Patents by Inventor Kenji Sasano

Kenji Sasano 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: 9845814
    Abstract: A hydraulic fluid flowpath includes a first flowpath and a second flowpath. The first flowpath connects a first pump port and a first chamber in a hydraulic cylinder. The second flowpath connects a second pump port and a second chamber in the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic fluid flowpath forms a closed circuit between a hydraulic pump and the hydraulic cylinder. A bleed-off flowpath bleeds off a portion of the hydraulic fluid from the second flowpath. A control valve connects the second flowpath to the bleed-off flowpath via a throttle when an operation amount of an operating member for lowering a work implement is less than a predetermined operation amount so that a hydraulic pressure in second flowpath is maintained at less than a relief pressure. The predetermined operation amount is less than or equal to the maximum operation amount for lowering the work implement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Teruo Akiyama, Noboru Iida, Koji Saito, Takayuki Watanabe, Kenji Sasano
  • Patent number: 9709076
    Abstract: An operating state determining unit determines whether a hydraulic cylinder is in operation or not in operation. A discharge pressure reducing unit reduces the discharge pressure of a charge pump. A discharge pressure control unit controls the discharge pressure reducing unit when the hydraulic cylinder in not in operation to reduce the discharge pressure of the charge pump to a low pressure lower than a normal pressure. The normal pressure is the discharge pressure of the charge pump when the hydraulic cylinder is in operation. An accumulator is connected to a charge flowpath. A one-way valve is disposed between the accumulator and the charge pump. The one-way valve allows the flow of hydraulic fluid from the charge pump to the accumulator and prohibits the flow of hydraulic fluid from the accumulator to the charge pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Teruo Akiyama, Noboru Iida, Kenji Oshima, Kenji Sasano
  • Patent number: 9328480
    Abstract: In a hydraulic excavator, a hydraulic cylinder drives a boom via a hydraulic fluid discharged from a first hydraulic pump. A first hydraulic circuit connects the first hydraulic pump and the hydraulic cylinder and forms a closed circuit therebetween. A hydraulic motor rotates a revolving upper unit with hydraulic fluid discharged from a second hydraulic pump. A second hydraulic circuit independent from the first hydraulic circuit connects the second hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor. A motor hydraulic pressure reduction unit reduces the driving hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic motor when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The predetermined condition is a condition in which an operation of the boom operating member to raise the boom and an operation of the rotation operating member to rotate the revolving upper unit are conducted together and an operation amount of the boom operating member is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Teruo Akiyama, Noboru Iida, Kenji Oshima, Kenji Sasano
  • Publication number: 20150176610
    Abstract: A hydraulic fluid flowpath includes a first flowpath and a second flowpath. The first flowpath connects a first pump port and a first chamber in a hydraulic cylinder. The second flowpath connects a second pump port and a second chamber in the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic fluid flowpath forms a closed circuit between a hydraulic pump and the hydraulic cylinder. A bleed-off flowpath bleeds off a portion of the hydraulic fluid from the second flowpath. A control valve connects the second flowpath to the bleed-off flowpath via a throttle when an operation amount of an operating member for lowering a work implement is less than a predetermined operation amount so that a hydraulic pressure in second flowpath is maintained at less than a relief pressure. The predetermined operation amount is less than or equal to the maximum operation amount for lowering the work implement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Teruo Akiyama, Noboru Iida, Koji Saito, Takayuki Watanabe, Kenji Sasano
  • Publication number: 20140345265
    Abstract: An operating state determining unit determines whether a hydraulic cylinder is in operation or not in operation. A discharge pressure reducing unit reduces the discharge pressure of a charge pump. A discharge pressure control unit controls the discharge pressure reducing unit when the hydraulic cylinder in not in operation to reduce the discharge pressure of the charge pump to a low pressure lower than a normal pressure. The normal pressure is the discharge pressure of the charge pump when the hydraulic cylinder is in operation. An accumulator is connected to a charge flowpath. A one-way valve is disposed between the accumulator and the charge pump. The one-way valve allows the flow of hydraulic fluid from the charge pump to the accumulator and prohibits the flow of hydraulic fluid from the accumulator to the charge pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Teruo Akiyama, Noboru Iida, Kenji Oshima, Kenji Sasano
  • Publication number: 20140123847
    Abstract: In a hydraulic excavator, a hydraulic cylinder drives a boom via a hydraulic fluid discharged from a first hydraulic pump. A first hydraulic circuit connects the first hydraulic pump and the hydraulic cylinder and forms a closed circuit therebetween. A hydraulic motor rotates a revolving upper unit with hydraulic fluid discharged from a second hydraulic pump. A second hydraulic circuit independent from the first hydraulic circuit connects the second hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor. A motor hydraulic pressure reduction unit reduces the driving hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic motor when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The predetermined condition is a condition in which an operation of the boom operating member to raise the boom and an operation of the rotation operating member to rotate the revolving upper unit are conducted together and an operation amount of the boom operating member is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Teruo Akiyama, Noboru Iida, Kenji Oshima, Kenji Sasano
  • Patent number: 4214992
    Abstract: A water collecting and distributing apparatus capable of collecting filtrate, distributing raw water, supplying back wash water and dispersing scouring air, which is disposed in a lower portion of a high speed filter basin, is disclosed. This apparatus comprises a plurality of blocks regularly arranged in the bottom portion of the filter basin, each block having a flow passage for air and water in the central portion thereof and a water dispersing chamber located adjacent to the flow passage. A communication hole is formed in a partition wall between the flow passage and the water dispersing chamber, and an injection hole is formed in each of the top wall of the flow passage and the top wall of the water dispersing chamber. The numbers and diameters of the communication holes and injection holes in the blocks and positions of these holes are arranged so that a certain relation is established among them. In each block, the flow passage is formed to have a trapezoidal sectional shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1978
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1980
    Assignee: Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sasano, Ichiro Shiramasa