Patents by Inventor Futoshi Kawamura

Futoshi Kawamura 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: 11994044
    Abstract: A valve timing adjustment device includes a hydraulic oil control valve. The hydraulic oil control valve includes: an outer sleeve that is shaped in a tubular form and has a projection at an outer periphery of the outer sleeve; an inner sleeve that is located on an inner side of the outer sleeve; and a spool that is located at an inside of the inner sleeve. A reference-shape portion, which serves as a reference at a time of positioning the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve, is formed at an outer periphery of the projection. A seat surface of the projection, which fixes a vane rotor between the seat surface of the projection and an end portion of one of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, is shaped in a rotationally symmetric form that is rotationally symmetric around a rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hikaru Kokumai, Futoshi Kawamura, Kinya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11994045
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve, a spool and a spring. The spool is received at an inside of the sleeve and is configured to be reciprocated. The spring is configured to be seated against a spring seat of the sleeve and is configured to apply a preload to the spool. The sleeve has a stepped portion, which has a spool contact surface for limiting movement of the spool toward the spring seat, and a protrusion, which is located at a center of the spring seat and protrudes toward an opening of the sleeve. The protrusion has a sloped peripheral surface. The protrusion is configured such that in a state where an end portion of the spring is not seated against the spring seat while the spring is placed adjacent to the spring seat, the end portion of the spring contacts the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomonori Suzuki, Futoshi Kawamura, Kinya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11898471
    Abstract: A valve timing adjustment device includes a vane rotor and a hydraulic oil control valve. The vane rotor is fixed to an end portion of one of a drive shaft and a driven shaft and defines a through hole. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve and a spool. The sleeve includes a body portion in the through hole and a fixing portion fixed into a shaft fixing hole defined in the one. At least a portion of the through hole is sealed by the body portion. A difference between a radial dimension of the shaft fixing hole and a radial dimension of the fixing portion is greater than a total of a predetermined coaxiality between the through hole and the shaft fixing portion and a predetermined coaxiality between the body portion and the fixing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Futoshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11852052
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axis of a valve timing adjustment device. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve, a spool, a movement restricting portion, a fixing member. The sleeve includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve. The fixing member is fixed to an end portion of the outer sleeve facing the actuator. The fixing member is configured to restrict the inner sleeve from moving in a circumferential direction relative to the outer sleeve and to restrict the inner sleeve and the spool from coming off from the outer sleeve toward the actuator in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Futoshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11834971
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve, which is placed along a rotational axis of a valve timing adjusting device, includes a sleeve and a spool configured to slide in an axial direction on an inner side of the sleeve in a radial direction. The sleeve includes: an inner sleeve that has an opening in which a distal end portion of the spool is inserted; and an outer sleeve. In a state where the spool is positioned farthest from an actuator, the distal end portion projects from the opening toward a side that is opposite to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Futoshi Kawamura, Kinya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11649740
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axial of a valve timing adjustment device. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve, a spool slidably moving in an axial direction within the sleeve, and a filter member configured to capture foreign matters contained in the hydraulic oil. The sleeve includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve defining therein an axial hole extending in the axial direction. A space between the axial hole and the inner sleeve in a radial direction serves as a hydraulic oil supply passage. The filter member is disposed in the space to overlap with at least one of internal members in the inner sleeve when viewed in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Futoshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11649741
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axis of a valve timing adjustment device. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve and a spool sliding in an axial direction within the sleeve. The spool has an inner space serving as a drain passage through which the hydraulic oil discharged from a phase shifting portion flows. The spool defines a drain inlet that guides the hydraulic oil discharged from the phase shifting portion into the drain passage. At least one of the sleeve or the spool defines an opening through which the hydraulic oil in the drain passage is discharged from the hydraulic oil control valve. A protrusion is formed between the drain inlet and the opening to extend radially inward beyond the drain inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Futoshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 11585248
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axis of a valve timing adjustment device. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve and a spool that is slidably moved in an axial direction within the sleeve in a radial direction. The sleeve includes an inner sleeve disposed radially outside of the spool and an outer sleeve defining an axial hole extending in the axial direction. The inner sleeve is inserted into the axial hole. The outer sleeve is fixed to an end portion of one shaft when an axial force is applied to the outer sleeve in the axial direction. An inner sleeve end portion of the inner sleeve in the axial direction away from the actuator protrudes from the outer sleeve away from the actuator in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Futoshi Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20230041351
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve includes an outer sleeve, an inner sleeve and a spool. The outer sleeve includes: a threaded portion, which is fixed to a camshaft; a projection, which is fixed to a phase changer; and ports, which are formed at a peripheral surface of the outer sleeve between the threaded portion and the projection. The inner sleeve includes: ports, which are communicated with the ports of the outer sleeve; an oil port; an axial groove; and an enlarged diameter portion, which is located on one side of the projection where an insertion opening of the outer sleeve is placed. The spool includes: land portions, which are configured to slide along an inner peripheral surface of the inner sleeve and are located at an outer periphery of the spool at a location that is on another side of the projection where the threaded portion is placed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventor: Futoshi KAWAMURA
  • Publication number: 20230014627
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve, a spool and a spring. The spool is received at an inside of the sleeve and is configured to be reciprocated. The spring is configured to be seated against a spring seat of the sleeve and is configured to apply a preload to the spool. The sleeve has a stepped portion, which has a spool contact surface for limiting movement of the spool toward the spring seat, and a protrusion, which is located at a center of the spring seat and protrudes toward an opening of the sleeve. The protrusion has a sloped peripheral surface. The protrusion is configured such that in a state where an end portion of the spring is not seated against the spring seat while the spring is placed adjacent to the spring seat, the end portion of the spring contacts the protrusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Tomonori SUZUKI, Futoshi KAWAMURA, Kinya TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20220412235
    Abstract: A valve timing adjustment device includes a hydraulic oil control valve. The hydraulic oil control valve includes: an outer sleeve that is shaped in a tubular form and has a projection at an outer periphery of the outer sleeve; an inner sleeve that is located on an inner side of the outer sleeve; and a spool that is located at an inside of the inner sleeve. A reference-shape portion, which serves as a reference at a time of positioning the outer sleeve relative to the inner sleeve, is formed at an outer periphery of the projection. A seat surface of the projection, which fixes a vane rotor between the seat surface of the projection and an end portion of one of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, is shaped in a rotationally symmetric form that is rotationally symmetric around a rotational axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Hikaru KOKUMAI, Futoshi KAWAMURA, Kinya TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20220010695
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axial of a valve timing adjustment device. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve, a spool slidably moving in an axial direction within the sleeve, and a filter member configured to capture foreign matters contained in the hydraulic oil. The sleeve includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve defining therein an axial hole extending in the axial direction. A space between the axial hole and the inner sleeve in a radial direction serves as a hydraulic oil supply passage. The filter member is disposed in the space to overlap with at least one of internal members in the inner sleeve when viewed in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventor: Futoshi KAWAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220010699
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve, which is placed along a rotational axis of a valve timing adjusting device, includes a sleeve and a spool configured to slide in an axial direction on an inner side of the sleeve in a radial direction. The sleeve includes: an inner sleeve that has an opening in which a distal end portion of the spool is inserted; and an outer sleeve. In a state where the spool is positioned farthest from an actuator, the distal end portion projects from the opening toward a side that is opposite to the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Futoshi KAWAMURA, Kinya TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20220010697
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axis of a valve timing adjustment device. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve, a spool, a movement restricting portion, a fixing member. The sleeve includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve. The fixing member is fixed to an end portion of the outer sleeve facing the actuator. The fixing member is configured to restrict the inner sleeve from moving in a circumferential direction relative to the outer sleeve and to restrict the inner sleeve and the spool from coming off from the outer sleeve toward the actuator in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventor: Futoshi KAWAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220010693
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axis of a valve timing adjustment device for adjusting valve timing of a valve. The valve is selectively opened or dosed by a drive shaft receiving a driving force from a drive shaft. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a tubular sleeve and a spool that is slidably moved within the sleeve. The sleeve includes an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve that is fixed to an end portion of one of the drive shaft and the driven shaft with an axial force. When the axial force is not applied, a minimum clearance between the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve in a radial direction is larger than a minimum clearance between the inner sleeve and the spool in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventor: Futoshi KAWAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220010698
    Abstract: A valve timing adjustment device includes a vane rotor and a hydraulic oil control valve. The vane rotor is fixed to an end portion of one of a drive shaft and a driven shaft and defines a through hole. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve and a spool. The sleeve includes a body portion in the through hole and a fixing portion fixed into a shaft fixing hole defined in the one. At least a portion of the through hole is sealed by the body portion. A difference between a radial dimension of the shaft fixing hole and a radial dimension of the fixing portion is greater than a total of a predetermined coaxiality between the through hole and the shaft fixing portion and a predetermined coaxiality between the body portion and the fixing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventor: Futoshi KAWAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220010694
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axis of a valve timing adjustment device. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve and a spool that is slidably moved in an axial direction within the sleeve in a radial direction. The sleeve includes an inner sleeve disposed radially outside of the spool and an outer sleeve defining an axial hole extending in the axial direction. The inner sleeve is inserted into the axial hole. The outer sleeve is fixed to an end portion of one shaft when an axial force is applied to the outer sleeve in the axial direction. An inner sleeve end portion of the inner sleeve in the axial direction away from the actuator protrudes from the outer sleeve away from the actuator in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventor: Futoshi KAWAMURA
  • Publication number: 20220010696
    Abstract: A hydraulic oil control valve is coaxially disposed with a rotational axis of a valve timing adjustment device. The hydraulic oil control valve includes a sleeve and a spool sliding in an axial direction within the sleeve. The spool has an inner space serving as a drain passage through which the hydraulic oil discharged from a phase shifting portion flows. The spool defines a drain inlet that guides the hydraulic oil discharged from the phase shifting portion into the drain passage. At least one of the sleeve or the spool defines an opening through which the hydraulic oil in the drain passage is discharged from the hydraulic oil control valve. A protrusion is formed between the drain inlet and the opening to extend radially inward beyond the drain inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventor: Futoshi KAWAMURA
  • Patent number: 9121312
    Abstract: A driving portion is configured to cause a driving force to move a spool in a first direction, and a bias unit is configured to cause a biasing force to bias the spool in a second direction in an axis direction. A part of a lock region is defined as a throttle region at which a flowing amount of working fluid flowing from a supply port to an introduction port is throttled. The throttle region is set to be located at a movable end position of the spool in the second direction to which the spool arrives when the driving force is not applied to the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Futoshi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8869762
    Abstract: A fluid-pressure-operated valve timing controller has a control valve that is disposed in a vane rotor and a camshaft. The control valve has a sleeve and a spool moving in an axial direction in the sleeve. The sleeve includes: a valve part held by the vane rotor; a screw part coaxially secured to the camshaft in a state where an axial tension is generated; and a connector part that connects the valve part and the screw part with each other in the axial direction. A strength or rigidity of the connector part relative to the axial tension is lower than that of the valve part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Futoshi Kawamura, Masashi Hayashi, Tadao Ikihara