Patents Assigned to Showa Corporation
  • Pump device and tilt and trim device for outboard machine
    Patent number: 9784267
    Abstract: A pump device includes a first pump that includes a first discharge portion and a second discharge portion, a first flow path that connects the first discharge portion and a first chamber of a cylinder, a second flow path that connects the second discharge portion and a second chamber of the cylinder, a second pump that includes a third discharge portion and a fourth discharge portion, a third flow path that connects the third discharge portion and the first chamber, a fourth flow path that connects the fourth discharge portion and the second chamber, a branch path that branches from the third flow path and reaches the tank, and an opening valve that opens the branch path, the opening valve being disposed in the branch path so as to open the branch path when a pressure in the second chamber is higher than a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hayato Tsutsui, Takahiko Saito
  • Steering apparatus and gas ventilation device
    Patent number: 9783226
    Abstract: Disclosed is a motor-driven power steering apparatus including: a rack shaft that is operated by steering of a steering unit; a gear housing that accommodates the rack shaft; a tip-side opening which is formed in the gear housing, and through which an inside of the gear housing communicates with an outside of the gear housing; a gas ventilation valve that covers the tip-side opening while ensuring ventilation, through the gas ventilation valve, of a gas via the tip-side opening; and a diaphragm that is provided further inside of the gear housing than the gas ventilation valve, suppresses infiltration of a gas, which passes through the gas ventilation valve, into the gear housing, and is deformed according to a difference between an internal pressure and an external pressure of the gear housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Enomoto
  • STEERING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20170282962
    Abstract: A steering device includes a clutch and a wheel-turning shaft. The clutch includes an input shaft, an output shaft, a planetary gear mechanism, a housing, and a restriction member. The planetary gear mechanism is coupled to each of the input shaft and the output shaft. The housing is configured to accommodate the planetary gear mechanism and at least part of the output shaft. The restriction member is secured to the housing or constitutes part of the housing. The restriction member is opposed to an outer surface of the output shaft through a gap so as to restrict inclination of the output shaft. The wheel-turning shaft is configured to be displaced in accordance with rotation of the output shaft so as to turn wheels of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Shinsuke SEKIKAWA
  • FLOW PATH CONTROL DEVICE AND VEHICLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20170282994
    Abstract: A flow path control device according to one embodiment includes a first valve which transitions between a closed state where a first flow is closed and an open state where the first flow path is open by moving toward an space from the closed state. The first valve is formed with an axial through-hole that communicates with the first flow path and the space. A pressure-receiving area of the first valve against a jack chamber is smaller than that against the space. Further, a second valve is provided in the space on a second flow path so as to transition between a first state where the axial through-hole is closed and an inflow path oriented toward the space from the jack chamber is open and a second state where it is closed and the axial through-hole is open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke MURAKAMI, Hiroyuki MIYATA
  • MOTIVE POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM AND STEERING DEVICE
    Publication number: 20170282965
    Abstract: A motive power transmission mechanism includes a motor, a drive pulley, a driven pulley, a belt, a housing, and a cap. The motor includes an output shaft and a motor main body. The drive pulley is configured to rotate together with the output shaft. The belt is wound across the drive pulley and the driven pulley to transmit torque from the drive pulley to the driven pulley. The housing accommodates the drive pulley, the belt, and the driven pulley. The housing includes a work window which faces the belt and through which the belt undergoes work from outside of the housing. The cap is configured to close the work window when the work is not performed. The cap includes a porous portion having air-permeability and water-impermeability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Shinsuke SEKIKAWA
  • VALVE MECHANISM, DAMPING FORCE GENERATING DEVICE, AND SHOCK ABSORBER
    Publication number: 20170284496
    Abstract: A valve mechanism includes a housing, a plate-shaped valve body, a valve positioning member, and a drive valve moving mechanism. The valve positioning member causes the valve body to face the valve seat via a predetermined gap with respect to the valve seat. The drive valve moving mechanism causes the gap between an inner circumference of the valve body and the valve seat to be variable by moving the drive valve in a direction of approaching the valve seat and elastically deforming the valve body in a direction that the inner circumference of the valve body approaches the valve seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro MIWA, Yosuke MURAKAMI
  • SUSPENSION CONTROLLER AND SUSPENSION APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20170282668
    Abstract: A suspension controller includes a target current setting unit, a current limitation setting unit, a current outputting unit, a current detector, and an estimated temperature calculator. The target current setting unit sets a target current value. The current limitation setting unit sets a current limitation value. The current outputting unit supplies a solenoid with a current that is based on the target current value, the current limitation value, and a power supply voltage. The solenoid controls a damping force of a suspension. The current detector detects a current value of the current supplied to the solenoid. The estimated temperature calculator calculates an estimated temperature of the solenoid based on the current value detected by the current detector so that the current limitation setting unit changes the current limitation value based on the estimated temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Takumi MORITA, Hiroaki KURIHARA, Masaki SUGIMOTO
  • VEHICLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20170282996
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus includes a control device. The control device controls the opening degree of the solenoid valve to allow a movement amount of the support member to reach a movement amount target value that corresponds to the vehicle height set in advance, in accordance with the weight applied to the vehicle. The control device controls the opening degree of the solenoid valve to change the movement amount of the support member based on a difference between a value based on the information related to the vehicle height and a vehicle height-related target value, on condition that the movement amount of the support member reaches the movement amount target value and the value based on the information related to the vehicle height obtained by the information obtaining device does not reach the vehicle height-related target value that corresponds to the vehicle height set in advance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke MURAKAMI, Hiroyuki MIYATA, Fumiaki ISHIKAWA
  • SHOCK ABSORBER
    Publication number: 20170282992
    Abstract: A front fork leg includes an inner chamber that absorbs by a gas spring a shock caused on a vehicle; an auxiliary gas spring chamber communicating with the inner chamber; an auxiliary piston provided in the auxiliary gas spring chamber; and a gas spring chamber side gas chamber sectioned by the auxiliary piston and communicating with the inner chamber, and the auxiliary piston moves to increase a volume of the gas spring chamber side gas chamber, as pressure inside the inner chamber increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Kojiro YOSHIDA
  • CLUTCH, STEERING DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING CLUTCH
    Publication number: 20170282963
    Abstract: A clutch includes a sun gear, an internal gear, planetary gears, a carrier, a first area, a second area, and a third area. The carrier has a through hole through which an output shaft extends. The first area is disposed on an inner wall of the carrier defining the through hole. The second area is disposed on an outer surface of the output shaft and is spline-fitted to the first area. The third area is disposed at a position that is on the outer surface of the output shaft and that is closer to the input shaft than the second area is to the input shaft. The third area has a shape that makes the third area rotatable while being fitted to the first area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Shinsuke SEKIKAWA
  • SHOCK ABSORBER
    Publication number: 20170284497
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a shock absorber. The shock absorber includes a reservoir communication path through which a damping force generator and a reservoir communicate with each other, a compression-side communication path through which a piston-side oil chamber and the damping force generator communicate with each other, and a compression-side inlet port which is provided in the damping force generator and into which oil flows from the compression-side communication path and which has a compression-side valve that generates damping force. The cross-sectional area of the reservoir communication path is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the compression-side inlet port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi UOTANI, Koji TOKUNAGA
  • VEHICLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20170282995
    Abstract: A vehicle height adjustment apparatus according to one embodiment include a spring, a spring-length changing unit, a first valve, a control valve and a second valve. The spring-length changing unit changes a length of the spring in accordance with an amount of oil in a jack chamber that accommodates the oil. The first valve opens and closes a first communication path in which the oil supplied from a pump is oriented toward a reservoir chamber that stores the oil. The control valve opens and closes a discharge flow path oriented toward the reservoir chamber from a chamber that accommodates the oil to close the first valve. The second valve opens and closes a second communication path in which the oil supplied from the pump is oriented toward the jack chamber when the first valve is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Yosuke MURAKAMI, Hiroyuki MIYATA
  • FLOW PATH CONTROL DEVICE AND VEHICLE HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20170282993
    Abstract: A flow path control device according to one embodiment includes a first valve, a unit main body and a control valve. The unit main body has an accommodation portion, a first radial communication hole and a side recess portion. The accommodation portion is recessed from a chamber accommodating the oil to cause the first valve to close the first radial communication hole. The side recess portion is recessed from the chamber so as to be continuous to the accommodation portion and not to be continuous to the first radial communication hole. The control valve is movable in the accommodation portion of the unit main body between a position at which a groove of the control valve communicates with the side recess portion and the first radial communication hole and a position at which the groove does not communicate with them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki MIYATA, Yosuke MURAKAMI
  • SUSPENSION CONTROLLER AND SUSPENSION APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20170282666
    Abstract: A suspension controller includes a target current setting unit configured to set a target current value, a current limitation setting unit configured to set a current limitation value, a current detector configured to detect a current value of a first current supplied to a solenoid that is configured to control a damping force of a suspension, a duty ratio setting unit configured to set a duty ratio based on the target current value, based on the current limitation value, and based on the current value detected by the current detector; and a current outputting unit configured to supply the solenoid with a second current that corresponds to the duty ratio set by the duty ratio setting unit and to a power supply voltage. The current limitation setting unit is configured to change the current limitation value based on the duty ratio set by the duty ratio setting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki SUGIMOTO, Hiroaki KURIHARA
  • SUSPENSION APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20170284500
    Abstract: A suspension apparatus includes a first tube and a second tube that are telescopic and that are disposed on a vehicle body side and on a wheel side, respectively; a cylinder that is provided in the first tube; a rod that is provided in the second tube; a piston that is provided on the rod, slidingly contacts with an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, and forms a first gas chamber on a side of the first tube; a coil spring configured to urge the first tube and the second tube in an extension direction; and a spring receiving member that is disposed at a position on a second tube side from a movable region of the piston, the coil spring being disposed between the spring receiving member and the second tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhiro AOKI
  • SHOCK ABSORBER AND DAMPING FORCE GENERATOR
    Publication number: 20170284498
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a damping force generator. The damping force generator includes: a valve body having a compression-side inlet port into which the oil pushed by the piston flows; and a compression-side damping valve provided so as to block a port outlet and elastically deformed according to pressure of the oil flowing into the compression-side inlet port to thereby exhibit damping force. An opening cross-sectional area of a port inlet opening is larger than a passage cross-sectional area of the compression-side inlet port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventors: Koji TOKUNAGA, Tadashi UOTANI
  • SHOCK ABSORBER
    Publication number: 20170284495
    Abstract: A shock absorber according to one embodiment includes a damper case provided to hold an outer tube and an inner tube such that an upper end of the outer tube is positioned closer to a side on which a piston rod is disposed than an upper end of the inner tube. The damper case includes a damper housing portion that houses a damper unit, a compression-side communication path through which an inner side of the inner tube and the damper housing portion communicate with each other, an extension-side communication path through which an annular passage and the damper housing portion communicate with each other, and a passage opening which is formed on the opposite side to the piston rod of the outer tube. The extension-side communication path and the annular passage communicate with each other through the passage opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Koji MATSUMOTO
  • CLUTCH, STEERING DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR DISASSEMBLING CLUTCH
    Publication number: 20170282964
    Abstract: A clutch is configured to mechanically establish and disestablish a torque transmission path between an input shaft through which a torque is input and an output shaft through which the torque is output. The clutch includes a sun gear, an internal gear, planetary gears, and a carrier. The sun gear is configured to switch between a fixed state and a non-fixed state. The internal gear is coupled to the input shaft in a torque transmittable manner. The planetary gears are configured to mesh with the sun gear and the internal gear. The carrier is coupled to the output shaft in a torque transmittable manner and configured to support the planetary gears rotatably. The carrier includes a coupling portion to be coupled to a detachment member configured to detach the carrier from the clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: Showa Corporation
    Inventor: Shinsuke SEKIKAWA
  • Joint structure and power steering device
    Patent number: 9777776
    Abstract: A joint structure includes first and second engagement members, and an elastic member. The first engagement member includes a first body and a first engagement claw. The second engagement member includes a second body and a second engagement claw. The elastic member is disposed between the first and second engagement portions in a circumferential direction. When a relative rotation angle between the first and second engagement members is less than a predetermined angle, the first and second engagement claws are not in direct contact with each other in the circumferential direction, and a rotational force is transmitted through the elastic member while the elastic member is being elastically deformed. When the relative rotation angle is equal to the predetermined angle, the first and second engagement claws are in direct contact with each other in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiro Kogure
  • Worm biasing structure
    Patent number: 9777826
    Abstract: A worm biasing structure that biases a worm toward a worm wheel in a biasing direction, includes: a radial bearing that supports the worm in a radial direction; a bearing holder that has a holder hole for accommodating the radial bearing; a biasing member for biasing the radial bearing toward the worm wheel; and a housing that has a housing hole for accommodating the bearing holder, a pair of guide surfaces is formed as defined herein, when the bearing holder is accommodated in the housing hole and the radial bearing is not accommodated in the bearing holder, a distance between the pair of guide surfaces is smaller than or equal to an outer diameter of the radial bearing, and a gap is formed between an outer surface on the outer side of the guide surface and the housing hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SHOWA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuusuke Anma, Masaru Ishiwata, Makoto Watanabe