Patents by Inventor Michio Iihara

Michio Iihara 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: 7000319
    Abstract: To make a peripheral lip region to be formed with chamfered portions by the use of a plastic working technique, to enable the use of a cup forming punch of a simplified shape so that a mold used therewith can be easily assembled and the punch when worn down can easily be repaired, a method of making an outer race of a constant velocity universal joint of a tripod type includes an upsetting step during which not only are outer peripheral shapes of a small diameter portion (W3a) and a large diameter portion (W3b) defined, but a recess (Wb) having a tapered peripheral wall face (Wba), which eventually defines general shapes of the chamfered portions (10) of the outer race (1), is formed in an end face of the large diameter portion (W3b). During a cup forming step, the tapered peripheral wall face (Wba) defined during the upsetting step is rearwardly pushed while its shape is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Yoshihiro Sagisaka, Takeshi Shinkai
  • Patent number: 6913540
    Abstract: A constant velocity universal joint for use with a propeller shaft which reduces its weight and size as well as facilitates assembling a stub shaft, thereby reducing the number of parts used and improving rotational balance. The universal joint, comprising: an outer ring with a cup-shaped enlarged diameter portion having track grooves formed on an inner peripheral surface and with a hollow reduced diameter portion integrated with the enlarged diameter portion; an inner ring having track grooves formed on an outer peripheral surface; balls, interposed between the track grooves of the inner and outer rings, for transmitting torque; a cage, accommodated in an annular space between the inner and outer rings, for holding the balls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Yoshihiro Sagisaka, Masazumi Kobayashi, Akio Sakaguchi, Ryuma Mano, Kikuo Maeda
  • Publication number: 20020187841
    Abstract: A constant velocity universal joint for use with a propeller shaft which reduces its weight and size as well as facilitates assembling a stub shaft, thereby reducing the number of parts used and improving rotational balance. The universal joint, comprising: an outer ring with a cup-shaped enlarged diameter portion having track grooves formed on an inner peripheral surface and with a hollow reduced diameter portion integrated with the enlarged diameter portion; an inner ring having track grooves formed on an outer peripheral surface; balls, interposed between the track grooves of the inner and outer rings, for transmitting torque; a cage, accommodated in an annular space between the inner and outer rings, for holding the balls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2002
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Yoshihiro Sagisaka, Masazumi Kobayashi, Akio Sakaguchi, Ryuma Mano, Kikuo Maeda
  • Patent number: 6422946
    Abstract: There are provided an outer race of a constant velocity joint which has better operability and lower cost, and a method for manufacturing the same. First, an outer race 1 having a shaft portion 1a and a cylindrical portion 1b is prepared as a blank. Then with a punch set 4 fitted with an initial clearance in the radial direction into the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion 1b, the cylindrical portion 1b is pressure-inserted into the die 6 from the opening side thereof to form the ball rolling grooves 2 on the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion 1b, with the ironing operation being stopped when the ball rolling grooves of a predetermined length is formed while leaving an inner-most portion of cylindrical portion 1b intact, thereby forming a margin recess 7 for a grinding wheel at the base of the ball rolling groove 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Yasushi Takahara, Yoshihiro Sagisaka
  • Publication number: 20020092168
    Abstract: To make a peripheral lip region to be formed with chamfered portions by the use of a plastic working technique, to enable the use of a cup forming punch of a simplified shape so that a mold used therewith can be easily assembled and the punch when worn down can easily be repaired, a method of making an outer race of a constant velocity universal joint of a tripod type includes an upsetting step during which not only are outer peripheral shapes of a small diameter portion (W3a) and a large diameter portion (W3b) defined, but a recess (Wb) having a tapered peripheral wall face (Wba), which eventually defines general shapes of the chamfered portions (10) of the outer race (1), is formed in an end face of the large diameter portion (W3b). During a cup forming step, the tapered peripheral wall face (Wba) defined during the upsetting step is rearwardly pushed while its shape is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michio IIhara, Yoshihiro Sagisaka, Takeshi Shinkai
  • Patent number: 6419767
    Abstract: A distortion control method that can suppress distortion of a member during quenching and a cooling power measuring device that can precisely measure cooling power are provided. In the distortion control method, when the member is subjected to quenching using liquid cooling medium, the cooling power of the cooling medium being used is maintained within a prescribed range, so that variation in distortion suffered by the member is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Masami Yamaguchi, Jun Yoshitomi, Takeshi Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20010015247
    Abstract: A distortion control method that can suppress distortion of a member during quenching and a cooling power measuring device that can precisely measure cooling power are provided. In the distortion control method, when the member is subjected to quenching using liquid cooling medium, the cooling power of the cooling medium being used is maintained within a prescribed range, so that variation in distortion suffered by the member is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Applicant: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Masami Yamaguchi, Jun Yoshitomi, Takeshi Maruyama
  • Patent number: 6224490
    Abstract: A constant velocity joint includes an outer race (1) having a spherical inner surface (2) with track grooves (3) each extending in an axial direction thereof, an inner race having a spherical outer surface (5) formed with track grooves (6) equal in number to the number of the track grooves (3) in the outer race (1), a plurality of torque transmitting balls (7) sandwiched between the inner race (4) and the outer race (1) and accommodated in part in the track grooves (6) in the inner race (4) and in part in the track grooves (3) in the outer race (1), and a cage (8) for retaining the torque transmitting balls (7) while being guided by and between the spherical inner surface (2) of the outer race (1) and the spherical outer surface (5) of the inner race (4). This constant velocity joint of the structure described above is featured in that at least the track grooves (3) in the outer race (1) and an entry chamfer (11) of the outer race (1) are formed by a plastic working process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Yasushi Takahara, Masami Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 5765430
    Abstract: A method for and an apparatus of producing an outer member of a universal joint having cross-grooves are provided in order to increase replenishability of the inner peripheral portion of the outer member. The outer member 1 is provided in a preformed material including a shaft 1a and a cylindrical portion 1b. A punch set 5 is fitted within the cylindrical portion 1b. The punch set is expandable and constrictable in the radial direction and includes a plurality of protrusions 3 having a configuration complementary to that of the cross-grooves. The cylindrical portion 1b is pressed into a die bore 8, starting with its opening portion 9, for performing an ironing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Yasushi Takahara, Yoshihiro Sagisaka
  • Patent number: 5764051
    Abstract: A cold forged pulsar ring (1) which comprises a ring body (1a) having inner and outer peripheral surfaces. A plurality of circumferentially spaced gear teeth (2) are integrally formed by the use of a cold forging process with one of the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the ring body (1a) so as to protrude radially of the ring body (1a). Each of the gear teeth (2) is so profiled as to have a substantially trapezoidal shape having a tooth angle (.theta.) not smaller than 5.degree., but not greater than 15.degree.. With this design, not only can a cold forging process be employed to manufacture the pulsar ring (1), but also a required output voltage can be secured from a sensor of the rotation detecting device in which the pulsar ring (1) is operatively employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Tajima, Michio Iihara, Osamu Shimizu, Akira Sera
  • Patent number: 5735745
    Abstract: A tripod member having three trunnions is inserted in an outer ring. A guide block is supported on each of the trunnions so as to be pivotable around the trunnion and is formed with a ball circulation groove at each side thereof. A plurality of balls are accommodated in the ball circulation groove so that part of the balls will protrude diametrically outwards from the ball circulation groove. The outer ring is formed in its inner surface with raceway grooves for guiding the balls in an axial direction. An arcuate ball rolling surface and a ball guide surface are formed at both sides of each raceway groove to guide the balls and prevent them from dropping out, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Kohara, Hiromichi Bando, Tatsurou Sugiyama, Michio Iihara
  • Patent number: 5692590
    Abstract: The outer member (23) of a constant velocity joint is supported inside of a tubular housing (5) and is rotatable and slidable in the axial direction through the slide sleeve (8) and ball bearing (9) inside of the tubular housing. Between the axle hub (2) and the outer member (23), mutually engageable engaging portions (26) are provided which enable the sliding engaging and disengaging. A selector device makes the outer member displace against force of a spring to change over the engaging and disengaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Eiji Tajima, Yoshiaki Kuchiki
  • Patent number: 5544548
    Abstract: A cold forming method for plastic deformation process of toothed ring-shaped products (W0) have a tooth profile portion (T) in at least one of the outer peripheral surface and inner peripheral surface thereof. When processing a ring-shaped product (W0) having a tooth profile portion (T) in the outer peripheral surface, a die (1) is utilized. The die (1) has a tooth forming part (4) having a shape corresponding to the shape of the tooth profile portion (T) of the ring-shaped product (W0) in its inner peripheral surface, and, if necessary, a tip shaping part (5) positioned in the groove of the tooth forming part (4). A ring-shaped material (W) is pressed and passed into the die (1) by a punch (2) in a round shaft shape in the axial direction, and processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Michio Iihara, Osamu Shimizu, Akira Sera