Patents by Inventor Hiromichi Komai

Hiromichi Komai 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: 11828334
    Abstract: A power transmission shaft has a shaft member having, on an outer peripheral surface thereof, a male spline; a cylindrical member having, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a female spline; and a seal member provided in a pressed state between an outer peripheral seal surface formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member and an inner peripheral seal surface formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member is spline-engaged with the shaft member by one end side of the shaft member being inserted into the cylindrical member from an other end side of the cylindrical member. Axial direction shock is absorbed by sliding of the splines. The outer peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other end side with respect to the male spline, and the inner peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other side with respect to the female spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Akita, Hiromichi Komai, Masashi Kubo
  • Publication number: 20230047822
    Abstract: A propeller shaft (1) that is a power transmission shaft has a shaft member (2) as a tubular body made of iron-based metal and a balance weight (3) made of iron-based metal and welded to an outer peripheral surface of this shaft member (2). At least a part of the balance weight (3) of the propeller shaft (1) is covered with a sacrificial metal coating (4) made of sacrificial corrosion prevention material that contains metal whose ionization tendency is higher than that of metal forming the shaft member (2). With this, it is possible to suppress local progression of corrosion at a periphery of the balance weight (3) and improve durability of the propeller shaft (1) .
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutomo MABE, Kiyokazu NAKANE, Hiromichi KOMAI, Xiaojin ZHU, Toshiyuki MASUDA, Kenichiro ISHIKURA
  • Patent number: 11512761
    Abstract: A propeller shaft (1) that is a power transmission shaft has a shaft member (2) as a tubular body made of iron-based metal and a balance weight (3) made of iron-based metal and welded to an outer peripheral surface of this shaft member (2). At least a part of the balance weight (3) of the propeller shaft (1) is covered with a sacrificial metal coating (4) made of sacrificial corrosion prevention material that contains metal whose ionization tendency is higher than that of metal forming the shaft member (2). With this, it is possible to suppress local progression of corrosion at a periphery of the balance weight (3) and improve durability of the propeller shaft (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutomo Mabe, Kiyokazu Nakane, Hiromichi Komai, Xiaojin Zhu, Toshiyuki Masuda, Kenichiro Ishikura
  • Patent number: 11493093
    Abstract: A propeller shaft as a power transmission shaft is provided between vehicle-side first second shaft parts, and a first tube as a first shaft member is connected to the first shaft part through a first joint member and to the second shaft part through a second joint member. The first tube is connected to the first joint member through a first collar member and to the second joint member through a second collar member. The first collar member includes a first main body part exposed from a first end portion of the first tube, and a first insertion part inserted into the inside of the first end portion. In at least the first collar member, the maximum value of the outer diameter of the first main body part is set to be no greater than the maximum value of the outer diameter of the first insertion part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutomo Mabe, Toshiyuki Masuda, Hiromichi Komai, Kenichiro Ishikura
  • Publication number: 20220196078
    Abstract: A power transmission shaft has a shaft member having, on an outer peripheral surface thereof, a male spline; a cylindrical member having, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a female spline; and a seal member provided in a pressed state between an outer peripheral seal surface formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member and an inner peripheral seal surface formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member is spline-engaged with the shaft member by one end side of the shaft member being inserted into the cylindrical member from an other end side of the cylindrical member. Axial direction shock is absorbed by sliding of the splines. The outer peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other end side with respect to the male spline, and the inner peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other side with respect to the female spline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi AKITA, Hiromichi KOMAI, Masashi KUBO
  • Patent number: 11339831
    Abstract: A power transmission shaft has a shaft member having, on an outer peripheral surface thereof, a male spline; a cylindrical member having, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a female spline; and a seal member provided in a pressed state between an outer peripheral seal surface formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member and an inner peripheral seal surface formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member is spline-engaged with the shaft member by one end side of the shaft member being inserted into the cylindrical member from an other end side of the cylindrical member. Axial direction shock is absorbed by sliding of the splines. The outer peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other end side with respect to the male spline, and the inner peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other side with respect to the female spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Akita, Hiromichi Komai, Masashi Kubo
  • Patent number: 11306785
    Abstract: A power transmission shaft has a shaft member having, on an outer peripheral surface thereof, a male spline; a cylindrical member having, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a female spline; and a seal member provided in a pressed state between an outer peripheral seal surface formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member and an inner peripheral seal surface formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member is spline-engaged with the shaft member by one end side of the shaft member being inserted into the cylindrical member from an other end side of the cylindrical member. Axial direction shock is absorbed by sliding of the splines. The outer peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other end side with respect to the male spline, and the inner peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other side with respect to the female spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Akita, Hiromichi Komai, Masashi Kubo
  • Publication number: 20200370603
    Abstract: A propeller shaft as a power transmission shaft is provided between vehicle-side first second shaft parts, and a first tube as a first shaft member is connected to the first shaft part through a first joint member and to the second shaft part through a second joint member. The first tube is connected to the first joint member through a first collar member and to the second joint member through a second collar member. The first collar member includes a first main body part exposed from a first end portion of the first tube, and a first insertion part inserted into the inside of the first end portion. In at least the first collar member, the maximum value of the outer diameter of the first main body part is set to be no greater than the maximum value of the outer diameter of the first insertion part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2018
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasutomo MABE, Toshiyuki MASUDA, Hiromichi KOMAI, Kenichiro ISHIKURA
  • Patent number: 10767705
    Abstract: In a power transmission shaft including a rear-side shaft having a male spline joint portion formed on the outer periphery of a front end of the rear-side shaft and a tubular front-side shaft having a female spline joint portion formed on the inner periphery of a rear end of the tubular front-side shaft, a seal ring is housed in a seal housing groove configured at the rear end of the tubular front-side shaft. The seal ring is interposed between an outer peripheral seal surface of the rear-side shaft and an inner peripheral surface of the seal housing groove with a compressive deformation. Additionally, the seal ring is sandwiched and retained between the inside wall surface of the seal housing groove and the inside end face of a disk-shaped retainer part of a retainer press-fitted to the rear end of the tubular front-side shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS KYUSHU, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Akita, Hiromichi Komai
  • Patent number: 10690192
    Abstract: A propeller shaft includes a shaft part and a a first yoke having a fixing portion, a connecting portion, a first yoke portion and a first concave portion. The connecting portion is provided apart from a first concave portion in the direction of the rotation axis of the shaft part. An outside diameter of the connecting portion is greater than an outside diameter of the shaft part in a radial direction of the rotation axis of the shaft part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Hyushu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ishikura, Hidekazu Aoki, Hiromichi Komai
  • Publication number: 20200116229
    Abstract: A propeller shaft (1) that is a power transmission shaft has a shaft member (2) as a tubular body made of iron-based metal and a balance weight (3) made of iron-based metal and welded to an outer peripheral surface of this shaft member (2). At least a part of the balance weight (3) of the propeller shaft (1) is covered with a sacrificial metal coating (4) made of sacrificial corrosion prevention material that contains metal whose ionization tendency is higher than that of metal forming the shaft member (2). With this, it is possible to suppress local progression of corrosion at a periphery of the balance weight (3) and improve durability of the propeller shaft (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutomo MABE, Kiyokazu NAKANE, Hiromichi KOMAI, Xiaojin ZHU, Toshiyuki MASUDA, Kenichiro ISHIKURA
  • Patent number: 10508692
    Abstract: Apparatus, such as a propeller shaft, includes an outer circumferential portion or outer race to rotate as a unit with an internal shaft (serving as the propeller shaft), an inner circumferential member or inner race to rotate as a unit with an external shaft and a plurality of balls disposed between the outer race and inner race, for transmitting rotation therebetween. A sleeve rotating as a unit with the inner race includes an inside cavity for receiving the external shaft. The sleeve is coated with a coating formed on an inside circumferential surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutomo Mabe, Hiromichi Komai
  • Publication number: 20190316636
    Abstract: A propeller shaft includes a shaft part and a a first yoke having a fixing portion, a connecting portion, a first yoke portion and a first concave portion. The connecting portion is provided apart from a first concave portion in the direction of the rotation axis of the shaft part. An outside diameter of the connecting portion is greater than an outside diameter of the shaft part in a radial direction of the rotation axis of the shaft part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventors: Kenichiro ISHIKURA, Hidekazu AOKI, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 10378591
    Abstract: A propeller shaft includes a shaft part, a first yoke, a connecting portion, a first yoke portion, a first concave portion, and a second yoke having a flange and a second yoke portion. The flange has a bolt insertion hole into which a securing member is inserted, and is connected to a second shaft part of a vehicle side by the securing member. The second yoke portion is provided at the flange, and has a shape that extends in a direction of a rotation axis of the shaft part. A cruciform shaft couples the first yoke portion with the second yoke portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Kyushu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ishikura, Hidekazu Aoki, Hiromichi Komai
  • Patent number: 10352368
    Abstract: The first constant-velocity joint has an inner ring member, an outer ring member housing the inner ring member, and balls, which are installed in raceway grooves formed at prescribed intervals in a circumferential direction in the outer ring member and which extend along an axial direction, for transmitting rotational torque between the inner ring member and the outer ring member. Furthermore, the constant-velocity joint is formed so that one of the inner ring member and the outer ring member connects to an attaching member installed to a vehicle side with a spline, and so that the other of them connects to a power transmission shaft. In outside wall of the outer ring member, an engagement groove is formed so as to engage with an engagement member applied to connection or release thereof in a range avoiding positions corresponding to the raceway grooves in an axial direction or a circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Sugiyama, Yasutomo Mabe, Toshiyuki Masuda, Hiromichi Komai
  • Publication number: 20190170194
    Abstract: A power transmission shaft has a shaft member having, on an outer peripheral surface thereof, a male spline; a cylindrical member having, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a female spline; and a seal member provided in a pressed state between an outer peripheral seal surface formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member and an inner peripheral seal surface formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member is spline-engaged with the shaft member by one end side of the shaft member being inserted into the cylindrical member from an other end side of the cylindrical member. Axial direction shock is absorbed by sliding of the splines. The outer peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other end side with respect to the male spline, and the inner peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other side with respect to the female spline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS KYUSHU, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi AKITA, Hiromichi KOMAI, Masashi KUBO
  • Patent number: 10240641
    Abstract: A power transmission shaft has a shaft member having, on an outer peripheral surface thereof, a male spline; a cylindrical member having, on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a female spline; and a seal member provided in a pressed state between an outer peripheral seal surface formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft member and an inner peripheral seal surface formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member is spline-engaged with the shaft member by one end side of the shaft member being inserted into the cylindrical member from an other end side of the cylindrical member. Axial direction shock is absorbed by sliding of the splines. The outer peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other end side with respect to the male spline, and the inner peripheral seal surface is positioned at the other side with respect to the female spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS KYUSHU, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Akita, Hiromichi Komai, Masashi Kubo
  • Publication number: 20180231062
    Abstract: A power transmission device includes: a coupling member including an insertion hole, and having an axial elastic force; a connection member which includes a connection hole, and which is connected to the coupling member by a bolt inserted through the connection hole and the insertion hole; a sleeve member which is disposed within the connection hole and the insertion hole, and within which the bolt is inserted; and a ring member disposed within the connection hole, including an outer circumference surface abutted on an inner circumference surface of the connection hole, and including a through hole through which the sleeve member is inserted to penetrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Daiki TSUTSUMI, Toshiyuki MASUDA, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Publication number: 20180038418
    Abstract: A propeller shaft has a first yoke having a fixing portion, a pair of first bifurcated yoke portions extending from one end portion of the fixing portion in an axial direction, and a first bearing hole formed at each first yoke portion and securing therein a first bearing that holds a cruciform shaft; a second yoke coupled to the first yoke through the cruciform shaft and secured to a predetermined member, and having a mounting flange, and a bolt insertion hole which is formed at the mounting flange and into which a bolt to secure the second yoke to the predetermined member is inserted; and a securing member securing the mounting flange of the second yoke to the predetermined member through the bolt by a fastening tool. Each first yoke portion is provided with a first concave portion that slides thereon an outer circumferential surface of the fastening tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Kenichiro ISHIKURA, Hidekazu AOKI, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 9850959
    Abstract: A propeller shaft has a first yoke having a fixing portion, a pair of first bifurcated yoke portions extending from one end portion of the fixing portion in an axial direction, and a first bearing hole formed at each first yoke portion and securing therein a first bearing that holds a cruciform shaft; a second yoke coupled to the first yoke through the cruciform shaft and secured to a predetermined member, and having a mounting flange, and a bolt insertion hole which is formed at the mounting flange and into which a bolt to secure the second yoke to the predetermined member is inserted; and a securing member securing the mounting flange of the second yoke to the predetermined member through the bolt by a fastening tool. Each first yoke portion is provided with a first concave portion that slides thereon an outer circumferential surface of the fastening tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Kyushu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ishikura, Hidekazu Aoki, Hiromichi Komai