Patents by Inventor Akihiko Abe

Akihiko Abe 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: 9616703
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an attachment body (11) attached to an axle, an inner tubular body (12) fitted onto the attachment body (11) from the outside, an outer tubular body (13) configured to surround the inner tubular body (12) from the outside in a tire radial direction, and a plurality of connecting members (15) disposed between the inner tubular body (12) and the outer tubular body (13) in a tire circumferential direction and configured to connect both of the tubular bodies (12) and (13) while maintaining relative elastic displacement therebetween, wherein at least one of an outer circumferential section of the attachment body (11) and an inner circumferential section of the inner tubular body (12) that are locked to each other is inclined throughout the circumference in the tire circumferential direction from the outside toward the inside in a tire radial direction as it goes from both of the outsides toward the inside in a tire width direction (H), and is formed in a V shape when seen in a cross-s
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Nishida, Akihiko Abe
  • Patent number: 9550393
    Abstract: A connecting member (15) includes connecting plates (21, 22) configured to connect an attachment body and a ring-shaped body (13), a plurality of curved sections (21d to 21j, 22d to 22j) curved in a tire circumferential direction are formed at the connecting plates (21, 22) in a direction in which the connecting plates (21, 22) extend in a side view of a tire when seen from a tire width direction, and in the plurality of curved sections (21d to 21j, 22d to 22j) of one of the connecting plates (21, 22), the thickness of a maximum curved section having largest central angles (?d to ?j) about a center of curvature of the curved section (21d to 21j, 22d to 22j) is maximized, and the thickness of a minimum curved section having the smallest central angles (?d to ?j) is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiko Abe, Masashi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20170015141
    Abstract: Provided is a non-pneumatic tire including an attachment body attached to an axle, an outer tubular body (13) configured to surround the attachment body from the outside in a tire radial direction, and a connecting member (15) configured to connect the attachment body and the outer tubular body while allowing displacement therebetween, wherein the connecting member includes a first elastic connecting plate (21) in which a first end portion (21a) connected to the outer tubular body is disposed closer to a first side in a tire circumferential direction than a second end portion connected to the attachment body and an intermediate portion (21c) is disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion, and both of circumferential end surface (26a, 26b) directed in the tire circumferential direction among surfaces of the first end portion of the first elastic connecting plate extend in opposite directions in the tire circumferential direction to be separated from each other from the inside toward the o
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanori SHOJI, Akihiko ABE
  • Patent number: 9511625
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire (1) is provided including an attachment body (11) attached to an axle, an outer rim body (13) configured to surround the attachment body (11) from the outside in the tire radial direction, and a connecting member (15) configured to connect the attachment body (11) and the outer rim body (13) in a displaceable manner, wherein, in the connecting member (15), a size of one end section (15a) connected to the outer rim body (13) in the tire width direction (H) is larger than a size of the other end section (15b) connected to the attachment body (11) in the tire width direction (H).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Nishida, Akihiko Abe
  • Publication number: 20160297244
    Abstract: In a non-pneumatic tire, central portions in an extension direction of first elastic connecting plates (21) and central portions in an extension direction of second elastic connecting plates (22) are spaced from each other in a tire width direction (H) by a distance of 0.25 to 0.9 times an outer tube width (W1) serving as a size in the tire width direction (H) of an outer tubular body (13), edges of a first side in the tire width direction (H) of first end portions (21a) of the first elastic connecting plates (21) are disposed at the same positions in the tire width direction (H) as edges of the first side in the tire width direction (H) of the outer tubular body (13) or disposed inside in the tire width direction (H) of the edge of the first side in the tire width direction (H) of the outer tubular body (13) within a distance of 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiko ABE
  • Publication number: 20160272006
    Abstract: Provided is a non-pneumatic tire in which a plurality of curved sectionss (21d) to (21f) and (22d) to (22f) curved inward in a tire circumferential direction are formed at elastic connecting plates (21) and (22) in an extension direction in which the elastic connecting plates (21) and (22) extend when seen in a tire side view such that curved directions are alternately opposite to each other in the extension direction, outer curved sections (21e) and (22e), inner curved sections (21d) and (22d), and extension sections (21i) (22i) extending throughout both of the curved sections and in which inflection sections (21g) and (22g) formed between both of the curved sections are disposed, are formed at the elastic connecting plates (21) and (22), and the extension sections (21i) and (22i) extend along reference lines having radii of curvature larger than that of the outer curved sections (21e) and (22e) and the inner curved sections (21d) and (22d) when seen in the tire side view and extend from first end portions (
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiko ABE
  • Publication number: 20160250893
    Abstract: A connecting member (15) includes a plurality of elastic connecting plates (21) and (22) having both end portions connected to an attachment body and an outer tubular body (13) in a tire width direction (H), outer end portions connected to outer tubular bodies (13) of at least one of the elastic connecting plates (21) and (22) among the plurality of elastic connecting plates disposed in the tire width direction (H) overhang the other portion at both sides in the tire width direction (H), the outer end portion has an overhanging quantity (W1) of an outside outer end portion (25) outward in the tire width direction (H) from an outer end portion main body (27) that is equal to or larger than an overhanging quantity (W2) of an inside outer end portion (26) overhanging the outer end portion main body (27) inward in the tire width direction (H), the length (L1) of the outside outer end portion (25) in the extension direction of the elastic connecting plates (21) and (22) is equal to or larger than a length (L2) of
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takanori SHOJI, Akihiko ABE
  • Publication number: 20160243890
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an attachment body (11) attached to an axle, an inner tubular body (12) fitted onto the attachment body (11) from the outside, an outer tubular body (13) configured to surround the inner tubular body (12) from the outside in a tire radial direction, and a plurality of connecting members (15) disposed between the inner tubular body (12) and the outer tubular body (13) in a tire circumferential direction and configured to connect both of the tubular bodies (12) and (13) while maintaining relative elastic displacement therebetween, wherein at least one of an outer circumferential section of the attachment body (11) and an inner circumferential section of the inner tubular body (12) that are locked to each other is inclined throughout the circumference in the tire circumferential direction from the outside toward the inside in a tire radial direction as it goes from both of the outsides toward the inside in a tire width direction (H), and is formed in a V shape when seen in a cross-s
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi NISHIDA, Akihiko ABE
  • Publication number: 20160236514
    Abstract: In a non-pneumatic tire, a plurality of first to third curved sections (21d) to (21f) and (22d) to (22f) curved in a tire circumferential direction are formed at first and second elastic connecting plates (21) and (22) in an extension direction in which the first and second elastic connecting plates extend, in a tire side view when a non-pneumatic tire (1) is seen from a tire width direction (H), curved directions of the first to third curved sections neighboring in the extension direction are opposite to each other, and each of the first and second elastic connecting plates, and inflection sections (21g), (21h), (22g) and (22h) disposed between the first to third curved sections neighboring in the extension direction has a smaller cross-sectional area than other portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akihiko ABE
  • Publication number: 20160193876
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire is provided including an attachment body attached to an axle, a ring member including an inner tubular body mounted onto the attachment body and an outer tubular body configured to surround the inner tubular body from the outside in a tire radial direction, and a plurality of connecting members disposed between the inner tubular body and the outer tubular body in a tire circumferential direction and configured to connect the tubular bodies to each other, wherein at least a portion of the ring member and the plurality of connecting members are integrally formed of a synthetic resin material having a breaking elongation of 8.0% or more obtained by a measurement method (23° C.) pursuant to JIS K7161 and a Charpy impact value of 9.4 kJ/m2 or more obtained by a 23° C. Charpy impact test pursuant of ISO 179-1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichi KYO, Youichi NISHIMURO, Masashi NISHIDA, Akihiko ABE
  • Publication number: 20160167434
    Abstract: Provided is a non-pneumatic tire including an attachment body attached to an axle, a ring-shaped body (13) configured to surround the attachment body from the outside in the tire radial direction, and a plurality of connecting members disposed between an exterior body (12) and the ring-shaped body (13) in a tire circumferential direction and configured to connect the exterior body (12) and the ring-shaped body (13) in a relatively displaceable manner, wherein, when the tire comes in contact with the ground, the connecting members are deformed by a compressive load in the tire radial direction, and the exterior body (12) and the ring-shaped body (13) are relatively displaced in the tire radial direction, among the plurality of connecting members, the connecting members disposed between the ground surface (G), with which the tire comes in contact, and the exterior body (12) abut other connecting members neighboring in the tire circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi NISHIDA, Akihiko ABE
  • Publication number: 20150283851
    Abstract: A connecting member (15) includes connecting plates (21, 22) configured to connect an attachment body and a ring-shaped body (13), a plurality of curved sections (21d to 21j, 22d to 22j) curved in a tire circumferential direction are formed at the connecting plates (21, 22) in a direction in which the connecting plates (21, 22) extend in a side view of a tire when seen from a tire width direction, and in the plurality of curved sections (21d to 21j, 22d to 22j) of one of the connecting plates (21, 22), the thickness of a maximum curved section having largest central angles (?d to ?j) about a center of curvature of the curved section (21d to 21j, 22d to 22j) is maximized, and the thickness of a minimum curved section having the smallest central angles (?d to ?j) is minimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiko Abe, Masashi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20150273946
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire includes an attachment body (11) attached to an axle, an outer rim body (13) configured to surround the attachment body (11) from the outside in a tire radial direction, and a connecting member (15) configured to displaceably connect the attachment body (11) and the outer rim body (13), wherein the connecting member (15) includes elastic connecting plates (21, 22) each having both end sections (21a, 21b, 22a, 22b) connected to the attachment body (11) and the outer rim body (13), a plurality of curved end sections (21g, 21h, 22g, 22h) curved in a tire circumferential direction are formed at the inner end sections (21b, 22b) of the elastic connecting plates (21, 22) connected to the attachment body (11) in a direction in which the elastic connecting plates (21, 22) extend in a side view of the tire when the tire is seen from a tire width direction, and in the curved end sections (21g, 21h, 22g, 22h), the curve directions of the curved end sections (21g, 21h, 22g, 22h) adjacent to each othe
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiko Abe, Masashi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20150273936
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire (1) is provided including an attachment body (11) attached to an axle, an outer rim body (13) configured to surround the attachment body (11) from the outside in the tire radial direction, and a connecting member (15) configured to connect the attachment body (11) and the outer rim body (13) in a displaceable manner, wherein, in the connecting member (15), a size of one end section (15a) connected to the outer rim body (13) in the tire width direction (H) is larger than a size of the other end section (15b) connected to the attachment body (11) in the tire width direction (H).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Nishida, Akihiko Abe
  • Patent number: 8950451
    Abstract: In a non-pneumatic tire (1), a plurality of connecting members (13) that connects a mounting body (11) and an annular body (12) are provided along a tire-circumferential direction. The annular body is split into a plurality of split bodies (12a) along the tire-circumferential direction. A resilient member (16) that is extended along the tire-circumferential direction and connects the plurality of split bodies in the tire-circumferential direction is provided in the annular body. This non-pneumatic tire (1) secures satisfactory ride quality, maneuverability and durability by suppressing increase in weight, hardness and rolling resistance, ensures uniform contact-pressure distribution, and prevents the occurrence of a puncture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Abe
  • Publication number: 20140251518
    Abstract: A non-pneumatic tire is provided with: a mounting body (11) that is mounted on a vehicle axle; a ring component (14) that is provided with an inner cylindrical body (12) that is fitted onto the outside of the mounting body (11), and an outer cylindrical body (13) that encircles the inner cylindrical body (12) from the outside in the radial direction of the tire; and a plurality of linking components (15) that are lined up along the circumferential direction of the tire between the inner cylindrical body (12) and the outer cylindrical body (13), and that link together these two cylindrical bodies (12, 13) such that they can be elastically displaced relative to each other, wherein the ring component (14) and the plurality of linking components (15) are formed integrally as a single unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiko Abe, Masashi Nishida
  • Patent number: 8783310
    Abstract: A plurality of connection members 13 connecting an installation disk 11 to a ring-shaped body 12 are formed, in a side view of the non-pneumatic tire, to be axisymmetrical about an imaginary line connecting the respective first ends 21a and 22a of first connection plates 21 and second connection plates 22 to an axial line O and extending in a tire-radial direction. The connection members 13 are arranged in a tire-circumferential direction such that the first connection plates 21 are arranged at a first tire-widthwise position in the tire-circumferential direction and that the second connection plates 22 are arranged at a second tire-widthwise position in the tire-circumferential direction. According to the invention, it is possible to suppress an increase in the weight, hardness, and rolling resistance to secure satisfactory ride qualities and handling qualities, and it is possible to prevent a blowout from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Abe
  • Patent number: 8151847
    Abstract: A pneumatic tire including a tread part contacting a road surface, at least two belt layers each formed of a plurality of parallel cords covered with rubber, and a pair of bead toes. An angle at which the line segment BQ and the line segment SW cross is 50° or smaller when, in a cross section including the axis of rotation: the ends of a shortest belt layer, which is the shortest one, in length in a tire width direction, of the belt layers are set to be points B; points on a tire surface, between which the width of the tire is the widest, are set to be points Q; a line segment connecting each point B and the corresponding one of the points Q is set to be a line segment BQ; and a line segment connecting the pair of points Q is set to be a line segment SW.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventor: Akihiko Abe
  • Patent number: D711815
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Akihiko Abe, Masashi Nishida
  • Patent number: D763785
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiko Abe, Masashi Nishida, Narumi Takahashi