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).
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Patent number: 9797485Abstract: A belt type continuously variable transmission device includes an actuator that moves a moveable sheave member of a drive pulley which is a one-side pulley in an axial direction. The actuator includes a moveable feed member, a gear case, and an electric motor. The moveable feed member includes an inner tube section in which a moveable-side feed screw is provided, an outer tube section in which an outer gear is provided, and a lid section. The gear case has a fixed tube section in which a fixed-side feed screw is provided, and an outer cover. The electric motor drives a motor-side gear that intermeshes with the outer gear. The outer cover has an opening into which the outer tube section is inserted and that proximately opposes an outer circumferential surface of the outer tube section.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.Inventors: Tomoyuki Ebihara, Tatsuya Kamada, Michio Tsukamoto, Koji Iwaki
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Publication number: 20170284510Abstract: A dual clutch transmission comprises a housing formed therein with a gear chamber incorporating an odd-numbered speed gear train group and an even-numbered speed gear train group. An end of the input shaft is connected to an engine, and a cover is detachably attached to the housing opposite the end of the input shaft so as to define a clutch chamber divided from the gear chamber. A first clutch for the odd-numbered speed gear train group and a second clutch for the even-numbered speed gear train group are disposed in the clutch chamber. Fluid passages for supplying hydraulic fluid to the first and second clutches are formed in the cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2017Publication date: October 5, 2017Inventors: Koji IWAKI, Jun MATSUURA, Nobuhiro SHIMOBAYASHI, Daisuke MURASHIMA, Tetsuya KAWATANI, Shuji NISHIMOTO, Tatsuya KAMADA, Takehiro OTA
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Patent number: 9759310Abstract: A transaxle comprises a hydrostatic transmission (HST), an axle, a gear train interposed between the HST and the axle, a casing and a partition. The casing defines an HST chamber and a gear chamber. The HST is disposed in the HST chamber. The gear train and the axle are disposed in the gear chamber. The partition is disposed in the casing so as to separate the HST chamber and the gear chamber from each other. The partition has an opening through which a hydraulic motor of the HST passes to extend from the HST chamber into the gear chamber so as to be drivingly connected to the gear train. The partition obstructs a flow of fluid between a fluid sump in the HST chamber from a fluid sump in the gear chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2015Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshifumi Yasuda, Daisuke Murashima, Koji Iwaki, Hiroki Maehara, Koga Yamane
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Publication number: 20170218929Abstract: A hydraulic transaxle comprises an axial piston hydraulic pump having a variable displacement, and a transaxle casing incorporating the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump includes a movable swash plate and a pair of trunnion shafts. The transaxle casing includes a pair of side walls, and includes a pair of casing holes each of which penetrates each of the side walls between an inside and an outside of the transaxle casing. The pair of trunnion shafts are passed through the respective casing holes. The swash plate is formed with a pair of swash plate holes in the respective side portions facing the respective side walls in the inside of the transaxle casing. Proximal end portions of the respective trunnion shafts are inserted into the respective swash plate holes. A distal end portion of one of the trunnion shafts projects from the corresponding casing hole to the outside of the transaxle casing.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2017Publication date: August 3, 2017Applicant: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Daisuke MURASHIMA, Koji IWAKI, Toshifumi YASUDA, Katsumoto MIZUKAWA
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Publication number: 20160363203Abstract: A transaxle comprises a transaxle casing, axle, brake, brake arm, first and second link members, and relay arm. The brake includes a brake operation shaft pivotally supported by the transaxle casing for shifting between brake activation and inactivation states. A starting end of the first link member is connected to a manipulator, and a terminal end of the second link member is connected to the brake arm. The relay arm is pivotally centered on a first pivotal axis outside of the transaxle casing, and includes a first arm portion extended from the first pivotal axis to a first end and a second arm portion extended from the first pivotal axis to a second end. A terminal end of the first link member is connected to the first arm portion, and a starting end of the second link member is connected to the second arm portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2015Publication date: December 15, 2016Inventors: Daisuke MURASHIMA, Trevor NIENKE, Toshifumi YASUDA, Koji IWAKI, Masaru IIDA
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Publication number: 20160341297Abstract: In a bevel gear power transmission structure of the present invention, a first wall of a gear box, supporting a first shaft that is one of a drive shaft and a driven shaft, has a first opening having a larger diameter than a first bevel gear that is supported by the first shaft, and a hollow first collar retaining a first bearing that supports the first shaft is detachably disposed in the first opening. The first collar has an engagement surface facing outward in an axial direction of the first shaft in the first opening, and the engagement surface is directly or indirectly engaged with a first-collar retaining ring detachably attached to the inner circumferential surface of the first opening so that the first collar is prevented from being separated outward from the first opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2016Publication date: November 24, 2016Inventors: Koji IWAKI, Jun Matsuura, Toshifumi Yasuda
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Patent number: 9487085Abstract: A transaxle is adaptable to a vehicle equipped with a longitudinal engine including an engine output shaft to be oriented in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle. The transaxle comprises a transmission output shaft to be oriented in a lateral direction of the vehicle so as to be drivingly connected to a drive wheel of the vehicle, a hydrostatic transmission and a mechanical transmission for transmitting power from the engine output shaft to the transmission output shaft, and first and second power take-off shafts for taking off power from the mechanical transmission. The engine is joined to the transaxle so that the engine, the hydrostatic transmission and the mechanical transmission are assembled together. The first and second power take-off shafts are distributed rightward and leftward from the engine.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2015Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jun Matsuura, Koji Iwaki
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Patent number: 9475384Abstract: A powertrain system for driving a vehicle comprises an engine, a transaxle including a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic pump separated from the hydraulic motor, and a gearbox joined to the hydraulic pump. The engine includes an engine output shaft extended in the lateral direction of the vehicle. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor are fluidly connected to each other so as to constitute a hydrostatic transmission. The gearbox supports a PTO shaft. The gearbox incorporates gears for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the hydraulic pump, and for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the PTO shaft extended in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.Inventors: Jun Matsuura, Koji Iwaki, Tomoyuki Ebihara
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Publication number: 20160298743Abstract: A transaxle comprises a hydrostatic transmission (HST), an axle, a gear train interposed between the HST and the axle, a casing and a partition. The casing defines an HST chamber and a gear chamber. The HST is disposed in the HST chamber. The gear train and the axle are disposed in the gear chamber. The partition is disposed in the casing so as to separate the HST chamber and the gear chamber from each other. The partition has an opening through which a hydraulic motor of the HST passes to extend from the HST chamber into the gear chamber so as to be drivingly connected to the gear train. The partition obstructs a flow of fluid between a fluid sump in the HST chamber from a fluid sump in the gear chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2015Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Toshifumi YASUDA, Daisuke MURASHIMA, Koji IWAKI, Hiroki MAEHARA, Koga YAMANE
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Publication number: 20160281821Abstract: A clutch system includes a transmission shaft, a gear, and a clutch slider. The gear is provided on the transmission shaft rotatably relative to the transmission shaft. The clutch slider is provided on the transmission shaft axially slidably along the transmission shaft and unrotatably relative to the transmission shaft. The gear and the clutch slider are provided with respective clutch teeth. The clutch system is set in either a clutch-on state where the clutch teeth of the gear engage with the clutch teeth of the clutch slider or a clutch-off state where the clutch teeth of the gear disengage from the clutch teeth of the clutch slider. The clutch system is provided with a hydraulic control system to hydraulically control the respective axial slide actions of the clutch slider in a clutch-on direction for realizing the clutch-on state and in a clutch-off direction for realizing the clutch-off state.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2016Publication date: September 29, 2016Inventors: Jun MATSUURA, Koji IWAKI
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Patent number: 9453519Abstract: A transaxle includes a hydrostatic transmission and an axle driven by the hydrostatic transmission. The hydrostatic transmission includes a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor fluidly connected to each other. The hydraulic pump has a pump shaft. The hydraulic motor has a motor shaft drivingly connected to the axle. The motor shaft has an axis extended slantwise from an axis of the pump shaft. The transaxle further includes a gear train for transmitting power from the motor shaft to the axle, and a gear locking system having a locking pawl. A gear of the gear train is adapted to engage with the locking pawl.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2014Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Oscar H. Saldierna, Toshifumi Yasuda, Koji Iwaki, Katsumoto Mizukawa, Daisuke Murashima, Masaru Iida
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Patent number: 9416859Abstract: A hydrostatic stepless transmission (“HST”) includes a center casing into which a plunger block of a hydraulic pump and a plunger block of a hydraulic motor are inserted. Plunger ports are open and aligned peripherally on an outer peripheral surface of each plunger block. A pair of main fluid passages of a closed fluid circuit fluidly connecting the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor are formed in opposite side portions of the center casing. Each of the main fluid passage includes peripheral grooves formed on an inner peripheral surface of the center casing so as to face the plunger ports of the respective plunger blocks, and includes an axial fluid duct formed to be interposed between the peripheral grooves. A bearing gap is provided between the inner peripheral surface of the center casing and the outer peripheral surface of the plunger block so as to cause a dynamic pressure action of fluid.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2013Date of Patent: August 16, 2016Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Jun Matsuura, Daisuke Murashima, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Minoru Kamada
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Publication number: 20160186841Abstract: A belt type continuously variable transmission device includes an actuator that moves a moveable sheave member of a drive pulley which is a one-side pulley in an axial direction. The actuator includes a moveable feed member, a gear case, and an electric motor. The moveable feed member includes an inner tube section in which a moveable-side feed screw is provided, an outer tube section in which an outer gear is provided, and a lid section. The gear case has a fixed tube section in which a fixed-side feed screw is provided, and an outer cover. The electric motor drives a motor-side gear that intermeshes with the outer gear. The outer cover has an opening into which the outer tube section is inserted and that proximately opposes an outer circumferential surface of the outer tube section.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2016Publication date: June 30, 2016Applicant: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomoyuki Ebihara, Tatsuya Kamada, Michio Tsukamoto, Koji Iwaki
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Patent number: 9334934Abstract: An input pulley, an output pulley, a belt wound across the pulleys, a hydraulic cylinder provided to the input pulley, and a hydraulic servo mechanism that controls an operation of the hydraulic cylinder are provided. The hydraulic servo mechanism includes: a valve chest facing an input side movable sheave; a servo spool slidably inserted in the valve chest, and switches an oil passage in communication with a hydraulic chamber of the hydraulic cylinder; and a feedback spool disposed in such a manner that one end comes into contact with the input side movable sheave a bearing disposed in between, and configured to switch the oil passage to maintain a slid position of the input side movable sheave at a position corresponding to a slid position of the servo spool.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2011Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: YANMAR CO., LTD.Inventors: Fumitoshi Ishino, Takeshi Ouchida, Terunobu Yoshioka, Koji Iwaki
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Publication number: 20160040691Abstract: An HST control mechanism includes a rotary member, a servo unit, a telescopic member, and a biasing device. The rotary member for controlling a displacement of a hydrostatic transmission (HST) is pivoted outside of a casing incorporating the HST. The servo unit includes a telescopically movable actuator and a valve controlling the telescopic movement of the actuator. The actuator is interlockingly connected to the rotary member. The servo unit is pivotally supported on the casing via a first pivot. The servo unit rotates centered on the first pivot as the rotary member rotates according to the telescopic movement of the actuator hydraulically controlled by the valve. The telescopic member is pivotally supported on the casing via a second pivot. The telescopic member is provided with the biasing device that biases the telescopic member and the rotary member toward a position corresponding to a neutral state of the HST.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2015Publication date: February 11, 2016Inventors: Jun Matsuura, Koji Iwaki, Tomoyuki Tsuji, Minoru Kamada, Hideki Kanenobu, Kengo Sasahara
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Patent number: 9248737Abstract: A transmission for a working vehicle equipped with an engine having a horizontal engine output shaft, pair of transaxles for driving right and left drive wheels at variable speeds, and working device comprises a horizontal input shaft, output shaft, first gear train, horizontal PTO shaft, second gear train, PTO clutch and casing. An axial end of the input shaft connects to a flywheel of the engine. The output shaft drivingly connects to the transaxles. The first gear train transmits power from the input shaft to the output shaft. The PTO shaft extends parallel to the input shaft, and is provided with a universal joint connected to the working device. The second gear train transmits power from the input shaft to the PTO shaft via the PTO clutch. The casing supports the input and output shafts and incorporates the first and second gear trains and the PTO clutch.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2015Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Akihiro Ima, Toshifumi Yasuda
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Publication number: 20150306954Abstract: A transaxle is adaptable to a vehicle equipped with a longitudinal engine including an engine output shaft to be oriented in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle. The transaxle comprises a transmission output shaft to be oriented in a lateral direction of the vehicle so as to be drivingly connected to a drive wheel of the vehicle, a hydrostatic transmission and a mechanical transmission for transmitting power from the engine output shaft to the transmission output shaft, and first and second power take-off shafts for taking off power from the mechanical transmission. The engine is joined to the transaxle so that the engine, the hydrostatic transmission and the mechanical transmission are assembled together. The first and second power take-off shafts are distributed rightward and leftward from the engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2015Publication date: October 29, 2015Applicant: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.Inventors: Jun MATSUURA, Koji Iwaki
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Publication number: 20150239344Abstract: A transmission for a working vehicle equipped with an engine having a horizontal engine output shaft, pair of transaxles for driving right and left drive wheels at variable speeds, and working device comprises a horizontal input shaft, output shaft, first gear train, horizontal PTO shaft, second gear train, PTO clutch and casing. An axial end of the input shaft connects to a flywheel of the engine. The output shaft drivingly connects to the transaxles. The first gear train transmits power from the input shaft to the output shaft. The PTO shaft extends parallel to the input shaft, and is provided with a universal joint connected to the working device. The second gear train transmits power from the input shaft to the PTO shaft via the PTO clutch. The casing supports the input and output shafts and incorporates the first and second gear trains and the PTO clutch.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2015Publication date: August 27, 2015Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Akihiro Ima, Toshifumi Yasuda
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Publication number: 20150075155Abstract: An apparatus comprises a hydrostatic transmission and a casing incorporating the hydrostatic transmission. The hydrostatic transmission includes a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor and a center section. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor are attached to the center section that is formed therein with a fluid sump fluidly connecting the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor. At least a bottom portion of the center section is submerged in a fluid sump in the casing. A charge port for fluidly connecting the fluid sump to the fluid passage is open at the bottom portion of the center section in the fluid sump, The bottom portion of the center section is downwardly convex so as to have an apex at the lowest portion. The opening of the charge port is directed to the apex of the convex bottom portion of the center section.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Inventors: Daisuke MURASHIMA, Koji Iwaki, Toshifumi Yasuda, Katsumoto Mizukawa
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Publication number: 20150068824Abstract: A powertrain system for driving a vehicle comprises an engine, a transaxle including a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic pump separated from the hydraulic motor, and a gearbox joined to the hydraulic pump. The engine includes an engine output shaft extended in the lateral direction of the vehicle. The hydraulic pump and the hydraulic motor are fluidly connected to each other so as to constitute a hydrostatic transmission. The gearbox supports a PTO shaft. The gearbox incorporates gears for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the hydraulic pump, and for drivingly connecting the engine output shaft to the PTO shaft extended in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2014Publication date: March 12, 2015Inventors: Jun MATSUURA, Koji IWAKI, Tomoyuki EBIHARA