Patents by Inventor Koji Iwaki

Koji Iwaki 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: 11933391
    Abstract: An HST of the present invention includes a main plate and a sub-plate supporting a center section, a pump-side swash plate holder and a motor-side swash plate holder by their inner surfaces facing each other. The main plate is provided with an extended region that extends farther outward in a planar direction of the main plate than an installation space of the center section, the pump-side swash plate holder and the motor-side swash plate holder and than the sub-plate as viewed along a direction in which the main plate and the sub-plate face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Owada, Koji Iwaki, Kengo Sasahara
  • Patent number: 11841067
    Abstract: A transmission structure of the present invention changes capacity of pump body so that vehicle speed detected by vehicle speed sensor increases and reduces according to speed-increasing and speed-reducing operations of speed-change operating member while fixing capacity of motor body at a low-speed motor capacity when the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a switching speed that is realized by setting motor body to the low-speed motor capacity and setting the pump body to a predetermined pump switching capacity, and changes capacity of motor body so that vehicle speed increases and reduces in accordance with speed-increasing and speed-reducing operations of speed-change operating member while fixing capacity of the pump body at the pump switching capacity when vehicle speed is higher than the switching speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., LTD
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Owada, Koji Iwaki
  • Publication number: 20230383828
    Abstract: In a transmission structure according to this invention, speed change ratios of input side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed of a planetary second element is the same when an HST output is set to a second HST speed in either a first transmission state or a second transmission state, and the rotational speed of a planetary first element is the same when the HST output is set to the second HST speed in either the second transmission state or the first transmission state. The speed change ratios of an output side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed developed in a speed change output shaft when the HST output is set to the second HST speed is the same in either the first or second transmission states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2023
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Koji IWAKI, Kazuhiro OWADA, Kengo SASAHARA
  • Patent number: 11796041
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a planetary gear assembly that, while increasing the speed change range of a power-split stepless transmission formed in cooperation a stepless transmission, can reduce the overall size of the power-split stepless transmission. [Solution] The planetary gear assembly according to the present invention includes: a cylindrical transmission shaft, an output shaft inserted into the transmission shaft, first and second planetary gear mechanisms each having a first sun gear supported to the transmission shaft without a relative rotation about an axial line, first and second clutch mechanisms that are placed coaxially with the transmission shaft, and that engage and disengage a power transmission of power to standard rotary speed power input units of the first and second planetary gear mechanisms, and a connection member extrapolated to the transmission shaft with a free relative rotation about an axial line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Terunobu Yoshioka, Koji Iwaki
  • Patent number: 11767904
    Abstract: In a transmission structure according to this invention, speed change ratios of input side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed of a planetary second element is the same when an HST output is set to a second HST speed in either a first transmission state or a second transmission state, and the rotational speed of a planetary first element is the same when the HST output is set to the second HST speed in either the second transmission state or the first transmission state. The speed change ratios of an output side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed developed in a speed change output shaft when the HST output is set to the second HST speed is the same in either the first or second transmission states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Kazuhiro Owada, Kengo Sasahara
  • Publication number: 20230258254
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a planetary gear assembly that, while increasing the speed change range of a power-split stepless transmission formed in cooperation a stepless transmission, can reduce the overall size of the power-split stepless transmission. [Solution] The planetary gear assembly according to the present invention includes: a cylindrical transmission shaft, an output shaft inserted into the transmission shaft, first and second planetary gear mechanisms each having a first sun gear supported to the transmission shaft without a relative rotation about an axial line, first and second clutch mechanisms that are placed coaxially with the transmission shaft, and that engage and disengage a power transmission of power to standard rotary speed power input units of the first and second planetary gear mechanisms, and a connection member extrapolated to the transmission shaft with a free relative rotation about an axial line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Terunobu YOSHIOKA, Koji IWAKI
  • Publication number: 20230220910
    Abstract: A transmission structure of the present invention changes capacity of pump body so that vehicle speed detected by vehicle speed sensor increases and reduces according to speed-increasing and speed-reducing operations of speed-change operating member while fixing capacity of motor body at a low-speed motor capacity when the vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a switching speed that is realized by setting motor body to the low-speed motor capacity and setting the pump body to a predetermined pump switching capacity, and changes capacity of motor body so that vehicle speed increases and reduces in accordance with speed-increasing and speed-reducing operations of speed-change operating member while fixing capacity of the pump body at the pump switching capacity when vehicle speed is higher than the switching speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OWADA, Koji IWAKI
  • Patent number: 11668381
    Abstract: A transmission structure of the present invention causes, during a period from a time point when a rotational speed of a drive rotational power reaches a predetermined first/second speed stage shift-up start speed until a first/second speed stage shift-up end time point, one of an input-side clutch mechanism pair and an output-side clutch mechanism pair to be in a double transmitting state, and causes, in the double transmitting state, a first clutch mechanism and a second clutch mechanism of the other one of the input-side clutch mechanism pair and the output-side clutch mechanism pair to be shifted to a disengagement sate and an engagement state, respectively, while having frictional plate slid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Owada, Koji Iwaki, Ryo Motooka, Kohei Ogura, Takumi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20230160460
    Abstract: In a transmission structure according to this invention, speed change ratios of input side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed of a planetary second element is the same when an HST output is set to a second HST speed in either a first transmission state or a second transmission state, and the rotational speed of a planetary first element is the same when the HST output is set to the second HST speed in either the second transmission state or the first transmission state. The speed change ratios of an output side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed developed in a speed change output shaft when the HST output is set to the second HST speed is the same in either the first or second transmission states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Koji IWAKI, Kazuhiro OWADA, Kengo SASAHARA
  • Patent number: 11644091
    Abstract: A hydromechanical continuously variable speed transmission is provided. The hydromechanical continuously variable speed transmission can include: the HST 10 in which the planetary gear mechanism 11 is housed in the planetary gear support case 71 mounted on a face of the center section 35 to form the HMT unit 100, the face being on the side opposite to the side on which the HST case 23 is mounted, and the HMT unit 100 is further provided with the housing mounting face 35d for fixing the HMT unit 100 to the housing 91 of the traveling power transmission mechanism 89, the housing mounting face 35d being provided on the center section 35 so as to surround the outer circumference of the mounting face 71a on which the planetary gear support case 71 is mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Tomoyuki Tsuji, Ryo Motooka
  • Publication number: 20230049519
    Abstract: A pump operation piston biased by a neutral spring mechanism and a larger volume operation spring biased by a larger volume operation spring in a larger volume direction operatively move pump and motor volume adjusting members, respectively, is provided. A first pressure control valve commonly controls supply-discharge of pressure oil that presses the pump operation piston in a first slide direction and the motor operation piston in a smaller volume direction. A second pressure control valve controls supply-discharge of pressure oil that presses the pump operation piston in a second slide direction. Biasing forces of the neutral spring mechanism and the larger volume operation spring are so set that, after the pump operation piston is moved in the first slide direction by a predetermined distance, the motor operation piston starts moving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Koji IWAKI, Tomoyuki TSUJI
  • Patent number: 11572939
    Abstract: In a transmission structure according to this invention, speed change ratios of input side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed of a planetary second element is the same when an HST output is set to a second HST speed in either a first transmission state or a second transmission state, and the rotational speed of a planetary first element is the same when the HST output is set to the second HST speed in either the second transmission state or the first transmission state. The speed change ratios of an output side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed developed in a speed change output shaft when the HST output is set to the second HST speed is the same in either the first or second transmission states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Kazuhiro Owada, Kengo Sasahara
  • Publication number: 20230014393
    Abstract: A transmission structure of the present invention causes, during a period from a time point when a rotational speed of a drive rotational power reaches a predetermined first/second speed stage shift-up start speed until a first/second speed stage shift-up end time point, one of an input-side clutch mechanism pair and an output-side clutch mechanism pair to be in a double transmitting state, and causes, in the double transmitting state, a first clutch mechanism and a second clutch mechanism of the other one of the input-side clutch mechanism pair and the output-side clutch mechanism pair to be shifted to a disengagement sate and an engagement state, respectively, while having frictional plate slid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OWADA, Koji IWAKI, Ryo MOTOOKA, Kohei OGURA, Takumi TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 11547051
    Abstract: A hydrostatic transaxle includes: a casing that is provided with an openable and closable filter insertion port and is filled with hydraulic oil; a hydraulic continuously variable transmission that is arranged inside the casing; a filter holding member that includes a support base that is a hollow cylindrical portion and oil-tightly partitions an inside of a cylinder and an outside of the cylinder, and a filter connection port that is a hollow cylindrical portion extending from a peripheral side surface of the support base and communicating with the inside of the cylinder, the support base communicating the inside of the cylinder to the port, and arranged between the center section and the casing facing the port; and a filter body that is freely inserted to and removed from the casing via the filter insertion port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshifumi Yasuda, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Daisuke Murashima, Masaru Iida, Koji Iwaki
  • Patent number: 11535208
    Abstract: A hydraulic transaxle facilitates mounting a parking brake unit which requires no link mechanism and is compact. The parking brake unit includes a brake rotor provided on a rotation shaft and a locking member being displaceable between a first position where the brake rotor is locked and a second position where the brake rotor is unlocked. The locking member includes a locking portion which is engaged in a recess formed in the brake rotor that locks the brake rotor in the first position, and a non-locking portion which is placed at a position corresponding to the recess and which separates from the brake rotor in the second position. The hydraulic transaxle further includes an oil-supply mechanism capable of displacing the locking member to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Matsuura, Koji Iwaki, Toshifumi Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20220316570
    Abstract: A hydromechanical continuously variable speed transmission is provided. The hydromechanical continuously variable speed transmission can include: the HST 10 in which the planetary gear mechanism 11 is housed in the planetary gear support case 71 mounted on a face of the center section 35 to form the HMT unit 100, the face being on the side opposite to the side on which the HST case 23 is mounted, and the HMT unit 100 is further provided with the housing mounting face 35d for fixing the HMT unit 100 to the housing 91 of the traveling power transmission mechanism 89, the housing mounting face 35d being provided on the center section 35 so as to surround the outer circumference of the mounting face 71a on which the planetary gear support case 71 is mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Koji IWAKI, Tomoyuki TSUJI, Ryo MOTOOKA
  • Publication number: 20220307578
    Abstract: An HST of the present invention includes a main plate and a sub-plate supporting a center section, a pump-side swash plate holder and a motor-side swash plate holder by their inner surfaces facing each other. The main plate is provided with an extended region that extends farther outward in a planar direction of the main plate than an installation space of the center section, the pump-side swash plate holder and the motor-side swash plate holder and than the sub-plate as viewed along a direction in which the main plate and the sub-plate face each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Kazuhiro OWADA, Koji IWAKI, Kengo SASAHARA
  • Patent number: 11293528
    Abstract: A working vehicle of this invention includes a main speed change structure that includes a continuously variable speed change structure such as an HMT structure and a multi-speed speed change structure capable of switching between a first power transmission state with a first gear ratio and a second power transmission state with a second gear ratio providing a higher speed than the first gear ratio. A control device causes the continuously variable speed change structure to be accelerated to a forward travel side in accordance with an accelerating operation of a speed change operation member in a forward travel direction, and causes the multi-speed speed change structure to be changed from a first power transmission state to a second power transmission state when the rotational speed of the speed change output shaft reaches a switching speed set to exceed a work speed range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Kazuhiro Owada, Kengo Sasahara
  • Publication number: 20220074476
    Abstract: A hydrostatic transaxle includes: a casing; a hydraulic continuously variable transmission; and an oil filter that includes a filter body for filtering the hydraulic oil and a filter holding member configured to guide clean oil filtered in the filter body to a suction oil reservoir, in which the filter holding member includes a filter installation portion for installing the filter body, and a suction oil reservoir provided at a position different from the filter installation portion, and the filter installation portion and the suction oil reservoir are configured to be separable from each other and be couplable to each other to freely flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Takehiro OTA, Michio TSUKAMOTO, Koji KIYOOKA, Mai TERADA, Koji IWAKI
  • Publication number: 20220074491
    Abstract: In a transmission structure according to this invention, speed change ratios of input side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed of a planetary second element is the same when an HST output is set to a second HST speed in either a first transmission state or a second transmission state, and the rotational speed of a planetary first element is the same when the HST output is set to the second HST speed in either the second transmission state or the first transmission state. The speed change ratios of an output side first and second transmission mechanisms are set so that the rotational speed developed in a speed change output shaft when the HST output is set to the second HST speed is the same in either the first or second transmission states.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Koji IWAKI, Kazuhiro OWADA, Kengo SASAHARA