Patents by Inventor Eiji Funahashi

Eiji Funahashi 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: 6979001
    Abstract: A wheel bearing includes a sealing device 5 positioned between inner and outer members 1 and 2. This sealing device 5 includes an elastic member 14, which eventually forms an encoder grid and is provided on a first annular sealing plate 11. A second annular sealing plate 12 is provided with sealing lips 16a to 16c. An engagement 18 between a cylindrical wall 11a of the first annular sealing plate 11 and the inner member 1 is provided with an elastic member 20 made of a material dissimilar to that for the elastic material 14. This elastic member 20 may be a rubber coated layer, resin paint layer, a thin film of adhesive material or a ring-shaped rubber member. Thereby, any possible ingress of water across an engagement surface of the annular sealing plate is prevented, accompanied by increase of the lifetime of the bearing, with no problem associated with separation and displacement of the annular sealing plates. The magnetic flux density can also be easily secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Ohtsuki, Takayuki Norimatsu, Eiji Funahashi, Koji Kametaka, Motoharu Niki, Katsumi Sugiyama, Kenro Adachi
  • Publication number: 20040086212
    Abstract: A wheel bearing includes a sealing device 5 positioned between inner and outer members 1 and 2. This sealing device 5 includes an elastic member 14, which eventually forms an encoder grid and is provided on a first annular sealing plate 11. A second annular sealing plate 12 is provided with sealing lips 16a to 16c. An engagement 18 between a cylindrical wall 11a of the first annular sealing plate 11 and the inner member 1 is provided with an elastic member 20 made of a material dissimilar to that for the elastic material 14. This elastic member 20 may be a rubber coated layer, resin paint layer, a thin film of adhesive material or a ring-shaped rubber member. Thereby, any possible ingress of water across an engagement surface of the annular sealing plate is prevented, accompanied by increase of the lifetime of the bearing, with no problem associated with separation and displacement of the annular sealing plates. The magnetic flux density can also be easily secured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hisashi Ohtsuki, Takayuki Norimatsu, Eiji Funahashi, Koji Kametaka, Motoharu Niki, Katsumi Sugiyama, Kenro Adachi
  • Patent number: 6637754
    Abstract: A wheel bearing includes a sealing device 5 positioned between inner and outer members 1 and 2. This sealing device 5 includes an elastic member 14, which eventually forms an encoder grid and is provided on a first annular sealing plate 11. A second annular sealing plate 12 is provided with sealing lips 16a to 16c. An engagement 18 between a cylindrical wall 11a of the first annular sealing plate 11 and the inner member 1 is provided with an elastic member 20 made of a material dissimilar to that for the elastic material 14. This elastic member 20 may be a rubber coated layer, resin paint layer, a thin film of adhesive material or a ring-shaped rubber member. Thereby, any possible ingress of water across an engagement surface of the annular sealing plate is prevented, accompanied by increase of the lifetime of the bearing, with no problem associated with separation and displacement of the annular sealing plates. The magnetic flux density can also be easily secured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Hisashi Ohtsuki, Takayuki Norimatsu, Eiji Funahashi, Koji Kametaka, Motoharu Niki, Katsumi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 5428289
    Abstract: A detector for detecting the rotating speed of a wheel bearing having a pulser ring mounted between bearing rings of a wheel bearing at one end thereof. One of the bearing rings is adapted to rotate together with a wheel and the other is fixed. A ring is provided axially outside of the pulser ring and press-fitted on the fixed bearing ring. A rotating speed sensor is mounted on the ring and has a detecting portion inserted in a hole formed in the ring. A seal member is provided in the space between the ring and the rotatable bearing ring to seal the space. In another arrangement, the ring is mounted on the fixed one of the bearing rings and the detected portion of the pulser ring is located opposite to the detecting portion of the rotating speed sensor with a radial gap defined therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Eiji Funahashi