Patents by Inventor Narihito Hongawara

Narihito Hongawara 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: 11654911
    Abstract: The powertrain device for a vehicle includes an engine and an automatic transmission, the automatic transmission includes a plurality of friction fastening elements for selectively switching motive power transmitting paths, a predetermined friction fastening element among the plurality of friction fastening elements is a travel-start friction fastening element performing slip control in a travel start, and the powertrain device includes, between the engine and the automatic transmission, a motive power connection-disconnection clutch which is released at least in an engine start and is fastened earlier than the travel-start friction fastening element in a travel start of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Narihito Hongawara, Takuya Sugisawa, Keitaro Kageyama, Satoshi Fujikawa, Hiroki Tanabe, Shingo Kodama
  • Publication number: 20220176961
    Abstract: The powertrain device for a vehicle includes an engine and an automatic transmission, the automatic transmission includes a plurality of friction fastening elements for selectively switching motive power transmitting paths, a predetermined friction fastening element among the plurality of friction fastening elements is a travel-start friction fastening element performing slip control in a travel start, and the powertrain device includes, between the engine and the automatic transmission, a motive power connection-disconnection clutch which is released at least in an engine start and is fastened earlier than the travel-start friction fastening element in a travel start of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Narihito Hongawara, Takuya Sugisawa, Keitaro Kageyama, Satoshi Fujikawa, Hiroki Tanabe, Shingo Kodama
  • Patent number: 11203259
    Abstract: A power train device of a vehicle includes an engine and an automatic transmission. The automatic transmission is configured such that in a neutral state, multiple ones of multiple rotary elements forming a power transmission path other than a rotary element coupled to an input member and a rotary element coupled to an output member are in a non-restraining state. The multiple ones of the multiple rotary elements include a rotary element of a predetermined brake among multiple friction fastening elements, and the predetermined brake is fastened before a fuel supply upon an engine start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Narihito Hongawara, Takuya Sugisawa, Keitaro Kageyama, Satoshi Fujikawa, Hiroki Tanabe, Shingo Kodama
  • Publication number: 20200332886
    Abstract: A power train device of a vehicle includes an engine and an automatic transmission. The automatic transmission is configured such that in a neutral state, multiple ones of multiple rotary elements forming a power transmission path other than a rotary element coupled to an input member and a rotary element coupled to an output member are in a non-restraining state. The multiple ones of the multiple rotary elements include a rotary element of a predetermined brake among multiple friction fastening elements, and the predetermined brake is fastened before a fuel supply upon an engine start.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Narihito HONGAWARA, Takuya SUGISAWA, Keitaro KAGEYAMA, Satoshi FUJIKAWA, Hiroki TANABE, Shingo KODAMA
  • Patent number: 10677314
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus with a centrifugal pendulum damper is realized, which can effectively suppress torque fluctuation and vibration noise of a vehicle while avoiding size increase of a centrifugal pendulum damper and deterioration of reliability of the centrifugal pendulum damper by high-speed rotation. A power transmission apparatus with a centrifugal pendulum damper includes: a centrifugal pendulum damper coupled to an input shaft through a speed-increasing mechanism configured to increase speed of rotation of the input shaft; and an engagement/disengagement mechanism capable of realizing and cutting off power transmission from the input shaft to the centrifugal pendulum damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kyosei Nakashima, Kazuhiro Tanaka, Norio Iwashita, Shinya Kamada, Hiroo Akagi, Tomokazu Kinoshita, Hiroyuki Okayama, Narihito Hongawara, Keiji Bouda
  • Patent number: 10260600
    Abstract: An automatic transmission includes: a brake device including a friction plate set configured with fixation friction plates and rotation friction plates alternately arranged, a piston, and an oil pressure chamber supplied with oil pressure that moves the piston toward the friction plate set side; a first rotating member; and second and third rotating members arranged at both respective axial sides of the first rotating member and each having an outer diameter smaller than that of the first rotating member. The friction plate set and the oil pressure chamber are arranged at both respective axial sides of the first rotating member and also arranged at an outer periphery side of the second rotating member and at the outer periphery side of the third rotating member, respectively. The piston extends from the oil pressure chamber toward the friction plate set side through the outer periphery side of the first rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kensuke Ueda, Narihito Hongawara, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 10240659
    Abstract: A control device of a powertrain with a centrifugal pendulum damper is provided in which the centrifugal pendulum damper and a power transmission shaft are operatively coupled via a connection/disconnection mechanism, and the control device of the powertrain with the centrifugal pendulum damper includes a connection/disconnection control module for controlling an engagement degree of the connection/disconnection mechanism by controlling the engagement degree of the connection/disconnection mechanism such that the centrifugal pendulum damper rotates at or below a predetermined upper rotational speed limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kyosei Nakashima, Yasunari Nakayama, Tadashi Saito, Masaru Nakagishi, Narifumi Domen, Narihito Hongawara
  • Publication number: 20180283492
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus with a centrifugal pendulum damper is realized, which can effectively suppress torque fluctuation and vibration noise of a vehicle while avoiding size increase of a centrifugal pendulum damper and deterioration of reliability of the centrifugal pendulum damper by high-speed rotation. A power transmission apparatus with a centrifugal pendulum damper includes: a centrifugal pendulum damper coupled to an input shaft through a speed-increasing mechanism configured to increase speed of rotation of the input shaft; and an engagement/disengagement mechanism capable of realizing and cutting off power transmission from the input shaft to the centrifugal pendulum damper.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Kyosei Nakashima, Kazuhiro Tanaka, Norio Iwashita, Shinya Kamada, Hiroo Akagi, Tomokazu Kinoshita, Hiroyuki Okayama, Narihito Hongawara, Keiji Bouda
  • Patent number: 10081363
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a powertrain with a centrifugal pendulum absorber, includes an engine formed with a plurality of cylinders, a drive force transmission shaft for receiving an engine output torque, a centrifugal pendulum absorber for reducing a variation in the output torque, a connect-disconnect mechanism, an engine controlling module for shifting an engine operating state between an all-cylinder operation and a reduced-cylinder operation, and a connection controlling module. The connection controlling module shifts a connecting state of the connect-disconnect mechanism to a first state when the engine is in the all-cylinder operation, and shifts the connecting state to a second state in which the connection is tighter than the first state when the engine is in the reduced-cylinder operation. In response to issued requests to shift the engine operating state, the connection controlling module shifts the connecting state, and the engine controlling module shifts the engine operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kyosei Nakashima, Yasunari Nakayama, Tadashi Saito, Masaru Nakagishi, Narifumi Domen, Narihito Hongawara
  • Patent number: 9791043
    Abstract: A control device of a powertrain with a centrifugal pendulum damper is provided comprising a power transmission shaft which transmits power between a drive source and an automatic transmission, and a centrifugal pendulum damper which is coupled to the power transmission shaft and a connection/disconnection mechanism. The automatic transmission has a transmission mechanism of a hydraulic pressure control type, which includes a transmission control module which performs a control to supply transmission hydraulic pressure to the transmission mechanism. The transmission control module includes a transmission characteristic changing module which changes a control characteristic of transmission hydraulic pressure according to an engagement degree of the connection/disconnection mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kyosei Nakashima, Yasunari Nakayama, Tadashi Saito, Masaru Nakagishi, Narifumi Domen, Narihito Hongawara
  • Publication number: 20170234410
    Abstract: An automatic transmission includes: a brake device including a friction plate set configured with fixation friction plates and rotation friction plates alternately arranged, a piston, and an oil pressure chamber supplied with oil pressure that moves the piston toward the friction plate set side; a first rotating member; and second and third rotating members arranged at both respective axial sides of the first rotating member and each having an outer diameter smaller than that of the first rotating member. The friction plate set and the oil pressure chamber are arranged at both respective axial sides of the first rotating member and also arranged at an outer periphery side of the second rotating member and at the outer periphery side of the third rotating member, respectively. The piston extends from the oil pressure chamber toward the friction plate set side through the outer periphery side of the first rotating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Kensuke Ueda, Narihito Hongawara, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20170190332
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a powertrain with a centrifugal pendulum absorber, includes an engine formed with a plurality of cylinders, a drive force transmission shaft for receiving an engine output torque, a centrifugal pendulum absorber for reducing a variation in the output torque, a connect-disconnect mechanism, an engine controlling module for shifting an engine operating state between an all-cylinder operation and a reduced-cylinder operation, and a connection controlling module. The connection controlling module shifts a connecting state of the connect-disconnect mechanism to a first state when the engine is in the all-cylinder operation, and shifts the connecting state to a second state in which the connection is tighter than the first state when the engine is in the reduced-cylinder operation. In response to issued requests to shift the engine operating state, the connection controlling module shifts the connecting state, and the engine controlling module shifts the engine operating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Kyosei Nakashima, Yasunari Nakayama, Tadashi Saito, Masaru Nakagishi, Narifumi Domen, Narihito Hongawara
  • Publication number: 20170159747
    Abstract: A control device of a powertrain with a centrifugal pendulum damper is provided in which the centrifugal pendulum damper and a power transmission shaft are operatively coupled via a connection/disconnection mechanism, and the control device of the powertrain with the centrifugal pendulum damper includes a connection/disconnection control module for controlling an engagement degree of the connection/disconnection mechanism by controlling the engagement degree of the connection/disconnection mechanism such that the centrifugal pendulum damper rotates at or below an predetermined upper rotational speed limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Kyosei Nakashima, Yasunari Nakayama, Tadashi Saito, Masaru Nakagishi, Narifumi Domen, Narihito Hongawara
  • Publication number: 20170159809
    Abstract: A control device of a powertrain with a centrifugal pendulum damper is provided comprising a power transmission shaft which transmits power between a drive source and an automatic transmission, and a centrifugal pendulum damper which is coupled to the power transmission shaft and a connection/disconnection mechanism. The automatic transmission has a transmission mechanism of a hydraulic pressure control type, which includes a transmission control module which performs a control to supply transmission hydraulic pressure to the transmission mechanism. The transmission control module includes a transmission characteristic changing module which changes a control characteristic of transmission hydraulic pressure according to an engagement degree of the connection/disconnection mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Kyosei Nakashima, Yasunari Nakayama, Tadashi Saito, Masaru Nakagishi, Narifumi Domen, Narihito Hongawara
  • 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: 8240448
    Abstract: According to an operation of a shift lever to parking range, a cam member at a parking rod comes in between a parking pole and a support member, and the parking pole swings so that a pawl portion of the parking rod can engage with a parking gear. A concave holding portion to hold the support member is formed at a transmission case. The support member comprises a first cylindrical outer face having a first radius R1 which is supported in a concave inner face the concave holding portion to rotate in a specified range and a second cylindrical outer face (cam-contact portion) having a second radius R2 which contacts a cam member. The first radius R1 has a center which is located at the same position as that of the second radius R2. Herein, R2 is shorter than R1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Narihito Hongawara, Tomoyuki Hata, Yuichi Honda, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki
  • Publication number: 20110005891
    Abstract: According to an operation of a shift lever to parking range, a cam member at a parking rod comes in between a parking pole and a support member, and the parking pole swings so that a pawl portion of the parking rod can engage with a parking gear. A concave holding portion to hold the support member is formed at a transmission case. The support member comprises a first cylindrical outer face having a first radius R1 which is supported in a concave inner face the concave holding portion to rotate in a specified range and a second cylindrical outer face (cam-contact portion) having a second radius R2 which contacts a cam member. The first radius R1 has a center which is located at the same position as that of the second radius R2. Herein, R2 is shorter than R1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Narihito Hongawara, Tomoyuki Hata, Yuichi Honda, Tatsuhiko Iwasaki
  • 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