Patents by Inventor Naohiro Sakaue

Naohiro Sakaue 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: 8356397
    Abstract: In a clutch manufacturing method, inner peripheral portions of drum members, of two clutches are connected to a sleeve member, and a piston, a seal plate and a return spring are provided between the drum members, an insulator to apply electric isolation between the piston and the drum member or between the seal plate and another drum member is attached to either the piston or the seal plate. Then, the drum member, to which the electric isolation with the insulator is not applied, is connected to the sleeve member. Then, the piston, return sprig and seal plate are assembled to the sleeve member to which the drum member has been connected. Finally, the drum member, to which the electric isolation with the insulator has been applied, is connected to the sleeve member with electric welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Toyota, Naohiro Sakaue, Katsutoshi Mukai, Koichi Matsuura, Shinichiro Tenma, Masashi Morihiro, Jun Nakamura, Masanori Nakai
  • Patent number: 8303457
    Abstract: An automatic transmission has first, second and third gear sets, first and second clutches, and first, second and third brakes. First, second and third sun gears, and a first carrier are interconnected with a second sun gear, a second carrier, a third carrier, an input shaft and an output gear, respectively. The first clutch selectively connects the first sun gear and the second sun gear to the input shaft, and the second clutch selectively connects the first ring gear and the second carrier to the input shaft. The first brake selectively connects the first ring gear and the second carrier to a casing. The second brake selectively connects the second ring gear and the third carrier to the casing, and the third brake selectively connects the third ring gear to the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Junichi Doi, Shinya Kamada, Takamichi Teraoka, Tokimori Saka, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Naohiro Sakaue, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Hideo Toyota, Kensuke Ueda, Norio Iwashita
  • Patent number: 8277359
    Abstract: An automatic transmission comprises a transmission mechanism including plural planetary gear sets, a transmission case storing the transmission mechanism, and an end cover closing an opening at one end of the transmission case. A planetary gear set disposed the closest to the end cover is assembled in such a manner that before the end cover is attached to the transmission case, a sun gear is assembled to the transmission case and a pinion carrier is assembled to the end cover. A thrust washer is disposed between an end face of the sun gear and an end face of an inner peripheral portion of the pinion carrier. The thrust washer is a member for adjusting a gap which is formed in an axial direction in the transmission case, and the member is selected from plural ones which have different axial thicknesses from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakaue, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Jun Nakamura, Narihito Hongawara, Katsutoshi Mukai
  • Patent number: 7891476
    Abstract: Each of first and second multi-plate clutches comprises a clutch outer cylinder portion provided to be coaxial with the input shaft and connected with a first or second rotational element, a clutch inner cylinder portion provided to be coaxial with an input shaft, plural clutch plates provided between these cylinder portions to slide in an axial direction of the input shaft within the clutch outer or inner cylinder portion, and a clutch piston provided to slide in the axial direction and press the clutch plates for connecting the clutch outer cylinder portion with the clutch inner cylinder portion. The clutch outer and inner cylinder portions of each of the first and second multi-plate clutches are provided in the axial direction, and there is provided a support wall portion that is connected with the input shaft and supports the clutch inner cylinder portion of each of the multi-plate clutches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Junichi Doi, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Naohiro Sakaue
  • Patent number: 7749128
    Abstract: There is provided an automatic transmission comprising a first shaft capable of receiving torque from an engine, and four planetary gear sets arranged coaxially on the first shaft and in series in an axial direction of the first shaft. Each of the four planetary gear sets has a single sun gear and a single ring gear. Further, the automatic transmission comprises an output wheel arranged coaxially on the first shaft, and capable of outputting torque transmitted from the engine through some of the four planetary gear sets. The output wheel is arranged between two of the four planetary gear sets. Accordingly, the noise or vibration from the planetary gear sets in the automatic transmission may be reduced, while the overall length of the first shaft may be made shorter, and the overall size of the automatic transmission may be made smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Kamada, Takamichi Teraoka, Junichi Doi, Tokimori Saka, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Naohiro Sakaue, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Yoshihiko Fujita, Norio Iwashita, Satoshi Komori, Kazuhiko Ueda, Seiji Esaki
  • Patent number: 7704182
    Abstract: On an input shaft are provided in order from a side of an engine a torque converter with a lock-up clutch, a first planetary gear set as a multiplying mechanism, a counter drive gear outputting a rotational drive force to a countershaft, a second planetary gear set as a speed-change element, a third planetary gear set as a speed-change element. Accordingly, there can be provided an automatic transmission for six forward speeds with plural planetary gear sets, clutches and brakes that can properly reduce a clutch capacity and restrain gear noises with its compact and light-weighted structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Kamada, Junichi Doi, Takamichi Teraoka, Tokimori Saka, Shinya Yamamoto, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Hideo Toyota, Naohiro Sakaue, Norio Iwashita
  • Publication number: 20100081537
    Abstract: An automatic transmission comprises a transmission mechanism including plural planetary gear sets, a transmission case storing the transmission mechanism, and an end cover closing an opening at one end of the transmission case. A planetary gear set disposed the closest to the end cover is assembled in such a manner that before the end cover is attached to the transmission case, a sun gear is assembled to the transmission case and a pinion carrier is assembled to the end cover. A thrust washer is disposed between an end face of the sun gear and an end face of an inner peripheral portion of the pinion carrier. The thrust washer is a member for adjusting a gap which is formed in an axial direction in the transmission case, and the member is selected from plural ones which have different axial thicknesses from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naohiro SAKAUE, Tatsuhiko IWASAKI, Jun NAKAMURA, Narihito HONGAWARA, Katsutoshi MUKAI
  • Publication number: 20100072015
    Abstract: In a clutch manufacturing method, inner peripheral portions of drum members, of two clutches are connected to a sleeve member, and a piston, a seal plate and a return spring are provided between the drum members, an insulator to apply electric isolation between the piston and the drum member or between the seal plate and another drum member is attached to either the piston or the seal plate. Then, the drum member, to which the electric isolation with the insulator is not applied, is connected to the sleeve member. Then, the piston, return sprig and seal plate are assembled to the sleeve member to which the drum member has been connected. Finally, the drum member, to which the electric isolation with the insulator has been applied, is connected to the sleeve member with electric welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo TOYOTA, Naohiro SAKAUE, Katsutoshi MUKAI, Koichi MATSUURA, Shinichiro TENMA, Masashi MORIHIRO, Jun NAKAMURA, Masanori NAKAI
  • Patent number: 7582039
    Abstract: An automatic transmission is provided comprising a transmission case, a first shaft housed in and rotationally supported by said transmission case, and capable of receiving torque from an engine, a first shifting gear mechanism arranged coaxially with the first shaft, and a second shifting gear mechanism including a second planetary gear set. The second planetary gear set is housed within the transmission case and arranged coaxially with the first shaft, one of its sun and ring gears is capable of rotating together with the input shaft, and the other of the sun and ring gears is fixed to the transmission case. The automatic transmission further comprises first and second frictional elements arranged at least partly overlapped with the second planetary gear set in the axial direction between the planetary gear set and the transmission case in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Takamichi Teraoka, Tokimori Saka, Naohiro Sakaue, Yoshihiko Fujita
  • Patent number: 7553253
    Abstract: In an automatic transmission (AT) in which an input shaft (Input) and an output gear (Output) are disposed on the same axis and three clutches (C1-C3) and two brakes (B1, B2) are selectively operated to provide six forward speeds, first and second planetary gear sets (GS1, GS2) are configured to consistently reduce the speed of input rotation and output the speed-reduced rotation, thereby enabling downsizing of them. The first and second planetary gear sets (GS1, GS2) are arranged in a transmission case at both the axial ends thereof. Third and fourth planetary gear sets (GS3, GS4) are connected to each other to have four rotation elements in combination, thereby constituting a Simpson planetary gear train. One of the four rotation elements (a fourth carrier (PC4) in an illustrated example) is connected to the output gear (Output).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Kamada, Junichi Doi, Takamichi Teraoka, Tokimori Saka, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Naohiro Sakaue, Yoshihiko Fujita, Norio Iwashita, Satoshi Komori, Kazuhiko Ueda, Seiji Esaki
  • Patent number: 7485068
    Abstract: In an automatic transmission (AT) in which an input shaft (Input) and an output gear (Output) are disposed on the same axis and three clutches (C1-C3) and two brakes (B1, B2) are selectively operated to provide six forward speeds, first and second planetary gear sets (GS1, GS2) are configured to consistently reduce the speed of input rotation and output the speed-reduced rotation, thereby enabling downsizing of them. The first and second planetary gear sets (GS1, GS2) are arranged in a transmission case at both the axial ends thereof. Third and fourth planetary gear sets (GS3, GS4) are connected to each other to have four rotation elements in combination, thereby constituting a Simpson planetary gear train. One of the four rotation elements (a fourth carrier (PC4) in an illustrated example) is connected to the output gear (Output).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Kamada, Junichi Doi, Takamichi Teraoka, Tokimori Saka, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Naohiro Sakaue, Yoshihiko Fujita, Norio Iwashita, Satoshi Komori, Kazuhiko Ueda, Seiji Esaki
  • Publication number: 20080300095
    Abstract: An automatic transmission comprises first, second and third gear sets 10, 20, 30 each formed as a single-pinion type planetary gear set, first and second clutches 40, 50, and first, second and third brakes 60, 70, 80. A first sun gear 11, a first ring gear 14, a second ring gear 24, a third sun gear 31 and a first carrier 13 are continuously interconnected with a second sun gear 21, a second carrier 23, a third carrier 33, an input shaft 4 and an output gear 7, respectively. The first clutch 40 is operable to selectively connect and disconnect the first sun gear 11 and the second sun gear 21 to/from the input shaft 4, and the second clutch 50 is operable to selectively connect and disconnect the first ring gear 14 and the second carrier 13 to/from the input shaft 4. The first brake 60 is operable to selectively connect and disconnect the first ring gear 14 and the second carrier 23 to/from a casing 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Junichi Doi, Shinya Kamada, Takamichi Teraoka, Tokimori Saka, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Naohiro Sakaue, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Hideo Toyota, Kensuke Ueda, Norio Iwashita
  • Publication number: 20080113845
    Abstract: On an input shaft are provided in order from a side of an engine a torque converter with a lock-up clutch, a first planetary gear set as a multiplying mechanism, a counter drive gear outputting a rotational drive force to a countershaft, a second planetary gear set as a speed-change element, a third planetary gear set as a speed-change element. Accordingly, there can be provided an automatic transmission for six forward speeds with plural planetary gear sets, clutches and brakes that can properly reduce a clutch capacity and restrain gear noises with its compact and light-weighted structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya KAMADA, Junichi DOI, Takamichi TERAOKA, Tokimori SAKA, Shinya YAMAMOTO, Tatsuhiko IWASAKI, Tatsutoshi MIZOBE, Hideo TOYOTA, Naohiro SAKAUE, Norio IWASHITA
  • Publication number: 20080108468
    Abstract: Each of first and second multi-plate clutches comprises a clutch outer cylinder portion provided to be coaxial with the input shaft and connected with a first or second rotational element, a clutch inner cylinder portion provided to be coaxial with an input shaft, plural clutch plates provided between these cylinder portions to slide in an axial direction of the input shaft within the clutch outer or inner cylinder portion, and a clutch piston provided to slide in the axial direction and press the clutch plates for connecting the clutch outer cylinder portion with the clutch inner cylinder portion. The clutch outer and inner cylinder portions of each of the first and second multi-plate clutches are provided in the axial direction, and there is provided a support wall portion that is connected with the input shaft and supports the clutch inner cylinder portion of each of the multi-plate clutches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko IWASAKI, Junichi DOI, Tatsutoshi MIZOBE, Naohiro SAKAUE
  • Publication number: 20080017469
    Abstract: A hub and a drum are respectively provided inside and outside a forward clutch (multiple-disc clutch) of an automatic transmission for a vehicle. A piston for pushing the forward clutch and a hydraulic servo for controlling the piston are provided inside the hub. A plurality of notched portions are formed in the piston and the hub with the positions thereof displaced from each other in the peripheral direction so that the piston and the hub are overlapped with each other in the axial direction in such a fashion that parts of one of the piston and the hub where no notched portions are formed are inserted into the notched portions of the other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Junichi Doi, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Naohiro Sakaue
  • Publication number: 20070161453
    Abstract: An automatic transmission is provided comprising a transmission case, a first shaft housed in and rotationally supported by said transmission case, and capable of receiving torque from an engine, a first shifting gear mechanism arranged coaxially with the first shaft, and a second shifting gear mechanism including a second planetary gear set. The second planetary gear set is housed within the transmission case and arranged coaxially with the first shaft, one of its sun and ring gears is capable of rotating together with the input shaft, and the other of the sun and ring gears is fixed to the transmission case. The automatic transmission further comprises first and second frictional elements arranged at least partly overlapped with the second planetary gear set in the axial direction between the planetary gear set and the transmission case in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Takamichi Teraoka, Tokimori Saka, Naohiro Sakaue, Yoshihiko Fujita
  • Publication number: 20070099742
    Abstract: There is provided an automatic transmission comprising a first shaft capable of receiving torque from an engine, and four planetary gear sets arranged coaxially on the first shaft and in series in an axial direction of the first shaft. Each of the four planetary gear sets has a single sun gear and a single ring gear. Further, the automatic transmission comprises an output wheel arranged coaxially on the first shaft, and capable of outputting torque transmitted from the engine through some of the four planetary gear sets. The output wheel is arranged between two of the four planetary gear sets. Accordingly, the noise or vibration from the planetary gear sets in the automatic transmission may be reduced, while the overall length of the first shaft may be made shorter, and the overall size of the automatic transmission may be made smaller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Kamada, Takamichi Teraoka, Junichi Doi, Tokimori Saka, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki, Naohiro Sakaue, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Yoshihiko Fujita, Norio Iwashita, Satoshi Komori, Kazuhiko Ueda, Seiji Esaki
  • Publication number: 20070060439
    Abstract: In an automatic transmission (AT) in which an input shaft (Input) and an output gear (Output) are disposed on the same axis and three clutches (C1-C3) and two brakes (B1, B2) are selectively operated to provide six forward speeds, first and second planetary gear sets (GS1, GS2) are configured to consistently reduce the speed of input rotation and output the speed-reduced rotation, thereby enabling downsizing of them. The first and second planetary gear sets (GS1, GS2) are arranged in a transmission case at both the axial ends thereof. Third and fourth planetary gear sets (GS3, GS4) are connected to each other to have four rotation elements in combination, thereby constituting a Simpson planetary gear train. One of the four rotation elements (a fourth carrier (PC4) in an illustrated example) is connected to the output gear (Output).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinya Kamada, Junichi Doi, Takamichi Teraoka, Tokimori Saka, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Naohiro Sakaue, Yoshihiko Fujita, Norio Iwashita, Satoshi Komori, Kazuhiko Ueda, Seiji Esaki