Patents by Inventor Atsuko Niwano

Atsuko Niwano 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: 7921947
    Abstract: A saddle riding type fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell that generates power by a chemical reaction between a fuel gas and a reactive gas with radiators that cool cooling water of the fuel cell. The radiators are adjacently arranged in right and left sides of the fuel cell in a vehicle width direction. Each outer end surface of the radiators, outside in a vehicle width direction, is positioned closer to the front side of a vehicle body than each inner end surface inside in the vehicle width direction. Thus, each plane portion, which receives an air flow, is inclined to the inner side of the vehicle body, and air courses, which allow an air flow to be passed to the rear side of the vehicle body, are each formed between the inner end surface of each of the radiators and each side surface of the fuel cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Horii, Masamoto Ito, Shinji Furuta, Atsuko Niwano
  • Patent number: 7921948
    Abstract: A saddle seat type fuel-cell electric vehicle includes a body frame having a pair of right and left main frames connected at their front ends to a head pipe and extending downward therefrom and a pair of right and left under frames connected at their front ends to the head pipe and extending downward therefrom along the right and left main frames on the lower side thereof. A pair of hydrogen cylinders extend substantially vertically along the body frame between the front side of the head pipe and the front side of the front end portion of the footrest so as to interpose the body frame in the lateral direction of the vehicle. A fuel supply unit is provided in a space surrounded by the main frames and the under frames with the hydrogen cylinders being surrounded by a guard pipe connected to the main frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Horii, Masamoto Ito, Shinji Furuta, Jun Morimoto, Shinji Kawasaki, Atsuko Niwano
  • Patent number: 7828131
    Abstract: A clutch-manipulation assist mechanism of a vehicle clutch mechanism is capable of disconnecting power of an engine and is provided to a power transmission path which transmits the power of the engine to a rear wheel. The clutch-manipulation assist mechanism includes a push rod member which is arranged near the clutch mechanism and which is movable in the axial direction interlockingly with a power cutoff of the clutch mechanism due to the manipulation of a clutch lever by a rider. An axial movement of the push rod member is assisted by an actuator in response to a detection of the clutch lever manipulation by the rider using a stroke sensor, thus reducing a manipulation force of the clutch lever. A detection lug of the stroke sensor detects a movement quantity of a shaft end of the push rod member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanau Iwashita, Atsuko Niwano
  • Publication number: 20090020347
    Abstract: A saddle seat type fuel-cell electric vehicle includes a body frame having a pair of right and left main frames connected at their front ends to a head pipe and extending downward therefrom and a pair of right and left under frames connected at their front ends to the head pipe and extending downward therefrom along the right and left main frames on the lower side thereof. A pair of hydrogen cylinders extend substantially vertically along the body frame between the front side of the head pipe and the front side of the front end portion of the footrest so as to interpose the body frame in the lateral direction of the vehicle. A fuel supply unit is provided in a space surrounded by the main frames and the under frames with the hydrogen cylinders being surrounded by a guard pipe connected to the main frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Horii, Masamoto Ito, Shinji Furuta, Jun Morimoto, Shinji Kawasaki, Atsuko Niwano
  • Publication number: 20090000837
    Abstract: A saddle riding type fuel cell vehicle includes a fuel cell that generates power by a chemical reaction between a fuel gas and a reactive gas with radiators that cool cooling water of the fuel cell. The radiators are adjacently arranged in right and left sides of the fuel cell in a vehicle width direction. Each outer end surface of the radiators, outside in a vehicle width direction, is positioned closer to the front side of a vehicle body than each inner end surface inside in the vehicle width direction. Thus, each plane portion, which receives an air flow, is inclined to the inner side of the vehicle body, and air courses, which allow an air flow to be passed to the rear side of the vehicle body, are each formed between the inner end surface of each of the radiators and each side surface of the fuel cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki HORII, Masamoto ITO, Shinji FURUTA, Atsuko NIWANO
  • Publication number: 20080090701
    Abstract: A clutch-manipulation assist mechanism of a vehicle clutch mechanism is capable of disconnecting power of an engine and is provided to a power transmission path which transmits the power of the engine to a rear wheel. The clutch-manipulation assist mechanism includes a push rod member which is arranged near the clutch mechanism and which is movable in the axial direction interlockingly with a power cutoff of the clutch mechanism due to the manipulation of a clutch lever by a rider. An axial movement of the push rod member is assisted by an actuator in response to a detection of the clutch lever manipulation by the rider using a stroke sensor, thus reducing a manipulation force of the clutch lever. A detection lug of the stroke sensor detects a movement quantity of a shaft end of the push rod member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kanau Iwashita, Atsuko Niwano