Patents by Inventor Yukihiro Mizutori

Yukihiro Mizutori 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: 11919255
    Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao Samejima, Yukihiro Mizutori, Yasushi Watanabe, Junji Kanehagi
  • Publication number: 20230390967
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a carbon fiber mat deposition apparatus and a method of manufacturing a sheet molding compound (SMC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Kentaro Oda, Yasushi Watanabe, Tadao Samejima, Yukihiro Mizutori, Junji Kanehagi
  • Patent number: 11660783
    Abstract: Provided is a fiber-reinforced resin material molding in which fluctuations of the dispersion state of the fiber bundle in the molding is small, the generation of a resin pool is suppressed, and fluctuations in physical properties such as tensile strength and modulus of elasticity are suppressed; a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin material. Provided is a fiber-reinforced resin material molding comprising: a fiber bundle comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibers; and a matrix resin, wherein a coefficient of variation in fiber content of the reinforcing fibers per unit zone of 0.1 mm square on a cut face along a thickness direction is 40% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Mizutori, Tadao Samejima, Yasushi Watanabe, Junji Kanehagi, Takayuki Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20230103035
    Abstract: Provided is an improvement in a method for manufacturing a slit carbon fiber bundle. The method for manufacturing a slit carbon fiber bundle of the present invention is a method including a step of forming a resin film on one surface of a flat carbon fiber bundle to obtain a single-sided coated carbon fiber bundle, and a step of partially slitting the single-sided coated carbon fiber bundle using a slitter roll to obtain a slit carbon fiber bundle, which has been split into sub-bundles, wherein in the step of slitting, the single-sided coated carbon fiber bundle contacts a circumferential surface of the slitter roll on a surface where the resin film has been formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Okamoto, Yukihiro Mizutori, Junji Kanehagi
  • Publication number: 20230050464
    Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao SAMEJIMA, Yukihiro MIZUTORI, Yasushi WATANABE, Junji KANEHAGI
  • Publication number: 20230020921
    Abstract: Provided is a useful improvement in a CF-SMC manufacturing technique comprising an SMC manufacturing method using a continuous carbon fiber bundle having a filament number of NK and partially split into n sub-bundles in advance. In the SMC manufacturing method according to the present invention, a fragmentation processing using a fragmentation processing apparatus (A) below is performed on chopped carbon fiber bundles before being deposited on a carrier film. The fragmentation processing apparatus (A) comprises a first pin roller and a second pin roller, each of which has a rotation axis parallel to a rotation axis direction of the rotary cutter. The first pin roller is rotationally driven such that its pins move downward from above on its side facing the second pin roller, and the second pin roller is rotationally driven such that its pins move downward from above on its side facing the first pin roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Watanabe, Tadao Samejima, Yukihiro Mizutori, Junji Kanehagi
  • Publication number: 20230021189
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of an SMC of the present invention comprises (i) forming chopped carbon fiber bundles by chopping a continuous carbon fiber bundle having a filament number of NK with a rotary cutter, (ii) fragmentation-processing the chopped carbon fiber bundles by using a fragmentation-processing apparatus comprising a rotating body, (iii) forming a carbon fiber mat by depositing the fragmentation-processed chopped carbon fiber bundles on a carrier film traveling below the rotary cutter, and (iv) impregnating the carbon fiber mat with a thermosetting resin composition, wherein N is 20 or more, and the fragmentation-processing apparatus comprises a first pin roller and a second pin roller which are disposed side by side, each having a rotation axis parallel to a rotation axis direction of the rotary cutter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nakao, Yasushi Watanabe, Tadao Samejima, Yukihiro Mizutori
  • Patent number: 11518116
    Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao Samejima, Yukihiro Mizutori, Yasushi Watanabe, Junji Kanehagi
  • Publication number: 20220347890
    Abstract: Provided is a useful improvement in a manufacturing method of a CF-SMC using a partially split continuous carbon fiber bundle. The manufacturing method of an SMC of the present invention includes (i) a step of drawing out a continuous carbon fiber bundle (10) from a package, the continuous carbon fiber bundle (10) having a filament number of NK and partially split into n sub-bundles in advance, (ii) a step of chopping the continuous carbon fiber bundle (10) drawn out from the package with a rotary cutter (234) into chopped carbon fiber bundles (20), and (iii) a step of depositing the chopped carbon fiber bundles (20) on a carrier film (41) traveling below the rotary cutter (234) to form a carbon fiber mat (30).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Mizutori, Junji Kanehagi, Yasushi Watanabe, Tadao Samejima
  • Publication number: 20210347600
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fiber package in which a partially split carbon fiber bundle is wound around a bobbin, and which has no problem in unwindability. A fiber package is provided, which is a square-end type fiber package formed by traverse winding a fiber bundle (12) around a bobbin, in which the fiber bundle (12) is partially split into sub-bundles (11), and the width W of the fiber bundle (12) is smaller than the total sum of the widths WS of the sub-bundles (12). A fiber package is also provided, which is a square end type fiber package formed by traverse winding a fiber bundle (12) around a bobbin, in which the fiber bundle (12) is partially split into sub-bundles (11) and is wound around the bobbin so as to cause the sub-bundles (11) to overlap each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Junji Kanehagi, Yukihiro Mizutori
  • Publication number: 20210245448
    Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 12, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao SAMEJIMA, Yukihiro MIZUTORI, Yasushi WATANABE, Junji KANEHAGI
  • Publication number: 20210213716
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a fiber reinforced resin material, the method including an opening step of opening an elongated fiber bundle to be widened in a width direction thereof to be put into a flat state; and a heat setting step of heat-setting the opened fiber bundle in the flat state by heating. In addition, the present invention provides an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber reinforced resin material containing a plurality of fiber bundles and a resin, the apparatus including an opening section that opens an elongated fiber bundle to be widened in a width direction thereof to be put into a flat state; and a heat setting section that heat-sets the opened fiber bundle in the flat state by heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao SAMEJIMA, Yukihiro MIZUTORI, Junji KANEHAGI, Yasushi WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20210086404
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material having excellent productivity at low cost for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molded article having excellent strength properties. Provided is a method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material containing a plurality of cut fiber bundles and a resin impregnated between filaments of the cut fiber bundles, the method comprising an integrated material manufacturing step for obtaining an integrated material by collecting a sheet-shaped fiber bundle aggregate obtained by arranging and spreading a plurality of consecutive fiber bundles in a width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao SAMEJIMA, Yukihiro MIZUTORI, Yasushi WATANABE, Junji KANEHAGI, Masatoshi KAMATA
  • Publication number: 20210078207
    Abstract: Provided is a fiber-reinforced resin material molding in which fluctuations of the dispersion state of the fiber bundle in the molding is small, the generation of a resin pool is suppressed, and fluctuations in physical properties such as tensile strength and modulus of elasticity are suppressed; a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin material. Provided is a fiber-reinforced resin material molding comprising: a fiber bundle comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibers; and a matrix resin, wherein a coefficient of variation in fiber content of the reinforcing fibers per unit zone of 0.1 mm square on a cut face along a thickness direction is 40% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro MIZUTORI, Tadao SAMEJIMA, Yasushi WATANABE, Junji KANEHAGI, Takayuki KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10933563
    Abstract: Provided is a fiber-reinforced resin material molding in which fluctuations of the dispersion state of the fiber bundle in the molding is small, the generation of a resin pool is suppressed, and fluctuations in physical properties such as tensile strength and modulus of elasticity are suppressed; a method for manufacturing the same; and a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin material. Provided is a fiber-reinforced resin material molding comprising: a fiber bundle comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibers; and a matrix resin, wherein a coefficient of variation in fiber content of the reinforcing fibers per unit zone of 0.1 mm square on a cut face along a thickness direction is 40% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihiro Mizutori, Tadao Samejima, Yasushi Watanabe, Junji Kanehagi, Takayuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10927479
    Abstract: One mode of the invention relates to a producing a device for chopped fiber bundles having a chopper unit including a cutting blade for cutting long fiber bundles, a guide for restricting the travel direction of the fiber bundles to be supplied to the cutting means, and a structure, provided between the chopper unit and the guide, that widens the fiber bundles. The invention also relates to method for producing chopped fiber bundles by widening fiber bundles while restricting the travel direction of the long fiber bundles to be supplied to chopper unit by a guide, and obtaining chopped fiber bundles by cutting the fiber bundles with the chopper unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao Samejima, Ryuichi Ishikawa, Hiroshi Iwata, Yukihiro Mizutori, Masatoshi Kamata, Yasushi Watanabe, Hajime Okutsu
  • Publication number: 20210017670
    Abstract: What is provided is a method for stably producing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by splitting a fiber bundle such that a split portion becomes long while anon-split portion is shortened. A method for producing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which a cut fiber bundle is impregnated with a resin, the method comprising a splitting step of splitting the fiber bundle with a splitting machine at intervals in a longitudinal direction and a cutting step of cutting the fiber bundle at intervals in the longitudinal direction after the splitting step, in which the splitting machine comprises a rotary blade having a releasing section and a spacer member adjacent to the rotary blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Junji KANEHAGI, Yukihiro MIZUTORI, Tadao SAMEJIMA
  • Patent number: 10889025
    Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material having excellent productivity at low cost for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molded article having excellent strength properties. Provided is a method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material containing a plurality of cut fiber bundles and a resin impregnated between filaments of the cut fiber bundles, the method comprising an integrated material manufacturing step for obtaining an integrated material by collecting a sheet-shaped fiber bundle aggregate obtained by arranging and spreading a plurality of consecutive fiber bundles in a width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao Samejima, Yukihiro Mizutori, Yasushi Watanabe, Junji Kanehagi, Masatoshi Kamata
  • Patent number: 10889919
    Abstract: One mode of the invention relates to a producing a device for chopped fiber bundles having a chopper unit including a cutting blade for cutting long fiber bundles, a guide for restricting the travel direction of the fiber bundles to be supplied to the cutting means, and a structure, provided between the chopper unit and the guide, that widens the fiber bundles. The invention also relates to method for producing chopped fiber bundles by widening fiber bundles while restricting the travel direction of the long fiber bundles to be supplied to chopper unit by a guide, and obtaining chopped fiber bundles by cutting the fiber bundles with the chopper unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao Samejima, Ryuichi Ishikawa, Hiroshi Iwata, Yukihiro Mizutori, Masatoshi Kamata, Yasushi Watanabe, Hajime Okutsu
  • Patent number: 10604871
    Abstract: This process for manufacturing a carbon-fiber precursor acrylic fiber bundle and this steam drawing apparatus are characterized in that the drawing of an acrylic fiber bundle with a pressured-steam drawing apparatus is conducted by: opening an acrylic fiber bundle by blowing a fluid thereto; supplying humidifying steam to the opened acrylic fiber bundle at a fiber temperature of 80 to 130° C. to adjust the water content of the fiber bundle to 3 to 7%; and thereafter drawing the resulting acrylic fiber bundle in a pressurized-steam atmosphere. Thus, the present invention can prevent the breaking of a single fiber, the fluffing of the fiber bundle, and the breaking of the whole of the fiber bundle, though such defects are susceptible to occurring in a case where an acrylic fiber bundle is drawn by steam drawing at a high draw ratio, at a higher speed, or into a fiber having a small denier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Akishige Tada, Yukihiro Mizutori