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).

  • Publication number: 20190071819
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: March 7, 2019
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Kuniyuki KAMINAGA, Ryuta TAKEGAMI, Yukihiro KATAI, Kosuke TANIGUCHI, Kazunori TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 10167575
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tooru Ogura, Yukihiro Katai, Toshinao Arai
  • Publication number: 20180327932
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2018
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuta TAKEGAMI, Kuniyuki KAMINAGA, Yukihiro KATAI, Kosuke TANIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10052807
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Katai, Shigehisa Sugiyama, Seiji Kasahara, Yasuhisa Shimoda, Masahiro Esaki
  • Publication number: 20170130364
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Tooru OGURA, Yukihiro KATAI, Toshinao ARAI
  • Publication number: 20160354964
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro KATAI, Shigehisa SUGIYAMA, Seiji KASAHARA, Yasuhisa SHIMODA, Masahiro ESAKI
  • Patent number: 7922947
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Katai
  • Patent number: 7754125
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Katai
  • Publication number: 20090117218
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuro Niishimura, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Yukihiro Katai, Mitsuharu Kojima
  • Publication number: 20090085244
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Yukihiro Katai, Takuro Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20090057954
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takuro NISHIMURA, Hidekazu Yamazaki, Yukihiro Katai, Takao Taguchi
  • Publication number: 20080251967
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yukihiro KATAI
  • Patent number: 7410605
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takuro Nishimura, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Yukihiro Katai
  • Patent number: 7291660
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Yukihiro Katai, Misao Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7276139
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Katai, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Misao Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7252743
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Katai, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Misao Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20070040295
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: FUJI PHOTO FILM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Nishimura, Yukihiro Katai
  • Patent number: 7160021
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Yamazaki, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Yukihiro Katai
  • Publication number: 20060144685
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Yukihiro Katai, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Misao Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7060214
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Katai, Tadahiro Tsujimoto, Toshikazu Nakamura