Inagaki, Takeshi Kawai, Shinichiro Iwama
  • Publication number: 20150330939
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sensor intermediate product includes: disposing a tubular holder and a tubular compact in a tubular metallic shell, and inserting a metallic pin into a first insertion hole of the holder and a second insertion hole of the compact; compressing the compact so as to form a filling member intermediate having a shape which brings the filling member intermediate into pressure contact with the inner wall surface of the metallic shell and allows removal of the metallic pin from the second insertion hole; pulling out the metallic pin from the first insertion hole and the second insertion hole; inserting a sensor element into the first insertion hole and the second insertion hole; and compressing the filling member intermediate to thereby form a filling member which fixes the sensor element inside of the metallic shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Daisuke TAHIRA, Keiichi NODA, Shingo ITO, Atsunori OKADA, Yuichi YAMADA
  • Patent number: 9124074
    Abstract: A spark plug includes an insulator and a metal shell arranged around the insulator and having a thread portion formed with a thread diameter of M12. The insulator has an engagement portion held on a step portion of the metal shell via a plate packing and a leg portion located to leave a clearance between the leg portion and an inner circumferential surface of the metal shell. Assuming that: L (mm) is a distance from a front end of the plate packing toward the front; and A (mm) is a size of the clearance, a site of the clearance where the size A becomes 0.5 mm or smaller is located at or rear of a position of 2.0 mm from the front end toward the front; and a relationship of A?L×0.2+0.2 (mm) is satisfied within a range of 3.0?L?4.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kuki, Tomoaki Ueda, Yuichi Yamada