Patents Examined by William Kelleher
  • Patent number: 11161257
    Abstract: A robot includes a robot arm, a base supporting the robot arm, and a cable coupled to the base, wherein the base has a housing a circuit board, a connector unit located on a side surface of the housing and electrically coupled to the circuit board, to which the cable is coupled, a cover member having an insertion portion through which the cable is inserted and attached to the side surface of the housing to cover the connector unit, and a wall portion located between a coupling portion by which the cover member is coupled to the side surface of the housing and the connector and provided to project from the side surface of the housing within a space surrounded by the side surface of the housing and the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Inventor: Yoshinobu Goto
  • Patent number: 11154994
    Abstract: A work device is configured to perform a work with use of an end effector and have six degrees of freedom. The work device including: a linear motion unit obtained by combining three linear motion actuators, to have three degrees of freedom; and a rotation unit obtained by combining a plurality of rotation mechanisms each having one or more degrees of rotational freedom, to have three degrees of freedom. A base portion of the linear motion unit is fixed to a mount. A base portion of the rotation unit is fixed to an output portion of the linear motion unit. The end effector is mounted to an output portion of the rotation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isobe, Kenzou Nose, Naoki Marui, Hiroyuki Yamada
  • Patent number: 11148065
    Abstract: A Radio Controlled vehicle manual gearbox transmission system is presented. A system whereby a user can integrate this standalone manual transmission emulation module into their vehicle, which would increase their enjoyment/engagement in driving said vehicle (by switching to manual throttle range control versus the previous single gear automatic throttle control system). Thus emulating real world racing complexity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventor: Locksley A. Christian
  • Patent number: 11152840
    Abstract: Provided is an electric actuator (1), including: a motor (10); a motor case (11) configured to accommodates the motor (10); and a motion conversion mechanism (22) configured to convert a rotary motion generated through drive by the motor (10) into a linear motion in a direction parallel to an output shaft (10a) of the motor (10). The motion conversion mechanism (22) includes a movable part (22, which is arranged in parallel with the output shaft (10a) and is configured to perform the linear motion. The movable part (22) and the motor (10) overlap one another in a radial direction of the motor (10). A sensor target (73) is arranged in the moveable part 22, and a non-contact sensor (70) configured to detect a position of the sensor target (73) in a linear motion direction in a non-contact manner is arranged in the motor case (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takushi Matsuto, Shinsuke Hirano, Atsushi Ikeda, Tomomi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11117269
    Abstract: Provided is a robot including: a base; and a movable portion including a rotating drum that rotates about a vertical axis with respect to the base. The base is provided with an opening portion through which wire members are led into the base; the base and the rotating drum are provided with a hollow portion in which the wire members are guided into the rotating drum; the robot further includes a distribution board member that is detachably attached to the base; the distribution board member is provided with an attachment portion that is attached to the base, and a relay portion that is disposed on the outside of the opening portion with a gap therebetween; and the relay portion includes a mountable region in which a connector that relays some of the wire members is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Toshikatsu Kuroki, Naoki Fujioka
  • Patent number: 11091190
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to reduce the impact of production variability in a radius of curvature of a rear surface of a rack bar, for example, while enlarging a region of contact with the rack bar. A concave surface (330) is used as a rack guide seat (32) sliding surface (33).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: OILES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Noboru Nakagawa, Hiroyuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11054029
    Abstract: A shifting actuator for a transmission includes: a screw shaft; a screw nut which threadedly engages the screw shaft and linearly moves along the screw shaft; a guide for guiding movement of the screw nut; a control finger integrally formed with the screw nut; and a first slider and a second slider, which are disposed parallel to each other and adapted to be selected by the control finger so as to be linearly slidable in an axial direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the screw shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hang Chul Cho
  • Patent number: 11054016
    Abstract: Provided is an electric actuator, including: a drive part (2); a motion conversion mechanism part (3) configured to convert a rotary motion from the drive part (2) into a linear motion in an axial direction parallel with an output shaft of the drive part (2); a driving force transmission part (4) configured to transmit a driving force from the drive part (2) to the motion conversion mechanism part (3); and a motion-conversion-mechanism support part (5) configured to support the motion conversion mechanism part (3), and wherein the drive part (2) and the motion-conversion-mechanism support part (5) are capable of being coupled to and decoupled from the driving force transmission part (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takushi Matsuto, Shinsuke Hirano, Atsushi Ikeda, Tomomi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11028911
    Abstract: In one aspect of this invention, an actuator includes a motor having an output worm shaft, a transmission mechanism operatively coupled to the output worm shaft of the motor for converting a rotating motion of the motor into a linear reciprocating motion, a housing and mounting means for mounting the motor in the housing, where the transmission mechanism is devoid of a coil spring, and the mounting means is devoid of a foam plastic block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG JIECANG LINEAR MOTION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Renchang Hu, Zhanhui Huang
  • Patent number: 11021054
    Abstract: An integrated pinion/bearing/coupling (PBC) assembly for use with a hypoid gearset in power transfer assemblies of motor vehicles having mounting features and venting features, The integrated PBC assembly includes a hollow pinion unit made of steel and including a pinion shaft segment and a pinion gear segment, and a coupling unit having a hub segment made of aluminum. A brazing sleeve is used to braze the aluminum hub segment of the coupling unit to the steel pinion shaft segment of the pinion unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Bradley Ketchel, Wade Smith, Ralph Larson, Ryan Strand
  • Patent number: 11021272
    Abstract: A control moment gyroscope includes: an inner gimbal; a rotor that is held by the inner gimbal to be rotatable around a spin axis; a spin motor that is disposed on the inner gimbal, and that rotates the rotor around the spin axis; a stator that holds the inner gimbal to be rotatable around a gimbal axis that is perpendicular to the spin axis; gimbal bearings that are disposed between the inner gimbal and the stator to face each other from opposite sides of a plane that is perpendicular to the gimbal axis and that includes the spin axis, to be in contact with the plane in question, or to include the plane in question; and a torque module that is disposed on the stator, and that rotates the inner gimbal around the gimbal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Munetaka Kashiwa, Kazuhiko Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11021903
    Abstract: A supporting member includes: a rotatable spindle supported in a first housing; a cylindrical first guide fixed in a second housing, and guiding a relative movement of the spindle in an axial direction; a second guide fixed in the first housing, having an inner diameter larger than a first guide's outer diameter, and relatively movable in the direction to the first guide; and a nut being a stepped shaft-like member including an insertion portion inserted into the first guide, a protruding portion protruded from the first guide, and a narrow portion provided therebetween. The first guide includes a caulking portion to the nut at an opening end. The caulking portion includes a portion extending to intersect in the direction along a step between the insertion portion and the narrow portion, and another portion parallel to the direction along an outer circumferential surface of the narrow portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Goto, Takayuki Sengoku, Takeshi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11022211
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle shift control device. A shift mechanism is configured to shift and transmit rotation of a crankshaft extending in a width direction of a vehicle to a driving wheel. A shift pedal is configured to receive a shifting operation for the shift mechanism. A shift detection mechanism is configured to detect a shift instructed via the shift pedal. A shift actuator is configured to perform a shift operation of the shift mechanism, in response to a detection content of the shift detection mechanism. The shift detection mechanism includes a detection unit configured to rotate in response to the shifting operation of the shift pedal and a sensor configured to detect rotation of the detection unit. A rotary shaft of the detection unit and a rotary shaft of the sensor are arranged at different positions, as seen from a side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideaki Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11015688
    Abstract: A ball screw drive comprising a leadscrew that has at least one outer ball groove and comprising a threaded nut that has at least one inner ball groove, which ball grooves together to form a ball channel in which balls, via which the leadscrew is guided relative to the threaded nut, are accommodated, wherein in the ball groove of the threaded nut is provided at least one radially closed pocket in which a deflection element for deflecting the balls moving in the ball groove is accommodated, wherein the threaded nut has an outer deflection device, which outer deflection device is axially in front of the deflection element in the form of an individual deflection element, is situated on the outer side of the threaded nut and engages in two radial openings in the threaded nut, and by means of which outer deflection device the balls are axially offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Mario Kreutzer, Gerd Sanewski, Nadine Kliemann
  • Patent number: 11014227
    Abstract: A drive device capable of allowing a brake operation of a braking mechanism of the drive device to suppress a mechanical load applied to a mechanism unit (i.e., a robot mechanical section) provided with the drive device. The drive device includes a first braking mechanism provided in a first motor to execute a first brake operation on an operation shaft, a second braking mechanism provided in a second motor to execute a second brake operation on the operation shaft, and a brake controller configured to control the first braking mechanism and the second braking mechanism to allow the first brake operation and the second brake operation to be continuously executed after starting the first brake operation before starting the second brake operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahide Shinagawa
  • Patent number: 11007872
    Abstract: Rattling of a shift body in a second direction is suppressed when movement of the shift body toward one side in the second direction is restricted. In a shift lever device, a projecting portion of a hook of a lever projects toward the left from the lever. When disposing the lever on an R position side from an N position, a leading end face of the projecting portion is restricted from pivoting toward the left side by a right face of a rear restricting portion of a left plate, such that a pivot operation of the lever toward the right side is restricted. Flexing of the hook can thereby be suppressed, enabling rattling of the lever in a left-right direction to be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Yutaka Inamura, Naomi Asahina
  • Patent number: 11009117
    Abstract: A reduction in the amount of filled grease and a reduction in weight are achieved, and an excessive rise in the internal pressure is suppressed. Provided is a gearbox including: a plurality of gears that are rotated by a motor; a housing that has a sealed interior space for rotatably accommodating the respective gears; and a spacer that is disposed in the interior space of the housing and that partially occupies the interior space, wherein the spacer has a lower density than grease and is elastically deformable so as to change the volume thereof according to the internal pressure of the interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazutaka Nakayama
  • Patent number: 11000958
    Abstract: A deflection element (10) for robot arms has two arm braces that are pivotally mounted on a joint mechanism. In order to create a universally useable deflection element, the two arm braces (12) are each mounted on a support structure (20) of the joint mechanism by means of an arm joint (18), and the two arms braces (12) are coupled to a connecting element (22) between the two arm joints (18), said connecting element (22) being movable relative to the support structure (20); furthermore, at least one actuating element (50; 51), which moves the connecting element (22) and thus pivots the arm braces (12) between the end positions thereof, is arranged between the support structure (20) and the connecting element (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Dieter Mankau
  • Patent number: 10995833
    Abstract: A mechanism (100) for storing and releasing mechanical energy, which stores a low-power energy continuously inputted by a power transmission mechanism into an energy storage mechanism, and then controllably drives output in a high-power manner. The mechanism comprises a bracket (10), a supporting main shaft (11) arranged on the bracket (10), a driving gear (101) which sleeves over and rotates about the supporting main shaft (11), wherein arranged on one side of the driving gear (101) is at least one set of energy storage and release device (102). The mechanism (100) for storing and releasing mechanical energy is structurally simple and reliable. A light-weight high-efficiency drive mechanism may be fabricated by using a light-weight structural material or a composite material, which may store a large amount of low-power energy which is inputted continuously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Inventor: Botao Liang
  • Patent number: 10995849
    Abstract: A first movable member for pivotally shifting to a predetermined position in conjunction with a pivotal operation of a shift lever, and a permanent magnet section disposed so as to face the first movable member are included whereby the shift lever is provided with a click feeling given by an attraction force acting between the first movable member and the permanent magnet section. The permanent magnet section is magnetized such that in a thickness direction, an N pole and an S pole are created by magnetization in a series arrangement, and such that in a width direction, an S pole is created by magnetization alongside the N pole and an N pole is created by magnetization alongside the S pole created by magnetization in the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Igarashi, Takashi Uenomachi, Toshio Ogawa, Yoshitsugu Wakita