Patents Assigned to NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
  • Patent number: 11927233
    Abstract: A leaf spring device includes a plurality of leaf springs, in which a restricting protrusion is provided on one leaf spring, a recessed part is formed on the other leaf spring, a first side surface of the restricting protrusion and a third side surface of the recessed part face each other in a plate width direction, a second side surface of the restricting protrusion and a fourth side surface of the recessed part face each other in the plate width direction, a first inclined surface is formed on one of the first and third side surfaces to be further away from the other thereof from a central portion toward a first direction, and a second inclined surface is formed on one of the second and fourth side surfaces to be further away from the other thereof from the central portion toward a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Eguchi, Yusuke Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20240075592
    Abstract: A workpiece holding device includes a workpiece support surface and a blow suction unit. The workpiece support surface includes suction holes formed therein. A workpiece placed on the workpiece support surface is adsorbed by the suction holes. The blow suction unit includes an ionizer that ionizes gas (for example, air), a jet outlet that jets the gas toward the workpiece and a suction inlet. The gas blown onto and reflected off the workpiece is suctioned through the suction inlet. While blowing the ionized gas onto the workpiece, the blow suction unit is moved relative to the length direction of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koichi FUKUSHIMA, Akira HONMA
  • Publication number: 20240066936
    Abstract: A coil spring includes a wire rod including a round section portion and a flat section portion. The round section portion includes a first cross section whose cross section is round. The flat section portion includes a second cross section that is flat. The second cross section has a width greater than or equal to the diameter of the first cross section and a thickness less than the width. A polar moment of inertia of area of the second cross section is smaller than that of the first cross section. A variable section portion is formed between the round section portion and the flat section portion. The variable section portion changes its cross section from circular to flat from the round section portion towards the flat section portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi NISHIZAWA, Takeshi FURUSE, Senri MORIYAMA, Yusuke TANAKA
  • Patent number: 11912181
    Abstract: A suspension seat, including: a lower side member that forms a vehicle lower side of a suspension; an upper side member that forms a vehicle upper side of the suspension, and that is configured to support a vehicle seat body from the vehicle lower side; a suspension link mechanism that includes a vehicle lower side portion coupled to the lower side member and a vehicle upper side portion coupled to the upper side member, and that undergoes displacement so as to displace the upper side member along a vehicle vertical direction; a linear displacement section that is provided at the suspension link mechanism and is configured to undergo linear displacement in conjunction with displacement of the suspension link mechanism; and a locking mechanism that immobilizes the linear displacement section so as to immobilize displacement of the suspension link mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Uehara, Satoshi Yaegashi, Ryusei Nakamura, Yuki Uchisawa
  • Publication number: 20240053380
    Abstract: A probe unit includes: a contact probe that comes into contact with, at both ends of a longitudinal length of the contact probe, each of electrodes that are contact targets; and a probe holder including a main body portion configured to hold the contact probe, the main body portion being insulating. The main body portion includes, formed therein: a holder hole configured to hold the contact probe inserted in the holder hole; and a counterbore portion drilled in at least part of an area around the holder hole, the area being on one of surfaces of the main body portion, the surfaces being near one end and another end of the contact probe, the counterbore portion having an inner wall surface that forms a hollow space and that is insulating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Futa Sasaki, Hajime Arai, Kazuya Soma
  • Patent number: 11900973
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a disk drive suspension includes a load beam, a flexure including a tongue on which a slider is mounted and an outrigger connected to the tongue, and overlapping the load beam, and a damper material attached to the load beam and the outrigger. Further, the damper material has a single-layer structure of a viscoelastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakayama, Masao Hanya, Tatsuhiko Nishida
  • Patent number: 11900975
    Abstract: A head driving device includes a head supporting portion supporting a head member, a first beam, a second beam, a first piezoelectric unit including a pair of piezoelectric elements, and a second piezoelectric unit including a pair of piezoelectric elements. When voltage is applied to the piezoelectric elements of the first piezoelectric unit, the piezoelectric elements deform, and a distal end of the first beam moves. The piezoelectric elements of the second piezoelectric unit also deform by application of voltage, and moves a distal end of the second beam in a same direction as the distal end of the first beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masao Hanya, Ryo Kuwata
  • Publication number: 20240034219
    Abstract: A locking mechanism includes a base with a notch, a latching member with a hook and a first receiving surface, and a locking member with a lever and a regulation portion. The latching member is rotatable between an engagement position and an engagement release position. The locking member is rotatable between a lock position and an unlock position. The regulation portion does not interfere with the latching member when the locking member is rotated from the lock position toward the unlock position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shigeru KUROI
  • Patent number: 11883954
    Abstract: A flexible member is provided which can have excellent load resistance and flexibility while being more compact. This flexible member has a main body part in which multiple wave washers having closed ring shapes is stacked in an axial direction and joined to each other by multiple joint parts, and the main body part is able to be bent with respect to the axial direction due to elastic deformation of the wave washers. Each of the joint parts includes: a pair of welded parts in linear shape, being gradually separated from each other in a circumferential direction from an inner circumferential side toward an outer circumferential side of the wave washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shimpei Kurokawa, Yosuke Kawai
  • Publication number: 20240019460
    Abstract: A probe holder includes: a first layered member including members layered over one another; and a second layered member bonded to the first layered member and including members layered over one another. Each of the first and second layered members includes: a first member made of a material having a low dielectric constant; a second member provided on one of surfaces of the first member and having higher hardness than the first member; and a third member provided on the other surface of the first member and having higher hardness than the first member. The probe holder further includes a holder hole formed by bonding the third members of the first and second layered members, the holder hole penetrating the probe holder in a direction in which the first and second layered members are layered, and having a stepped hole shape having a smaller diameter in the second members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Ito, Kazuya Soma, Hajime Arai
  • Patent number: 11872877
    Abstract: A fuel lid opener-has: a heart cam mechanism that is structured so as to, each time a lifter is push-operated via a fuel lid, cause the lifter to alternately repeat advancing-out and withdrawing, and so as to push the fuel lid open due to advancing-out of the lifter; and a locking mechanism-that can restrict operation of the heart cam mechanism. At the locking mechanism, a time when a stopper is moved by operation of a motor, and the aforementioned restricting is released, the aforementioned stopper engages with the heart cam mechanism and operates the heart cam mechanism. Due thereto, the lifter advances-out, and the fuel lid is pushed open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Tani, Ken Toriyama, Akinori Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11874300
    Abstract: A contact probe includes: a first contact member; a second contact member; and a spring member. The first contact member includes: a first tip part configured to contact a first contact target; and a boss part configured to couple with the spring member by fitting into the spring member, and the second contact member includes: a second tip part configured to contact a second contact target; and a cylindrical part extending from the second tip part and having a cylindrical shape with an inner circumference having a uniform diameter, the cylindrical part being engaged with at least a portion of the spring member, the portion of the spring member that is engaged with the cylindrical part having a diameter larger than the other portion of the spring member, the entire spring member being configured to be housed in the cylindrical part when the spring member is contracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuya Souma, Tsukasa Sakaguchi
  • Patent number: 11869549
    Abstract: A suspension for a disk drive includes a plate member having a first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, a first penetration portion penetrating the first surface and the second surface, and a second penetration portion spaced from the first penetration portion and penetrating the first surface and the second surface, an actuator provided on the second surface and having an electrode located in the first penetration portion, and a flexure having an electrode connection portion connected to the electrode. The electrode connection portion includes a first region and a second region having a thickness smaller than a thickness of the first region, and the second region overlaps the second penetration portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Sugiyama, Naoki Tanaka, Kazuhiro Sugiyama, Shuntaro Numata
  • Publication number: 20240005953
    Abstract: A flexure of a disk drive suspension includes a metal base, and a wiring portion provided along the metal base. The wiring portion includes a base insulating layer, a conductor layer overlapping with the base insulating layer, and a cover insulating layer overlapping with the conductor layer, and the metal base includes a pair of first portions having side surfaces opposed to each other and a second portion overlapping with the conductor layer and connected to the pair of first portions. At least one of the base insulating layer and the cover insulating layer is in contact with the side surfaces between the pair of first portions, and a thickness of the second portion is smaller than a thickness of the first portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yukie YAMADA
  • Patent number: 11862210
    Abstract: A sag bend portion is formed in a longitudinal part of the load beam and bent in a thickness direction. The load beam includes a first portion and a second portion bordering the sag bend portion. Roots of outrigger portions are secured to the load beam by weld portions. A slit portion is formed around each of the weld portions. The slit portion includes an arc-shaped slit and a pair of extension slits. An outrigger support portion is formed inside the slit portion. The outrigger support portion extends in a direction different from that of the second portion of the load beam with respect to a cross section along the longitudinal direction of the load beam in the thickness direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Takikawa, Toshiki Ando
  • Publication number: 20230417605
    Abstract: A temperature measuring unit includes a base including a first face, a second face on a side opposite to the first face, and a first opening portion penetrating the first face and the second face, a support member including a body portion provided on the second face side to overlap with the first opening portion, and a plurality of extending portions extending from the body portion along the second face and overlapping with the second face, and a thermocouple inserted into the first opening portion and including a measuring portion located on the body portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Takeshi SHIMODA
  • Publication number: 20230419991
    Abstract: A suspension includes a first actuator arrangement portion and a second actuator arrangement portion. The first actuator arrangement portion includes a load beam frame portion formed of a part of the load beam. Both ends of a first actuator element are supported by the load beam frame portion. The second actuator arrangement portion includes a second load beam frame portion formed of a part of the load beam and a thin plate frame portion formed of a metal base of a flexure. One end of the second actuator element is supported by the second load beam frame portion. The other end of the second actuator element is supported by the thin plate frame portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko NISHIDA, Masao HANYA
  • Patent number: 11854582
    Abstract: A suspension includes a load beam, a flexure and a dimple portion. The flexure includes a tongue. The dimple portion swingably supports the tongue at least over a first position and a second position. In the tongue, first pillow portions supporting a slider and an adhesive portion fixing the slider are provided. In the load beam, a second pillow portion protruding towards the slider is provided. The second pillow portion is in contact with the slider when the tongue is located at the first position, and separates from the slider when the tongue has moved to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiko Nishida, Akira Nojima
  • Publication number: 20230405844
    Abstract: A bending operation mechanism comprises: an elastically bendable driving part; an elastically bendable driven part that is provided separate from the driving part; and a linking part that connects the driving part and the driven part, and tensions and bends the driven part in accordance with bending of the driving part. The driving part and the driven part each comprise an inner coil part and an outer coil part that are bendable with respect to the axial direction, and wound parts corresponding to the inner coil part are respectively fitted to pitches between adjacent wound parts of the outer coil part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takafumi HIRATA, Yuki HOTODA, Masahiro INABA
  • Patent number: 11848035
    Abstract: A flexure of a disk drive suspension includes a metal base, and a wiring portion provided along the metal base. The wiring portion includes a base insulating layer, a conductor layer overlapping with the base insulating layer, and a cover insulating layer overlapping with the conductor layer, and the metal base includes a pair of first portions having side surfaces opposed to each other. At least one of the base insulating layer and the cover insulating layer is in contact with the side surfaces between the pair of first portions, and the conductor layer does not overlap with the metal base in a direction of stacking the wiring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yukie Yamada