Patent Grant
8668026
The invention relates to a construction of a power tool such as a hammer and a hammer drill linearly driving a tool bit.
Japanese laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-154903 discloses an electric hammer having a vibration reducing mechanism. This known electric hammer has a dynamic vibration reducer as a means for reducing vibration caused in an axial direction of a hammer bit during hammering operation, so that vibration of the hammer during hammering operation can be alleviated or reduced. The dynamic vibration reducer has a weight which can linearly move under a biasing force of a coil spring, and by the movement of the weight in the axial direction of the tool bit, it reduces vibration of the hammer during hammering operation.
In designing a power tool of this type having a dynamic vibration reducer, it is desired to provide a technique which can realize rational placement of the dynamic vibration reducer and a higher vibration reducing effect or higher vibration reducing performance of the dynamic vibration reducer, by further refinement of the construction of the dynamic vibration reducer.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide rational placement and improved vibration reducing performance of a dynamic vibration reducer in a power tool having the dynamic vibration reducer.
Above-described object can be achieved by the invention. A representative power tool according to the invention linearly drives a tool bit to perform a predetermined operation on a workpiece and includes at least a tool body, a driving motor, a motion converting mechanism, a dynamic vibration reducer and a handle. The “power tool” here may preferably include power tools, such as a hammer, a hammer drill, a jigsaw and a reciprocating saw, which perform an operation on a workpiece by linear movement of a tool bit. The driving motor is housed in the tool body. The motion converting mechanism is housed in the tool body and disposed in a tool front region forward of the driving motor in the axial direction of the tool bit and converts rotation of the driving motor into linear motion and transmits it to the hammer bit. The “motion converting mechanism” here typically comprises a crank mechanism which includes a crank shaft driven by gear engagement with a motor shaft of the driving motor, a crank arm connected to the crank shaft and a piston connected to the crank arm, and serves to convert rotation of the motor shaft of the driving motor into linear motion of the piston and drive the tool bit. When such a crank mechanism is used as the motion converting mechanism, the crank shaft of the crank mechanism is disposed in the tool front region forward of the motor shaft of the driving motor in the axial direction of the tool bit.
The dynamic vibration reducer is housed in the tool body and includes a dynamic vibration reducer body, a weight and a coil spring. The dynamic vibration reducer body is configured as a part which is disposed in an intermediate region between the motion converting mechanism and the handle and has a housing space. When the crank mechanism as described above is used as the motion converting mechanism, the dynamic vibration reducer body is disposed in a region between the crank shaft of the crank mechanism and the handle in a tool upper region above the motor shaft of the driving motor. The weight is configured as a mass part which is disposed in the housing space of the dynamic vibration reducer body in such a manner as to be linearly movable in the axial direction of the tool bit. The coil spring is configured as an elastic element which extends between at least one of front and rear surfaces of the weight and the dynamic vibration reducer body in the axial direction of the tool bit and elastically supports the weight in the axial direction. The dynamic vibration reducer serves to reduce vibration of the tool body during operation by linear movement of the weight elastically supported by the coil spring in the axial direction of the tool bit. The handle is configured as a handle part designed to be held by a user and connected to the tool body in a tool rear region rearward of the driving motor. Further, the “linear movement of the weight” in this invention is not limited to linear movement in the axial direction of the tool bit, but it is only necessary that the linear movement has at least components in the axial direction of the tool bit.
In the power tool having the above-described construction in which the motion converting mechanism is disposed in the tool front region forward of the driving motor in the axial direction of the tool bit as described above, a free space is likely formed in the intermediate region between the motion converting mechanism and the handle. Therefore, in the power tool according to the invention, the dynamic vibration reducer body is disposed in the intermediate region between the motion converting mechanism and the handle. With this construction, it is not necessary to provide an additional installation space for installing the dynamic vibration reducer body and a space existing within the tool body can be effectively utilized, so that rational placement of the dynamic vibration reducer can be realized.
Further, the dynamic vibration reducer body disposed in the intermediate region between the motion converting mechanism and the handle can be disposed closer to the axis of the tool bit or on an extension of the axis of the tool bit, so that vibration caused by driving the tool bit can be efficiently reduced and the dynamic vibration reducer having a higher vibration reducing effect or higher vibration reducing performance can be realized.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the weight may have a spring receiving part extending in a form of a hollow in the axial direction of the tool bit in at least one of front and rear surface regions of the weight. The spring receiving part receives one end of the coil spring which elastically supports the weight. As for this construction, the spring receiving part may be provided in either one or both of the front and rear surface regions of the weight. With such a construction, by provision of the spring receiving part for receiving one end of the coil spring inside the weight, the length of the dynamic vibration reducer in the axial direction of the tool bit with the coil spring received and mounted in the spring receiving part of the weight can be reduced, so that the size of the dynamic vibration reducer can be reduced in the axial direction of the tool bit.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the spring receiving part may comprise a front surface region spring receiving part and a rear surface region spring receiving part which extend in a form of a hollow in the axial direction of the tool bit in the front and rear surface regions of the weight. The front surface region spring receiving part receives one end of the coil spring that elastically supports the weight from the front of the weight, while the rear surface region spring receiving part receives one end of the coil spring that elastically supports the weight from the rear of the weight. Further, the front and rear surface region spring receiving parts are arranged to overlap each other in its entirety or in part in a direction transverse to the extending direction of the spring receiving parts. Specifically, the front and rear surface region spring receiving parts in its entirety or in part and thus the coil springs in its entirety or in part which are received within the front and rear surface region spring receiving parts are arranged to overlap each other. With such a construction, the length of the weight in the axial direction of the tool bit with the coil springs mounted in the spring receiving parts can be further reduced. Therefore, this construction is effective in further reducing the size of the dynamic vibration reducer in the axial direction and in reducing its weight with a simpler structure. Thus, this construction is particularly effective when the installation space for the dynamic vibration reducer within the tool body is limited in the longitudinal direction of the tool body. Further, the coil springs can be further upsized by the amount of the overlap between the coil springs received in the front surface region spring receiving part and the rear surface region spring receiving part, provided that the length of the dynamic vibration reducer in the longitudinal direction is unchanged. In this case, the dynamic vibration reducer can provide a higher vibration reducing effect with stability by the upsized coil springs.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the weight may be configured as a weight member having a circular section in a direction transverse to the axial direction of the tool bit. Further, a plurality of the front surface region spring receiving parts are provided in the front surface region of the weight member and evenly spaced in the circumferential direction of the weight member, while a plurality of the rear surface region spring receiving parts are provided in the rear surface region of the weight member and evenly spaced in the circumferential direction of the weight member. With such a construction, a plurality of the spring receiving parts are arranged in the front and rear surface regions of the weight member in a balanced manner, so that the center of gravity of the weight member can be easily put in balance. Further, a plurality of the coil springs are disposed in the front and rear surface regions of the weight member in a balanced manner, so that spring forces of the coil springs can be exerted on the front and rear surface of the weight member in a balanced manner.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the motion converting mechanism may include a first space, a striking mechanism and a second space. The first space is configured as a closed space. The striking mechanism serves to strike the tool bit by utilizing air pressure within the first space. The second space may be configured as a space which causes air pressure fluctuations in opposite phase with respect to air pressure fluctuations of the first space. Here, the “air pressure fluctuations of opposite phases” in the first and second spaces typically represents the manner in which the patterns of air pressure fluctuations are generally reversed between the first and second spaces. For example, when the striking mechanism strikes the tool bit, the first space relatively increases in pressure, while the second space relatively decreases in pressure. On the other hand, when the striking movement is completed, the first space relatively decreases in pressure, while the second space relatively increases in pressure. Further, the dynamic vibration reducer has front and rear chambers and a communication path. The front and rear chambers are separated from each other by the weight within the dynamic vibration reducer body and configured as compartments formed at the front and rear of the weight in the axial direction of the tool bit. The communication path serves to provide communication between the rear chamber and the second space. With such a construction, air is introduced from the second space into the rear chamber of the dynamic vibration reducer via the communication path by pressure fluctuations of the second space and thus the weight of the dynamic vibration reducer can be actively driven. In this manner, the dynamic vibration reducer can be caused to perform a vibration reducing function.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the second space may be disposed in the tool front region forward of the dynamic vibration reducer body in the axial direction of the tool bit. Further, the communication path may comprise a communication pipe which is installed to extend from the second space into the rear chamber through the front chamber and then the weight. With such a construction, the communication pipe can be installed in such a manner as to provide communication between the second space and the rear chamber in the shortest distance.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the communication pipe may linearly extend in the axial direction of the tool bit and an outer surface of the communication pipe and an inner surface of the weight fitted onto the communication pipe may be held in sliding contact with each other, so that the communication pipe serves as a guide member for guiding linear movement of the weight in the axial direction. This construction is rational in that linear movement of the weight in the axial direction can be made smoother via the communication pipe and the communication pipe can be further provided with a function as a guide member for guiding linear movement of the weight in the axial direction in addition to the function of introducing air from the second space into the rear chamber of the dynamic vibration reducer.
According to the invention, the vibration reducing effect of a dynamic vibration reducer can be enhanced within a power tool having the dynamic vibration reducer, without upsizing a tool body and with a minimum of weight increase, so that rational placement and improved vibration reducing performance of the dynamic vibration reducer can be realized.
An embodiment of the “power tool” according to the invention is now described with reference to
As shown in
The body 103 is configured as a housing that houses a driving motor 111, a motion converting mechanism 113, a striking mechanism 115, a power transmitting mechanism 117 and a dynamic vibration reducer 151. The body 103 may be formed by a combination of different housings each of which houses one or more of the above-described elements to be housed. In this embodiment, the motion converting mechanism 113 appropriately converts a rotating output of the driving motor 111 into linear motion and then transmits it to the striking mechanism 115. Then, an impact force is generated in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119 via the striking mechanism 115. Therefore, this hammer drill 101 having the striking mechanism 115 is also referred to as an impact tool. Further, the power transmitting mechanism 117 appropriately reduces the speed of the rotating output of the driving motor 111 and transmits it to the hammer bit 119 as a rotating force, so that the hammer bit 119 is caused to rotate in the circumferential direction. The driving motor 111 here is a feature that corresponds to the “driving motor” according to this invention.
The motion converting mechanism 131 serves to convert rotation of a motor shaft 111a of the driving motor 111 into linear motion and transmit it to the striking mechanism 115. The motion converting mechanism 131 is formed by a crank mechanism which includes a crank shaft 121, a crank arm 123 and a piston 125 and is driven by gear engagement with the motor shaft 111a of the driving motor 111. The crank shaft 121 has a crank shaft part 121a and an eccentric pin 121b eccentrically disposed on the crank shaft part 121a. One end of the crank arm 123 is connected to the eccentric pin 121b of the crank shaft 121, and the other end is connected to the piston 125. The piston 125 forms a driving element for driving the striking mechanism 115 and can slide within a cylinder 141 in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119. In this embodiment, the motion converting mechanism 131 is disposed in the tool front region forward of the driving motor 111 in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119. More specifically, the crank shaft part 121a and the eccentric pin 121b of the crank shaft 121 in the motion converting mechanism 131 are disposed in the tool front region forward of the motor shaft 111a of the driving motor 111 in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119. The motion converting mechanism 131 here is a feature that corresponds to the “motion converting mechanism” according to this invention.
The striking mechanism 115 mainly includes a striking element in the form of a striker 143 slidably disposed within the bore of the cylinder 141, and an intermediate element in the form of an impact bolt 145 that is slidably disposed within the tool holder 137 and serves to transmit the kinetic energy of the striker 143 to the hammer bit 119. The striking mechanism 115 here is a feature that corresponds to the “striking mechanism” according to this invention. A closed air chamber 141a is formed between the piston 125 and the striker 143 in the cylinder 141. The striker 143 is driven on the principle of a so-called “air spring” by utilizing air within the air chamber 141a of the cylinder 141 as a result of sliding movement of the piston 125. The striker 143 then collides with (strikes) the intermediate element in the form of the impact bolt 145 which is slidably disposed in the tool holder 137, and transmits a striking force to the hammer bit 119 via the impact bolt 145.
A crank chamber 165 for housing the crank shaft 121 and the crank arm 123 is provided on the opposite side (the tool rear side) of the piston 125 from the air chamber 141a and designed as a space which causes air pressure fluctuations in opposite phase with respect to air pressure fluctuations of the air chamber 141a. Specifically, when the striking mechanism 115 strikes the hammer bit 119, the air chamber 141a relatively increases in pressure, while the crank chamber 165 relatively decreases in pressure. On the other hand, when the striking movement is completed, the air chamber 141a relatively decreases in pressure, while the crank chamber 165 relatively increases in pressure. Thus, the patterns of air pressure fluctuations are generally reversed between the air chamber 141a and the crank chamber 165. Here, the air chamber 141a and the crank chamber 165 are features that correspond to the “first space” and the “second space”, respectively, according to this invention.
The tool holder 137 is rotatable and caused to rotate when the power transmitting mechanism 117 transmits rotation of the driving motor 111 to the tool holder 137 at a reduced speed. The power transmitting mechanism 117 includes an intermediate gear 131 that is rotationally driven by the driving motor 111, a small bevel gear 133 that rotates together with the intermediate gear 131, and a large bevel gear 135 that engages with the small bevel gear 133 and rotates around a longitudinal axis of the body 103. The power transmitting mechanism 117 transmits rotation of the driving motor 111 to the tool holder 137 and further to the hammer bit 119 held by the tool holder 137. The hammer drill 101 can be appropriately switched between a hammer mode in which an operation is performed on a workpiece by applying only a striking force in the axial direction to the hammer bit 119 and a hammer drill mode in which an operation is performed on a workpiece by applying both the striking force in the axial direction and the rotating force in the circumferential direction to the hammer bit 119. This construction is not directly related to the invention and thus will not be described.
During operation of the hammer drill 101 (when the hammer bit 119 is driven), impulsive and cyclic vibration is caused in the body 103 in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119. Main vibration of the body 103 which is to be reduced is a compressing reaction force which is produced when the piston 125 and the striker 143 compress air within the air chamber 141a, and a striking reaction force which is produced with a slight time lag behind the compressing reaction force when the striker 143 strikes the hammer bit 119 via the impact volt 145.
The hammer drill 101 has a dynamic vibration reducer 151 in order to reduce the above-described vibration caused in the body 103. As shown in
The dynamic vibration reducer body 153 has a hollow or cylindrical housing space and is provided as a cylindrical guide for guiding the weight 155 to slide with stability. The dynamic vibration reducer body 153 here is a feature that corresponds to the “dynamic vibration reducer body” according to this invention.
As described above, in the above-mentioned construction in which the motion converting mechanism 113 is disposed in the tool front region forward of the driving motor 111 in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119, a free space is likely to be formed in an intermediate region between the motion converting mechanism 113 and the handgrip 105. Specifically, the intermediate region is defined as a region between a crank shaft part 121a and an eccentric pin 121b of the crank shaft 121 and the handgrip 105, and as a tool upper region (upper region as viewed in
The weight 155 is configured as a mass part which is slidably disposed within the housing space of the dynamic vibration reducer body 153 so as to move within the housing space of the dynamic vibration reducer 153 in the longitudinal direction (the axial direction of the hammer bit 119). Specifically, the weight 155 is configured as a weight member having a circular section in a direction transverse to the axial direction of the hammer bit 119. The weight 155 here is a feature that corresponds to the “weight” and the “weight member” according to this invention.
The coil springs 157 are configured as elastic elements which support the weight 155 in such a manner as to apply respective spring forces to the weight 155 toward each other when the weight 155 moves within the housing space of the dynamic vibration reducer body 153 in the longitudinal direction (in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119). Further, the coil spring 157 here is a feature that corresponds to the “coil spring” according to this invention.
The dynamic vibration reducer 151 having the above-described construction which is housed within the body 103 is provided such that the weight 155 and the coil springs 157 serve as vibration reducing elements in the dynamic vibration reducer 151 and cooperate to passively reduce vibration of the body 103 during operation of the hammer drill 101. Thus, the above-described vibration caused in the body 103 of the hammer drill 101 is reduced, so that vibration of the body 103 can be alleviated or reduced during operation.
Further, the weight 155 constructed as described above has spring receiving spaces 156 having an annular section and extending in the form of a hollow in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119 over a predetermined region in the front and rear regions of the weight 155 in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119. One end of each of the coil springs 157 is received in the associated spring receiving space 156. The spring receiving space 156 here is a feature that corresponds to the “spring receiving part” according to this invention. Each of the annular spring receiving spaces 156 is an elongate space extending in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119 and configured as a space (groove) which is hollowed through and enclosed by an outer cylindrical portion 155a and a columnar portion 155b inside the cylindrical portion 155a. The cylindrical portion 155a and the columnar portion 155b may be separately formed, or they may be formed in one piece.
In this embodiment, as shown in
As for the front coil spring 157 received in the first spring receiving space 156a, a front wall part of the dynamic vibration reducer body 153 is used as the spring front end fixing part 158 to which the spring front end 157a is fixed, and the bottom (end) of the first spring receiving space 156a is used as the spring rear end fixing part 159 to which the spring rear end 157b is fixed. As for the rear coil spring 157 received in the second spring receiving space 156b, the bottom (end) of the second spring receiving space 156b is used as the spring front end fixing part 158 to which the spring front end 157a is fixed, and a rear wall part of the dynamic vibration reducer body 153 is used as the spring rear end fixing part 159 to which the spring rear end 157b is fixed. With this construction, the front and rear coil springs 157 apply respective elastic biasing forces to the weight 155 toward each other in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119. Specifically, the weight 155 can move in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119 under the respective biasing forces of the front and rear coil springs 157 acting toward each other. Further, each of the first and second spring receiving spaces 156a, 156b has a width larger than the wire diameter of the coil spring 157. Thus, preferably, the coil spring 157 is loosely fitted in the spring receiving space 156 such that the coil spring 157 is kept from contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 155a and the outer surface of the columnar portion 155b.
As described above, in the dynamic vibration reducer 151 according to this embodiment, the spring receiving spaces 156 are formed inside the weight 155 and one end of each of the coil springs 157 is disposed within the spring receiving space 156. Therefore, the length of the dynamic vibration reducer 151 in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119 with the coil spring 157 received and mounted in the spring receiving space 156 of the weight 155 can be reduced, so that the dynamic vibration reducer 151 can be reduced in size in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119. Further, in the dynamic vibration reducer 151 according to this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 155a having a mass with a higher density than the coil spring 157 is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the coil spring 157. Therefore, compared with the known structure in which a coil spring having a lower density than a weight is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the weight, the mass of a vibration reducing element in the form of the weight 155 can be increased, so that the space utilization efficiency is enhanced. As a result, the vibration reducing power of the dynamic vibration reducer 151 can be increased. Further, with the construction in which the cylindrical portion 155a of the weight 155 is disposed on the outer peripheral side of the coil spring 157, the contact length of the weight 155 in the direction of movement or the axial length of the sliding surface of the weight 155 in contact with the wall surface of the dynamic vibration reducer body 153 can be increased. Thus, stable movement of the weight 155 can be easily secured.
In this embodiment, as shown in
As described above, according to this embodiment, the vibration reducing power of the dynamic vibration reducer 151 can be increased and furthermore the dynamic vibration reducer 151 can be reduced in size, so that vibration reducing effect of the dynamic vibration reducer 151 can be enhanced without upsizing the body 103 of the hammer drill 101 and with a minimum of weight increase.
Further, as shown in
The first actuation chamber 161 is designed as a space at the rear (on the left side as viewed in
Pressure within the crank chamber 165 fluctuates when the motion converting mechanism 113 is driven. This is caused by change of the capacity of the crank chamber 165 when the piston 125 of the motion converting mechanism 113 reciprocates within the cylinder 141. In this embodiment, the weight 155 of the dynamic vibration reducer 151 is actively driven by introducing air from the crank chamber 165 into the first actuation chamber 161 by pressure fluctuations of the crank chamber 165. In this manner, the dynamic vibration reducer 151 is caused to perform a vibration reducing function. Specifically, in this embodiment, as shown in
Further, the above-described communication pipe 162 linearly extends in the axial direction of the hammer bit 119 and passes through the center of a circular section of the weight 155. In such a construction, an outer surface 162b of the communication pipe 162 and an inner surface 155c of the weight 155 fitted onto the communication pipe 162 are held in sliding contact with each other, so that the communication pipe 162 serves as a guide member for guiding linear movement of the weight 155 in the axial direction. This construction is rational in that linear movement of the weight 155 in the axial direction can be made smoother and the communication pipe 162 can be further provided with a function as a guide member for guiding linear movement of the weight 155 in the axial direction in addition to the function of introducing air from the crank chamber 165 into the first actuation chamber 161 of the dynamic vibration reducer 151.
Further, when air flows between the crank chamber 165 and the first actuation chamber 161 via the first communication hole 162a of the communication pipe 162, the capacity of the second actuation chamber 163 which communicates with the gear chamber 164 varies with pressure of the first actuation chamber 161. Specifically, when the pressure of the first actuation chamber 161 increases relative to that of the second actuation chamber 163, air within the second actuation chamber 163 escapes into the gear chamber 164 and thus the capacity of the second actuation chamber 163 decreases. On the other hand, when the pressure of the first actuation chamber 161 decreases relative to that of the second actuation chamber 163, air within the gear chamber 164 escapes into the second actuation chamber 163 and thus the capacity of the second actuation chamber 163 increases. As a result, forced vibration in which the weight 155 is actively driven is smoothly performed without being interfered by air of the second actuation chamber 163.
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the front and rear regions of the weight 155 are hollowed to form the spring receiving spaces 156 for receiving one end of the coil spring 157. In this invention, however, it may be constructed, without providing the spring receiving spaces 156 in the weight 155, such that one end of each of the coil springs 157 is fixed on the front or rear end of the weight 155. In this case, the spring receiving spaces 156 or fixing locations of the coil springs 157 may be provided on at least one of the front and rear ends of the weight 155, as necessary.
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the three first spring receiving spaces 156a formed in the front region of the weight 155 and the three second spring receiving spaces 156b formed in the rear region of the weight 155 are alternately arranged and evenly spaced in the circumferential direction of the weight 155. In this invention, however, the arrangement of the first spring receiving space 156a in the front region of the weight 155 and the arrangement of the second spring receiving space 156b in the rear region of the weight 155 can be appropriately changed as necessary.
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the communication pipe 162 which provides communication between the crank chamber 165 and the first actuation chamber 161 of the dynamic vibration reducer 151 is configured and installed to extend from the crank chamber 165 into the first actuation chamber 161 through the second actuation chamber 163 and then the weight 155. In this invention, however, the communication pipe 162 may have any other configuration. For example, a member corresponding to the communication pipe 162 may be provided and configured to extend from the crank chamber 165 into the first actuation chamber 161 via the outside of the dynamic vibration reducer body 153 of the dynamic vibration reducer 151. Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the communication pipe 162 also serves as the guide member for guiding linear movement of the weight 155 in the axial direction, but in this invention, a member other than a member corresponding to the communication pipe 162 may serve to guide the weight 155.
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the hammer drill 101 is explained as a representative example of the power tool, but this invention can also be applied to various kinds of power tools which perform an operation on a workpiece by linear movement of a tool bit. For example, this invention can be suitably applied to power tools, such as a jigsaw or a reciprocating saw, which perform a cutting operation on a workpiece by reciprocating a saw blade.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-161027 | Jun 2008 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2009/060879 | 6/15/2009 | WO | 00 | 3/10/2011 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2009/154171 | 12/23/2009 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2875731 | Settles et al. | Mar 1959 | A |
| 4478293 | Weilenmann et al. | Oct 1984 | A |
| 7252157 | Aoki | Aug 2007 | B2 |
| 7921934 | Aoki | Apr 2011 | B2 |
| 20060076154 | Aoki | Apr 2006 | A1 |
| 20080277128 | Satou | Nov 2008 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1533866 | Oct 2004 | CN |
| 1946520 | Apr 2007 | CN |
| 101032814 | Sep 2007 | CN |
| 1 439 038 | Jul 2004 | EP |
| 1 618 999 | Jan 2006 | EP |
| 1 767 315 | Mar 2007 | EP |
| 1 832 394 | Sep 2007 | EP |
| 2 018 939 | Jan 2009 | EP |
| A-2004-154903 | Jun 2004 | JP |
| A-2007-237301 | Sep 2007 | JP |
| A-2007-237304 | Sep 2007 | JP |
| 550507 | Mar 1977 | SU |
| WO 2006041139 | Apr 2006 | WO |
| WO 2007105742 | Sep 2007 | WO |
| Entry |
|---|
| Nov. 14, 2011 Extended Search Report issued in European Application No. 09766619.2. |
| Feb. 8, 2011 International Preliminary Report on Patentability issued in International Application No. PCT/JP2009/060879 (with translation). |
| International Search Report in International Application No. PCT/JP2009/060879; dated Sep. 29, 2009 (with English-language translation). |
| Chinese Office Action issued in Chinese Application No. 200980123024.3 dated Sep. 18, 2012 (w/translation). |
| Apr. 11, 2013 Office Action issued in Chinese Patent Application No. 200980123024.3. |
| May 30, 2013 Office Action issued in Russian Patent Application No. 2011101689/02(002173) (with English translation). |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20110155405 A1 | Jun 2011 | US |
