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).

  • Publication number: 20150068824
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Jun MATSUURA, Koji IWAKI, Tomoyuki EBIHARA
  • Publication number: 20150011344
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: TOMOYUKI EBIHARA, Tatsuya Kamada, Michio Tsukamoto, Koji Iwaki
  • Publication number: 20150007555
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Applicant: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Oscar H. SALDIERNA, Toshifumi Yasuda, Koji Iwaki, Katsumoto Mizukawa, Daisuke Murashima, Masaru Ilda
  • Publication number: 20140378251
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Ishino, Takeshi Ouchida, Terunobu Yoshioka, Koji Iwaki
  • Patent number: 8887500
    Abstract: A hydraulic transaxle comprises a transaxle housing, an axle, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic circuit, and a pair of auxiliary pumps. The transaxle housing defines a fluid sump therein. The axle is supported by the transaxle housing. The hydraulic motor is disposed in the transaxle housing so as to drive the axle. The hydraulic pump is disposed in the transaxle housing so as to supply hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor. The hydraulic circuit is disposed in the transaxle housing so as to fluidly connect the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor. The pair of auxiliary pumps are disposed in the transaxle housing so as to supply fluid from the fluid sump to outside of the transaxle housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kanenobu, Masaru Iida, Koji Iwaki, Shinya Sakakura
  • Patent number: 8838348
    Abstract: In a working vehicle, there is dissolved a risk that a black smoke is discharged, a knocking is generated and an engine stall is caused, if a lot of load is applied to a rotary tiller during various works while traveling at a low speed. In the working vehicle provided with an engine which is mounted to a travel machine body, a common rail type fuel injection device which injects fuel to the engine, and a continuously variable transmission which shifts power from the engine, an engine driving point Q (Q1?Q2) relating to a rotating speed N and a torque T of the engine is changed in such a manner that the rotation speed come to a high speed side rotating speed N2 dissolving an overload, and a change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission is modified and regulates in such a manner that a vehicle speed V of the travel machine body does not change in the case that the overload acts on the engine of having a low speed N1 in the rotating speed N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Oouchida, Keiichirou Yuzaki, Akifumi Kuroda, Tadao Hirai, Koji Iwaki, Koji Sakata, Minoru Kamada
  • Patent number: 8806864
    Abstract: A transmission comprises a casing, an output element, a hydrostatic stepless transmission unit (HST) and a forward/backward traveling direction selecting unit (reverser). The output element is supported by the casing. The HST is disposed in the casing so as to be driven by a drive source disposed outside of the casing. The HST includes a pump shaft and a motor shaft member. The pump shaft is drivingly connected to the drive source. The motor shaft member is fitted around the pump shaft coaxially to the pump shaft so as to be rotatable relative to the pump shaft, thereby constituting a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor centered on the pump shaft and the motor shaft member. An axially distal end of the motor shaft member is disposed on the axially proximal side of an axially distal end of the pump shaft so that axial ends of the pump shaft are the axially most distal ends of the HST in the axial direction of the pump shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mgf. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiro Ishii, Koji Iwaki
  • Patent number: 8800279
    Abstract: A hydraulic transmission system for a zero-turn vehicle, comprises first and second transaxles each of which includes an axle, a casing supporting the axle, a fluid sump provided in the casing, first and second ports provided on the casing and opened outward from the casing, an HST circuit, a charge pump disposed in the casing, and a charge passage disposed in the casing to supply the HST circuit with fluid delivered from the charge pump. A first pipe connects the first ports of the transaxles, thereby making the flow of fluid from the charge pump of the first transaxle to the fluid sump of the second transaxle. A second pipe connects the second ports of the transaxles, whereby overflowing fluid of the fluid sump of the second transaxle is released to the fluid sump of the first transaxle via the second pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kita, Koji Iwaki, Shinya Sakakura
  • Patent number: 8758195
    Abstract: A traveling speed control system for a work vehicle comprises an engine having a variable throttle opening; a hydrostatic transmission driven by the engine, the hydrostatic transmission having a variable output/input speed ratio; a travel mode selecting manipulator for selecting either a work travel mode or a normal travel mode; and an acceleration manipulator for setting a traveling speed of the work vehicle. Increase of the throttle opening during idling, of the engine is prior to increase of the output/input speed ratio for increasing the traveling speed of the work vehicle when the work travel mode is selected, and the increase of the throttle opening prior to the increase of the output/input speed ratio is canceled when the normal travel mode is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Iwaki
  • Publication number: 20140011638
    Abstract: A traveling speed control system for a work vehicle comprises an engine having a variable throttle opening; a hydrostatic transmission driven by the engine, the hydrostatic transmission having a variable output/input speed ratio; a travel mode selecting manipulator for selecting either a work travel mode or a normal travel mode; and an acceleration manipulator for setting a traveling speed of the work vehicle. Increase of the throttle opening during idling, of the engine is prior to increase of the output/input speed ratio for increasing the traveling speed of the work vehicle when the work travel mode is selected, and the increase of the throttle opening prior to the increase of the output/input speed ratio is canceled when the normal travel mode is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventor: Koji IWAKI
  • Publication number: 20130269328
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji IWAKI, Jun Matsuura, Daisuke Murashima, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Minoru Kamada
  • Publication number: 20130239561
    Abstract: A hydraulic transaxle comprises a transaxle housing, an axle, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor, a hydraulic circuit, and a pair of auxiliary pumps. The transaxle housing defines a fluid sump therein. The axle is supported by the transaxle housing. The hydraulic motor is disposed in the transaxle housing so as to drive the axle. The hydraulic pump is disposed in the transaxle housing so as to supply hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic motor. The hydraulic circuit is disposed in the transaxle housing so as to fluidly connect the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic motor. The pair of auxiliary pumps are disposed in the transaxle housing so as to supply fluid from the fluid sump to outside of the transaxle housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Hideki KANENOBU, Masaru Iida, Koji Iwaki, Shinya Sakakura
  • Publication number: 20130173123
    Abstract: In a working vehicle 141, there is dissolved a risk that a black smoke is discharged, a knocking is generated and an engine stall is caused, if a lot of load is applied to a rotary tiller 24 during various works while traveling at a low speed. In the working vehicle 141 provided with an engine 70 which is mounted to a travel machine body 142, a common rail type fuel injection device 117 which injects fuel to the engine 70, and a continuously variable transmission 159 which shifts power from the engine 70, an engine driving point Q (Q1?Q2) relating to a rotating speed N and a torque T of the engine 70 is changed in such a manner that the rotation speed come to a high speed side rotating speed N2 dissolving an overload, and a change gear ratio of the continuously variable transmission 159 is modified and regulates in such a manner that a vehicle speed V of the travel machine body 142 does not change in the case that the overload acts on the engine 70 of having a low speed N1 in the rotating speed N.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: YANMAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Oouchida, Keiichirou Yuzaki, Akifumi Kuroda, Tadao Hirai, Koji Iwaki, Koji Sakata, Minoru Kamada
  • Patent number: 8459398
    Abstract: A wheel motor device applicable to a working vehicle including a driving power source, a hydraulic pump main body operatively driven by the driving source and a driving wheel, the wheel motor device comprising a hydraulic motor main body forming an HST in cooperation with the hydraulic pump main body, a motor shaft supporting the hydraulic motor main body in a relatively non-rotatable manner with respect thereto, an output member outputting toward the driving wheel the rotational power that has been operatively transmitted from the motor shaft, and a casing accommodating the hydraulic motor main body and supporting the motor shaft and the output member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Iwaki
  • Publication number: 20130091837
    Abstract: A hydraulic transmission system for a zero-turn vehicle, comprises first and second transaxles each of which includes an axle, a casing supporting the axle, a fluid sump provided in the casing, first and second ports provided on the casing and opened outward from the casing, an HST circuit, a charge pump disposed in the casing, and a charge passage disposed in the casing to supply the HST circuit with fluid delivered from the charge pump. A first pipe connects the first ports of the transaxles, thereby making the flow of fluid from the charge pump of the first transaxle to the fluid sump of the second transaxle. A second pipe connects the second ports of the transaxles, whereby overflowing fluid of the fluid sump of the second transaxle is released to the fluid sump of the first transaxle via the second pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi KITA, Koji Iwaki
  • Patent number: 8381853
    Abstract: An electric vehicle comprising a drive wheel which is driven by a traction electric motor, a brake command device, a brake releasing unit, a brake shaft, a friction plate, and a braking spring. The brake shaft is rotatable in a brake realizing direction which is one direction by an operation of the brake command device, and is rotatable in a brake releasing direction which is the other direction by driving of the brake releasing unit. The friction plate is operatively connected to the traction electric motor, and is frictionally braked when the brake shaft is rotated in the brake realizing direction. The braking spring applies an elastic force to the brake shaft in a direction to rotate the brake shaft in the brake realizing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Kazunari Koga, Kengo Sasahara
  • Patent number: 8337353
    Abstract: The traveling system transmission structure for vehicle includes a planetary gear unit, a forward/rearward-travel switch unit and a transmission case. A front end portion of a sun gear shaft is directly or indirectly supported by a front bearing wall that is detachably connected to a front side of the transmission case and a rear end portion of a planetary outputting member is directly or indirectly supported by an intermediate bearing wall, so that the planetary gear unit is accommodated in a front chamber that is sandwiched by the front bearing wall and the intermediate bearing wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Iwaki, Fumitoshi Ishino, Hideki Kanenobu, Kazunari Koga, Norihiro Ishii, Toshiaki Okanishi
  • Publication number: 20120261201
    Abstract: A wheel motor device applicable to a working vehicle including a driving power source, a hydraulic pump main body operatively driven by the driving source and a driving wheel, the wheel motor device comprising a hydraulic motor main body forming an HST in cooperation with the hydraulic pump main body, a motor shaft supporting the hydraulic motor main body in a relatively non-rotatable manner with respect thereto, an output member outputting toward the driving wheel the rotational power that has been operatively transmitted from the motor shaft, and a casing accommodating the hydraulic motor main body and supporting the motor shaft and the output member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventor: Koji IWAKI
  • Patent number: 8281892
    Abstract: The working vehicle includes an axle unit that has a differential gear device, an axle case, an axle input shaft and first and second main output shafts, and an HST unit that has a hydraulic pump main body, a hydraulic motor main body, a capacity adjustment mechanism, an HST case, a pump shaft and a motor shaft, an HST input shaft, and an HST output shaft, wherein the axle unit is directly or indirectly supported by the vehicle frame so as to be positioned close to a first main driving wheel in a state where the axle input shaft extends in a vehicle widthwise direction, wherein the HST unit is directly or indirectly supported by the vehicle frame at a position away from the axle unit in a state where the HST output shaft extends in the vehicle widthwise direction, and wherein the HST output shaft and the axle input shaft are operatively connected to each other through an endless type transmission member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sugimoto, Hideki Kanenobu, Koji Iwaki, Kenta Sashikuma
  • Patent number: 8205708
    Abstract: A hydraulic transaxle has an axle casing and a pair of hydraulic motors disposed in the axle casing. The hydraulic motors have respective motor shafts and respective moveable swash plates. An axis of tilt of each moveable swash plate is offset with respect to a longitudinal axis of the respective motor shaft, and the moveable swash plates are operatively engaged to a steering operation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Sakakura, Takeshi Okazaki, Koji Iwaki