Patents by Inventor Ruriko Sakaguchi

Ruriko Sakaguchi 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: 11697455
    Abstract: A turning system is configured to move a turning shaft to turn a left wheel and a right wheel of a vehicle. The turning shaft is configured to couple the left wheel and the right wheel to each other. A torsion bar is engaged with the turning shaft via a steering gear box. The turning system includes: a turning mechanism including (i) an electric turning mechanism including an electric motor configured to rotate a portion of the torsion bar which is located upstream of the steering gear box and (ii) a hydraulic turning mechanism configured to apply a moving force to the turning shaft in an axial direction, the moving force being produced by a hydraulic pressure; and an electric-motor controller configured to control the electric motor based on a frictional force in the turning mechanism and a road-surface reaction force that acts between (a) a tire on the left wheel and a tire on the right wheel and (b) a road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ruriko Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 11541928
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes left and right swing arm members, left and right tie rods pivotally attached to the arm portions of the swing arm members at their inner ends, relay rods pivotally attached to the arm portions at both ends, and a steering input transmission system. Rack-and-pinion type electric power steering devices are connected to the arm portions of the left and right swing arm members. A control unit calculates correcting steering torques for reducing rotational vibrations generated in the electric power steering devices due to a disturbance, and correct target steering assist torques calculated based on a steering torque with the correcting steering torques and control the electric power steering devices with the corrected target steering assist torques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Toyoda, Ruriko Sakaguchi, Hironobu Fukuta
  • Patent number: 11279399
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes left and right swing arm members, right and left tie rods pivotally connected at inner ends to arm portions of the swing arm members via a relay rod pivotally connected to the arm portions at both ends, a rack-and-pinion device in which one end of a rack bar is connected to the arm portion of one of the swing arm members, and a steering input transmission system that transmits a steering input to the rack-and-pinion device. An electric steering assist force applying device is connected to the arm portion of the other swing arm member, and applies a force to assist the other swing arm member to swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Toyoda, Ruriko Sakaguchi, Ikuo Kushiro, Hironobu Fukuta
  • Patent number: 10994773
    Abstract: A steering system steers wheels of a vehicle through a shift of a steering shaft. The steering system includes: an electric motor; transmission device that transmits an output of the electric motor to the steering shaft; and a malfunction detector that detects a malfunction of the transmission device based on a rotational angle of the electric motor and a shift distance of the steering shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Yoshida, Koichi Ito, Ruriko Sakaguchi
  • Publication number: 20210101637
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes left and right swing arm members, left and right tie rods pivotally attached to the arm portions of the swing arm members at their inner ends, relay rods pivotally attached to the arm portions at both ends, and a steering input transmission system. Rack-and-pinion type electric power steering devices are connected to the arm portions of the left and right swing arm members. A control unit calculates correcting steering torques for reducing rotational vibrations generated in the electric power steering devices due to a disturbance, and correct target steering assist torques calculated based on a steering torque with the correcting steering torques and control the electric power steering devices with the corrected target steering assist torques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TOYODA, Ruriko SAKAGUCHI, Hironobu FUKUTA
  • Publication number: 20200290665
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes left and right swing arm members, right and left tie rods pivotally connected at inner ends to arm portions of the swing arm members via a relay rod pivotally connected to the arm portions at both ends, a rack-and-pinion device in which one end of a rack bar is connected to the arm portion of one of the swing arm members, and a steering input transmission system that transmits a steering input to the rack-and-pinion device. An electric steering assist force applying device is connected to the arm portion of the other swing arm member, and applies a force to assist the other swing arm member to swing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Toyoda, Ruriko Sakaguchi, Ikuo Kushiro, Hironobu Fukuta
  • Publication number: 20200290663
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes left and right swing arm members, right and left tie rods pivotally connected at inner ends to arm portions of the swing arm members via a relay rod pivotally connected to the arm portions at both ends, a rack-and-pinion device in which one end of a rack bar is connected to the arm portion of one of the swing arm members, and a steering input transmission system that transmits a steering input to the rack-and-pinion device. The rack-and-pinion device includes a pair of pressing devices disposed on both sides of the pinion along the longitudinal direction of the rack bar and pressing the rack bar against the pinion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TOYODA, Ruriko SAKAGUCHI, Ikuo KUSHIRO, Hironobu FUKUTA
  • Publication number: 20200172160
    Abstract: A turning system is configured to move a turning shaft to turn a left wheel and a right wheel of a vehicle. The turning shaft is configured to couple the left wheel and the right wheel to each other. A torsion bar is engaged with the turning shaft via a steering gear box. The turning system includes: a turning mechanism including (i) an electric turning mechanism including an electric motor configured to rotate a portion of the torsion bar which is located upstream of the steering gear box and (ii) a hydraulic turning mechanism configured to apply a moving force to the turning shaft in an axial direction, the moving force being produced by a hydraulic pressure; and an electric-motor controller configured to control the electric motor based on a frictional force in the turning mechanism and a road-surface reaction force that acts between (a) a tire on the left wheel and a tire on the right wheel and (b) a road surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Ruriko SAKAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20190185052
    Abstract: A steering system steers wheels of a vehicle through a shift of a steering shaft. The steering system includes: an electric motor; transmission device that transmits an output of the electric motor to the steering shaft; and a malfunction detector that detects a malfunction of the transmission device based on a rotational angle of the electric motor and a shift distance of the steering shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventors: Shunsuke Yoshida, Koichi Ito, Ruriko Sakaguchi