Patents by Inventor Takahiro Kasuga

Takahiro Kasuga 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: 10226978
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a detector, a vehicle height controller, and a malfunction detector. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The detector is configured to detect the relative position of the body of the vehicle relative to the axle of the wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle height controller is configured to control the changer based on a detection value detected by the detector to change the relative position to control a vehicle height, which is a height of the body. When the detection value detected by the detector changes by a predetermined amount or more in a predetermined period of time, the malfunction detector is configured to determine that there is a possibility of a malfunction occurring in the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Takahiro Koresawa, Masayoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10214070
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a vehicle height controller, and a malfunction detector. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle height controller is configured to change the relative position based on a detection value detected by a detector configured to detect the relative position so as to control a vehicle height, which is a height of the body. The malfunction detector is configured to detect a malfunction in at least one of the changer and the detector, the malfunction causing the vehicle height controller to continue to control the vehicle height to increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Takahiro Koresawa, Masayoshi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 10150531
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer and a controller. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The controller is configured to control the changer to make the relative position a target value so as to control a vehicle height of the body of the vehicle. The controller is configured to control the changer to maintain the relative position irrespective of the target value when a decreasing malfunction occurs causing the vehicle height to decrease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Takahiro Koresawa
  • Patent number: 9776683
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a detector, and a controller. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The detector is configured to detect the relative position. The controller is configured to control the changer to change the relative position based on a detection value detected by the detector so as to control a height of the body as a vehicle height. The controller is configured to control the changer to maintain the vehicle height when there is a possibility of a malfunction in the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Shunya Senda, Takahiro Koresawa
  • Publication number: 20170274721
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a detector, a vehicle height controller, and a malfunction detector. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The detector is configured to detect the relative position of the body of the vehicle relative to the axle of the wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle height controller is configured to control the changer based on a detection value detected by the detector to change the relative position to control a vehicle height, which is a height of the body. When the detection value detected by the detector changes by a predetermined amount or more in a predetermined period of time, the malfunction detector is configured to determine that there is a possibility of a malfunction occurring in the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro KASUGA, Takahiro KORESAWA, Masayoshi IKEDA
  • Publication number: 20170274722
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a vehicle height controller, and a malfunction detector. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The vehicle height controller is configured to change the relative position based on a detection value detected by a detector configured to detect the relative position so as to control a vehicle height, which is a height of the body. The malfunction detector is configured to detect a malfunction in at least one of the changer and the detector, the malfunction causing the vehicle height controller to continue to control the vehicle height to increase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro KASUGA, Takahiro KORESAWA, Masayoshi IKEDA
  • Patent number: 9738346
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer and a controller. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The controller is configured to control the changer to make the relative position a target value so as to control a vehicle height of the body. The controller is configured to control the changer to maintain the relative position when there is a possibility of a malfunction in a detector configured to detect a parameter for control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Takahiro Koresawa
  • Publication number: 20160280311
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer, a detector, and a controller. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The detector is configured to detect the relative position. The controller is configured to control the changer to change the relative position based on a detection value detected by the detector so as to control a height of the body as a vehicle height. The controller is configured to control the changer to maintain the vehicle height when there is a possibility of a malfunction in the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro KASUGA, Shunya SENDA, Takahiro KORESAWA
  • Publication number: 20160280312
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer and a controller. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The controller is configured to control the changer to make the relative position a target value so as to control a vehicle height of the body of the vehicle. The controller is configured to control the changer to maintain the relative position irrespective of the target value when a decreasing malfunction occurs causing the vehicle height to decrease.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro KASUGA, Takahiro KORESAWA
  • Publication number: 20160280313
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment device includes a changer and a controller. The changer is configured to change a relative position of a body of a vehicle relative to an axle of a wheel of the vehicle. The controller is configured to control the changer to make the relative position a target value so as to control a vehicle height of the body. The controller is configured to control the changer to maintain the relative position when there is a possibility of a malfunction in a detector configured to detect a parameter for control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro KASUGA, Takahiro KORESAWA
  • Patent number: 9440704
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus adjusts a vehicle height by changing a front distance that is a distance in a longitudinal direction of the front fork between a body of a vehicle and a front wheel of the vehicle, and by changing a rear distance that is a distance in a longitudinal direction of the rear suspension between the body of the vehicle and a rear wheel of the vehicle. In this apparatus, the posture of the vehicle body is not affected even when the vehicle height is adjusted (i.e., raised), providing the vehicle with further stability during driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Fumiaki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9180746
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjusting device includes: a changing unit that changes relative positions of a vehicle main body and wheels of a vehicle; and a control unit that adjusts a vehicle height that is a height of the vehicle main body by controlling the changing unit to change the relative positions, in which the changing unit includes an electromagnetic valve that is provided on a circulation path of a fluid and that is adjusted to have an opening amount in accordance with supplied power and changes the relative positions as pressure of the fluid varies in accordance with the opening amount of the electromagnetic valve, and the control unit performs Pulse-Width-Modulation control on voltage applied to the electromagnetic valve so that the opening amount of the electromagnetic valve equals a desired opening amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Fumiaki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9132712
    Abstract: Technology is provided that enables vehicle speed to be grasped more accurately utilized for adjusting vehicle height. A vehicle height adjusting device includes: a relative position changing device capable of changing relative positions of a vehicle body frame and a rear wheel of a vehicle; a vehicle speed grasping section configured to grasp vehicle speed, which is moving speed of the vehicle body frame; and a change-over valve control section configured to control the relative position changing device on the basis of the vehicle speed grasped by the vehicle speed grasping section and change the relative positions of the vehicle body frame and the rear wheel to adjust vehicle height, which is the height of the vehicle body frame. The vehicle speed grasping section grasps the vehicle speed on the basis of front wheel rotating speed, which is the rotating speed of a front wheel, and rear wheel rotating speed, which is the rotating speed of the rear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Fumiaki Ishikawa, Shunya Senda
  • Publication number: 20150239526
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes a rear wheel suspension spring that is disposed between a vehicle body and a tire wheel of a vehicle; a rear wheel damper that undergoes an extensional and contractional operation so as to move working oil to dampen vibration of the spring; a support member that supports one end portion of the spring, and moves relative to the damper to change the length of the spring; a jack chamber into which the working oil causing the support member to move relative to the damper flows by the extensional and contractional operation of the damper; a rear wheel electromagnetic valve that adjusts the amount of the working oil flowing into the jack chamber by the degree of opening of the electromagnetic valve; and control device that controls the degree of opening of the electromagnetic valve based on a weight exerted on the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiaki ISHIKAWA, Takahiro KASUGA, Yosuke MURAKAMI, Kimitoshi SATO
  • Patent number: 9114846
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes a rear wheel suspension spring that is disposed between a vehicle body and a tire wheel of a vehicle; a rear wheel damper that undergoes an extensional and contractional operation so as to move working oil to dampen vibration of the spring; a support member that supports one end portion of the spring, and moves relative to the damper to change the length of the spring; a jack chamber into which the working oil causing the support member to move relative to the damper flows by the extensional and contractional operation of the damper; a rear wheel electromagnetic valve that adjusts the amount of the working oil flowing into the jack chamber by the degree of opening of the electromagnetic valve; and control device that controls the degree of opening of the electromagnetic valve based on a weight exerted on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumiaki Ishikawa, Takahiro Kasuga, Yosuke Murakami, Kimitoshi Sato
  • Patent number: 9115734
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to reduce current consumption for switching and holding an actuation position of an electromagnetic change-over valve included in a vehicle height adjusting device for a motorcycle and to surely hold the actuation position. In a rear-wheel side vehicle height adjusting device for a motorcycle, after applying a startup current to a solenoid of a change-over valve in order switch an actuation position of the change-over valve, while switching an applied current to the solenoid to a holding current which is smaller than the startup current and holding the actuation position of the change-over valve, a control section intermittently applies a large current, which is larger than the holding current, to the solenoid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yosuke Murakami, Tadashi Hachisuka, Takahiro Kasuga, Fumiaki Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20150210344
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes: a front wheel-side change unit that can change a front wheel relative position, which is a relative position between a body of a vehicle and a front wheel of the vehicle; a rear wheel-side change unit that can change a rear wheel relative position, which is a relative position between the body and a rear wheel of the vehicle; and a control unit that controls the front wheel-side change unit and the rear wheel-side change unit so as to change the front wheel and the rear wheel relative positions to adjust a vehicle height, which is a height of the body of the vehicle, and the control unit increases the vehicle height while maintaining a ratio of a displacement of the front wheel relative position to a displacement of the rear wheel relative position within a predetermined range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro KASUGA, Fumiaki ISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150076773
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjusting device includes: a changing unit that changes relative positions of a vehicle main body and wheels of a vehicle; and a control unit that adjusts a vehicle height that is a height of the vehicle main body by controlling the changing unit to change the relative positions, in which the changing unit includes an electromagnetic valve that is provided on a circulation path of a fluid and that is adjusted to have an opening amount in accordance with supplied power and changes the relative positions as pressure of the fluid varies in accordance with the opening amount of the electromagnetic valve, and the control unit performs Pulse-Width-Modulation control on voltage applied to the electromagnetic valve so that the opening amount of the electromagnetic valve equals a desired opening amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro KASUGA, Fumiaki ISHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 8894074
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus, includes: a front wheel side changing unit capable of changing a front wheel side relative position; a rear wheel side changing unit capable of changing a rear wheel side relative position; and a control unit for adjusting a height of the main body of the vehicle by controlling the front wheel side changing unit and the rear wheel side changing unit so as to change the front wheel side relative position and the rear wheel side relative position, in which the control unit controls the front wheel side changing unit and the rear wheel side changing unit in such a manner that a rate of change of the front wheel side relative position and a rate of change of the rear wheel side relative position satisfy a predetermined relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kasuga, Fumiaki Ishikawa, Shunya Senda
  • Patent number: 8888107
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to stabilize a rider's driving position in spite of a change in vehicle height. Provided is a motorcycle 1 that adjusts a vehicle height by interlocking a rear-wheel-side vehicle height adjusting operation based on controllable actuation of a hydraulic jack 41 provided in a rear suspension 10, with a front-wheel-side vehicle height adjusting operation based on controllable actuation of a hydraulic jack 141 provided in a front fork 110.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke Murakami, Tadashi Hachisuka, Takahiro Kasuga, Fumiaki Ishikawa