Patents by Inventor Akira Murakami

Akira Murakami 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: 8251848
    Abstract: A vehicle transmission includes at least two driving shafts to which power is transmitted from a power source, a driven shaft to which power is transmitted from the driving shafts, drive transmission mechanisms disposed between the driving shafts and the driven shaft, and a switching mechanism that selectively enables power transmission via the drive transmission mechanisms. The driving shafts are disposed concentrically and fitted rotatably relative to each other. The driving shafts are parallel to the driven shaft. A first drive unit is disposed coaxially with the driving shafts. A second drive unit is disposed coaxially with the driven shaft. The first and second drive units are interconnected so as to send and receive powers changed in energy form to and from each other. The transmission thus constructed is excellent in power transmission efficiency, quietness, vehicle mountability, etc., and can realize continuously variable speed change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Murakami, Makoto Funahashi, Takahiro Shiina
  • Publication number: 20120204601
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass blank for a substrate for an information recording medium, the method including steps of: cutting out a gob of a glass material from a molten glass material by cutting the molten glass material discharged from a glass material outlet at a predetermined timing; causing the gob of the glass material to fall downwardly; pinching and pressing the gob of the glass material by a press unit having a pair of molds, the molds' surfaces facing to each other being press surfaces which are planes without an unevenness, so as to contact the falling gob of the glass material only to the press surfaces; and forming a circular flat plate-shaped glass blank having a target flatness as a glass substrate for a magnetic disk such that a ratio between a diameter and a thickness of the glass blank is within a range of from 50:1 to 150:1, from the gob of the glass material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventor: Akira MURAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20120144865
    Abstract: The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a sheet glass material excellent in flatness. A manufacturing method of glass substrate for magnetic disk including a pair of principal surfaces, the method comprising the steps of: dropping process for dropping a lump of molten glass; pressing process for forming a sheet glass material by performing press forming to the lump while sandwiching the lump from both sides of the dropping path of the lump with facing surfaces of a pair of dies, the pair of dies being set to substantially the same temperature; and processing process for processing the sheet glass material, while the lump drops down while revolving around its dropping axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinji EDA, Hideki Isono, Akira Murakami
  • Patent number: 8118080
    Abstract: By pouring, by means of pressure, melted liquid of magnesium or magnesium alloy into a hollow portion which is formed using a casting mold, a valve body where a channel groove for hydraulic oil for use in a speed change operation of the automatic transmission is formed. In the above, the channel grove for the hydraulic oil is formed due to a convex portion which is formed on the mold so as to project into the hollow portion. As the magnesium has small heat capacity, variation of the temperature of the mold during the cooling and heating cycle can be suppressed. Moreover, as the magnesium melted liquid has no reactivity with respect to the casting mold, the convex portion is not deteriorated. This allows employment of a mold having a thinner convex portion formed thereon, and therefore formation of a valve body having a narrower channel groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Aoyama, Shinichi Itou, Akira Murakami, Tomoyasu Kitano
  • Publication number: 20120035015
    Abstract: To provide a control system for carrying out a speed change operation of a geared transmission mechanism continuously by controlling a continuously variable transmission mechanism. A continuously variable transmission mechanism configured to increase and decrease speeds of a first and a second output discs simultaneously, and a geared transmission mechanism configured to change a speed change ratio stepwise are connected in series. The output discs are connected individually with intermediate shafts. The control system is adapted to synchronize a rotational speed of a switching mechanism and a rotational speed of a member to be engaged with the switching mechanism, by tilting a rolling member when carrying out a speed change in the geared transmission mechanism thereby increasing a rotational speed of one of the intermediate shaft while decreasing a rotational speed of the other intermediate shaft (at steps S3, S4 and S5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ogawa, Akira Murakami
  • Publication number: 20120024392
    Abstract: This lubricating device 1 is equipped with an oil pan 2 that stores therein lubricating oil, a micro bubble generator 4 that mixes the lubricating oil with air to produce micro bubbles and supplies the lubricating oil in the oil pan 2 with the micro bubbles, and an oil pump 3 that pressurizes the lubricating oil in the oil pan 2 to supply the micro bubble generator 4 therewith. Further, in this lubricating device 1, the micro bubble generator 4 has an air inlet portion 431 disposed inside the oil pan 2 at a predetermined position with respect to an oil surface height (oil level) of the lubricating oil in the oil pan 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Akira Murakami, Shuji Moriyama, Daisuke Tomomatsu, Daisuke Tokozakura, Masafumi Yamamoto, Keisuke Ichige, Masanori Iritani, Hiroyuki Nishizawa, Hideyuki Suzuki, Yasusi Hirano
  • Publication number: 20120025644
    Abstract: An electric motor having a speed change function is configured to differentiate a rotational speed of a rotor from a rotational speed of an output shaft outputting a torque transmitted from the rotor. The electric motor includes: a stator coil arranged on an inner circumferential face of a cylindrical outer case; a cylindrical rotor which is arranged in an inner circumferential side of the stator coil, and which is adapted to generate a torque by receiving a magnetic force generated by the stator coil; and a continuously variable transmission mechanism, which is arranged in an inner circumferential side of the rotor, and which is adapted to continuously vary a ratio between a rotational speed of an input member connected with the rotor, and a rotational speed of an output member connected with the output shaft and rotated by the torque from the input member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ogawa, Daisuke Tomomatsu, Akira Murakami
  • Patent number: 8091387
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing high-quality preforms from glass melt, manufacturing glass elements, such as lenses, by press molding these preforms and, manufacturing optical elements by reheating and press molding these glass gobs. In the method glass gobs are continuously separated from a glass melt flow continuously flowing out of a nozzle and the separated glass gobs are formed with glass forming members that are intermittently or continuously moving. A support member is made to approach the front end of the nozzle, the front end of the glass melt flow is received by the support member, and the support member is dropped more rapidly than the rate of flow of the glass melt flow to separate a glass gob from the glass melt flow. The separated glass gob is transferred from the support member to a stopped or moving glass forming member to mold a glass article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Iguchi, Katsumi Utsugi, Atsushi Uezaki, Junichi Watanabe, Tetsuya Saito, Akira Murakami
  • Publication number: 20110319222
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission adapted to set a speed change ratio in accordance with a tilt angle of a rolling member mediating a torque being transmitted, and to transmit a torque among three elements. The transmission mechanism is provided with a rolling member having a smooth outer face and capable of tilting a rotational center axis thereof, and a rotary member arranged to be contacted with a predetermined portion of the outer face of the rolling member in a torque transmittable manner. Specifically, the continuously variable transmission mechanism is configured to vary a rotational speed of the rotary member by changing a rotation radius of a contact point between the rolling member and the rotary member by tilting the rotational center axis of the rolling member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ogawa, Daisuke Tomomatsu, Akira Murakami
  • Publication number: 20110283739
    Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a glass blank, the method including press-molding a molten glass gob under a state in which a separation mark formed on an upper surface of the molten glass gob faces at least one of the molding surface sides of a pair of press molds arranged facing each other in a horizontal direction, when the molten glass gob falls into a space between the pair of press molds, and a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium substrate and a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, both using the glass blank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto OSAWA, Akira MURAKAMI, Nobuhiro SUGIYAMA, Takashi SATOU, Hideki ISONO, Kinobu OSAKABE, Hidekazu TANINO, Takao MOTOHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110277508
    Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a glass blank for a magnetic recording medium glass substrate, including: manufacturing a glass blank by at least press molding a falling molten glass gob with a pair of press molds both so as to face each other in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the molten glass gob falls, in which: the molten glass gob is formed of a glass material having a glass transition temperature of 600° C. or more; and when the press molding is carried out so that the molten glass gob is completely extended by pressure and molded into a flat glass between press-molding surfaces of the pair of press molds, at least a region in contact with the flat glass in each of the press-molding surfaces of the pair of press molds forms a substantially flat surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makoto OSAWA, Akira MURAKAMI, Nobuhiro SUGIYAMA, Takashi SATOU, Naomi MATSUMOTO, Youichi HACHITANI, Kinobu OSAKABE, Hideki ISONO, Hidekazu TANINO, Takao MOTOHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110256685
    Abstract: A film structure including at least one film is formed on a face of a semiconductor substrate and then a first mask with a pattern is formed on the film structure. A second mask is formed so as to cover the first mask over a bevel region. The film structure is etched using the first and second masks and thereafter the remaining first and second masks are removed away.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: ELPIDA MEMORY, INC
    Inventors: Takahiro SUZUKI, Kouta NOSAKA, Katuyuki OKAMASU, Akira MURAKAMI, Katuhiko KAWASUMI
  • Publication number: 20110230297
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes: first and second rotating elements that has a common first rotation axis; a planetary ball that is rotatably supported by a support shaft having a second rotation axis separate from the first rotation axis, and is sandwiched between the first rotation member and the second rotating member such that torque transmission is possible between them; grooves, etc., that permit change in a rotation ratio between the first and second rotating members by tilting and rolling the planetary ball; an inclined surface that pushes the support shaft in a direction opposite to the direction of tilt of the support shaft in accordance with spin moment occurring at the planetary ball when moving in an axial direction; and a thrust force transmitting section, such as a movable shaft, etc., by which radial thrust force applied from the planetary ball is transmitted to the inclined surface based on spin moment occurring at the planetary ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Shiina, Akira Murakami, Hiroyuki Ogawa, Daisuke Tomomatsu
  • Patent number: 7999429
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus includes a drive roller and a driven roller made of magnetic material, which are rotatable about different axes, and which are provided with a gap therebetween, a case enclosing the rollers, an input shaft and an output shaft connected coaxially with the rollers through the case, respectively, and a magnetic fluid housed in the case to fill the gap. The apparatus includes an electromagnetic coil for generating magnetism, and a magnetic path of the magnetism generated by the electromagnetic coil is formed so that a magnetic field is generated from the drive roller or the driven roller toward the driven roller or the drive roller via the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ogawa, Akira Murakami
  • Publication number: 20110127133
    Abstract: A twin-clutch device that selectively transmits torque from a driving wheel to a first driven wheel and/or a second driven wheel is provided. The first and second driven wheels are arranged respectively on both sides of the driving wheel, a functional fluid that decreases its flowability as an applied stimulus is increased and that increases its flowability as the applied stimulus is reduced fills gaps between the driving wheel and the first and second driven wheels, the driving wheel includes a stimulus generating member electrically controlled to generate a stimulus, and flowability of the functional fluid between the driving wheel and one of the first and second driven wheels is decreased with an increase in stimulus applied to the functional fluid by the stimulus generating member to couple the driving wheel to the one of the first and second driven wheels, thus allowing torque transmission therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ogawa, Akira Murakami
  • Patent number: 7918753
    Abstract: A hydraulic control unit (18), for a power transmission system having an oil receiving device (26,37), which controls a power transmitting condition of the power transmission system, and an oil reserving device for feeding the oil to the oil receiving device, wherein the oil reserving device comprises a piston (59) in which a diametrically large portion and a diametrically small portion are arranged integrally and coaxially, a first hydraulic chamber (57) in which the diametrically large portion, and a second hydraulic chamber (58) in which the diametrically small portion are housed liquid-tightly and movably back and forth; and an oil feeding amount control device for feeding the oil of the first hydraulic chamber to the oil receiving device, by raising the oil pressure in the second hydraulic chamber (58) to operate the piston (59).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Murakami, Makoto Funahashi, Shinichi Ito, Toshihiro Aoyama, Michio Yoshida, Ryuji Ibaraki, Takashi Kuwabara, Toshiya Yamashita
  • Publication number: 20110046861
    Abstract: A switching apparatus is provided in a hydraulic control apparatus having a fluid transmission apparatus; a lockup clutch; a switching valve that controls engagement of the lockup clutch; and a control oil pressure generation apparatus that pressurizes oil and outputs a control oil pressure to control activation of the switching valve. The switching apparatus executes a control to warm the oil input into the control oil pressure generation apparatus if the temperature of the oil is below a predetermined temperature and prohibits execution of the control to warm the oil input into the control oil pressure generation apparatus if the temperature of the oil equals or exceeds the predetermined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuji Moriyama, Akira Murakami, Keisuke Ichige, Hiroyuki Nishizawa, Masanori Iritani, Hideyuki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100327210
    Abstract: By pouring, by means of pressure, melted liquid of magnesium or magnesium alloy into a hollow portion which is formed using a casting mold, a valve body where a channel groove for hydraulic oil for use in a speed change operation of the automatic transmission is formed. In the above, the channel grove for the hydraulic oil is formed due to a convex portion which is formed on the mold so as to project into the hollow portion. As the magnesium has small heat capacity, variation of the temperature of the mold during the cooling and heating cycle can be suppressed. Moreover, as the magnesium melted liquid has no reactivity with respect to the casting mold, the convex portion is not deteriorated. This allows employment of a mold having a thinner convex portion formed thereon, and therefore formation of a valve body having a narrower channel groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Toshihiro Aoyama, Shinichi Itou, Akira Murakami, Tomoyasu Kitano
  • Patent number: 7854250
    Abstract: By pouring, by means of pressure, melted liquid of magnesium or magnesium alloy into a hollow portion which is formed using a casting mold, a valve body where a channel groove for hydraulic oil for use in a speed change operation of the automatic transmission is formed. In the above, the channel grove for the hydraulic oil is formed due to a convex portion which is formed on the mold so as to project into the hollow portion. As the magnesium has small heat capacity, variation of the temperature of the mold during the cooling and heating cycle can be suppressed. Moreover, as the magnesium melted liquid has no reactivity with respect to the casting mold, the convex portion is not deteriorated. This allows employment of a mold having a thinner convex portion formed thereon, and therefore formation of a valve body having a narrower channel groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Aoyama, Shinichi Itou, Akira Murakami, Tomoyasu Kitano
  • Patent number: 7845192
    Abstract: A method for producing a thin-plate-shaped substrate blank that is an intermediate for a glass substrate, in which the occurrence of undulation is prevented and the substrate blank is produced with high accuracy, the method comprising press-molding a glass in a softened state with a mold having an upper mold member and a lower mold member to produce the thin-plate-shaped substrate blank, wherein the glass in a softened state is press-molded without causing any surrounding edge portion of the substrate blank under the production to come into contact with the mold, to produce the substrate blank at least having no notch portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Murakami