Patents by Inventor Yasuaki Kurokawa

Yasuaki Kurokawa 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: 9469331
    Abstract: A steering apparatus for a vehicle capable of adjusting an operating position of a steering wheel with respect to a vehicle body, includes: a steering column supporting the steering wheel at a rear end, arranging a center of oscillation with respect to the vehicle body in front thereof, and supporting the steering wheel so as to oscillate around the center of oscillation; a fixing bracket holding the steering column between opposing holding sections extending to a lower part and fixing an upper part to the vehicle body; and a support mechanism interposed between the holding sections and the steering column and supporting the steering column to in a manner that the steering column is slidable, wherein the support mechanism includes a spring member interposed between one of the holding sections and the steering column and a rigid body interposed between the other of the holding sections and the steering column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Soichiro Iwanaga, Yasuaki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9321476
    Abstract: A steering apparatus is provided for reducing its size by reducing a load applied to a driving unit, and configuring an electrically operated tilt mechanism which is small in size and easily mounted on a vehicle. A driving unit adjusting a relative position of a steering column to a fixing bracket, and a biasing member (e.g., tension coil spring) having one end supported on the fixing bracket, and holding the steering column at a predetermined neutral position when the driving unit is not actuated, are provided, so that the driving unit adjusts the steering column to be placed at a tilt position with a desired tilt angle relative to the fixing bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Morinaga, Yasuaki Kurokawa, Takeshi Marutani
  • Publication number: 20150344063
    Abstract: A steering apparatus for a vehicle capable of adjusting an operating position of a steering wheel with respect to a vehicle body, includes: a steering column supporting the steering wheel at a rear end, arranging a center of oscillation with respect to the vehicle body in front thereof, and supporting the steering wheel so as to oscillate around the center of oscillation; a fixing bracket holding the steering column between opposing holding sections extending to a lower part and fixing an upper part to the vehicle body; and a support mechanism interposed between the holding sections and the steering column and supporting the steering column to in a manner that the steering column is slidable, wherein the support mechanism includes a spring member interposed between one of the holding sections and the steering column and a rigid body interposed between the other of the holding sections and the steering column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Soichiro IWANAGA, Yasuaki KUROKAWA
  • Patent number: 9150239
    Abstract: A steering apparatus is capable of configuring an electrically operated tilt mechanism, which is interchangeable with a manually operated tilt mechanism, and which is small in size and easily mounted on a vehicle. A tilt bracket holding a steering column and supported on the fixing bracket to be relatively movable thereto, and a tilt shaft extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle body and supported on the fixing bracket to be relatively movable thereto in an axial direction of the steering column are provided. By way of a driving unit, the tilt bracket is rotated about the tilt shaft axis to adjust a relative position of the tilt shaft to the fixing bracket. Furthermore, a tilt slider is disposed between an elongated hole on the fixing bracket and the tilt shaft, and a biasing member biasing the tilt slider in the axial direction of the tilt shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Morinaga, Yasuaki Kurokawa, Takeshi Marutani
  • Patent number: 8979126
    Abstract: A steering apparatus for a vehicle, includes: a steering column; a single electric motor being selectively connected to a telescopic mechanism or a tilt mechanism; a steering wheel; a drive mechanism transmitting an output torque of the electric motor to a telescopic threaded shaft and a tilt threaded shaft; and a connecting-disconnecting mechanism having a first clutch mechanism connecting and disconnecting the drive mechanism to and from the tilt threaded shaft and a second clutch mechanism connecting and disconnecting the drive mechanism to and from the telescopic threaded shaft, the connecting-disconnecting mechanism bringing one of the first clutch mechanism and the second clutch mechanism in a connected state to the drive mechanism and bringing the other of the first clutch mechanism and the second clutch mechanism in a disconnected state from the drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism and the connecting-disconnecting mechanism constitute a single power connecting-disconnecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Morinaga, Yasuaki Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20150061271
    Abstract: A steering apparatus is provided for reducing its size by reducing a load applied to a driving unit, and configuring an electrically operated tilt mechanism which is small in size and easily mounted on a vehicle. A driving unit adjusting a relative position of a steering column to a fixing bracket, and a biasing member (e.g., tension coil spring) having one end supported on the fixing bracket, and holding the steering column at a predetermined neutral position when the driving unit is not actuated, are provided, so that the driving unit adjusts the steering column to be placed at a tilt position with a desired tilt angle relative to the fixing bracket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Morinaga, Yasuaki Kurokawa, Takeshi Marutani
  • Publication number: 20150048608
    Abstract: A steering apparatus is capable of configuring an electrically operated tilt mechanism, which is interchangeable with a manually operated tilt mechanism, and which is small in size and easily mounted on a vehicle. A tilt bracket holding a steering column and supported on the fixing bracket to be relatively movable thereto, and a tilt shaft extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle body and supported on the fixing bracket to be relatively movable thereto in an axial direction of the steering column are provided. By way of a driving unit, the tilt bracket is rotated about the tilt shaft axis to adjust a relative position of the tilt shaft to the fixing bracket. Furthermore, a tilt slider is disposed between an elongated hole on the fixing bracket and the tilt shaft, and a biasing member biasing the tilt slider in the axial direction of the tilt shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Inventors: Shinya Morinaga, Yasuaki Kurokawa, Takashi Marutani
  • Publication number: 20050081675
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a steering wheel, a steering column connected to the steering wheel at one end of the steering column, a column supporting member rotatably supporting the steering column relative to a vehicle body, and a column swinging member rotatably supporting the steering column for swinging the steering column about a column swinging point on the column swinging member. A distance (LS) between the column swinging point and a column supporting point provided at the column supporting member is equal to or greater than 30% of distance (LH) between the column swinging point and the steering wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Publication date: April 21, 2005
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Morito Oshita, Yasuaki Kurokawa, Masakazu Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20050011297
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a steering column to which a steering wheel is connected, a first fixing portion for pivotably supporting the steering column relative to a vehicle body, a bracket secured to the steering column for supporting a drive unit, and a second fixing portion for supporting the steering column relative to the vehicle body and pivoting the steering column with respect to the first fixing portion by receiving an output of the drive unit. The second fixing portion is provided on the steering wheel side of the steering column relative to the bracket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Morito Oshita, Yasuaki Kurokawa, Masakazu Ozawa