Patents by Inventor Aizoh Kubo

Aizoh Kubo 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).

  • Publication number: 20220242229
    Abstract: In a drive device, it is possible to reduce the size of a planetary gear mechanism, reduce the size and weight of the entire drive device, reduce the dimension between the tip ends of an output shaft for outputting rotational torque, the tip ends protruding in directions opposite to each other, and improve vehicle stability. External sun gears are coupled to an input shaft. Planetary carriers are coaxial with the input shaft, are adjacent to planetary gears in the axial direction thereof, and have external gears that rotate together with the planetary carriers. Ring gears respectively meshing with the planetary carriers are rotatably supported and rotate in mutually opposite directions by means of a differential mechanism. Intermediate gears and input-side gears are respectively fixed to intermediate shafts, the intermediate gears respectively meshing with the external gears. Output gears respectively meshing with the input-side gears are respectively fixed to output shafts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO
  • Patent number: 10442291
    Abstract: A drive unit a drive unit which can prevent an occurrence of an unintentional relative rotation between the right and the left wheels is provided. The drive unit comprises: a first motor connected to the first driveshaft and a second motor connected to the second drive shaft; a first torque transmitting route between the first motor and the first drive shaft; a second torque transmitting route between the second motor and the second drive shaft; a first rotary member arranged in the first torque transmitting route; a second rotary member arranged in the second torque transmitting route; and a restriction device that restricts a differential rotation between the first rotary member and the second rotary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isono, Nobuyoshi Sugitani, Aizoh Kubo
  • Patent number: 10436302
    Abstract: A torque vectoring device has a downsized brake device for stopping drive wheels. The torque vectoring device comprises: a drive motor; a differential unit including a first planetary gear unit connected to a right drive wheel, and a second planetary gear unit connected to a left drive wheel; a differential motor that applies torque to any one of reaction elements; a torque reversing mechanism that transmits torque between the reaction elements while reversing; a rotary shaft connecting input elements; a rotary member that transmits torque of an output shaft of the drive motor; and a brake device that is contacted frictionally to the rotary member to establish a braking force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isono, Nobuyoshi Sugitani, Aizoh Kubo
  • Patent number: 10384535
    Abstract: A drive unit having a downsized brake device for applying a braking force to a drive wheel is provided. The drive unit comprises: a first brake device that applies braking torque to a first rotary member situated closer to a first motor than a first speed reducing device in a first torque transmitting route between the first motor and a first drive shaft; and a second brake device that applies braking torque to a second rotary member situated closer to a second motor than a second speed reducing device in a second torque transmitting route between the second motor and a second drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isono, Nobuyoshi Sugitani, Aizoh Kubo
  • Patent number: 10358051
    Abstract: A motor drive unit having an inboard brake in which a lateral weight distribution is balanced is provided. In the motor drive unit, output torque of a drive motor is distributed to a right driveshaft and a left driveshaft via a drive gear a drive gear fitted onto an output shaft thereof. A brake rotor is also fitted onto the output shaft to be rotated integrally therewith. A brake device stops rotation of the drive gear by engaging the brake rotor with a brake stator that is allowed to rotate relatively to the brake rotor but restricted to rotate in a rotational direction of the brake rotor. The brake device is disposed on an opposite side of the drive motor across the drive gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isono, Nobuyoshi Sugitani, Aizoh Kubo
  • Patent number: 10203028
    Abstract: The present invention provides a drive gear device that can easily be made compact and lightweight with a simple configuration, and that has little friction loss. Among externally toothed sun gear members (12a, 12b) and ring gear members (16, 17) of first and second planetary gear mechanisms (11a, 11b), one pair, which are first paired members (12a, 12b), are coupled to a coupling member (12) for equalizing the rotational speeds and rotational directions of the first paired members (12a, 12b), and the other pair, which are second paired members (16, 17) are coupled to opposite rotation members (18, 19) for making the second paired members (16, 17) rotate in opposite directions. Rotational torque inputted to the coupling member (12) is distributed to the first planetary gear mechanism (11a) and the second planetary gear mechanism (11b), and is outputted from planetary carriers (15a, 15b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aizoh Kubo, Nobuyoshi Sugitani
  • Patent number: 10203029
    Abstract: A motor drive unit having an electromagnetic brake serving as an inboard brake that may also be used as a parking brake is provided. In the motor drive unit, output torque of a drive motor is distributed to a first driveshaft and a second driveshaft. The motor drive unit comprises: an electromagnetic brake device that stops rotation of an output shaft by contacting a brake stator to a brake rotor; a brake motor that generates torque when energized; and an engagement force generating device that generates an engagement force to engage the brake member with the rotary member when the output torque of the brake motor is applied thereto, and that maintains the engagement between the brake member and the rotary member when current supply to the electromagnetic brake device and the brake motor is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isono, Aizoh Kubo
  • Patent number: 10174829
    Abstract: A foreign matter attracting structure includes: an attracting body for attracting foreign matter in lubricating oil, wherein the attracting body includes a magnet and a capturing body which is composed of a weakly magnetic material, and the capturing body is disposed at a position which is magnetized by a magnetic force of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Abe, Aizoh Kubo
  • Patent number: 10144430
    Abstract: A control system for a drive unit configured to control driving force and braking force integrally is provided. The control system comprises: a sensor that detects vehicle conditions and an operation amount of an accelerator pedal etc.; a brake device that is contacted to an input element of a differential unit or a rotary member attached to the drive motor connected to the differential unit; and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate: a target travelling condition based on the vehicle condition and the operation amount detected by the sensor; target drive torques or target braking torques to be applied to the right wheel and left wheel based on the target travelling condition; output torques of a drive motor and a differential motor based on the target driving torques; and a braking force to be established by the brake device and an output torque of the differential motor based on the target braking torques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isono, Nobuyoshi Sugitani, Aizoh Kubo
  • Patent number: 9856960
    Abstract: A power transmission unit that can multiply torque of a prime mover to be delivered to a differential gear unit is provided. Torque of a drive motor is delivered to planetary gear units through a driven gear. A first ring gear of the first planetary gear unit is meshed with a first supplemental gear, and a second ring gear of the second planetary gear unit is meshed with a second supplemental gear. The first supplemental gear and the second supplemental gear are connected to each other through a reaction gear unit to reverse the torque applied to the first ring gear to be transmitted to the second ring gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isono, Nobuyoshi Sugitani, Aizoh Kubo
  • Publication number: 20170313181
    Abstract: A drive unit having a downsized brake device for applying a braking force to a drive wheel is provided. The drive unit comprises: a first brake device that applies braking torque to a first rotary member situated closer to a first motor than a first speed reducing device in a first torque transmitting route between the first motor and a first drive shaft; and a second brake device that applies braking torque to a second rotary member situated closer to a second motor than a second speed reducing device in a second torque transmitting route between the second motor and a second drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO
  • Publication number: 20170313182
    Abstract: A drive unit a drive unit which can prevent an occurrence of an unintentional relative rotation between the right and the left wheels is provided. The drive unit comprises: a first motor connected to the first driveshaft and a second motor connected to the second drive shaft; a first torque transmitting route between the first motor and the first drive shaft; a second torque transmitting route between the second motor and the second drive shaft; a first rotary member arranged in the first torque transmitting route; a second rotary member arranged in the second torque transmitting route; and a restriction device that restricts a differential rotation between the first rotary member and the second rotary member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO
  • Publication number: 20170248185
    Abstract: A brake device that can be cooled effectively while reducing a friction loss of a rotary member is provided. In the brake device, a second friction face formed on a brake stator is brought into contact to a first friction face formed on a brake rotor to stop rotation of a rotary shaft, and coolant is held in a casing. The brake device comprises a first cooling groove formed on the brake rotor to allow the coolant to flow over the first friction face, and a second cooling groove formed on the brake stator to allow the coolant to flow over the second friction face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO
  • Publication number: 20170244301
    Abstract: A motor assembly having a brake device and a downsized cooling system is provided. The motor assembly comprises a drive motor, a brake device that stops rotation of a motor shaft, and a casing that holds the drive motor and the brake device. The motor assembly further comprises a hollow passage formed in the motor shaft to allow cooling medium to flow therethrough, a centrifugal passage formed in the brake rotor from the hollow passage to an opening of the brake rotor, and a return passage that returns the cooling medium discharged from the opening to the hollow passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO
  • Publication number: 20170241532
    Abstract: A torque vectoring device having a downsized brake device for stopping drive wheels is provided. The torque vectoring device comprises: a drive motor; a differential unit including a first planetary gear unit connected a right drive wheels, and a second planetary gear unit connected to a left drive wheel; a differential motor that applies torque to any one of reaction elements; a torque reversing mechanism that transmits torque between the reaction elements while reversing; a rotary shaft connecting input elements; a rotary member that transmits torque of an output shaft of the drive motor; and a brake device that is contacted frictionally to the rotary member to establish a braking force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO
  • Publication number: 20170241533
    Abstract: A motor drive unit having an electromagnetic brake serving as an inboard brake that may also be used as a parking brake is provided. In the motor drive unit, output torque of a drive motor is distributed to a first driveshaft and a second driveshaft. The motor drive unit comprises: an electromagnetic brake device that stops rotation of an output shaft by contacting a brake stator to a brake rotor; a brake motor that generates torque when energized; and an engagement force generating device that generates an engagement force to engage the brake member with the rotary member when the output torque of the brake motor is applied thereto, and that maintains the engagement between the brake member and the rotary member when current supply to the electromagnetic brake device and the brake motor is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Aizoh KUBO
  • Publication number: 20170227104
    Abstract: A torque vectoring device for preventing an unintentional relative rotation between the right wheel and the left wheel is provided. The torque vectoring device comprises: a drive motor; a differential unit formed of planetary gear units; a differential motor that applies torque to any one of reaction elements of the planetary gear units; a torque reversing mechanism transmitting torque of the first reaction element to the second reaction element while reversing; a rotary shaft connecting input elements of the planetary gear units; a first rotary member fitted onto an output shaft of the differential motor; and a differential action restricting mechanism for pushing a pushing member onto the first rotary member thereby applying brake torque to the output shaft of the differential motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO
  • Publication number: 20170210244
    Abstract: A motor drive unit having an inboard brake in which a lateral weight distribution is balanced is provided. In the motor drive unit, output torque of a drive motor is distributed to a right driveshaft and a left driveshaft via a drive gear a drive gear fitted onto an output shaft thereof. A brake rotor is also fitted onto the output shaft to be rotated integrally therewith. A brake device stops rotation of the drive gear by engaging the brake rotor with a brake stator that is allowed to rotate relatively to the brake rotor but restricted to rotate in a rotational direction of the brake rotor. The brake device is disposed on an opposite side of the drive motor across the drive gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO
  • Publication number: 20170183009
    Abstract: A control system for a drive unit configured to control driving force and braking force integrally is provided. The control system comprises: a sensor that detects vehicle conditions and an operation amount of an accelerator pedal etc.; a brake device that is contacted to an input element of a differential unit or a rotary member attached to the drive motor connected to the differential unit; and a controller. The controller is configured to calculate: a target travelling condition based on the vehicle condition and the operation amount detected by the sensor; target drive torques or target braking torques to be applied to the right wheel and left wheel based on the target travelling condition; output torques of a drive motor and a differential motor based on the target driving torques; and a braking force to be established by the brake device and an output torque of the differential motor based on the target braking torques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, ALCHEMICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO
  • Publication number: 20170166061
    Abstract: A motor having an electromagnetic brake is provided to ensure a braking torque even when power is off. The motor assembly comprises a drive motor and an electromagnetic brake. A thrust generating mechanism translates rotational motion of a brake motor to linear motion to generate thrust force for moving any one of brake stator and brake rotor of the electromagnetic brake thereby maintaining frictional contact therebetween to stop rotation of a motor shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Alchemica Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi ISONO, Nobuyoshi SUGITANI, Aizoh KUBO