Patents by Inventor Yukihiro Katai
Yukihiro Katai 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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Publication number: 20190071819Abstract: A fiber composite includes a cellulose fiber and a metal, in which the cellulose fiber contains a cellulose acylate, at least a part of a surface of the cellulose fiber carries at least a part of the metal, a degree of crystallinity of the cellulose fiber is from 0% to 50%, an average fiber diameter of the cellulose fiber is from 1 nm to 1?m and an average fiber length of the cellulose fiber is from 1 mm to 1 m.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: March 7, 2019Applicant: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Kuniyuki KAMINAGA, Ryuta TAKEGAMI, Yukihiro KATAI, Kosuke TANIGUCHI, Kazunori TAKAHASHI
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Patent number: 10167575Abstract: The present invention provides a nanofiber manufacturing method and a nanofiber manufacturing device. A solution 25 in which a polymer is dissolved in a solvent is supplied from a distal end of a nozzle 16 to form a Taylor cone 44 at a distal end opening 16b. By applying a voltage between the solution 25 and a collector 50 using a power supply portion 62, an electrospinning jet 45 is sprayed from the Taylor cone 44 to the collector 50. At the start or stop of electrospinning, a blocking member 48 is inserted into a spraying area 42 of the electrospinning jet 45 such that an unstable electrospinning jet or unstable nanofibers are received. A product is not manufactured from an unstable electrospinning jet formed at the start or stop of electrospinning, and the manufacturing of a defective product is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2017Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Tooru Ogura, Yukihiro Katai, Toshinao Arai
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Publication number: 20180327932Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a nanofiber having excellent uniformity of the fiber diameter and capable of giving a satisfactory external appearance in a case in which the nanofiber is used to produce a nonwoven fabric, and a nonwoven fabric produced using the nanofiber. The nanofiber of the invention is a nanofiber containing a cellulose acylate having a degree of substitution of from 2.75 to 2.95.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2018Publication date: November 15, 2018Applicant: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Ryuta TAKEGAMI, Kuniyuki KAMINAGA, Yukihiro KATAI, Kosuke TANIGUCHI
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Fiber manufacturing method, non-woven fabric manufacturing method, and fiber manufacturing equipment
Patent number: 10052807Abstract: A fiber manufacturing method includes the following steps of: dissolving a polymer in a solvent to obtain a polymer solution; spraying the polymer solution into a liquid heated to a boiling point of the solvent or higher, and evaporating the solvent to precipitate a fibrous polymer in a sealed precipitation tank, the liquid being immiscible with the polymer and the solvent; conveying the precipitated fibrous polymer in a liquid from the precipitation tank; water-rinsing the fibrous polymer conveyed in the liquid in the conveying step in a sealed water-rinsing tank; conveying the water-rinsed fibrous polymer in a liquid from the water-rinsing tank; and cooling and condensing solvent gas that is generated in the spraying step and the water-rinsing step.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Yukihiro Katai, Shigehisa Sugiyama, Seiji Kasahara, Yasuhisa Shimoda, Masahiro Esaki -
Publication number: 20170130364Abstract: The present invention provides a nanofiber manufacturing method and a nanofiber manufacturing device. A solution 25 in which a polymer is dissolved in a solvent is supplied from a distal end of a nozzle 16 to form a Taylor cone 44 at a distal end opening 16b. By applying a voltage between the solution 25 and a collector 50 using a power supply portion 62, an electrospinning jet 45 is sprayed from the Taylor cone 44 to the collector 50. At the start or stop of electrospinning, a blocking member 48 is inserted into a spraying area 42 of the electrospinning jet 45 such that an unstable electrospinning jet or unstable nanofibers are received. A product is not manufactured from an unstable electrospinning jet formed at the start or stop of electrospinning, and the manufacturing of a defective product is prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2017Publication date: May 11, 2017Applicant: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Tooru OGURA, Yukihiro KATAI, Toshinao ARAI
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FIBER MANUFACTURING METHOD, NON-WOVEN FABRIC MANUFACTURING METHOD, AND FIBER MANUFACTURING EQUIPMENT
Publication number: 20160354964Abstract: A fiber manufacturing method includes the following steps of: dissolving a polymer in a solvent to obtain a polymer solution; spraying the polymer solution into a liquid heated to a boiling point of the solvent or higher, and evaporating the solvent to precipitate a fibrous polymer in a sealed precipitation tank, the liquid being immiscible with the polymer and the solvent; conveying the precipitated fibrous polymer in a liquid from the precipitation tank; water-rinsing the fibrous polymer conveyed in the liquid in the conveying step in a sealed water-rinsing tank; conveying the water-rinsed fibrous polymer in a liquid from the water-rinsing tank; and cooling and condensing solvent gas that is generated in the spraying step and the water-rinsing step.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2016Publication date: December 8, 2016Applicant: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Yukihiro KATAI, Shigehisa SUGIYAMA, Seiji KASAHARA, Yasuhisa SHIMODA, Masahiro ESAKI -
Patent number: 7922947Abstract: A solvent and TAC particles are continuously supplied to a disperser. When the shearing of the solvent and the particles are made in a shearing section, the particles are dispersed in the solvent. The dispersion is fed to a mixer in one minute. The shearing of the dispersion is made in the mixer, the particles are swollen in the solvent in one minute. Since the shearing and the continuous feed of the swelling solution is made, the aggregation does not occur. There are no undissolved aggregates in a dope, which is obtained from the swelling solution. A film produced from the dope has no defects of luminescent spot but excellent optical properties.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2004Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventor: Yukihiro Katai
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Patent number: 7754125Abstract: A camera for capturing a casting bead is provided at each side end of a discharge port in a width direction thereof. Plural speakers are provided at the vicinity of an opening of a decompression chamber. The camera continuously captures the casting bead, and outputs image data thereof to a control unit. The control unit includes a vibration detector and a suppressing vibration generator. The vibration detector detects vibration of the casting bead based on the plural image data. The suppressing vibration generator generates suppressing vibration signal representing the phase and amplitude of the suppressing vibration for suppressing the vibration generated in the thickness direction of the casting bead. The control unit controls the speakers based on the suppressing vibration signal to output sound wave. Thereby, the suppressing vibration is applied to the casting bead.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2008Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventor: Yukihiro Katai
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Publication number: 20090117218Abstract: A dope (15) is prepared with using TAC as a polymer. The dope (15) is transferred with heated by a transferring device (30). A heating medium (36) is used to heat the dope in the transferring device (30). A passage (35) for the heating medium (36) is formed between a cylinder (31) and a jacket (34). The jacket (34) is attached to flanges (32), (33) so as to form a full jacket. When the heating medium (36) is fed in the full jacket, a temperature of the flanges (32), (33) becomes equal to a temperature of the cylinder (31). Accordingly, temperature profile of the dope (15) becomes small, because there is no low temperature portion in the transferring device (30). Therefore, gelatinous material, which is caused by association generated on the low temperature portion, is not in the dope (15).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2005Publication date: May 7, 2009Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATIONInventors: Takuro Niishimura, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Yukihiro Katai, Mitsuharu Kojima
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Publication number: 20090085244Abstract: A dope containing a TAC and solvent is prepared in a dope producing apparatus. In a case where a new dope having components different from that of the dope described above is produced, a controlling device performs controlling such that an operation of each pump is stopped, each valve is set to a closing position, and a hopper stops supplying the TAC. Thereafter, a washing liquid is introduced into the respective devices of the dope producing apparatus. The dope remained in the respective devices are discharged as a waste liquid together with the washing liquid. The waste liquid is heated in dry gas until a liquid level of the waste liquid turns into a falling-rate drying state in a dry heating chamber provided in a solvent removing device. In a wet heating chamber, the waste liquid is heated in wet gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2008Publication date: April 2, 2009Inventors: Yukihiro Katai, Takuro Nishimura
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Publication number: 20090057954Abstract: A casting dope is cast onto a moving peripheral surface to form a casting film. The casting film is cooled to be hardened or solidified. The casting film is peeled from the peripheral surface by a peeling roller to form a primary wet film. The primary wet film is transported to a transfer section. The primary wet film is sent from the transfer section to a first drying chamber. Wet gas containing water vapor is applied to the primary wet film in the first drying chamber. Water molecules are absorbed into the primary wet film. The water molecules absorbed into the primary wet film expand meshes of network structure of polymer molecules of the primary wet film. The diffusion of liquid compounds contained in the primary wet film is accelerated. Thus, the elimination of the liquid compounds can be facilitated.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2008Publication date: March 5, 2009Applicant: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Takuro NISHIMURA, Hidekazu Yamazaki, Yukihiro Katai, Takao Taguchi
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Publication number: 20080251967Abstract: A camera for capturing a casting bead is provided at each side end of a discharge port in a width direction thereof. Plural speakers are provided at the vicinity of an opening of a decompression chamber. The camera continuously captures the casting bead, and outputs image data thereof to a control unit. The control unit includes a vibration detector and a suppressing vibration generator. The vibration detector detects vibration of the casting bead based on the plural image data. The suppressing vibration generator generates suppressing vibration signal representing the phase and amplitude of the suppressing vibration for suppressing the vibration generated in the thickness direction of the casting bead. The control unit controls the speakers based on the suppressing vibration signal to output sound wave. Thereby, the suppressing vibration is applied to the casting bead.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2008Publication date: October 16, 2008Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATIONInventor: Yukihiro KATAI
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Patent number: 7410605Abstract: The solution film-forming method is provided in which the absolute filtration accuracy for a cellulose acylat solution can be improved and filtration throughput can be increased without reducing the pore size of a filtering material. A dope stock solution to be filtrated is first introduced into a body feed tank and a filter aid from a filter aid tank is added and dispersed. As the filter aid, an aid including SiO2 in 50% or more and a cellulose-based aid are mixed for use. The dope stock solution in which the filter aid is dispersed is introduced into a filter machine and subjected to filtration while forming a cake on the surface of the filtering material. After the filtration, a cleaning solvent is supplied in circulation from a cleaning solvent tank, and the cake is discharged as slurry. The filter aid is separated from the slurry by a separating device and burned in a burning device. Then, a regenerated filter aid is sent to the filter aid tank.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2003Date of Patent: August 12, 2008Assignee: FUJIFILM CorporationInventors: Takuro Nishimura, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Yukihiro Katai
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Patent number: 7291660Abstract: TAC and additives are mixed in a mixture solvent of dichloromethane, methanol and n-butanol to obtain a dispersion solution. The dispersion solution is heated to become a low concentration dope whose concentration is 19.3 wt. %. The low concentration dope is fed with a pump, and supplied through a flash nozzle to a concentrating apparatus to performing flash evaporation of the solvent in the concentrating apparatus. Thus part of the solvent in the low concentration dope evaporates to obtain a condensed dope. The part of the solvent is condensed on a condensation surface to obtain a condensed solvent. The condensed solvent flows through a pipe out of the concentrating apparatus. The high concentration dope has a solid content of 22.3 wt. %, and drawn through a pump. As the solid content of the high concentration dope is high, a polymer film having the self-supporting property can be easily formed of the high concentration dope in a film production line.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2003Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventors: Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Yukihiro Katai, Misao Takahashi
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Patent number: 7276139Abstract: An low concentration dope is fed through a nozzle into a concentrating apparatus, and flash evaporation of the low concentration dope is performed at an end of the nozzle. The low concentration dope is concentrated thereby to an concentrating dope which is contained and heated in the concentrating apparatus. Thus part of solvents of the low concentration dope and the concentrating dope is evaporated to a solvent gas. The solvent gas is cooled and condensed in a condensing section of the concentrating apparatus, and thereafter drawn through a first exit from the concentrating apparatus. The concentrating dope is concentrated to a high concentration dope, which is drawn through a second exit from the concentrating apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2003Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventors: Yukihiro Katai, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Misao Takahashi
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Patent number: 7252743Abstract: An low concentration dope is fed through a nozzle into a concentrating apparatus, and flash evaporation of the low concentration dope is performed at an end of the nozzle. The low concentration dope is concentrated thereby to an concentrating dope which is contained and heated in the concentrating apparatus. Thus part of solvents of the low concentration dope and the concentrating dope is evaporated to a solvent gas. The solvent gas is cooled and condensed in a condensing section of the concentrating apparatus, and thereafter drawn through a first exit from the concentrating apparatus. The concentrating dope is concentrated to a high concentration dope, which is drawn through a second exit from the concentrating apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2006Date of Patent: August 7, 2007Assignee: Fujifilm CorporationInventors: Yukihiro Katai, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Misao Takahashi
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Publication number: 20070040295Abstract: A cool-dissolving apparatus for producing a solution from a mixture of polymer and solvent includes a double-structure pipe which is constructed of a cylinder and a jacket surrounding the cylinder. A mixture is fed in the cylinder, and a cooling medium flows in a space between the cylinder and the jacket oppositely to the mixture in the cylinder such that polymer dissolves to the solvent. The obtained solution is supplied in a heat-dissolving apparatus including a pipe for feeding the solution. In the heat-dissolving apparatus, the pipe extends horizontally or upwards in a feeding direction of the solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2006Publication date: February 22, 2007Applicant: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.Inventors: Takuro Nishimura, Yukihiro Katai
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Patent number: 7160021Abstract: An apparatus for the preparation of polymer solutions contains a stirring device, a cooling device connected to the stirring device and a warming device connected to the cooling device. Both the warming device and the cooling device are characterized by including a rotary screw. The stirring device functions to mix a polymer with a solvent to produce a swelled polymer in the solvent. The incorporation of a screw into the warming or cooling device allows the temperature of the solution to change while simultaneous mixing and shear is provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2005Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hidekazu Yamazaki, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Yukihiro Katai
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Publication number: 20060144685Abstract: An low concentration dope is fed through a nozzle into a concentrating apparatus, and flash evaporation of the low concentration dope is performed at an end of the nozzle. The low concentration dope is concentrated thereby to an concentrating dope which is contained and heated in the concentrating apparatus. Thus part of solvents of the low concentration dope and the concentrating dope is evaporated to a solvent gas. The solvent gas is cooled and condensed in a condensing section of the concentrating apparatus, and thereafter drawn through a first exit from the concentrating apparatus. The concentrating dope is concentrated to a high concentration dope, which is drawn through a second exit from the concentrating apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2006Publication date: July 6, 2006Inventors: Yukihiro Katai, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Misao Takahashi
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Patent number: 7060214Abstract: In the transparent film of optical application or the support for photographic material produced by a solution film forming method, the polymer resin film on which any coating unevenness does not occur even when a functional layer is coated on the film surface and the manufacturing method for the film are proposed. To be concrete, a polymer resin film produced by the solution film forming method characterized by that the pitch a [cm] of the periodic thickness unevenness of web longitudinal direction and a thickness unevenness factor d [%] satisfy formula (1) described below. d?0.46 a3?0.91 a2+0.60 a+1.01??(1) (on the premise that 0.2<a<3) The manufacturing method using said formula is also proposed.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2002Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yukihiro Katai, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Toshikazu Nakamura