Patents by Inventor Naoki Sawada
Naoki Sawada 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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Publication number: 20160039270Abstract: A register fixing structure for a vehicle includes a first engaging portion provided at one of an upper portion and a lower portion of the register, or the instrument panel main body; a first engaged portion provided at the other of the upper portion and lower portion of the register or the instrument panel main body, and engaging with the first engaged portion in a vehicle front and rear direction; a second engaging portion provided at one of a side portion at a vehicle width direction outer side of the register or a side panel that is attached at the vehicle width direction outer side of the instrument panel main body; and a second engaged portion provided at the other of the side portion or the side panel, and engaging with the second engaged portion in a vehicle width direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2015Publication date: February 11, 2016Inventors: Naoki SAWADA, Toshinao WADA
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Patent number: 8965743Abstract: A design assisting apparatus of a steering device arranges a coordinate of a handle position reference point, a coordinate of a first universal joint reference point, a coordinate of a second universal joint reference point, and a coordinate of a steering gear reference point in a three-dimensional space, calculates a reference axis passing through the second universal joint reference point from the first universal joint reference point, calculates a phase angle which is an angle between a straight line from the handle position reference point to the first joint reference point when viewed along the reference axis and a straight line from the second joint reference point to the steering gear reference point when viewed along the reference axis, and determines success or failure of a condition in which the allowable range of the phase angle allowable error is included in the allowable range of the allowable torque variation rate.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2011Date of Patent: February 24, 2015Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Tomaru, Naoki Sawada, Akira Ichikawa, Ryou Oosawa
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Patent number: 8948970Abstract: [Problem] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus that realizes weight saving and downsizing of component parts by counting and controlling the number of times of end hitting and simultaneously calculating a current limit value depending on the number of times of end hitting to limit assist.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2011Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Shinji Okada, Hideyuki Kobayashi, Naoki Sawada
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Patent number: 8905208Abstract: A driving force transmission apparatus includes: a housing having an inner peripheral spline portion; an inner shaft having an outer peripheral spline portion; a main clutch including first outer and inner clutch plates respectively engaged with the inner and outer peripheral spline portions; a cam mechanism generating pressing force for pressing the main clutch by relatively rotating a pair of cam members; and an electromagnetic clutch mechanism including an armature engaged with the inner peripheral spline portion and applying rotation force to the cam mechanism for relatively rotating the cam members through energization of an electromagnetic coil. An end face facing the armature is formed in the inner peripheral spline portion between a first region engaged with the first outer clutch plate and a second region engaged with the armature. Movement of the armature toward the first region is regulated by contact of the armature with the end face.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2013Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignees: JTEKT Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoki Sawada, Mikiharu Oyabu, Yasunari Saito, Masakatsu Kani, Shun Ohno, Hirotake Ito, Yoshihiro Ikushima
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Patent number: 8863888Abstract: An electric motor (5) includes a motor case (30) in which a motor rotating member of which one end is opened and is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a substantially disc-shaped flange member (31) linked so as to close an opening of the one end of the motor case. The flange member is provided with two mounting flanges (31d,31e) to be fixed to the motor mounting part (17) of the speed reduction gear box (4) by outwardly swelling at an irregularly pitched position, and one first abutting flange (31c) abutting to the motor mounting part by outwardly selling between the these two mounting flanges.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2011Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Takayuki Ochiai, Naoki Sawada
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Publication number: 20140195204Abstract: A design assistance device for a steering device and a method of assisting a steering device design which assists a design of a steering device including an intermediate shaft by using existing components of a tube yoke and a shaft yoke. A design assistance device 1 for a steering device displays a select button on a display device when a fitting length of the combination of a candidate component of the tube yoke and a candidate component of the shaft yoke satisfies a condition of a fitting length. When the select button is selected, a control device 4 may receive information in which a drawing selected by a designer is determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2012Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: NSK LTD.Inventors: Masaki Tomaru, Naoki Sawada, Akira Ichikawa, Ryou Oosawa
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Publication number: 20140076653Abstract: An electric motor (5) includes a motor case (30) in which a motor rotating member of which one end is opened and is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a substantially disc-shaped flange member (31) linked so as to close an opening of the one end of the motor case. The flange member is provided with two mounting flanges (31d,31e) to be fixed to the motor mounting part (17) of the speed reduction gear box (4) by outwardly swelling at an irregularly pitched position, and one first abutting flange (31c) abutting to the motor mounting part by outwardly selling between the these two mounting flanges.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2011Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Takayuki Ochiai, Naoki Sawada
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Patent number: 8659252Abstract: An electric motor and a control unit are juxtaposed in a speed reduction gear box. A terminal block is provided at an outer circumference of a flange proximate to a control unit of the electric motor. Terminal block surfaces of the terminal block are provided so that a plane direction faces a direction vertical to a shaft line of the electric motor. A motor side connecting terminal is held on the terminal block surface. The unit side connecting terminals provided at a position proximate to the electric motor of the control unit are arranged so as to overlap with the motor side connecting terminal on the terminal block surface to couple by a coupling portion (fixing screw).Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2011Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Takayuki Ochiai, Mikihiko Tsunoda, Naoki Sawada
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Publication number: 20130327610Abstract: A driving force transmission apparatus includes: a housing having an inner peripheral spline portion; an inner shaft having an outer peripheral spline portion; a main clutch including first outer and inner clutch plates respectively engaged with the inner and outer peripheral spline portions; a cam mechanism generating pressing force for pressing the main clutch by relatively rotating a pair of cam members; and an electromagnetic clutch mechanism including an armature engaged with the inner peripheral spline portion and applying rotation force to the cam mechanism for relatively rotating the cam members through energization of an electromagnetic coil. An end face facing the armature is formed in the inner peripheral spline portion between a first region engaged with the first outer clutch plate and a second region engaged with the armature. Movement of the armature toward the first region is regulated by contact of the armature with the end face.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Inventors: Naoki Sawada, Mikiharu Oyabu, Yasunari Saito, Masakatsu Kani, Shun Ohno, Hirotake Ito, Yoshihiro Ikushima
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Patent number: 8596160Abstract: The invention provides a steering apparatus which includes: an inner column 3; an outer column 4 fitted with the inner column 3 in such a manner that it is movable in a telescopic manner; a steering shaft 102 which is rotatably supported on the inner column 3 and outer column 4, and on the vehicle body rearward side of which a steering wheel 103 can be mounted; a lock apparatus 7 including a lock pin 73A which can be operated by an actuator to thereby prevent the rotation of the steering shaft 102; and, a lock housing 71 which is formed integrally with the outer column 4 and stores the lock apparatus 7 therein.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2008Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Tomonao Nagamura, Naoki Sawada, Wataru Hagiwara, Masaki Tomaru, Seiichi Moriyama
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Publication number: 20130257337Abstract: An electric motor and a control unit are juxtaposed in a speed reduction gear box. A terminal block is provided at an outer circumference of a flange proximate to a control unit of the electric motor. Terminal block surfaces of the terminal block are provided so that a plane direction faces a direction vertical to a shaft line of the electric motor. A motor side connecting terminal is held on the terminal block surface. The unit side connecting terminals provided at a position proximate to the electric motor of the control unit are arranged so as to overlap with the motor side connecting terminal on the terminal block surface to couple by a coupling portion (fixing screw).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2011Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: NSK LTD.Inventors: Takayuki Ochiai, Mikihiko Tsunoda, Naoki Sawada
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Publication number: 20120259512Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an electric power steering apparatus that realizes weight saving and downsizing of component parts by counting and controlling the number of times of end hitting and simultaneously calculating a current limit value depending on the number of times of end hitting to limit assist .Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2011Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: NSK LTD.Inventors: Shinji Okada, Hideyuki Kobayashi, Naoki Sawada
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Publication number: 20120185219Abstract: A design assisting apparatus of a steering device arranges a coordinate of a handle position reference point, a coordinate of a first universal joint reference point, a coordinate of a second universal joint reference point, and a coordinate of a steering gear reference point in a three-dimensional space, calculates a reference axis passing through the second universal joint reference point from the first universal joint reference point, calculates a phase angle which is an angle between a straight line from the handle position reference point to the first joint reference point when viewed along the reference axis and a straight line from the second joint reference point to the steering gear reference point when viewed along the reference axis, and determines success or failure of a condition in which the allowable range of the phase angle allowable error is included in the allowable range of the allowable torque variation rate.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2011Publication date: July 19, 2012Applicant: NSK LTD.Inventors: Masaki Tomaru, Naoki Sawada, Akira Ichikawa, Ryou Oosawa
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Publication number: 20110199736Abstract: An inverter device has a control unit, a power unit, and a capacitor unit. The power unit has six semiconductor devices. Each semiconductor device has a semiconductor module and a pair of heat sinks disposed in both sides of the semiconductor module. The heat sinks are arranged in a ventilation path of cooling air. An, accommodation chamber of a control unit 1b communicates with the ventilation path of the cooling air.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2011Publication date: August 18, 2011Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Naoki Sawada, Hiroshi Fujita, Hironori Oobayashi, Taijirou Momose
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Patent number: 7886630Abstract: When a column 4 reaches a tilting ascent end, the lower end 732 of a nut 73 abuts on the buffering segment 83 of a buffer 82. Thus, while the buffering segment 83 of the buffer 82 is elastically deformed, the nut 73 stops with no impact. Accordingly, the inertia when the nut 73 stops is restrained and the tightening torque of the nut 73 when the nut 73 stops is also restrained. For this reason, when an electric motor 61 is rotationally driven in a reverse direction, a feeding screw shaft 71 rotates in the reverse direction with the normal rotation torque of the electric motor 61. Thus, the nut 73 is caused to ascend in the axial direction along the screw segment of the feeding screw shaft 71 so that the column 4 can be tiltingly moved downward.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2007Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Tomaru, Yuuichi Tomaru, Kouhei Yonezawa, Naoki Sawada
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Publication number: 20100242665Abstract: The invention provides a steering apparatus which includes: an inner column 3; an outer column 4 fitted with the inner column 3 in such a manner that it is movable in a telescopic manner; a steering shaft 102 which is rotatably supported on the inner column 3 and outer column 4, and on the vehicle body rearward side of which a steering wheel 103 can be mounted; a lock apparatus 7 including a lock pin 73A which can be operated by an actuator to thereby prevent the rotation of the steering shaft 102; and, a lock housing 71 which is formed integrally with the outer column 4 and stores the lock apparatus 7 therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2008Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Tomonao Nagamura, Naoki Sawada, Wataru Hagiwara, Masaki Tomaru, Seiichi Moriyama
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Patent number: 7503584Abstract: A positioning type steering column device, comprising a steering column (1) having a bulged part (19) formed by a hydraulic pressure bulge forming method, the bulged part (19) further comprising a pair of flat surface parts (20) opposed, back to back, to vertical plate parts for tightening of a body mounting bracket, the pair of flat surface parts (20) further comprising projected parts (21) outward-projectedly formed toward the vertical plate parts opposed thereto, whereby even if a warpage occurs on the flat surface parts (20) by punching out when the bulged part (19) is formed by the hydraulic pressure bulge forming method, a steering column tightening holding force can be prevented from lowering.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2003Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: NSK, Ltd.Inventor: Naoki Sawada
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Patent number: 7438320Abstract: A steering column adjustable height and inclination of steering wheel has a singularity of control lever for controlling clamping/unclamping of a telescopic mechanism and a tilting mechanism for the adjustment. An energizing direction inverting mechanism inverts direction of biasing force applied to the lever by an energizing member from clamping direction to unclamping direction halfway through operation of the lever by a driver.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2004Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignees: NSK Ltd., NSK Steering Systems Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenji Sato, Naoki Sawada, Tetsuya Koike
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Patent number: 7437968Abstract: A steering column device (1), comprising a column body (2) having a swelled shell part (23) in deformed section swelled in the side direction of a steering shaft (3) beyond the portion of thereof where an upper bearing (31) is installed and having opposed walls parallel with each other, wherein a lower body mounting part (22) and an upper body mounting part (21) are formed in the swelled shell part (23), whereby a distance bracket and a lower bracket must not be prepared and fixedly positioned on the column body.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2003Date of Patent: October 21, 2008Assignee: NSK Ltd.Inventors: Naoki Sawada, Masaki Nishioka, Kenji Sato
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Patent number: 7412911Abstract: A steering column apparatus includes: a stationary column member; a movable column member whose one end is supported on the stationary column member nonrotatably about a center axis and movably along the center axis; a column head disposed on the other end of the movable column member; a wheel shaft supported rotatably on the column head; a column clamp for clamping and unclamping the movable column member with respect to the stationary column member at two or more points which are spaced along the center axis of the movable column member; and a control lever whose operation lever end is positioned in the vicinity of a steering wheel and which is capable of operating the column clamp.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2004Date of Patent: August 19, 2008Assignees: NSK, Ltd., NSK Steering Systems Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masaki Nishioka, Naoki Sawada