Patents by Inventor Fumihiro KUROHARA
Fumihiro KUROHARA 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).
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Patent number: 11873024Abstract: Provided is a suspension subframe structure that can activate a load path using an extension frame in an impact while avoiding increase in vehicle weight and also enables a suspension subframe to disengage from a vehicle body when an impact load is too large to be absorbed by the extension frame alone. The suspension subframe structure of the present invention includes a suspension subframe 110 that supports a suspension member 60 for a front wheel. The suspension subframe 110 includes: a body 111 that transmits an impact load input from a vehicle front side toward a vehicle rear side; a fixed portion 124 disposed near the body 111 and fixed to a vehicle body; and a connection portion 121 connecting the fixed portion 124 to the body 111. The connection portion 121 is provided with fragile portions 121f, 122g having a lower strength against a load in a vehicle front-rear direction than the body 111 and the fixed portion 124.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2019Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Okamoto, Masaaki Tanaka, Fumihiro Kurohara
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Patent number: 11702142Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle includes: side frames of a suspension subframe; a cross member connecting front-end portions of the side frames in the vehicle width direction; a front beam member; and a connecting member connecting a front-end portion of each side frame to the front beam member. A high-rigidity portion having a higher rigidity than other portions of the side frame is at a connecting portion between the front-end portion of the side frame and the cross member. The front beam member has a side end portion extending on a vehicle-width-direction outer side relative to a connecting position with the connecting member. A protrusion portion protruding from the side end portion toward a vehicle rear side is to come into contact with the high-rigidity portion from the vehicle-width-direction outer side when a collision load from a vehicle front side is input to the side end portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2021Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Kosuke Mukaigawa, Hiroto Kido, Satoshi Nakamura, Fumihiro Kurohara, Satoshi Okano
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Patent number: 11623691Abstract: To restrain a retracting stabilizer from interfering with an assist motor located rearward thereof and ensure energy absorption by a subframe, a vehicle front structure includes an engine; a steering rack disposed frontward of the engine; an assist motor for power steering disposed frontward of the steering rack; a suspension stabilizer disposed frontward of the assist motor; and a subframe mounted with the stabilizer. The stabilizer frontward of the assist motor is disposed offset from the assist motor in an up-down direction so as not to overlap the assist motor in vehicle front view.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2020Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Okamoto, Fumihiro Kurohara, Ippei Kuroda
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Patent number: 11505248Abstract: A subframe structure includes a pair of left and right front-rear frames each mounted with a lower arm; and a transverse member connecting front portions of the front-rear frames. The front-rear frames each includes a rear horizontal portion formed substantially horizontally, an inclined portion extending frontward and upward from a front end of the rear horizontal portion, and a front horizontal portion extending horizontally frontward from a front end of the inclined portion. The transverse member is jointed at left and right ends thereof to the front horizontal portions respectively corresponding to the left and right ends, a rear end of the front horizontal portion is disposed to be positioned frontward of a front end of an engine, and the front-rear frames are deformed into a Z shape in vehicle side view in an event of a front-end collision and thereby energy of the front-end collision is absorbed.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Okamoto, Fumihiro Kurohara, Ippei Kuroda, Hiromasa Honji, Yosuke Sawada
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Patent number: 11465684Abstract: A front suspension apparatus in which a front side of a suspension arm can be cut off from a subframe at the time of a small overlap collision without a complication of structure and formability. A front suspension apparatus in which a lower arm from which a front wheel is suspended is provided, and a front arm portion and a rear arm portion of the lower arm are axially supported by axially supporting portions of a subframe is characterized in that an axially supporting portion of the front arm portion is joined to the subframe at a joined portion extending in a vehicle width direction, a joined portion extending in an up-down direction, and a joined portion extending in a front-rear direction, and a joining strength of a joined portion in the front-rear direction is lower than a joining strength of the joined portion in the up-down direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Okamoto, Fumihiro Kurohara, Ippei Kuroda, Yasunori Takahara
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Publication number: 20220153352Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure of a vehicle includes: side frames of a suspension subframe; a cross member connecting front-end portions of the side frames in the vehicle width direction; a front beam member; and a connecting member connecting a front-end portion of each side frame to the front beam member. A high-rigidity portion having a higher rigidity than other portions of the side frame is at a connecting portion between the front-end portion of the side frame and the cross member. The front beam member has a side end portion extending on a vehicle-width-direction outer side relative to a connecting position with the connecting member. A protrusion portion protruding from the side end portion toward a vehicle rear side is to come into contact with the high-rigidity portion from the vehicle-width-direction outer side when a collision load from a vehicle front side is input to the side end portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2021Publication date: May 19, 2022Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Kosuke MUKAIGAWA, Hiroto KIDO, Satoshi NAKAMURA, Fumihiro KUROHARA, Satoshi OKANO
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Patent number: 11192589Abstract: A subframe structure of a front suspension that leads a subframe and a vehicle driving apparatus to the lower side after separation of a rear portion of the subframe due to a frontal collision without increasing weight and parts. A subframe structure of the front suspension provides a subframe that supports a vehicle driving apparatus in a mounting manner, and a rear portion of the subframe is mounted on a lower portion of a vehicle body via a fastening member. Fastening between the subframe and the fastening member is configured such that the rear portion of the subframe is separated when a collision load to a vehicle rear side is applied to the subframe. A leading guide portion that abuts against the fastening member and leads the subframe to a lower side after separation from the fastening member is integrally formed on the rear portion of the subframe.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2020Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Okamoto, Fumihiro Kurohara, Norio Asano, Hiroto Kido, Yasunori Takahara
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Publication number: 20210261195Abstract: Provided is a suspension subframe structure that can activate a load path using an extension frame in an impact while avoiding increase in vehicle weight and also enables a suspension subframe to disengage from a vehicle body when an impact load is too large to be absorbed by the extension frame alone. The suspension subframe structure of the present invention includes a suspension subframe 110 that supports a suspension member 60 for a front wheel. The suspension subframe 110 includes: a body 111 that transmits an impact load input from a vehicle front side toward a vehicle rear side; a fixed portion 124 disposed near the body 111 and fixed to a vehicle body; and a connection portion 121 connecting the fixed portion 124 to the body 111. The connection portion 121 is provided with fragile portions 121f, 122g having a lower strength against a load in a vehicle front-rear direction than the body 111 and the fixed portion 124.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2019Publication date: August 26, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki OKAMOTO, Masaaki TANAKA, Fumihiro KUROHARA
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Publication number: 20210024132Abstract: A subframe structure includes a pair of left and right front-rear frames each mounted with a lower arm; and a transverse member connecting front portions of the front-rear frames. The front-rear frames each includes a rear horizontal portion formed substantially horizontally, an inclined portion extending frontward and upward from a front end of the rear horizontal portion, and a front horizontal portion extending horizontally frontward from a front end of the inclined portion. The transverse member is jointed at left and right ends thereof to the front horizontal portions respectively corresponding to the left and right ends, a rear end of the front horizontal portion is disposed to be positioned frontward of a front end of an engine, and the front-rear frames are deformed into a Z shape in vehicle side view in an event of a front-end collision and thereby energy of the front-end collision is absorbed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki OKAMOTO, Fumihiro KUROHARA, Ippei KURODA, Hiromasa HONJI, Yosuke SAWADA
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Publication number: 20210024135Abstract: A front suspension apparatus in which a front side of a suspension arm can be cut off from a subframe at the time of a small overlap collision without a complication of structure and formability. A front suspension apparatus in which a lower arm from which a front wheel is suspended is provided, and a front arm portion and a rear arm portion of the lower arm are axially supported by axially supporting portions of a subframe is characterized in that an axially supporting portion of the front arm portion is joined to the subframe at a joined portion extending in a vehicle width direction, a joined portion extending in an up-down direction, and a joined portion extending in a front-rear direction, and a joining strength of a joined portion in the front-rear direction is lower than a joining strength of the joined portion in the up-down direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki OKAMOTO, Fumihiro KUROHARA, Ippei KURODA, Yasunori TAKAHARA
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Publication number: 20210024134Abstract: To restrain a retracting stabilizer from interfering with an assist motor located rearward thereof and ensure energy absorption by a subframe, a vehicle front structure includes an engine; a steering rack disposed frontward of the engine; an assist motor for power steering disposed frontward of the steering rack; a suspension stabilizer disposed frontward of the assist motor; and a subframe mounted with the stabilizer. The stabilizer frontward of the assist motor is disposed offset from the assist motor in an up-down direction so as not to overlap the assist motor in vehicle front view.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki OKAMOTO, Fumihiro KUROHARA, Ippei KURODA
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Publication number: 20210024137Abstract: A subframe structure of a front suspension that leads a subframe and a vehicle driving apparatus to the lower side after separation of a rear portion of the subframe due to a frontal collision without increasing weight and parts. A subframe structure of the front suspension provides a subframe that supports a vehicle driving apparatus in a mounting manner, and a rear portion of the subframe is mounted on a lower portion of a vehicle body via a fastening member. Fastening between the subframe and the fastening member is configured such that the rear portion of the subframe is separated when a collision load to a vehicle rear side is applied to the subframe. A leading guide portion that abuts against the fastening member and leads the subframe to a lower side after separation from the fastening member is integrally formed on the rear portion of the subframe.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2020Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki OKAMOTO, Fumihiro KUROHARA, Norio ASANO, Hiroto KIDO, Yasunori TAKAHARA